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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

Thorsby Police Chief Rodney Barnett honored Thorsby Police Sgt. Keith Avery with the 2021-2022 Thorsby Police Officer of the Year award at the Thorsby City Council meeting on Oct. 3. Avery received a plaque from Barnett commemorating the achievement, and was recognized in front of the council for his hard work and dedication to keeping the residents of Thorsby safe.

Barnett said TPD has had an officer out with an injury, and Avery has been very flexible switching between the day and night shifts when there is an officer needed.

“He is just a do-it-all officer, and anytime you need anything he is right there and does not complain about it,” Barnett said. “It is things like that, plus he works the streets, traffic enforcement, drugs and all of that. He is all-around a great officer.”

Avery has worked closely with the dogs in the community and Koda, the TPD K9. He mentioned to the council at the meeting that TPD is looking to build a kennel for runaway dogs in the community. If a stray dog is found with a collar or looks like it belongs to someone, TPD will transport the dog to their kennel and hold the dog for a few days. The department will post the dog on Facebook and ask around the community, and the owner can come get the dog for a small fee for food and water given to it. Avery said he will spearhead the project, and take care of the dogs in the kennel. This will eliminate taking dogs to the Chilton County Humane Society, which is overstocked with animals at the moment.

“I try to go out and help more than I normally should … I have done more with the dogs lately than we have done in the past here,” Avery said. “It means I am doing my job, and people like me and are proud of me.”

The Thorsby Swedish Festival parade is schedule for Oct. 8 at 9 a.m., and the parade route has changed back to the old route that will begin on Montgomery Avenue at the storage units near the water tower. From there, the parade crosses North Dakota Road, then go south on Highway 31 to Franklin Street and turn right. The parade will pass Richard Wood Park and then turn right onto Alabama Avenue and end back where it started.

The council amended their budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year to include the school resource officer in the paperwork. The SRO was already budgeted into the funds, but was not in writing on the budget. The budget amendment was passed unanimously. The council received a thank you card from the Thorsby FFA department for their $1,000 donation to the program funding their trips to national competitions this school year.