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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

The Thorsby City Council approved a grocery store proposal for lots seven and eight on Montgomery Avenue at its meeting on Nov. 21. The proposal was one of three that were presented to the council at its Nov. 7 meeting. A Mexican restaurant and a deli-style meat market with a full-service kitchen were the other two proposals.

Todd Bowen presented the grocery store proposal to the council and said that lot eight would house the grocery store that will sell local meat, seafood and produce. The upstairs of the building in lot eight will be renovated to be a meeting area, and it would be outfitted to meet current fire codes. Lot seven, which is a shell of a building now, will be rebuilt in hopes of bringing another business to the downtown strip in Thorsby.

The council said the decision was not an easy one, and all three proposals were very detailed and well thought out. Councilman Neil Benson made the motion to approve Bowen’s proposal, and Councilwoman Tonya Ray seconded it. The proposal was passed with Councilman Justin Killingsworth abstaining from voting. Councilman Marvin Crumpton was absent from the meeting.

Chilton County Probate Judge Jason Calhoun swore in new Thorsby municipal judge Craig Cleckler to begin the Nov. 21 meeting. Cleckler greeted each member of the council and thanked them for their support.

A motion for city employees to be able to cash in up to 80 hours of vacation time on Dec. 1 was approved unanimously by the council. Police Chief Rodney Barnett proposed the policy change to the council at the Nov. 7 meeting to combat finding coverage for employees taking vacation days before the end of year when they will lose them.

The new policy only applies to vacation time and not the city employee’s sick or comp time. City employees can still roll over up to 40 hours of comp time to next year. The council did reserve the right to go back and amend the policy change if it is abused.

The council announced the Thorsby Christmas parade will be on Dec. 3 at 9 a.m. on the traditional parade route through the city.

Repairs to Helen Jenkins Chapel forced the council to make a motion to pause all bookings at the chapel until the repairs are made. Parties who have already booked the chapel will be honored, but bookings will cease after those are honored. The motion was passed unanimously.