Regular Session Minutes of the
Council of the City of Dora, Alabama
August 8, 2024
The Council of the City of Dora, Alabama met in the Dora Municipal Building at 6:00 p.m. We
were led in prayer by Gary Thomas. Mayor Hezikiah L. Walker, Jr. led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Walker. Roll call was taken by Stacy Turner. Present at the meeting were David Box, Norman Holt, Chris Edwards, George Sides, Jr., Gary Thomas, Robert Busby and Mayor Walker. Randy Spears was absent. A quorum was in attendance.
Item #5—Approval of the Minutes – The minutes of the July 25, 2024 council meeting were
reviewed. The motion was made by Gary Thomas. to accept the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Chris Edwards. All in favor and the motion carried.
Item #6 – Old Business –The addendum to the City of Dora Personnel Policy was reviewed.
Robert Busby discussed revising the call-in pay section. The revision will be as follows: Any
employee who is called in to work on a scheduled day off or after completing a shift due to an urgent need will be paid a minimum of four hours regardless of time worked. There were no other issues discussed to revise. Norman Holt made a motion to approve the addendum with the above revision to the City of Dora’s Personnel Policy dated September 12, 2021. Gary Thomas seconded the motion. David Box-YES; Norman Holt-YES; Chris Edwards-NO; George Sides- YES; Gary Thomas-YES; Robert Busby-YES; Mayor Walker-YES;
YES=6; NO=1. The motion carried.
The method was discussed on how to re-distribute the personnel policy to employees with the approved changes. A digital copy of the policy and its changes will be prepared and given to the supervisors to distribute to their employees and sign for receipt of the revised manual.
Resolution #5 and Resolution #6 were approved at the last council meeting. The final copies
were reviewed to ensure the language was correct after the last council meeting.
Mayor Walker updated the Council on the lake project. He related the parking spaces and the ramp from the parking area to the pavilion had been completed. He stated that Norris Paving told the Street Department Supervisor Jeremy Hicks while their equipment was already set up on the jobsite, they could pave the path from the walking track to the lake for $7,300 (seven thousand three hundred and no/100). Norris Paving stated if they had to come back at a future date, the cost would be an additional $20,000 (twenty thousand and no/100). The only other estimate that was received was over one hundred thousand dollars for this portion of the project. Mayor Walker related this was discussed at prior council meetings and it was an item that would have to be done in order to complete the project and to be able to open the lake and he authorized this work to be done. Chris Edwards stated that this expense had not been approved by the Council.
Mayor Walker also related the pavilion furniture had arrived and is being assembled. As a result, the lake should be able to be opened sooner than September 1, 2024 and the council will be notified when that date will be. It was also discussed that the revised Ordinance#9-2015 for the creel limit that was approved on July 25, 2024 needed to be reviewed by Jim Brakefield, City Attorney. After he reviews the ordinance, we will bring it back before the council for review/approval.
Item #7 –Bill List -Norman Holt made a motion to accept the bill list dated August 7, 2024.
David Box seconded the motion. All in favor and the motion carried.
Item #8-Departmental Reports – A-G- Norman Holt made a motion to approve the departmental reports A-G. David Box seconded the motion. Vote: David Box-YES; Norman Holt- YES; Chris Edwards-NO; George Sides-YES; Gary Thomas-YES; Robert Busby-NO; Mayor Walker-Yes. YES=5; NO=2; The motion carried.
Item #9-Horse Creek-Well Pump Repair – Keith Wright related the well pump on Hole #4 that pumps into Hole #16 for the irrigation pond has gone out and the pump and pipes need to be replaced. The last time this was replaced was approximately eight years ago. Norman Holt made a motion to approve the estimate from Beyond H2O for $15,622 (fifteen thousand six hundred twenty-two and no/100). Chris Edwards seconded the motion. All in favor and the motion passed.
Item #10 – Horse Creek-Irrigation Pump Repair – Keith Wright said the irrigation pump for
the sprinklers is not working. Norman Holt made a motion to approve the estimate from
Southern Pump and Control for $9,620 (nine thousand six hundred twenty and no/100). David Box seconded the motion. All in favor and the motion carried.
Item #11-Fire Department Cardiac Monitor – Robert Busby made a motion to approve the
purchase of the cardiac monitor/defibrillator from Zoll Medical Corporation for the amount of $39,830.56 (thirty-nine thousand eight hundred thirty and no/100). David Box seconded the motion. All in favor and the motion passed. The payment arrangements for this purchase were discussed at a previous meeting.
Item #12-Park Department-Fireworks Show – Chase Gant, Park Director related he is wanting to plan a Fireworks Show for Friday, July 4, 2025. To secure the fireworks display, we have to place the order as soon as possible. Chris Edwards made a motion to approve the aerial fireworks display from Pyro Productions, Inc. in the amount of $7,064.73 (seven thousand sixty-four and 73/100) to be paid from the park fund. David Box seconded the motion. All in favor and the motion carried. Chase said the fireworks display would be set up at the lake and be visible for spectators at the park. He wants to plan for food trucks, vendors and the concession stand to be open and make it an all-day public event.
Item #13-Pay Raises – Supervisor’s pay increases were not included when the employee pay
raises were given. Keith Wright’s pay rate increase was given when he was appointed interim golf course manager, so his salary does not need to be addressed at this time. Jared Hall’s current salary is $54,025.60 (fifty-four thousand twenty-five and 60/100) and requested an increase to $59,000.00 (fifty-nine thousand and no/100) a difference of $4,974.40 (four thousand nine hundred seventy-four and 40/100). Stacy Turner’s current salary is $48,000 (forty-eight thousand and no/100) and requested an increase to $53,000 (fifty-three thousand and no/100) a difference of $5,000 (five thousand and no/100). Jeremy Hicks’ current salary is $47,120.06 (forty-seven thousand one hundred twenty and 06/100) and requested an increase to $52,120.06 (fifty-two thousand one hundred twenty and 06/100) a difference of $5,000 (five thousand and no/100).
Adrean Booth’s current salary is $42,500 (forty-two thousand five hundred & no/100) and
requests an increase to $59,000 (fifty-nine thousand and no/100) a difference of $16,500 (sixteen thousand five hundred and no/100). Norman Holt made a motion to give a $5,000 salary increase to Jared Hall, Jeremy Hicks, Stacy Turner and Adrean Booth. George Sides seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Chris Edwards-YES; George Sides-YES; Gary Thomas-YES; Robert Busby-NO;
Mayor Walker-YES; David Box-YES; Norman Holt-YES. YES=6 NO=1. The motion carried.
The topic of addressing all employees who have not received a pay raise this year was discussed.
George Sides, Jr. made a motion to give all employees who have not received a pay raise this
year an increase of $2 (two) per hour. Norman Holt seconded the motion.
Chris Edwards made a motion to pay a full-time firefighter $20 (twenty)/hour. No one seconded the motion. He left the council chambers at this time. The motion failed for lack of a second.
Norman Holt rescinded his second to the motion for the $2 (two)/hour increase.
George Sides, Jr. made a motion to adjourn. Robert Busby seconded the motion. All in favor and the meeting was adjourned.