MAYOR and COUNCIL ACHIEVEMENTS- 2004-2008
OBJECTIVES: 1.) Instill new pride in Fyffe with clean-up; new town facilities; and new equipment for all departments. 3.) Support town employees and town volunteers 4.) No favoritism in all situations 5.) Develop infrastructure that will allow Fyffe to attract new and developing industries to help secure a better future for its citizens 6.) Here to serve Public Good of community.
RESULTS: Listed below by department and/or area
POLICE FORCE:
- Stabilized Police department by retaining same Police Chief for four years versus seven chief’s for the same period in previous years. Also, greatly reduced turnover of officers and sent new officers to Police Academy to reduce future turnover.
- Wage and benefit increases for Police Department to make competitive with all area municipalities.
- Purchase of two new state-of-the-art Dodge Charger Police Cruisers (first in southeastern U.S. to attain them). Other towns in Alabama and surrounding states have followed. Also purchased a like-new low mileage ‘Crown Vic’ Police Cruiser that has provided a small fleet of Police Units second to none in the area. All three vehicles were either purchased with cash or paid off within very short period of time. The first Dodge Charger purchased was only the second new Police Cruiser in the town’s history and the first to be paid for with cash.
- Became the first town on Sand Mountain to purchase Tazers for police officers. Other towns in area have followed. This effort has reduced work related injuries to officers in line of duty.
- Bullet Proof Vests for all officers that greatly protects them while on duty.
- Completely modernized Police Department with new computers, telephones, communication tower, lockers, desks, cabinets and a facility to operate from that is second to few.
- Closed the town’s jail and dispatching resulting in savings of approximately $100,000.00 per year for the Town of Fyffe. This required taking on both the Sheriff and 911 to do so.
FIRE DEPARTMENT:
- Attained $207,000 federal grant for new 2007 state-of-art Tanker Truck.
- Purchased like new 2001 state-of-art Fire Engine that is paid for annually with 3 mil monies from county.
- Purchased and outfitted a ‘Quick Response’ Fire Truck for grass fires and emergency situations where smaller unit is
required.
- Attained $66,000 in grant monies for new ‘Turn-out Gear’.
- Provided ‘Call Pay’ to Fire Fighters for all training sessions and all fire fighting efforts. Also, provided extra monthly compensation for Fire Chief for work with department.
- Upgraded and provided improved work quarters and offices in new Municipal Complex for Volunteers Fire Fighters and Fire Chief.
- Purchased good used 4X4 SUV as Fire Chief’s vehicle to be used for multiple situations.
- Attained a $44,000 grant for new safety equipment including a new 'Jaws of Life'.
STREET & SEWER DEPARTMENT:
- Purchased a like-new ‘one ton dump bed truck’ and one good used one that greatly upgraded the department’s hauling and functional ability.
- Purchased new zero radius turn 60” cut lawnmower for quicker and more efficient mowing.
- Purchased new ‘Finishing Mower’ for small Ford tractor.
- Updated department with numerous new hand tools and new industrial compressor.
- Restructured department with two part-time employees, reducing cost of benefits of a full-time employee.
- Renovated new 2,500 square foot Maintenance Building to house all the town’s tools and equipment including lawnmowers, tractors, and trucks etc.
- Installed additional street lights on Traylor St. West and on Highway 75.
SEWER SYSTEM:
- After Main Sewer Lift Station failed in first week of administration, attained a $126,000 in grant monies for new state-of-art Main Sewer Lift Station. The new modern sewer facility has capacity to move four times the current capacity of Fyffe to Rainsville and will easily allow for continued future growth to the town system.
- Hooked-up approximately 100 homes to sewer system in two sub-divisions. Free hook-ups for all citizens effected.
- Within a couple months in office repaired surface water leaks in sewer system. The town’s cost for processing sewer water to Rainsville was $2,800 to $3,300 per month. Processing cost was minimized to only $200 to $400 per month following repairs. The savings allowed the town to make the system basically pay for itself without monies coming from the General Fund to keep it solvent.
- High School Boys Baseball Field and High School Girls Softball Field concession stand and bathrooms on town property hooked to sewer with small sewer pump installed.
- Bathrooms in Town Park equipped with small ‘Lift Station’ and hooked to sewer.
- Hooked the new Senior Center; new Community Center; and new Equipment/Maintenance Building to sewer.
- Expanded the sewer system on Traylor Street West that will accommodate the new Municipal Complex; Town Park Baseball and Softball Fields; and residents near the location of the new Lift Station.
- Originated the ideal of the Town of Fyffe and all municipalities turning sewer system over to separate entity for more efficient operation for everyone concerned. Other towns are in process of adopting this philosophy.
Town Park:
- Removed old dilapidated Tennis Courts and with help of local chapter of the Masons providing the labor, a new Outdoor Performing Stage was constructed that is being used by local churches and for events such as the town’s very own UFO Days Festival.
- Designed new town logo to be used on town signs, vehicles, and letterhead etc.
- Installed a lighted Gazebo as both an addition to the park and rest station for walking track participants.
- Renovated the ditch in the park with new underground piping and surface drain system all the way to the wooded area.
- Cleaned all undergrowth and planted grass in wooded area below park area to add additional usage for citizen’s enjoyment.
- With help from a grant through the school added an ‘Outdoor Classroom Walking Trail’ through the cleared wooded area and then completed with new pavement to increase a pleasant cool down area to park trail.
- Redesigned and renovated Park Bathrooms back into production after close to 20 years of being out of order. Saved money by removing all temporary Port-a-Johns.
- Built and maintained new Flower Beds throughout Park and with help from Woodmen of the World installed new Flag Pole and Flag.
- Landscaped Park with new Trees and Crepe Myrtles.
- Increased size of Park by shortening Baseball Field and fencing at end of Football field.
- Built new Stacked Rock Park entrance sign.
- Paved new Drive-in entrance front of Park. Replaced chain-link fencing and installed new vinyl fencing along Walking Track.
- Installed numerous electrical boxes with power throughout park to accommodate vendors during special events.
- Kept park well maintained for enjoyment of citizens and public which continues to attract more and more users.
- Landscaped Graves Street with Crepe Myrtles and Bradford Pears. Landscaped Traylor St. West from school to new Municipal Complex by pulling the road banks and planting Crepe Myrtles.
- Cleaned out wooded area adjoining Town Park and Traylor St. West.
- Added several picnic tables to both the pavilion and in wooded area of park.
Parks and Recreation:
- Worked with volunteers to finish High School Boys Baseball Field with dugouts on town property. Town continues to furnish power, water, and maintenance.
- Worked with volunteers to construct new High School Girls Soft Ball Field on town property. Town continues to furnish power, water, and maintenance.
- Built parking area for both fields with several hundred feet of new underground piping and filling large ditch with torn down dilapidated buildings from main street, old tennis courts, old Ag. Building from school, and other debris.
- Concreted all dugouts on all baseball/softball fields in park and repaired all fencing. Painted, and refurnished concession stand with new vinyl trim and crusher run limestone base.
- Negotiated with Waterworks to remove portions of fencing around water tower in order to make new secondary road into T-Ball Fields and Town Park.
Municipal Complex Renovation:
- Renovated Fire Hall into Municipal Complex that includes Administration offices; Police Department; Fire Department; Municipal Court; Mayor’s Office and Conference Room. This was a two year debt free effort.
New Senior Center/New Community Center:
- Purchased the old Century Glove Mill and renovated into new Senior Center and Community Center. Facility consisted of 7,500 square feet sitting on an additional two acres of property that connects with town property on two sides and directly across from entrance to Town Park.
Town Beautification:
- Landscaped Graves Street with Crepe Myrtles and Bradford Pears. Landscaped Traylor St. West from school to new Municipal Complex by pulling the road banks and planting Crepe Myrtles.
- Cleaned out wooded area adjoining Town Park and Traylor St. West.
- Installed flower beds at seven stop signs in main part of town and road to Town Park. Kept maintained for citizens and viewing public.
- Purchased four properties on south side of main street near red light. Demolished old dilapidated buildings and used debris to continue to add parking for ball fields.
- Demolished old town hall that was leaking and contained mold and mildew and used debris to continue to add parking for ball fields.
- Developed monthly ‘Beautification Award’ to encourage beautification efforts.
- Hired part-time Ordinance Officer to enforce clean-up and encourage other efforts.
- Attained approximately $50,000 in grant monies for a Pedestrian Walkway on main street. The effort consist of new Sidewalks and Crepe Myrtles from entrance to Sherwood Subdivision to All-Gas on south side of highway 75 and from red light to Church of God on north side of highway 75.
Industrial Park:
- Purchased an additional 46 acres of road frontage to town’s Industrial Park through an interest free loan with SMEC and USDA. The additional property coupled with the already 42 acres owned by the town allowed the town to have an 88 acre Industrial Park which is the second largest in DeKalb County only behind Ft. Payne, and the largest on Sand Mountain. The property already has a sewer lift station, natural gas, and water available. When road is completed it will be immediately available for concentrated industrial recruitment.
- Mayor personally wrote a grant on home computer and was awarded $200,000 from USDA for an Industrial Access Road into middle of the property.
Finances:
- Aggressively pursued increasing financial base, in particularly businesses’ and other users that were not complying with paying taxes and fees as required. Without increasing taxes for anyone was able to increase the towns income from sales tax; users tax; and license fees by more than 70% during four year term.
- Closed old dilapidated town jail and eliminated dispatching that saved the town approximately $100,000 annually. This required taking on the Sheriff and 911 to do so.
- Continuously seeking and pursuing new ways to locate and find grant monies and other sources of funds for the town.
- Developed original website to promote Town of Fyffe on the worldwide web with address of www.fyffecitylimits.com and placed logo on all municipal vehicles.
Town Festivals:
- Brainstormed and developed the annual Fyffe UFO Days festival which has with the help of volunteers in the community become one of the most successful town festivals in the area. It continues to grow each year and continues to allow the town a tremendous amount of positive worldwide publicity.
- With help from volunteers developed ‘Trick-or-Treat’ in the Park. Has grown each year and continues to be a favorite of the young children.
- With help from volunteers developed ‘Christmas in the Park’ that immediately follows the town’s Christmas Parade. The event is a great community gathering opportunity and continues to grow annually.
- Created an Office Assistant position to coordinate town functions, events, and to promote the Town of Fyffe similar to that of a Chamber of Commerce staff position. Also with additional responsibilities to support all town departments on a daily basis.
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