Winfield council corrects street bid acceptance

WINFIELD — The Winfield City Council corrected an error in accepting a bid package for two streets in need of paving in the area developing around Exit 30 on I-22 during its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 7.
The council had previously voted to accept the bid for one street to be paved (Clifton Creek), but not the other road across the highway (Shelton Way).
Mayor Randy Price explained the two streets had been bid as part of one project, and the council would need to vote to correct the issue and accept both bids. Councilman Chris Ballard voted ‘no’ on the measure once more.
Ballard voted against the original motion, saying he wished to have seen a lower cost to the city. All others voted in favor of the motion, which passed 4-1.
Earlier in the meeting, the council voted to amend the minutes from the previous meeting to clarify Ballard had, in fact, voted “no” and didn’t just abstain.
At the beginning of the meeting, Winfield City Schools Superintendent Dr. Adam Andrews introduced himself to the council, speaking highly of the school system and the community, adding “I’ve already been told I have to participate in Mule Day.”
The Winfield Fire Department presented two new hires for council approval: Blade Coates and Collin Beverly. The council approved both hires.
Fire Chief Blake Farley said Coates had recently completed the Fire and Emergency Management Program through Winfield City Schools’ career tech program. He will be the first graduate of that program to be hired with the Winfield Fire Department, which Farley said he was really excited to see.
The council also voted to approve paying for a project to install a new pipe to handle a water drainage and flooding issue on an industrial park site near the interstate, with a total cost just shy of $40,000.
The city council also voted to approve the Retirement Systems of Alabama’s recommended one-time cost of living bonus for an estimated total of around $6,600.