Police raises discussed at Guin council

GUIN — The Guin City Council met on Monday, Oct. 7, for a regular meeting preceded by a work session.
The council heard from Police Chief Daryl Spencer on a budget matter. Spencer requested a three percent cost of living raise for his officers, but not for himself.
Councilman and mayor elect Bobby Bellew said the council should include Spencer in that raise as well when the budget is passed.
The council then discussed the budget. Bellew said once he begins his term as mayor, nothing should be purchased unless proper purchase order paperwork is filled out, and the purchase is budgeted.
The council also addressed a cemetery on Sawmill Road that needed work, but it was unclear if that would be a city responsibility.
Bellew said if it is owned by the city, then the city should take care of it.
The council then heard from Zane Miles, who spoke with the council about seeking funding for a project to build a roof on the school’s batting cages, which could be used by the schools and the park.
Miles said Dustin Silas had applied for a grant to go toward funding the project, which resulted in about $5,000.
Miles said that funding would need to be raised to cover the remaining $6-7 thousand. Miles asked the council to consider using funds from the city’s discretionary fund, which the school and park could replenish with any additional funds raised.
The deadline for the existing grant funding to be used is next July, and the council decided to table the issue for now.
In the work session before the meeting, county schools superintendent Dr. Patrick Sutton discussed his plans involving career tech programs for county schools through a partnership with Bevill State Community College.