will get raise in Brundidge

By BETH LAKEY

Staff Writer

BRUNDIDGE ­ Volunteer fire fighters in Brundidge will be making more beginning next week.

Tuesday night, the Brundidge City Council voted to increase payment to the volunteer fire fighters by two dollars.

At this time, fire fighters in Brundidge are paid $6 for every fire or drill to which they respond.

"It has been years since it has been changed," Brundidge Mayor Jimmy Ramage said.

Ramage recommended increasing the fee to $8 for each time a fire fighter reports for duty, effective Feb. 1.

"I think it would be in our best interest," Ramage said of giving the volunteers more money. "In the scheme of things it’s not much."

Brundidge has 15 volunteer fire fighters. Records are kept on who responds to each fire and drill and the fire fighters are paid at the end of the year.

In other business, the council:

· Tabled any decision, but discussed plans and specifications for the resurfacing of Highway 10.

The Alabama Department of Transportation is planning to resurface Highway 10 to the Barbour County line. That project should be done this summer or in early fall.

Council members made no decision to approve the plans because they have not been reviewed from "the utility aspect," City Manager Britt Thomas said.

"If they put in a turn lane, we’ll have problems with the power line," Thomas said.

· Discussed looking into the issue of sales and use tax versus gross receipts.

Thomas is working with Troy’s City Clerk Alton Starling on that issue because Troy officials are looking into making a change to "sales and use" so they can reap the benefits of products purchased outside of the city limits.

"By the next meeting we’ll know whether or not we comply with that," Thomas said. "We want to be prepared if we don’t."

· Set up a public hearing for Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. on rezoning a structure on North Main Street from commercial to residential.

When the city’s zoning map was drawn in the 1980s, officials zoned most of Main Street for commercial property; however, the owner of a former residence that has been vacant for some time, has requested the property be rezoned for residential purposes. Under the current regulations, only those properties that remain occupied can be grandfathered in the clause.

· Passed a resolution giving support to the Interstate 10 connector. The resolution states the city would like it to parallel U.S. 231.