The City of Brundidge is taking a more proactive stance toward the increasing problem of stray dogs in the community.

City Manager Britt Thomas told the city council Tuesday that people are feeding the stray dogs and, therefore, the dogs are not being attracted to the food inside the cage traps.

“We are going to have to find other methods of getting the stray dogs off the streets,” Thomas said. “We are talking with other cities to see how they handle the problem and we will become more proactive in our approach.”

Thomas said the dogs are running in packs and asked citizens to alert the city as to where the dogs are seen and when.

“If we can establish patterns then that will help us in rounding up the stray dogs,” Thomas said.

Citizens are asked to call Brundidge City Hall, 334-735-2385 to report sightings of stray dogs.

The council entertained a request by the Concerned Citizens of Brundidge (CCOB) for use of Galloway Park for a community-wide revival, Oct. 11, 12, 13 and 15.

Councilman Lawrence Bowden said the revival services will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. nightly and the park will cleared by 9 p.m.

Councilmember Cynthia Pearson said that she would like to have more information about the CCOB’s plans for the revival before making a decision.

Mayor Jimmy Ramage said that the public hearing regarding the remediation of the city park that was taken out of service when the property was sold to BEC was very informative.

He talked with a Dothan architect about the city’s plans for remediation and suggested that the council utilize the services of the architect in its decision as to the use of the park.

“The architect is working with several other cities – Ozark, Clanton and Tallassee – in planning multiple-use parks, which is what we want ours to be,” Ramage said. “The city has 6.5 acres that can be devoted to the park. It might be that we have implement the plans in phases.”

Bowden suggested that the architect be asked to draw up plans for the entire 6.5 acres.

“But, since we just spent $22,000 resurfacing the track at the high school for walking, I don’t think that we should include walking trails on this acreage.”

The council agreed to request the services of the architect. The architect’s fee was not discussed. However, Thomas said it would probably be in the $2,000 range.

The council approved the paving of the parking lot at the former doctor’s building on South Main Street by Larry Leatherwood at a cost of $6,200.

Thomas presented the June financials that take the city through 75 percent of the budget year.

“In the general fund, our local revenue continues to exceed budget projections,” Thomas said. “Through June we have collected 86 percent of local revenue budgeted which is very positive. The City departments in the general fund are all around 75 percent of budget expenditures and the ones that aren’t are less than 75 percent.

“We are very comfortable with our general fund budget at the end of June. The utility fund revenues and expenditures at the end of June are each at 69 percent of funds budgeted. Over all, at the end of nine months of our 12-month fiscal period, our budget continues to be favorable.”