Troy citizens came before the council Tuesday night to express concerns and thanks.

Margie Florence Barrow addressed the councilmembers about the fatal shooting of a man she said she raised as her own, Bobby Tremain Barrow.

“I saw the last breath leave him,” Barrow said. “This happened at a well-known crackhouse and bootlegger house … We feel like the case should be investigated to the highest extent possible up to the FBI and (SBI).”

A grand jury chose in June not to pursue criminal charges against the man who shot Barrow.

District Attorney Tom Anderson said that Barrow had an airsoft gun that looked identical to its real counterpart and that the shooter warned Barrow multiple times not to point the gun in his direction.

Barrow said her concerns were ignored by the police department and the district attorney’s office.

Another man, Jessie Walker, brought forward concerns about a situation on Montgomery Street, where people are allegedly urinating and defecating outside of a vacant home next door to his residence.

“I really don’t know where else to go,” Walker said. “The police department and public health department told me there was nothing they could do about it. We can’t sit on the front porch without the smell. There’s also loud music, cussing and fighting; this is out of hand. This is a problem we’ve got to solve.”

Walker said people have even trespassed on his property to relieve themselves. Council president Marcus Paramore told Walker the council would look into getting the correct personnel to resolve the issue.

Jame McClain of Safe Inc. came to thank the council for its assistance in their hosting of the inaugural Juneteenth celebration downtown and requesting for the event to be placed on the yearly calendar for the city.

“I’ve never felt so humbled and fortunate to be part of a community,” McClain said.

In other business, the council rejected bids for fire retardant uniforms for the utility department and for equipment at the Walnut Creek wastewater treatment plant due to the bids not being submitted correctly for either project. Utilities Manager Brian Chandler said the engineering firm would absorb the cost to rebid the process due to a miscommunication on their end.

The council will consider a new drug testing policy at their next meeting that would allow for oral testing after accidents involving employees. Currently, employees who are involved in an accident must go for urine testing according to Jacob Fannin, occupational health and safety director. This new policy, he said, would save the city time and money.

In other business, the council:

• Approved a bid award to G&W electric for a “padmount switch” that will be used to upgrade capacity at Troy University for $122,000, with funding coming from remaining bond funds the utility department has already received.
• Approved a bid of $10,894 to SkyFire for a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) training program fro the utility and police departments.
• Approved a new agreement recognizing new equipment installed at the intersection of Three Notch Street and Montgomery/Madison Street with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). No cost is associated with the agreement.
• Approved an additional $31,000 to be spent on three automated garbage trucks in the environmental services department due to an item that was omitted when the council previously approved the purchase of the trucks for $675,000.
• Approved the continuing of an engineering services agreement with Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood at no cost.
• Approved the transfer of an off-premises beer and wine license at Z-Tec.