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The Brundidge City Council held a public hearing prior to its regular meeting on Tuesday night to consider two requests for property rezoning.

Margaret Elizabeth Caffey applied to the Brundidge Planning Commission to have her property on Galloway Road rezoned from R-3 Multi-Family Residential to Mobile Home Residential.

Willie Cope submitted an application to the city’s planning commission to rezone his property located on South Main Street from B-2, Community Commercial, to R-2 Medium Density Residential.

Cope, a “snowbird” who has returned home to Brundidge, said he owns property on Andrews Corner and wants to build a log cabin on the property facing South Main Street. 

The council heard the requests and no one attended the public hearing in opposition to either request. Council Member Byron Gaynor, District 4, is a member of the city’s planning commission and said the commission voted in favor of both requests.

Following the public hearing, the Brundidge City Council opened its regular meeting which was highlighted by the adoption of the city’s FY2022 Annual Budget in the amount of $10,093,000. The budget also includes a 5 percent across the board raise for city employees.

In current business, the council considered the rezoning requests of Caffey and Cope.

As there were no objections to either request and following the planning commission’s lead, the council voted to approve both rezoning requests.

Brundidge Mayor Isabell Boyd reported that a food pantry will be available at the Brundidge National Guard Armory on October 27.

The mayor said Trick or Treating will not be as usual again this year, rather candy bags will be filled at city hall for distribution at Pike County Elementary School and Banks School.

“The Peanut Butter Festival will be October 30 on the grounds of the Bass House,” Boyd said. “A lot of work goes into the festival and we encourage everyone to go out and enjoy all the activities planned.”

Brundidge Police Chief Marquez James shared with the council that test runs for the E-911 changes are going without issues and that there will be a phone monitor at Brundidge Police Station during regular hours from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

James said the Brundidge Police Station may be contacted at 334-735-3333 or 735-5616 during the transition to the countywide to the E-911 system.

Willie Wright, Brundidge City Manager, encouraged those in attendance to take the transition to the countywide E-911 seriously.

“The transition will be made on November 1, and we are looking forward to a smooth transition,” Wright said. He also encouraged everyone to attend the ribbon cutting for the building’s connector at the Tupper Lightfoot Memorial Library at 2 p.m. Friday.

The council was addressed by Ron Meers of Burning Bush Cowboy Church, which is located in the Tarentum community area.

Meers said Burning Bush Cowboy Church is seeking ways and making plans to extend its services to more people and in different ways. The Cowboy Church plans to host a food pantry that has the potential to serve about 800 people in the area. The church is also in the process of purchasing horses for its equine therapy program, which Meers said is a treatment method that uses the connection between people and horses to enhance physical and emotional healing.

Meers said the church’s equine therapy program will be directed toward children with autism but will be beneficial to anyone in need of physical or emotional healing. Anyone who would like more information about the equine therapy program is encouraged to visit the Burning Bush Cowboy Church at 4148 County Road 3328 in Tarentum.

The Brundidge City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at Brundidge City Hall. The meetings are open to the public.