Mayor Young told the Council the Rescue Squad was cooperating with his request to furnish the City with a financial audit of the organization and the Clerk has the document. However, the Mayor did not indicate if the City would be restoring the Squad’s use of the City’s fleet fuel cards they had been using for more than 11 years until the Mayor took it upon himself to suspend the use by the organization because as he said, “The City was providing an open credit card to the Squad without knowing its financial status.” The Council did not take any official action on the Squad’s proposal to install a new $16,000 digital and analog Console for the Police Department to use in dispatching all services within the city. The sticking point seems to be who will be responsible for any possible maintenance after the two year warranty expires.

Police Chief Tidwell told the Council they had sold three surplus police cars using an online auction for $2600. The Chief presented the Council with bids on a police vehicle. Councilman Billy Baker said he hoped the Council would help the department with a new vehicle soon. Tidwell told the Council the recent Take Back Prescription Drug Program was a big success with more than 30 pounds being collected. He said that was the fourth largest amount collected in the state out 64 participating agencies.

The Council authorized the Mayor to sign a contract with Information Transport Systems for the purpose of installing wireless internet system within the City. The City’s electrical department has already begun the work with 134 units being installed to date with work beginning on April 20, according to the contract.

Bills in the amount of $286,498.26 were approved for payment.

The next city council meeting will be the first Tuesday in June at 5:30 p.m.

The first step toward making a real difference – was the recent passage of a sewage ordinance by the Cherokee County Commission.

Sid Garrett General Manager of the Water & Sewer Authority spoke with the commission during the planning session held prior to their regular meeting on Monday (May 14th) and asked that the commission move forward with the idea of overseeing implementation of that new ordinance in a somewhat different way – a way that will be best for all concerned – and that includes combining the efforts of the County Commission, the Water & Sewer Authority and the Decentralized Sewer Board.

He went on to say that there’s a lot of work, and research still to be done – but things are moving in the right direction.

The rules of the new sewage ordinance include a variance that will establish a permitting process to allow sewage holding tanks at recreational lots inside the Alabama Power flood easement with the rules set to go into effect July 9th (2012).

Now, neighboring Floyd County, Georgia is dealing with the same thing.

A large black bear made a couple of appearances in downtown Rome on Thursday (May 17th) of this week.

The first sighting came in just after 6:00am and was reported by Peggy Evans an employee of the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, who spotted the bear while on her way to work at the courthouse.

The bear then went into the woods behind the law enforcement center – apparently following the river to the library.

It was later seen near the Georgia Power sub-station – located on Riverside Parkway, near Turner McCall Boulevard – before crossing Turner McCall in the area of the duck pond.

Witnesses reported seeing the bear in the Shannon area later in the afternoon.

It’s estimated that the bear weighs anywhere from 350 to 500 pounds.

Again, officials with the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources are saying if you spot a black bear – leave it alone and it’ll do the same for you.

With Coker at quarterback, the Panthers captured back to back Region 7 championships.

Last season Collinsville reached the quarter-finals of the AHSAA Class 1-A state playoffs.

Coker was named to the 2011 1st Team All-State Offensive Squad, after having missed his entire sophomore season recovering from injuries suffered in a car wreck.

Following surgery and rehabilitation Coker overcame long odds to return to star on the gridiron – he was also a two year starter in basketball and baseball.

Coker plans to pursue a degree in pre-med at BSC.