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In continuation of the Linden City Council’s interest in placing a bid on an office building on 8th Avenue that once housed an Alabama Power office, councilmembers walked through the building. Mayor Charles Moore said he was pleased with the prospect and proposed the city council place a bid during the Oct. 15 meeting.

Councilor Vonda Wilson proposed a $50,000 bid for the building, and the city council approved.

The city council looked at the space, which is roughly 40×60 square feet, as a possible future location of city hall.

The city council also approved purchasing five new body cameras for the Linden Police Department. The cameras were included in the city’s FY2020 budget, but Police Chief Robert Alston had to present a five-year cost breakdown before moving forward.

The AXON body cameras will be purchased at a cost of $17,000 over five years. As the city will simply be updating a contract regarding the cameras, there is no need to bid them out.

“The ones we have right now are outdated, and we can’t get any replacements for them,” he said.

Additionally, the council raised the utility board fees for using the services of Shop Foreman Wallace Walker from $2,000 to $2,400. As Walker’s services are used by both the city and the utility board, and he is paid through the city, the board pays a monthly fee to the city. The fee was approved at the board’s meeting that same day.

The city council also denied a one-time pay raise for municipal employees. City Clerk Barbara Cannon said that after reviewing the city’s budget, she did not think there was enough available funds to go towards the bonus.

City Attorney Woody Dinning also said he will be sending out a letter to owners of a piece of property on Abbott Street that needs additional upkeep due to high grass.

The Linden City Council meets every first and third Tuesday of the month at city hall, 4:30 p.m. the public is invited to attend.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, October 23 issue of the Demopolis Times.)