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During the Demopolis City Council’s work session on Jan. 2, City Attorney K. Scott Stapp advised the council to move forward with plans to annex the Airport Industrial Park soon due to the Alabama legislative session running from Feb. 4 – May 18.

To annex the property through local act legislation, it must be advertised for four consecutive weeks prior to voting.

“If we’re going to do something, we need to do it very quickly,” Stapp said.

Stapp also informed the council that, though the annexation will not expand the city’s police jurisdiction, the Demopolis Police Department will still have authority to operate within the area should any illegal acts occur.

The ordinance will be presented at the next meeting.

During the regular session, the city council also approving the ABC application for The Red Barn, a restaurant located on Highway 80 East, passed a resolution changing the city’s signature cards at Robertson Banking Co. and tabled appointing two individuals to serve on the Parks & Recreation Board as a new nomination was made and Councilor Bill Meador was not present to vote.

Mayor John Laney shared that, thanks to efforts by the Demopolis Fire and Rescue Department,  the city’s latest ISO rating increased from a 4 to a 3 and placed Demopolis in the top 6 percentile in the state. Building Inspector Julius Rembert also presented a list of dilapidated properties.

Laney also announced town hall meetings to take place for each district, with District 1 taking place at the Theo Ratliff Activity Center on Jan. 11, District 2 taking place at St. Paul Baptist Church on Jan. 21, District 3 taking place at Whitfield Regional Hospital on Jan. 23, District 4 taking place at Christian Chapel Baptist Church on Jan. 27 and District 5 taking place at Westside Elementary School on Jan. 28. Each town hall will last from 6-7 p.m.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, January 8 issue of the Demopolis Times.)