The Linden City Council voted Monday to purchase and provide transportation for a new drug dog.

The approval of the motion by councilman Dennis Breckenridge was given over the strong objections of Linden Mayor Pat Vice.

The city has not had a drug dog since January 2002. The council at the time voted to stop paying for feed and medical service for the dog, which was owned by a former police officer.

The dog will cost $6,000, said Linden Public Safety Director Jeff Laduron. A demonstration of the drug dog will be provided for the council.

In other action from Monday’s council meeting, the council voted to support a proposed one-cent county sales tax if the city would receive half a cent of the money collected in the Linden city limits and a quarter of a cent collected in the Linden police jurisdiction.

(The Demopolis City Council approved a similar resolution September 8.)

The council voted to raise the appropriation for county E-911 to $10,065 in the fiscal 2004 budget. Floyd Wilson, the county E-911 director, appeared before the council and said his agency is "still in a growing phase." The increased appropriation reflects a five percent increase in payroll, he said.

Discussion of the 2004 budget was tabled.

A committee was appointed to bring back recommendations on the budget. The committee planned to meet Tuesday night.

The Park and Recreation 2003 budget was amended for additional funds, "the amount of deficit" to pay payroll and utility costs. Park and Recreation had requested a $7,000 increase.

The council approved immediate repair of 1/20th of a mile on Shiloh Street, where there is a water problem. The city will ask the engineering firm Goodwin and Mills to give a recommendation, the mayor said.

The council discussed a problem with the current project to pave remaining unpaved streets. Some of the streets such as North Mobile and Wolf only have one residence on them, and there was a question of whether those streets should be paved. The issue was tabled.

A new flagpole will be dedicated Thursday at 8:15 a.m. during a 9/11 commemoration at the Farmer’s Market.