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The Linden City Council approved the public works department’s request to replace the department’s uniforms with shirts that will cost a total of $1,100 and allowing an annual $100 clothing allowance to the employees to purchase pants during their June 5 meeting.

“We spend about $7,000 a year on uniforms. Some of our guys wear them religiously every day. Some of them do not,” Public Works Director Terry Tyson said.

He also said that the shirts will be used in the summer and vests will be worn in the winter.

“It’s just something that’s cooler than what we have now,” Tyson said.

The uniforms currently get cleaned by a service, and each employee has nine uniforms. Four uniforms per employee are cleaned per week. The shirts will minimize the need for professional cleaning. The shirts will also be bright yellow with lettering.

“High visibility is what it’s all about,” Tyson said.

He also explained the reason for the annual clothing allowance to be used on pants is so everyone in the department would be dressed alike, even without the uniforms.

Councilwoman Jan Cannon was in favor of the idea.

“I think that if it’s going to save $5,000 a year I think that it might be a good idea,” she said.

Other items discussed by the council include the following:

• the light poles at Scott Park are deteriorated around the bottom and will need to be replaced by concrete or steel. Tyson said that materials would cost $100,000 for LED lights and installation would be done by the city. For HID, materials would cost $75,000 or $67,000 plus installation. Tyson also said that installation would cost approximately $25,000 if done by the city. Tyson said that he would continue researching options.

• stolen bathroom fixtures at Austin Park. The Mayor Charles Moore said that his was not the first time the fixtures have been stolen, and there is someone who watches the park, but “he can’t stay there 24/7.”

• discussing the noise violations by C&J Pool Hall with the owner, Joe Hudson, who said that the pool hall was within the noise allowance. Hudson does not have a license to play music in the City of Linden.

Police Chief Robert Alston said that when he investigated the noise, he and Hudson discussed soundproofing the front wall as that is where most of the noise was coming from. No action was taken at the meeting.

• passing a motion to make a resolution to allow alcohol be sold on Sunday after 1 p.m.

• passing a motion to allow the mayor to sell property to Jack’s Family Restaurants after the meeting. He later agreed to sell it for $7,500.

• approving the purchase of two speed bumps for Martin Luther King Drive for $1,210.

• accepting a resolution to apply for a grant in order to resurface various streets in Linden.

• appointing Linda Yelverton to the Industrial Development Board after Robbie Smith requested to leave.

• allowing Alston to issue citations for illegal limb dumping without contacting the individuals first and requesting that they remove the limbs first.

• entering executive session.

The Linden City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month, at 4:30 p.m., at city hall.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, June 13 issue of the Demopolis Times.)