City of Copperhill Council members gathered Monday, July 13, to discuss the city’s proposed budget for the 2021 fiscal year.
“You can’t budget something you don’t have money for,” Mayor Kathy Stewart said to Alderman Tara Aikins regarding the decrepit Methodist Church building in town and why removing it wasn’t accounted for in the budget.
Aikins has been a proponent of the project for five years, according to herself.
“Five years I’ve been on this council, and I’ve yet to see it done,” Aikins said when discussing the process to remove the church.
The church is owned by a private entity; therefore, the city is not able to tear it down without following strict protocol, which involves citing the owner, taking the owner to court and a slew of other requirements, Stewart explained.
The condition of the old church building has been an on-going issue as children and others have been seen within it.
The church poses a threat to anyone in a close vicinity as what is left could fall at any time, according to council members.
In one decision, City of Copperhill employees will no longer receive a full uniform. Instead, they will be provided with four short-sleeved shirts and four long-sleeved shirts.
This change was made in order to appease the request made by County Executive Robby Hatcher for Copperhill to begin making one trash haul per month. The reduction in uniform costs will go toward the trash haul bill.
An increase in employee insurance is expected, but no decision was made.
Plans to resume use of the YMCA were also mentioned.
David Herring, who uses the facility to hold karate lessons, explained that he intends to implement all required guidelines to ensure the safety of his students. He has even had custom masks made, with their logo intact, to provide to his students.
“The last thing I want is to put me or the kids in danger,” he said.
A final decision on all the items was expected at the council’s regular meeting Monday, July 20.
Stewart also told the council that, after many years, the city is caught up with auditing.