Council appoints finance director to assume city clerk role

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With the upcoming retirement of 27-year city clerk Linda Cook, Mayor Scott McBrayer and the city council chose her replacement at the April 11 council meeting.

Finance Director Melody Salter will incorporate the role of city clerk into her existing duties, combining the two city departments. McBrayer said Cook's retirement allowed him the opportunity to look at the job duties of the city clerk, and he found that the clerk's office and finance department "can naturally be one."

"She has done an excellent job and will continue," McBrayer said. "I can't think of anything she has failed at that I have asked her to do."

Cook's official last day will be June 1, but she will be on vacation after April 29. Salter will be acting city clerk during that month and officially assume the role on June 1.

All the council members present at the April 11 meeting expressed their thanks to Cook for her service and the ways she has helped them carry out their duties over the years. Council President Bruce Limbaugh said the council is planning a special recognition of Cook for her last council meeting on April 25.

The council also:

  • Approved amending the city's street excavation ordinance. The ordinance creates a position for a city employee to monitor utility work throughout the city. The position would be paid through a $500 fee to perform work in city roads, which would double if the utility company begins work before filing for a permit.
  • Approved the hiring of an environmental consultant, at a cost of up to $27,000, to find the source of persistent odor problems near the Mayfield/Barber Dairy plant and Buffalo Rock plant.
  • Approved the rezoning of #1 West Lakeshore Drive, recently annexed into the city, from Jefferson County Commercial District to Homewood Neighborhood Shopping District.
  • Reset public hearings to May 23 for zoning applications for the properties at 1250 Columbiana Road and 35 West Lakeshore Drive. These properties were recently annexed into the city and must be given a Homewood zoning. They have been rescheduled because the advertisement for the April 11 hearing listed the wrong parcel IDs.
  • Approved a petition for the property at 1601 Shades Glen Circle to annex into the city.
  • Approved road closure on Brookwood Village Street from 1 to 10 p.m. on May 12 and 19 for Brookwood Live concerts.
  • Approved a retail beer and wine license for Homewood Fuel, 317A West Valley Avenue, and a lounge retail liquor license for Homewood Package, 317B West Valley Avenue.
  • Approved a restaurant liquor license for Shiki Thai and Sushi, 300 Hallman Hill Suite 109.
  • Approved the use of insurance consulting services to reduce the city's premiums.
  • Approved the mayor to sign an agreement with the county to provide election services and equipment.
  • Set public hearings on April 25 to hear sign ordinance variance requests at 2941, 2510 and 2846 18th Street South.
  • Carried over discussion of road closures for a spring street party near Patriot Park, as organizer Justin Limbaugh is still working out the details to get an event permit from the police department.
  • Approved the nomination of 13 people to serve on the Commercial Development Authority, Homewood Downtown Redevelopment Authority and Industrial Development Board.
  • Approved regulations for small cell technology facilities.
  • Denied a bingo application for Helpmate Ministries based on a report from Police Chief Tim Ross, who said that he found the applicant had not included information about their prior convictions.
  • Dropped a sign ordinance variance request at #1 Lakeshore Drive, as the owner continues to make changes to the sign design.