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Council changes drug testing provider

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Photo by Neal Embry.

The Homewood City Council voted to switch to AlaCOMP to provide drug tests for their employees, following discussion about the level of service provided by Ascension St. Vincent’s.

Drug testing will now be provided by AlaCOMP, except for after-hours testing, which will be done at UAB Highlands. The finance committee will continue to discuss whether to change providers for other worker’s compensation issues.

Harold Parker, who handles drug screening from the city’s side, had raised concerns about long wait times, a lack of sample cups and more. Ascension maintained they had addressed individual concerns and said long wait times were due to the clinic serving as an emergency room for employees.

The council also narrowly voted to not approve a sign variance request from Homewood Theatre, located at 1831 28th Avenue South, Suite 160. Kyle Bass, executive director of the theater, had requested six electronic message board signs to advertise coming shows. The signs would have operated between dusk and 11 p.m.

While Council President Alex Wyatt said he appreciated the theater and did not have a problem with the signs proposed, there was concern, echoed by other members of the council, that approving the request would open the door for other businesses to ask for electronic signs throughout the city, which “scares me to death,” Wyatt said.

Voting for the request were: Melanie Geer, Carlos Aleman, Barry Smith, Jalete Nelms and Jennifer Andress. Voting against the request were: Wyatt, Andy Gwaltney, Andrew Wolverton, Nick Sims, Walter Jones and John Hardin.

In other news, the council:

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