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Phoenix Program in Vestavia Hills, AL
The City of Vestavia Hills has implemented a program to assist individuals struggling with addiction. We are calling it the Phoenix Program. In Greek mythology, the phoenix was a long-lived bird that cyclically regenerated. Associated with the Sun, a phoenix obtained new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. Vestavia Hills is committed to assisting individuals that are struggling with substance abuse. This intervention program provides an opportunity for individuals that realize their addiction to seek counseling or recovery assistance through our police and fire departments.
Individuals can seek assistance 24 hours per day, 7 days per week by coming to any Vestavia Hills Fire station or to the Vestavia Hills Police Department. Vestavia Hills contacts participating recovery resource agencies that respond and provide the necessary assessment and placement depending on the individual’s needs and financial ability. The person seeking help can surrender any illegal substances in their possession without fear of being charged by the police department.
The basic premise is the need to immediately provide assistance once an individual has consciously decided to seek help. Statistics indicate that there is a short window of time to help addicted individuals, less they revert back to their addiction for relief.
The program became operational on July 1, 2019. Within the first week we had an individual come to the police station seeking help. The individual surrendered a quantity of illegal substances and requested help. One of the local recovery resource agencies responded and began the assessment and placement of this individual.
We care about all of our citizens including those with substance abuse disease and this program will provide an opportunity for addicted individuals to “rise from the ashes” of their past. This program also has some volunteer opportunities for citizens to become involved with the program.
Ashley C. Curry
Mayor
Seven Municipalities Named a 2018 Certified Municipality by the Alabama League of Municipalities
Seven municipalities were named a 2018 Certified Municipality by the Alabama League of Municipalities (ALM), a highly regarded honor awarded to cities and towns in which the mayor and all councilmembers have earned the professional designation of Certified Municipal Official. The 2018 Certified Municipal Achievement Awards were presented in Mobile on Tuesday, May 7, during the Closing Session of ALM’s annual convention. Municipalities that received the award were Andalusia, Brewton, Center Point, Foley (not pictured), Priceville, Robertsdale and Saraland.
This designation through ALM signifies that the mayor and all councilmembers have completed a minimum of 40 credit hours of formal training on municipal government conducted or endorsed by ALM via its Certified Municipal Official (CMO) Program. Qualifying municipalities are selected by ALM based on CMO program credit hour records during the previous calendar year and receive an official certificate as well as an annual Certified Municipality digital seal for use on the municipality’s website.
“All CMO graduates spend many hours over several years attending day-long workshops and lectures on the finer points of municipal government,” said Ken Smith, ALM Executive Director. “Earning the CMO designation is a significant accomplishment, so when the mayor and all the councilmembers from a city or town have achieved this professional designation, we believe the municipality should be recognized for their commitment and motivation to become better informed, more effective municipal officials. Certified Municipalities are a standout in Alabama!”
The Alabama League of Municipalities was organized in 1935 and has since served as the recognized voice of the cities and towns in Alabama. Through the years, the organization has steadily grown and now serves more than 450 municipalities. This voluntary membership program brings officials of cities and towns together in fellowship of public service – which strengthens and guides local government in a progressive, responsible fashion. The primary purpose of the League is to promote understanding of municipal government and administration in Alabama and thereby advance the welfare of the people of this state. For more about ALM, visit www.alalm.org.
Bright idea honors history of powering Athens and anniversary with TVA
The bright idea to place a light bulb sculpture in an Athens park got its spark from the statewide bicentennial occurring during the 85th anniversary of our city’s partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Athens turned 200 last year, and Alabama turns 200 this year. Athens joined Alabama in its three-year bicentennial celebration, which concludes this year. TVA is an integral part of the history of Athens and this region, and the local bicentennial committee talked about a way to honor the anniversary of flipping the switch to TVA power.
Athens Electric Department Manager Blair Davis and TVA’s Customer Service Manager Robby Jones agreed to support a bicentennial-themed project for Athens. City of Athens Grant Coordinator/Communications Specialist Holly Hollman, who serves on the county’s bicentennial committee, asked local artist Micah Gregg if he could design a sculpture to commemorate the history of providing power in Athens and make it interactive where selfie-taking citizens and tourists could photograph themselves getting a bright idea with a light bulb above their heads. Gregg is the owner of the metal fabrication and design studio, Drop Metal LLC.
“People love to document their travels and places they explore, especially when there is a unique feature they can capture,” Hollman said.
More importantly, Hollman said, the light bulb sculpture pays tribute to the ingenuity behind providing electrical power, preserves our local history, and honors those who have lost their lives and those who risk their lives to ensure the lights stay on.
TVA provided a $5,000 community grant for the project, and Athens Utilities provided $5,000 from its marketing budget.
The plaque on the sculpture states it commemorates “The first office for Athens Light and Water Company opened at the corner of Beaty and Market streets in 1906. The first street lights came in 1908. Athens Light provided electric power until midnight May 31, 1934. On June 1, 1934, Athens began to receive power from the Tennessee Valley Authority. TVA continues to provide power to Athens through Athens Utilities.”
Gregg, a graduate of Athens High School who studied welding at the Limestone County Career Technical Center, said he has a “deep connection with North Alabama and surrounding areas” and feels honored project organizers asked him to create something special for Athens.
“In creating this art piece, we want to provide a lasting work of art for the park, commemorate TVA’s 85th anniversary in Athens and inspire future park patrons and generations of children passing through the park with the ‘flash of an idea,’” said Gregg, who has a degree in industrial product design.
The Mayor’s Office is tasking the Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission with creating social media filters utilizing the light bulb sculpture.
On Friday, May 31, Gregg joined Athens Utilities, the City of Athens, TVA, Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce and community to dedicate his creation at the corner of Beaty and Market streets. The light bulb sculpture is just north of the Athens-Limestone Tourism building at Big Spring Memorial Park. The Tourism building was the city’s 1906 Athens Light and Water Company office.
The Alabama Bicentennial Commission endorsed the dedication as a state bicentennial event. Mayor Ronnie Marks said the sculpture symbolizes the remarkable journey of our city from a few streetlights with electricity to serving 47,856 electric customers in Limestone County.
Marks said one reason Athens continues to grow is the availability of power through TVA, and the support of TVA for economic development. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city’s population has grown from 21,890 in 2010 to 26,247 in 2018, a growth rate of 19.9 percent.
In 1949, the City of Athens celebrated its 15th anniversary with TVA, and then Mayor Elmer Vinson said the partnership put our city in a “strategic position in the heart of the great Tennessee Valley.” The 15th anniversary commemorative booklet pointed to increased farm and industrial production, increased incomes and a better living for those in Limestone County.
Marks said that holds true today. He thanked Athens Utilities, TVA and the bicentennial committee for honoring those who built our system and keep it operating.
“Our Electric Department employees are first responders as well as police and fire,” Marks said. “They risk their lives during storms and emergencies to make areas safe for search and rescue and to rebuild damaged systems. This sculpture inspires a new generation to look for that spark of an idea within themselves, but it also ensures we remember those who put their lives on the line for our community.”
Four employees have lost their lives since Athens opened its first utility plant in 1906. Those employees are:
- Albert Royal Cook – 1955
- Bobby Craddock Williams – 1961
- Charles Wayne Vinson – 1988
- Randy Lynn Priest - 1989
Town of Millport
The Town of Millport is extremely busy. On Thursday, April 18, 2019, a severe storm went through our small town resulting in many trees down across streets and on several homes. Mayor Stanley Allred, Chief Charles White, Water Superintendent Robby McAdams, Street Superintendent Kyle Shaw, and Street employee Austin Keasler worked tirelessly in the rain to help our citizens as much as they could.
In other news, this summer the Town of Millport will be paving approximately one mile of our city streets with funds from our 4 and 7 cent gas taxes. This has been a long time coming for the Town. We look forward to seeing S. T. Bunn employees in Town helping make our streets better and hopefully, we will be able to do more streets next summer.
Mayor Allred and the Town Council commended Town Clerk Linda Ferguson at the Council meeting on Monday, April 22, 2019 for achieving her Certified Municipal Clerk designation in just a little over two years. Clerk Ferguson has work hard to attend as many conferences as she could as well take some other courses to learn more about her job and what it takes to keep a Town running. Mayor Allred presented Clerk Ferguson a plaque and a proclamation to mark her accomplishment.
In December 2018, the Town of Millport and the Millport Volunteer Fire Department were on Santa's nice list and received Christmas early in the form of a new-to-us fire truck. The Volunteer Fire Department is a very important part of our community and work hard to help our citizens in any way they can. We are extremely proud to see this bright, shiny truck available to our citizens.
Youth Commissioners drive golf cart with beer goggles, sit in cockpit and use deluge gun
Recently, the Athens Mayor's Youth Commission participated in its first responders program. The program, held at Leak City, a training facility in Athens, included lessons on Air Evac, distracted driving and fire response.
During the program, students sat in the Air Evac helicopter cockpit and talked to the Air Evac team about responding to emergencies. They also wore beer goggles that distorted their vision while they tried to maneuver a golf cart through a course set up by the Athens Police Department. Chief Floyd Johnson talked to students about tragic accidents he has responded to involving teenagers and drunk driving. Athens Fire and Rescue allowed each student to operate the deluge gun on top of the 
fire truck so they could experience moving it as needed for fire suppression.
The Youth Commission involves students comprised of 10-12 graders from Athens High School, Athens Bible School, Lindsay Lane Christian Academy and home school in Athens. The purpose of Youth Commission is to teach students about the role of local government and their role as citizens. The students participate in a different program each month to learn about city services, tourist attractions, community outreach opportunities and careers.