By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The Alabaster City Council voted during its Jan. 6 meeting to repeal a city ordinance prohibiting the open carry of firearms in Alabaster parks after the ordinance was found to be in conflict with state law.

During the meeting, the council voted to repeal section 74-4 of the Alabaster Code of Ordinances, which prohibited visitors at city parks from carrying “certain weapons and fireworks” in the parks.

Alabaster City Council President Scott Brakefield said the city’s ordinance was superseded by the state’s new firearms laws, which were passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2013.

“It was in conflict with the state open carry law,” Brakefield said, noting the city’s ordinance was nullified when the new state law was passed. “So we just had to fix that and make sure we weren’t going against state law.

“If a municipal ordinance is in conflict with state law, it’s overruled by the state law anyway,” Brakefield added.

During the meeting, the council also voted to give the Alabaster Water Board more autonomy when selling off surplus or unneeded equipment.

Previously, the Water Board was required to seek the approval of the City Council before selling off any surplus items, regardless of the items’ value.

As a result of the new ordinance, the Water Board now has the authority to sell off surplus items or bulk lots valued at less than $15,000. Selling off items or bulk lots valued at more than $15,000 will still require City Council approval.

“As long as it’s not real property, they can sell off their old equipment as long as it’s less than $15,000,” Brakefield said. “This would be like if they purchased a new computer monitor and they didn’t need the old one anymore. It was just one extra hoop they had to jump through.”