Alabaster approves eighth SRO, affirms support for I-65 expansion

Published 6:01 pm Tuesday, March 28, 2023

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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABSTER – Alabaster City Council approved an eighth school resource officer and affirmed support for the Interstate 65 expansion project during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, March 27.

During the meeting, Mayor Scott Brakefield delivered a proclamation to the Birmingham Association of Realtors declaring the month of April 2023 as Fair Housing Month. The proclamation was delivered in honor of the 55th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act.

“We just want to thank you all so much for adopting this resolution,” said Amanda Creel with the BAR. “We appreciate you and your commitment to close knit communities—making sure that everybody has housing because it’s really a right. It’s really a right to have a decent place to live and to be able to be there.”

A representative from SafeHouse of Shelby County was present at the meeting and delivered a report to the council.

“Last year, from the city of Alabaster, we provided confidential, secure, emergency shelter to 28 victims and their children,” said Janelle Sierra, executive director for SafeHouse of Shelby County. “And 69 victims and their children received services through our community outreach services and SafeShelby sexual assault services facility which is located in Pelham.”

SafeHouse is a 501c3 nonprofit that is dedicated to providing critical, domestic and sexual violence response to the citizens of Shelby, Coosa, Chilton and Clay county.

“Thank you for the opportunity to help serve your citizens,” Sierra said. “Our partnerships with municipalities are just as important as those of the county and the state.”

During the meeting, the Alabaster City Council approved an additional full-time school resource officer to the Alabaster Police Department for the new school year.

“Thank you for your support over the past few years,” Brakefield said. “Last year, you supported my initiative to put seven SRO’s in the schools and this year, through our Fast Forward Campaign, we’ll put in an eighth SRO in our schools.”

The Alabaster City Council authorized a partnership and support for the expansion of I-65 with Shelby County in the amount of $1.75 million.

The city council also approved a resolution authorizing the application and acceptance of the Shelby County Senior Grant to aid in funding programs and services for seniors in the community in the amount of $2,000.

“We have a very active (senior) center,” Councilmember Kerri Pate said. “They provide meals and (activities) and services to promote health and wellness and educational—recreational opportunities. The director has applied for and received a grant through Shelby County to aid in these expenses in the amount of $2,000.”

In other news, the Alabaster City Council approved the following:

  • The addition of two full-time police officer positions and the dissolution of three full-time communications clerk positions within the Alabaster Police Department
  • The creation of a school resource officer job code for the City Classification Plan
  • The Fiscal Year 2022 final audited financial statements from BMSS, LLC
  • A resolution regarding execution of permit for the modification of a traffic signal at the SR-119 and Veterans Park intersection
  • A resolution authorizing the mayor to sign MOU with the Alabama Department of Transportation for Highway 119 improvement from Silver Creek Parkway to County Highway 12
  • The issuance of an ABC License to The Wine Bunker LLC located at 81E Weatherly Club Drive in Alabaster.