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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

PELHAM – The Pelham City Council approved a grant for a device designed to assist the Pelham Fire Department in serving the city and saving lives during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 2.

The council was formally presented a resolution for consideration to accept grant funds from Cawaco RC&D on behalf of the Pelham Fire Department during the meeting.

The grant will assist with the purchase of a Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System device for the Pelham Fire Department. The grant is for $15,000 and the fire department will use budgeted funds to cover the remaining cost of $4,790.40.

The purchased item is a portable, mechanical chest compression device used in emergency medicine to deliver consistent, high-quality chest compressions to patients experiencing cardiac arrest.

The machine acts as an automated CPR machine that takes over the manual chest compression processes, allowing paramedics to focus on other critical interventions.

Members of the Pelham Fire Department demonstrated the machine in a presentation to the council and attendees. Fire Chief Mike Reid emphasized the importance of the device.

“If you’ve had CPR training before, you’d know that doing chest compressions is a very difficult thing,” Reid said. “What this does is delivers compressions for us.”

Several state legislators, including Kenneth Paschal, Arnold Mooney and Dan Roberts were at the meeting to support the implementation of the LUCAS device.

“What a great day in Pelham,” Paschal said. “As legislators, oftentimes people think about bills that we pass. But, we’re talking about saving lives here, so what a great addition to the city of Pelham (this is).”

Reid further addressed the council, discussing how the LUCAS device will continue to improve the already high-quality service that the Pelham Fire Department provides.

“The national average for getting a return of spontaneous circulation, which means we get a pulse back for that patient, is around 20 to 25 percent,” Reid said. “We have constantly maintained, over a five-year average, a rate of 40 percent, which we’re very proud of… If you haven’t taken a CPR class, please do so, because it can really make the difference in someone’s life.”

The council unanimously approved the grant to purchase the LUCAS device along with the following items classified as new business:

– A resolution for consideration to accept a proposal from Gray’s Tree Service LLC for debris removal from Cahaba Valley Creek and to authorize amending the fiscal year 2025 Development Services and Public Works budget

– A resolution for consideration to accept a proposal from Williams Blackstock Architects for master plan visioning, due diligence and feasibility study of the former Oak Mountain Amphitheatre property

The council also approved the following items in the consent agenda of the meeting:

– Resolution for consideration to authorize and enter into a Management Agreement with VenuWorks of Pelham LLC for an additional five-year term for the operation and management of the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena

– Resolution for consideration to enter into a five-year agreement with Axon Enterprises Inc. for body cameras. This project was budgeted for fiscal year 2025.

– Resolution for consideration to authorize a recruitment campaign partnership agreement with WBRC on behalf of the Pelham Police Department. This project was budgeted for fiscal year 2025.

Originally approved in September 2021 for a five-year period, the agreement with VenuWorks has now been extended for an additional five years through 2031. This extension allows VenuWorks to continue managing operations, marketing and maintenance of the facility.

In his address to the council, Pelham Mayor Gary Waters echoed the comments of the council in the work session, commending the work of city officials in compiling the 2026 budget in an efficient and detailed manner.

“I wish to thank the city manager and the leadership staff for a job well done on compiling a quality budget so early in this fiscal year,” Waters said. “The decision to begin the budget process early was done in an attempt to get ahead of the upcoming municipal elections… Our city manager has made a difficult process appear even less so, and I am extremely grateful.”

In her report to the council, City Manager Gretchen DiFante revealed that for the first time ever, the visits to Pelham City Park, the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena, Ballantrae Golf Club and the Pelham Racquet Club surpassed the number visits in the last year to Oak Mountain State Park.

“Our residents want places to gather,” DiFante said. “They want opportunities to participate with their families… and to be able to be active in several different ways.”

The meeting concluded with the following public announcements:

– Qualifying for the 2025 Pelham Municipal Election begins Tuesday, June 10 at 8 a.m. and concludes promptly at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24. Those interested may contact City Clerk/Treasurer Jonathan Seale with questions by calling 205-620-6404

– The city of Pelham will hold a Flag Retirement Ceremony on Flag Day, Saturday, June 14 at 10 a.m. at the Pelham City Cemetery, home to the city’s designated flag retirement pit. Residents are invited to bring worn or tattered American flags for proper and respectful disposal. If unable to attend, flags may be dropped off in advance at The Home Depot on Pelham Parkway, in the flag retirement box at the Pelham Senior Center, or at any Pelham Fire Station, and they will be included in the ceremony

– Pelham City Offices will be closed on Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth

– The city of Pelham will host its annual Fire on the Water celebration in partnership with Oak Mountain State Park on Thursday, July 3. The event begins at 5 p.m. with activities, music, food trucks and more. The fireworks show begins at 9 p.m. Gates will close promptly at 7 p.m. to allow ample time for attendees to make their way to the beach before the show

– Pelham City Offices will be closed on Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day