A motion to approve a contract with Huntsville based Echo 911 was tabled at last Tuesday's meeting of the Coosada Town Council.
Coosada police chief Leon Smith Jr. presented the idea of using the company to expand options and save the town money.
“It costs $66,000 per year,” Smith said. “It will provide service and dispatch for police, fire and EMS. We need this to be able to get our ambulance up and running.”
Currently the town is contracted with Elmore County E911 at a cost of $90,000 per year. Smith said when the contract expires Sept. 30, it will increase to about $110,000 and will not include EMS. He said a year long contract with Echo 911 can be canceled with 30 days notice or renewed for up to three years.
Smith said Coosada will stick with Elmore County E911 until the contract expires. He asked the council to approve it so things with the new company could be set up.
Smith did not put copies of the contract in the hands of the council until the meeting. Some council members said they wanted time to review the contract themselves even after town attorney Brandon Stone had gone through the contract.
Ultimately the council tabled the motion until the next meeting.
The council approved changes to who can present public comments. At the meeting it approved limiting remarks from the public at council meetings to a maximum of three minutes after they requested to be on the agenda.
Coosada Mayor Jim Houston informed the council that the grant for demolishing between six and seven dilapidated structures was moving along. He said contractors are evaluating the buildings for hazardous materials such as asbestos.
Houston said the town was looking into grants to upgrade waterlines with the Tri-Community Water System. He said a previously proposed project estimated to cost between $90,000 and $125,000 should be looked at again with possible funding from a community development block grant.
The council also approved minutes of the July 8 meeting.
