A member of the Piedmont City Council is objecting to council members being locked out of the City Administration building.

During a motion to pay the bills Tuesday night, Frank Cobb expressed his displeasure over the decision to put key codes on the doors going back into the main part of the building.

Cobb says the building is “The people’s building” and the council members should have access.

Mayor Pro Tem Billy Baker, who was presiding over Tuesday’s council meeting in the absence of Mayor Rick Freeman, explained why the Mayor, City Clerk and office staff have the code to that part of the building.

He says it was done for the protection of female staff plus there are personnel records and other sensitive information in that part of the building.

He added that he has been told that items were picked up off the Mayor’s desk without permission.

Baker said that council members can ring a bell and office staff will let them in.

He then suggested talking with the Mayor about getting key codes for each council member.

In other action during Tuesday’s meeting, it was announced that effective Wednesday (August 7th) the City will be accepting petitions to bring real property into the Piedmont Corporate Limits.

Officials hope this will take care of any problems like the ones they had last year during the Municipal Election.

Property owners interested in coming into the city should go by the Administration Building and pick up the paperwork.

We mentioned earlier that Mayor Rick Freeman was not in attendance for Tuesday’s meeting.

On Thursday, Freeman will be going to UAB and the VA for tests due to blood clotting problems.