The Piedmont City Council stripped a $5000 expense from the Account Payables during the regular Council meeting Tuesday evening. The item taken out was for Gym Membership at Foundation Fitness for the Fire Department. Fire Chief Todd Kirkland wanted to purchase the membership for his Department’s 25 employees to help them stay physically fit to do their jobs. The proposed membership was to be paid from the Fire Tax which his department receives monthly and is part of the Department’s budget.

The City Council previously authorized the Mayor to purchase items needed for the City up to a $7500 limit without prior Council approval. When Kirkland brought this to the Mayor and City Clerk, they said he could do this with his department’s funds as part of their training and fitness program.

During the meeting, when the bills for payment were presented in the amount of 427,182.06, the gym membership became the focal point of a heated and lengthy discussion resulting in Chief Kirkland explaining the rationale behind the purchase. The funds were not to be taken from the General Fund but from the Fire Department’s general income. The Bills for payment met with a No Vote from the majority of the Council. Finally, another motion to pay the bills with the stipulation the $5000 for the Fire Department was NOT TO BE PAID, the bills were approved to be paid as long as the General Fund Budget did not drop below $400,000.