CENTRE The city took measures at the July 14^th council meeting to simplify business license and building permit purchases. The council will let their contract with AVENU run out and switch to TekconnectGov for both business license and building permit purchases. Business permits are currently sold by the city itself. The council approved paying a $5,000 initial fee and $2,500 for the two modules, pending the approval of the contract by the city attorney.

Police Chief Kirk Blankenship updated the council on the recently-purchased drone. He has been impressed with its initial testing, but they still have FAA paperwork to complete before it can be used for public safety. Blankenship also stated that the number of traffic accidents in June was the lowest in recent memory. Unfortunately, the total included one fatality, the first in many months.

Blankenship Fire Marshal Robert Pace briefed the council on the merits of replacing the old international fire code with a 2021 edition that many towns are adopting. Pace emphasized that replacing the 40-year old current edition would make buildings safer. Leniency would be granted for structures built before the code is put in place. After a public hearing on the issue, the council unanimously adopted the 2021 edition.

The council approved several other purchases: $16,972.37 for waterproofing services for the Children’s Advocacy Center, a $8,965 fire-truck light package, and $4,681.25 for a 2017 Chevrolet truck from DC Gas.

The city also made a $2,000 donation to the Cherokee County High School Marching Band to help pay for uniforms as well as $700 for the Cheaha Regional Library.

The council announced that the ribbon cutting for the new City Hall is set for August 3^rd at 10:00 am. The building will be closed July 16^th and 17^th for moving.

At the end of the meeting, the council went into a 25-minute executive session but took no action after their return.