Fountain sworn in to Flomaton council seat
Judge White, right, issues oath of office to Fountain Monday
A request by Flomaton Councilwoman Lillian Dean for the town to pave or repair the road at Pleasant Hill Cemetery failed to advance after Mayor Jim Johnson noted it was private property and that the town couldn't do anything on private property.
Dean told the council that the road into the cemetery was in terrible shape and limbs needed to be trimmed back.
Dean also said the property owners were willing to give the town the right-of-way for a new road.
Mayor Johnson again said the town cannot work on private property.
"What if they gave us the property?" Dean asked. "Then it would be ours."
Town Attorney Chuck Johns said he would look at it again and report back to the council.
Fountain takes seat
The first action taken Monday afternoon was the swearing in of Susan Fountain by Circuit Judge Jeff White to the District 1 seat left vacant by the resignation of Councilman Charlie Reardon.
At the Jan. 8 council meeting, Mayor Johnson made the recommendation to appoint Fountain to fill Reardon's unexpired term, which runs until 2025.
The council then voted unanimously to name Fountain to that seat.
Fountain moved to Flomaton in 1977 and is a 1984 graduate of Flomaton High School. She graduated from Troy State University with an education degree and taught school for 26 years with her last four years Atmore.
She currently serves as manager of Barrow Furniture in Flomaton.
She was joined by her husband Hugh Fountain Monday afternoon as Johns issued the oath of office.
In other business Monday, the council:
- Appointed Diana Bondurant to the Flomaton Library Board.
- Heard from Mayor Johnson who said all training for any and all town employees and council members (whether budgeted or not) must be approved by the council and mayor at a council meeting prior to registration.
- Heard a request from Town Clerk Carrie Moore to spend about $2,500 to store all town documents into digital files. Moore said she would get an exact quote and bring it back to the council.
Moore also said she is working on plans for the Easter Bazaar to be held in March, noting the exact date and location has not been decided.
- Heard from Councilwoman Kay Wagner who said Church Street on the west side of Highway 29 is in terrible shape and full of pot holes. She also noted more asphalt needed to be added around manholes on Highway 31 in front of Flomaton High School.
Mayor Johnson said he would get with Matt Arrington to look at both situations.
