During Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, the Council approved construction of Fire Station 6, which is to be located at 110 W. Farmville Rd. The project will cost $3,138,000.
According to plans on the City’s website, the building will hold over 8,000 square feet of living and sleeping quarters, office space, an apparatus bay and space for parking.
Before the meeting began, Auburn Police Division Chief Cedric Anderson updated the Council on local police statistics. In every category, Auburn is below average in crime, Anderson said. Burglaries have trended down since 2008.
APD is trying to improve its relations with the community through proactive patrolling and greater interactions with apartments and homeowner’s associations. Officers walk through neighborhoods throughout the City to meet members of the community and hear their concerns.
Many thefts in Auburn are opportunistic crimes, Anderson said. APD runs the “lock it or lose it” campaign to decrease the opportunities for theft in the community.
APD’s hiring process takes longer than most agencies, Anderson said. He wants to make sure he hires the right people for the community. New hires must become familiar with local codes and laws before being sent to the Academy.
APD continues to train officers in trending issues and in lacking areas, Anderson said. He believes APD has higher standards for officer training than most other police departments.
“At the end of every shift, the officers say a prayer, not only for themselves, but for the community,” Anderson said. “I think that is one of the greatest things they’re doing. They pray for the citizens here.”
At the beginning of the City Council meeting, Anders announced that Sept. 25 will be Kounte Threadgill Day, in honor of the 13-year-old’s actions, saving his family from a house fire. Threadgill saved his four younger siblings by breaking a window to escape and going back into his burning home to save his youngest brother.
“The Auburn Fire Division and the City of Auburn are proud to honor the heroic actions taken by Kounte Threadgill,” said Auburn Fire Chief John Lankford. “On the evening of Aug. 26, 2020, without regard to his own safety and only thinking of his family, 13-year-old Kounte Threadgill’s bravery saved four of his younger siblings.”
Anders also announced the retirement of City Manager Jim Buston, who will finish serving the City on Jan. 31. Anders believes the City has a strong candidate for Buston’s replacement within the City. The Council will meet next week to decide whether to move forward with the internal candidate.
The Council approved a condemnation of Orange Auburn, LLC. Buston explained that when the City widens roads, they will often offer payment for the property required. Condemnation occurs when the property owner refuses to accept payment for the property but the City requires the land to continue with a project.
Buston expects that if the case is brought before a court, the City will be required to pay the property owner the previously offered value.
The Council also approved to compensate a landowner for an easement as part of widening and resurfacing Gay Street. The previous condemnation was also for the project widening and resurfacing South College Street, Samford Avenue, Gay Street and Reese Avenue.
The Council discussed pre-zoning and zoning for The Silos at Conway, a proposed neighborhood east of the City of Auburn Soccer Complex, on the north side of Wire Road.
Project representative Blake Rice explained that the proposed neighborhood will consist of higher-price homes with large lots. There will be a 20-foot buffer between the development and Wire Road.
Ward 8 Council member Tommy Dawson said that if the Council does not approve the current plan for 71 homes on 50 acres, the property owner could build over 70 houses on 25 acres. Though he is not in support of the commercial development part of the property, he appreciates the property owner’s work towards proposing a plan that is less dense than what the property will be zoned for.
The Council unanimously approved pre-zoning, annexation and zoning for The Silos at Conway.
At the request of the property owner, the Council voted to postpone the vote on rezoning land on Moores Mill Road and Hamilton Road for the Hamilton Place shopping center. The vote was 7-2, with Ward 6 Council member Steven Dixon and Ward 2 Council member Kelley Griswold opposing. The ordinance had been postponed from the previous City Council meeting.
During Citizen’s Communications, it was brought to the Council’s attention that the vote for the Moores Mill Road property will fall on the night of the presidential election. Buston explained that the Council will have the option to postpone the vote on Nov. 3.
Ward 3 Council member Beth Witten asked if the City Council meeting could be moved to either Monday, Nov. 2 or Wednesday, Nov. 4. Buston confirmed that the Council will be able to move the meeting date with a vote at the next Council meeting at the end of October.
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Charlie Ramo, junior in aerospace engineering, is the content editor of The Auburn Plainsman.
