Bridgeport Citizens Express Frustrations
By
Sherri Blevins
The Bridgeport City Council meeting occurred Monday, October 28, 2019. The council heard concerns from several citizens during the meeting. The council also approved several requests.
After approving the minutes from the last meeting and agreeing to pay the monthly bills, Mayor Hughes expressed his appreciation for Felix Jackson, Jackson County Emergency Management Deputy Director, who passed away earlier this month. He stated, “ Felix Jackson will be missed. He is going to be missed all over the county. I want our prayers to be with his family. He was a good EMA Director. He was one of the nicest people I have ever met. He would always help you if he could.” The other council members echoed his sentiments.
Next,
Mark Dover addressed the council requesting an alcohol license for a new
business he plans to open. He is
currently in the process of purchasing Big Daddy’s Outdoors. His plan for the business is twofold. One part
of the property will remain “Big Daddy’s Outdoors,” but the other portion will
be Horizon Travel Center, and it will serve as a truck stop. He requested an alcohol license for the travel
center with plans to include a 50s style diner complete with an ice cream
fountain and round booths to accommodate teenagers as well as adults. The council approved his request.
Then
Rip Gibson, a volunteer fireman for the city, addressed the council. He requested the council permit volunteers
willing to provide free volunteer income tax service for Bridgeport residents
in 2020, the use of the community center. The council approved the request.
Gibson
also shared his concerns and frustrations with the lack of sufficient ambulance
availability for the citizens of Bridgeport. According to Gibson, the wait time for an
ambulance can be extreme because of the current policy of the ambulance
service. If Scottsboro’s ambulance responds to a call in Scottsboro,
Bridgeport’s ambulance is sent to the Scottsboro location in case another call
is received. This situation leaves the Bridgeport area without protection. He
described a recent incident where this scenario occurred. He stated, “ We had a six-month-old that coded
last night that we were going to have to wait thirty minutes for an ambulance
to come from Scottsboro. Instead of waiting, we put him in a police car and
carried him to the hospital.”
Gibson
went on to explain that the Scottsboro Fire Department has a paramedic on each
shift, and they respond to all Scottsboro City calls. He stated, “I have worked in this city for
over twenty years, and it is not right when a Scottsboro ambulance has to go
almost to Huntsville, and our ambulance has to go to Scottsboro and wait in
case Scottsboro receives another call. They
say their call volume is higher than ours. I don’t care. I do hate it for them,
but what is the difference for them having to go down there, and we get a call
like last night, and they have to turn around and come back. It is uncalled for. We need more than one ambulance.” Gibson
wanted Mayor Hughes to set up a meeting with the Jackson County Commission to
see if something could be done to solve the problem. Mayor Hughes agreed.
Mayor
Hughes reported what he found out from the city attorney regarding the use of
city police cars by off-duty policemen employed by Google. He stated that insurance would not cover the
city’s police cars if they were driven while the officers were off duty. Therefore, the mayor requested the officers
drive their own vehicles when they are off duty and not use city vehicles for
other jobs.
The
council voted to provide a $600.00 Christmas Safety Bonus to full time and
part-time city employees that have been employed six months or longer with the
city.
The
council also heard from citizens concerning problems caused by stray dogs. The mayor said this is a continuous problem
that needed to be addressed. He asked
that the city ordinance concerning stray dogs be abolished and that all
concerns involving the dogs be reported to the Jackson County Animal Control
Department so the animals could be removed.
After
covering all items on the agenda, the mayor adjourned the Bridgeport City
Council meeting.
