Rockford approves ordinances, grant application
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By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
During its May meeting, the Rockford Town Council approved and adopted two ordinances by majority vote and took another ordinance into consideration.
As mentioned at its April meeting when presented for consideration, the Town Council reviewed ordinances related to ticketable offenses
During the April meeting, Police Chief George Fanning mentioned that an ordinance for consideration would allow the option in some instances to write a ticket, or non-traffic citation, rather than make an arrest, such as for second-degree marijuana possession or drug paraphernalia possession, with it being at the officer’s discretion.
At the May meeting, town attorney Tom Young mentioned that when it was brought up in April he was not familiar with the circumstances as outlined. He said he asked around and as of the May meeting still had not found anyone familiar with it, explaining that as such he had some apprehension about it.
However, he said “if the town can do it, great” and mentioned Fanning being familiar with it, adding that he personally is just not aware of anyone “who does it that way.”
Fanning explained that he spoke with a judge before he presented it and that it is also on the state website.
The ordinance is Ordinance PO 2025-05-Of-01, which is “an ordinance adopting those sections related to misdemeanors, violations and offenses as set out in the Code of Alabama 1975 including any and all admendments [sic] thereto, as municipal ordinance violations.”
The ordinance includes nine sections regarding individuals or corporations committing offenses within the corporate limits of the Town of Rockford and the punishments provided for those offenses, with such punishments being determined “at the discretion of the court trying the case” in some instances.
The other ordinance presented at the April meeting and voted on at the May meeting is R-PO-2025-05-Gen-01. That ordinance declares 48 town ordinances as “null and void and deleted in their entirety.” The ordinances related to crimes and similar law enforcement matters that are covered in the Code of Alabama and no longer needed in municipal ordinances.
After discussion the Council took a roll call vote to vote on both ordinances as presented from the April meeting. Council members Robert Smith, Lynn Anne Castleberry and Shirley Ogle, as well as Mayor Scott White, all voted in favor of approving and adopting the ordinances.
Council members Nieshia Whetstone and Cordarius Lee opposed the motion.
Lee initially asked if he had to vote on the ordinances, stating that he did not get the chance to look over them as he was unable to attend the April meeting when they were presented. White stated it was up to Lee whether to vote on the matter.
Lee said that he would look over it, but White said they were voting now, and Lee proceeded to cast a nay vote since he had not had the chance to look over the new ordinance, stating he did not want to vote for something he had not looked over.
In other business, Ordinance R-Misc-2025-06-01 was presented for consideration only, to be voted on at the Council’s next meeting.
Susan Rogers, part-time town clerk who has been overseeing and updating the ordinances, stated that the town started with 169 original ordinances on the books, with the oldest being from 1923.
She said that 144 of those ordinances were from 1923-1999, with only 28 town ordinances being adopted since the year 2000.
With the two ordinances adopted at that evening’s meeting, she said that leaves 44 old or outdated ordinances on the books. The one now up for consideration would repeal seven other old ordinances, which, if approved, would leave the town with just 37 old ordinances on the books, with there being one more she said the town would likely look into.
After brief discussion, the Town Council unanimously approved Ordinance R-Misc-2025-06-01 for consideration.
In other business, the Council reviewed the Hyundai community grant that had been tabled from previous meetings following an initial presentation and subsequent revision by Dr. Shannon Davis, Coosa County Extension coordinator.
Based on the revised information, if approved, the grant-funded project would include a one-mile walking track, new pavilion, a slide to the park, a new parking area, new fencing, and new entrance to the park. It was stated that the grant does not require a match.
After brief discussion the Council approved moving forward and applying for the grant, with Councilmember Whetstone abstaining.
Following a presentation and discussion with Police Chief George Fanning, the Council unanimously approved the purchase of a Tahoe with a cap of $52,000 for the Rockford Police Department. The old Tahoe will be kept on hand as a back-up vehicle if needed.
During the meeting White also provided some updates relating to the town, including new businesses expected to open in Rockford. He also stated that the old home economics building will be burned down as a controlled burn by the fire department.
Young and White also mentioned the deed from the Board of Education relating to the old school building on County Road 18, which was most recently utilized by the Rockford Council of Arts and Crafts and used for meetings and to rent out for events.
In prior conversations at Council and Board meetings, it had been discussed and decided that the Board would deed the property to the Town of Rockford, with the understanding that the town would share space with the Sheriff’s Office for Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center to have office space and room for providing child counseling services and interviews.
The Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center works with the Department of Human Resources and law enforcement to investigate child abuse in Tallapoosa, Chambers, Randolph, Coosa, and Clay counties.
At the December Town Council meeting, Sheriff Michael Howell had stated that Tri-County Advocacy would need just one wing of the building to serve area youth. He added that TCCAC has interviewed 95 Coosa County children since 2022, with about 60 of those being less than 10 years old.
In further presenting information to the Council regarding proposed use of the facility, at that time Howell and Superintendent of Education David Stover Jr. said that TCCAC would share the utility costs in lieu of paying rent and that the advocacy center would only utilize the building when it had appointments.
During last month’s Council meeting, Young mentioned having concerns about the wording of the property deed, including wording that the property would revert to the Board if the facility is no longer used for municipal purposes or child counseling services or both.
In discussion, White said that he was OK with having the child counseling and shared space with Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center as a lease agreement, but not having it in the deed itself.
No action was taken on the matter as it was for informational purposes only as an update to the matter.
While the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Rockford Town Council would be held on June 17, the meeting was rescheduled because of the lack of a quorum. As such, the next meeting of the Rockford Town Council will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 24.
