By Lauren Thornton Tobin|Hartselle Enquirer

SNAP board members and officers on Tuesday transferred the project’s left over $14,650.12 to city administrators at the Hartselle City Council meeting.

Bob Francis spoke to council members and answered their questions about what the funds can be used for.

“You’ll use it for non-routine maintenance,” said city attorney Larry Madison, explaining that the funds do not qualify for normal, every day maintenance.

Francis said he provided Director of Parks and Recreation Tom Chappell with listings of contractors for future references that may be provided down the road.

Councilman Ken Doss asked if there was any intent to grow the funds for maintenance assistance.

“It’s up to the city,” Francis said in response. “One provision is to update the current website to where donations can be made. I would be happy to work with anyone to provide information. We don’t want to see its heritage pass away.”

The funds will be located separately from the city’s general fund.

Council members also heard from police chief Ron Puckett about the revised Ride Along policy offered to high school students as apart of the Introduction to Criminal Justice class. The class is designed to teach students about the different careers in law enforcement and criminal justice.

“When we began the school year, Hartselle High School offered a criminal law class featuring a ride along,” Puckett said. “Weeks after, we realized students may not be protected with the insurance company.”

Puckett said the police force wanted to make sure the issue was black and white rather than grey, so they drafted a new policy for police officers and students.

The new policy requires students and parents to sign off waiving damages against the City of Hartselle, police department, and all officers and agents. They must also sign that they understand the ride along could be dangerous to the point that causes injury or death.

Madison, who helped with the provisions, said the biggest risk of a ride along is that minors are involved because they can’t waive liability.

“A parent can’t waive those rights either but we did this in such a way that if anything happens, it’s made clear there could be injury,” he said.

Both Madison and Puckett explained to council members that officers in the ride along are under instruction not to go to emergencies with a minor in the car.

After reviewing the changes, council members unanimously approved the waiver.

In other business, council members:

• Approved the rezoning of Barkley Bridge after City Planner Jeremy Griffith said a residential lot, about half an acre, needs to be divided based on a recommendation from the Planning Commission.
• Approved for the mayor to sign the updated Metropolitan Planning Organization agreement with the State of Alabama and City of Decatur. Dewayne Hellums told council members this is the third time the agreement has changed since 2012. The agreement is necessary for the state to receive federal funding from the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration.
• Approved election officials for the Wet/Dry Municipal Option Election.
• Approved Puckett’s request to declare two stun guns as surplus.
• Approved a $4,000 library LSTA grant for 2017. The Library Board is appointing two, four-year terms open. Applications are available until 4 p.m. Oct. 14.