Lauren Estes-Velez

Hartselle Enquirer

PRICEVILLE– Mayor Melvin Duran told members of the council following their bi-monthly meeting Monday that he was very disappointed in their decision to not move forward with the appointment of Rick Williams as the acting police chief for 90 days.

It was among Duran’s recommendation to appoint Williams as the acting police chief since the former police chief, retired.

Duran talked with the Hartselle Enquirer in a phone interview a few days later and shared his confidence in the council as a whole.

“I think we will work it out, I couldn’t ask for a better council to work with,” Duran said. “I don’t know who all of us will agree on, but I’m confident we will come to some resolution on it. Sergeant Rick Williams will be in charge and acting Chief until we find another person, because he is currently the highest rank. This is just democracy working. The is the way this process works.”

Among the council members, three were in favor of voting for Williams and three were against appointing Williams.

One council member shared that he would rather be able to interview and then vote a candidate rather than just appoint a current officer, regardless of which officer it was.

Priceville’s next council meeting is June 26 with a work session at 5 p.m. and the council meeting starting at 6 p.m.

 In other business the council:

 •Failed to appoint Rick Williams Acting Police Chief for 90 Days

•Approved the extra holiday of Monday, July 3 since the 4th of July Holiday falls on Tuesday

•Approve travel expenses for Kelly Dean to attend the Free Census Workshop in Huntsville Alabama on June 13th along with Sonny Wright.

•Approve $1,000.00 sponsorship to the Morgan County School Foundation for  “Stuff The Bus” school supply drive.

•Approve $685.00 to Down the Line, Inc. for Striping the parking lot of the Priceville Office Rental Building.

•Approve $1.00 per hour raise for Cindy Livingston for completion of Revenue Officer School.

•Approve $750.00 to Ed Smith Office Machines, Inc. for one year service agreement covering the Sharp Color Copy System in the Administrative Office.

•Approve $1,093.24 to Decatur Electronics Communications for partitions to separate prisoners from officer & partitions to separate prisoners from cargo area in the Chevy Tahoe.

•Approve $5,940.00 to Radarsign for the purchase of a Modular Bat