Falkville Council appoints Thompson court magistrate
Falkville Town Council appointed one of its own members to fill the full-time position of court magistrate.
Bonnie Thompson, a fourth full-term councilwoman, accepted the appointment after it was offered and immediately stepped down from the council. She went to work at Town Hall the following day, training under interim town clerk/magistrate Dawn Estes.
She will assume the duties of the position after completing a three-month certification program, according to Mayor Jimmie Walker.
Thompson has extensive experience in banking and accounting and served on the town council for 16 years. She was first appointed to the council in 1990, was elected to a four-year term in 1992, opted not to run in 1996, and was elected to her third consecutive term in 2008. She chaired the finance committee.
“I have always considered it an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Falkville as a council member,” Thompson said. “Although I had to give up that position to become an employee of the city, I will still be serving them, just in a different capacity. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity and challenge.”
“Bonnie will be missed on the council,” Walker said. “She has always done a good job and I expect her to do a good job as magistrate. “
Walker said the vacant council seat would be discussed at the next town council work session. “We’ll decide whether or not to go ahead and appoint someone or take applications first,” he said.
In other matters the town council:
• Approved a volumetric water rate increase of 10 cents per 1,000 gallons as the result of a rate increase imposed by Hartselle Utilities.
• Hired Community Consultants Inc. of Huntsville as administrator and Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood Inc. of Birmingham as design engineer for a $724,000 Community Development Block Grant project. The money will be used to rehabilitate deteriorated sewer lines and manholes and make improvements to drainage, roads, sidewalks and Jack McCaig Park on the west side of Highway 31. The town’s share of the project is $324,000.
• Extended a moratorium on billboard construction until Jan. 5, 2011.
• Extended full-time status to utility employee Jerrid Thornton at $11 per hour.
• Approved a pay increase from $10.41 to $11 per hour for utility employee Jeff Pike.
• Approved a $1 per hour pay increase, from $7.62 to $8.62, for part-time office clerk Jane Hill.
•Appointed Madesta Reid, Patrick Holmes and Brian Hill to the Park and Recreation Board.
