Brill tapped for Robertsdale school resource officer

By John Underwood / john@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 7/12/17

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Veteran police officer Heath Brill has been tapped to be the city of Robertsdale’s new school resource officer.

Robertsdale Police Chief Brad Kendrick announced the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Subscribe to continue reading. Already a subscriber? Sign in

Get the gift of local news. All subscriptions 50% off for a limited time!

You can cancel anytime.
 

Please log in to continue

Log in

Brill tapped for Robertsdale school resource officer

Posted

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Veteran police officer Heath Brill has been tapped to be the city of Robertsdale’s new school resource officer.

Robertsdale Police Chief Brad Kendrick announced the decision during the Robertsdale Council meeting on Wednesday, July 5.

“We had three candidates for the position from within the department,” Kendrick said, “and based on (Brill’s) experience with the department we feel he is the best fit for the job.”

In June, the city council took steps to secure funding for the officer, voting to support the establishment of a school resource officer and applying for a Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) grant to help fund the resource officer.

The grant would pay approximately 75 percent of the officer’s salary and expenses for three years, which would cost about $105,000 per year, including base salary, plus overtime, insurance, retirement, worker’s compensation, Social Security benefits, supplies, training and a vehicle, Kendrick said.

Both measures were passed by the city council unanimously during the June meeting.

In other business July 5, the council voted to assist the Baldwin County Board of Education to install a pipe and cover a ditch, located on the east side of Robertsdale Elementary School.

The ditch presents a problem with providing regular maintenance to the area, said city engineer Greg Smith.

“In the past, we have cut the ditch with our boom mower when we could and the school staff would mow/trim the ditch if possible,” Smith said in a letter addressed to the mayor and council, which was included in the meeting’s agenda. “The problem with mowing this ditch is that the mowers cannot safely maneuver on the steep slopes that exist on the ditch.”

The school board has tentatively agreed to purchase approximately 432 linear feet of pipe, along with four concrete boxes for the project, Smith said. The city would provide fill dirt, labor and equipment to complete the work.

The city has some fill material stockpiled for the project. Materials provided by the school board would cost approximately $10,100, Smith said.

Also on July 5, the council:

• Donated $2,000 for the Robertsdale Youth Football League. In the past, city donations have been used to purchase helmets and other necessary equipment, said Kathleen Harvison, representing the league.

• Donated $1,000 to the Robertsdale High School volleyball team to attend a tournament in Orlando over the Labor Day weekend.

• Voted to allow Public Works Director Scott Gilbert to surplus truck toolboxes.

• Allowed the Robertsdale High School Alumni Association to use one of the city’s free days in 2018 at the Baldwin County Coliseum for its annual Alumni Tea, set for Feb. 24.

• Approved a contract extension for disaster debris removal.