Silverhill adopts ordinance for annexation

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SILVERHILL, Alabama — The Silverhill Town Council adopted an ordinance at its July 19 meeting with plans to one day put a water tower on the property.

According to the ordinance, in May of 2021, Mayor Jared Lyles accepted a written petition for land to be annexed into the town’s corporate limits.

In December of 2019, council members discussed purchasing the property with the possibility of using part of the property for a water tower. They also discussed using the property for fire department facilities, but it was unclear whether or not it could be used for that purpose.

In March of 2020, the council agreed to move forward with a contract to purchase 7.23 acres of property for $120,000.

The town had submitted the agreement to the property owners, who had one issue with financing on the property. Council members agreed accept the changes and proceed forward with the purchase.

At the Feb. 1, 2021 meeting, the council approved the resolution to close on the property, which was signed on Feb. 3, said Mayor Jared Lyles.

Under the terms of the agreement, the sale price would be paid through owner financing from the seller to the town over a 20-year term.

In April, the town accepted a petition for annexation on property known as the Kanne/Hedden Property totaling 37 acres allowing the town to move forward with its petition to annex the 7.23-acre parcel.

Lyles said at the July 19 meeting that there were some issues with a legal description on the adjacent property, which ultimately held up the annexation process.

In other business July 19, the council approved requests for proposals for debris removal, monitoring services, along with a request for FEMA grant assistance.

FEMA requires municipalities to maintain a pre-storm removal contract. The town was operating under a three-year contract with an option to renew year-by-year and has been operating under that contract for the last several years, Lyles said.

“It was just time to update the contract,” Lyles said.

Lyles announced during the July 19 meeting that the town had received payment from FEMA for debris removal from Hurricane Sally and would now begin the process of receiving reimbursement from the state.

The town received a complete 70 percent reimbursement for everything filed from Hurricane Sally, Lyles said. The state has agreed to reimburse 15 percent of the remaining cost leaving the town responsible for 15 percent of the cost.

The council also voted July 19 to approve a contract mosquito spraying with Mosquito Control Services in the amount of $6,912 and authorized the town’s Utilities Department to execute an electrical bore in order to connect the municipal facilities with the town’s water tower.