DEMOPOLIS &8212; &8220;At this point I am trying to find a reason to keep meeting,&8221; said Dana McCants yesterday at the Demopolis City Council meeting. &8220;If you want to keep this thing going, we need to see some progress.&8221;

The comment referred to the Citizens Taskforce that was created by the council, of which he is a member. McCants feels a lack of action by the council on specific zoning enforcement issues has paralyzed the taskforce. The infractions in question had been sent before the council in a previous session, and the council determined those responsible for the infractions should be given 90 days to comply.

McCants&8217; statement came after he was added to the agenda at the beginning of the meeting through a vote. While he had asked to be added to the docket over the phone, he had not filled out the paperwork required to appear before the council. This confusion in protocol led the council to vote that all future requests to appear before the council follow the full paperwork requirements with no exceptions.

In additional action, the council voted down a resolution that would limit terms for members of boards appointed by the council. The goal of the resolution was to create turnover that would invite new participation in city matters.

The council did agree to a loose policy urging the continuance of appointing new members to boards.

The resolution also would have limited membership by board appointees to one board at a time.

In other action, the council:

4Approved the Halloween trick or treat hours and curfew unanimously. Trick or treat hours will be from 5

to 8 p.m., and the city will set a curfew for all school-aged children for 10 p.m.

4Discussed the requirement by the Alabama Department of Transportation to add an acceleration lane out of Sportsplex Drive onto Highway 43 in order to receive approval for a right turn lane.

4Approved the request for land usage for this year&8217;s Christmas on the River and a request by Patricia Gibson on behalf of the Rural Health Medical Program to help foster public awareness for the organization&8217;s facilities.

4Accepted the lowest bid for the contract for the city&8217;s computer hardware and software maintenance as well as approved a contract to an outside accounting firm to help oversee the cities finances.