For the first time in a while, all the members of the Greensboro City Council were present as the city welcomed councilman Joe Kyser back after being out sick. And the group had a full agenda to discuss.

The council laid down the law for city police Chief Claude Hamilton at their Tuesday night meeting.

Although Hamilton announced his candidacy for Hale County Sheriff, he is the Greensboro police chief first and foremost, and council members made that clear.

“To ensure that he is not campaigning while he is on duty he will report to the dispatcher and wear his uniform when he comes in,” mayor J.B. Washington said. “Otherwise he will be in civilian clothes when he’s off the clock, but in cases when we need immediate attention, he is still active 24 hours a day.”

“This will just be for the next four months or so to stop the conflict of interest,” councilman Johnnie Davis said.

“But if anything arises when the city needs his attention, he must drop whatever campaigning he is doing.”

The lot on Erwin Street next to El Tenampa may be rezoned from a residential district to a general business district so that a business strip with a flower shop and various offices may be opened. But first the council has to have a public hearing on the issue.

“The council has the final decision after the necessary steps are taken to alert the public,” city clerk Lorrie Cook said, “They will have a decision at our first council meeting in April.”

The council also agreed to purchase 40 new globes for existing outdoor light fixtures and one completely new unit to replace a damaged one. The lights are expected to last eight to ten years and will cost the city $7,387.05.

After running on the same computing systems for almost 10 years, Greensboro city employees will be working on updated programs.

According to the city’s computer programmer Steve Ellis, the update is long overdue.

“We’ve waited as long as we could do an update,” he said. “Out of the 70 cities we are responsible for, there’s probably only somewhere between four and six left to be upgraded.”

Greensboro’s council released $1,000 to Nancy Rogers from the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program, which was allotted to the organization in the yearly budget, and agreed to sponsor the summer food program to provide any and all resources available and services to the community for the fifth year in a row.

For an upcoming annual convention meeting, the council designated Washington as the primary voting delegate to vote on business issues, and Davis as first alternate with council woman Janice Jemison stepping in if needed as the second alternate.

The council also paid $15,413.43 in monthly bills and will meet again Tuesday, March 28, at 6 p.m.