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The City of Demopolis will be moving forward with training of first responders to become certified as Emergency Medical Technicians as the city eyes implementation of its own ambulance service.

According to Demopolis Public Safety Director Tommie Reese, firefighters will undergo training in EMT and ambulance beginning July 17 and continuing through September.

Reese also reported to the city council during a meeting Thursday that the sell of a fire truck will be used to offset the costs of an ambulance.

The council approved for the firefighters to undergo the training, but there are other concerns to be addressed prior to full implementation of the ambulance service.

“I see a need for consistent ambulance service. There are still a lot of questions that will need to be answered before going full-fledged into it. But, I’m generally in favor of it,” said Councilman Bill Meador.

The council discussed the repair of the Confederate memorial soldier statue with two bids being received for the work. The two bids involved different techniques of repair, and the council chose to get more information before making a decision.

In either case, Projects Manager Mike Baker said the statue would require special attention.

“(The bidders) can’t guarantee that the statue will be balanced and stay in place as it did on top of the monument. They will deliver the statue, but it will be our responsibility to put it in place,” Baker said.

Baker added that a spot has been reserved for the statue at the Marengo County History and Archive Museum.

Other items discussed included:

• approving for Mayor John Laney to negotiating a lease contract. The approval came following a meeting of the council in private session.

• Dana McCants and Theisna Chandler, residents of the Bell Grayson Road area, presented the council with a petition of over 70 names asking the city to help with speeding traffic along the road. They also asked the council to help to stop people from dumping animals (dead and alive) and other trash.

The council approved lowering the speed limit from 45 to 30 mph and to place “no dumping” and fine signs.

• tabling a discussion regarding a quote of $11,232 for the placement of rip rap at a Decatur Street ditch.

• approving to enter into a lease agreement with Shelton State Commuity College for the use of the New Era building as a truck driving school.

• approving travel expense requests for Laney to attend a Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway meeting August 20-23 and for representatives of the Park and Recreation Department to travel to San Antonio, Texas to learn more about hosting the 2019 Cal Ripken World Series.

• approving the sale of two vehicles confiscated by the police department as surplus property.

(This article originally appeared in the Saturday, July 7 issue of the Demopolis Times.)