Alba City Council agreed to spend $25,500 for repairs to Mockingbird St. Monday.

Public Works Director Paul Kelbe said city crews have been working to patch areas where soil is settling following a sewer improvement project.

The lone bid for the project came from local contractor Lennon Construction.

“That road is bad,” council member Debbie Shaddox said.

“We have to do something,” added Mayor Pro Tem Tammy Kirkpatrick.

Kelbe said an area patched two weeks ago has already settled again.

“A hole that deep is going to settle,” he said. He estimated the city has already spent $5,000 for materials.

The bid is to repair the street with an overlay of oil sand, which is more pliable than asphalt.

He said it is not cost effective to dig up the street and replace the material.

During the meeting City Secretary Lindy McCarty fielded a phone call from Police Chief Juan Ramirez who was en route to the meeting when he hit a deer on U.S. Hwy. 69 near Kelly’s Corner.

McCarty reported that Ramirez was OK but he thinks the police vehicle is totaled.

The council was already preparing to discuss the purchase of a police vehicle at an upcoming meeting.

In looking at an update to the city personnel policy, the council asked attorney Jim McLeroy to look at other cities’ policies and limits on accruing comp time.

McLeroy noted that unpaid comp time can become a “budget buster.”

The council approved the reappointments to the economic development corporation for Marcella Cross, Amber Gaby, Judith Hammer and Tim Koonce.

Kelbe announced the city has received its radio-read water meters, and installation is expected to begin in two weeks and take about two weeks.

The council corrected a budget matter concerning the recent 8% pay raise by adding the part-time police officer position, retroactive to Oct. 1.

McCarty explained the new TextMyGov feature available on the city’s website that allows citizens to send in their concerns via text message.

She said she had already received two inquiries.

The feature costs $2,000 plus a one-time $1,000 set up fee.

It will also allow the city to send out notifications to those who have signed up.

To sign up, see the widget on the website.

Two requests seeking variances for businesses in residential areas were passed when the requesters did not show up.

Upcoming events announced include three days of Christmas celebrations culminating with Christmas on the Square on Saturday, Dec. 10. A pageant is planned Dec. 8 and a shopping event at the civic center Dec. 9.