Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The renaming of West Point Elementary School after the late Zelma Brock has been a topic of conversation throughout West Point over the past several months. That process took a significant step forward during the Monday meeting of the West Point City Council where they met virtually.

Mayor Steve Trammel said the city received 350 letters in support of the renaming and the council voted unanimously to move forward with petitioning the Troup County School System.

“Let me just say that the letters have, unbelievably,” Trammel said.  “I think we’re at 350. I was really impressed and amazed at the work y’all did to get the letters out.”

The council also approved service tap increases to cover material costs for the services. The new costs for three-quarter-inch water taps will be $1,550, one-inch water taps move up to $1,750.03. Three quarter inch duplex will increase to $1,950, and two-inch jumps to $4,650. Four-inch sewer taps increase to $2,550, and all other tap fees will be at contractor prices.

Councilwoman DeeDee Williams told the council she was in favor of increasing tap fees for commercial projects, but she would like to see residential rates remain the same.

“While I’m for increasing the tap fees for commercial projects,” Williams said. “One way we could attract citizens and be less burdensome on existing residents is to leave the residential fees as they are.”

In other business, the council voted to allow Point University to utilize street-level space for residential purposes at 1006 3rd Avenue.

The mayor and council will meet again on March 1 at 5:30 p.m. and is scheduled to be a virtual meeting.