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VALLEY — At Monday’s meeting of the Valley City Council, two Valley Police Department sergeants were officially promoted to the rank of lieutenant and a grant writer was hired to seek funding opportunities from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).

Chief Mike Reynolds conducted a promotion ceremony in which sergeants Chris Davis and Lorenzo Harris were “pinned” by their wives with the new uniform insignia they will wear as lieutenants. Davis is with the patrol division and was pinned by his wife Katina. Harris is with the investigation division and was pinned by his wife Cynthia. Davis and Harris will be serving as assistants to Captains Stacy Shirey and Chris Daniel, who head the patrol and investigations divisions.

The officers present for the meeting received a standing ovation from the mayor and council.

Rodney Granec is the city’s new ARC grant writer. He meets all the requirements set by the Appalachian Regional Commission as one of their grant writers.

The council approved the purchase of three new signs that will be going up at the primary entrances to the city. Each will be 48 inches tall and 96 inches wide and will cost just under $6,700 or around $27,300 for all three.

Each will read “Welcome to the City of Valley. Strength Woven In, Home of the 2023 AHSAA Boys 5A State Basketball Champion Valley High Rams.”

Proclamations were approved recognizing Arbor Week and the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Valley has been a member of Tree City USA since 1980 and has observed Arbor Week every year since that time. This year’s observance will be April 22nd through April 26th. Citizens are encouraged to support efforts to protect trees and woodland areas and to plant new trees.

“Trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires and producing life-giving oxygen,” the proclamation reads. “Trees in the City of Value increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas and beautify our community.”

The theme for this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month is “Building Connected Communities” and calls on all individuals, communities, organizations, races, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and age groups to change the systems surrounding us. “We believe when anyone experiences sexual violence every community member is affected,” the proclamation reads. “The Building Connected Communities campaign is an opportunity for our community to join with others around the world in committing to preventing sexual abuse, assault and harassment.”

The council appointed Mayor Leonard Riley as its voting delegate for the May 17th annual business meeting of the Alabama League of Municipalities, to be held in Huntsville.

Valley Parks & Recreation Director Laurie Blount reported to the council that this year’s tournament schedule at Valley Sportsplex has gotten into full stride. “We had a two-day boys baseball tournament this past weekend, and we will have a girls softball tournament this weekend,” she said. “People are coming to Valley to play ball. We have a very busy schedule ahead of us.”

Blount said a painting project had been completed at the Community Center’s indoor pool. “The roof needed to be repainted,” she explained. “It’s 22 years old and needed it. Some of the paint was flaking and falling into the water.”

Blount reminded everyone that Saturday, April 20 will be clean-up day in Valley. Free gloves and bags will be provided to volunteers who show up at the Community Center that morning. They will be going out to designated streets in the city to pick up litter. Workers from the city’s Public Works Department will be at the Farmers Market Pavilion that morning to take items of the city’s solid waste that are not picked up at the curb (old tires, paint, furniture, etc.). 

A shredder truck will be there from 9 a.m. till noon in case anyone has any documents they want to shred.

District One Council Member Jim Clark thanked Public Works Director Patrick Bolt and the men of his department for having taken care of some issues with trees in his district. “I am proud of the police officers we have here tonight and what they do for the city,” he said. Other council members joined in that sentiment.

Another trash drop-off point at the Chambers County Highway Department will take cell phones, appliances, and other electronic devices.