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VALLEY — The Valley City Council on Monday held first readings on the annexation of two parcels of city-owned property off 64th Boulevard and Highway 29 between Langdale and Fairfax. The action could be approved following a second reading at the Monday, December 4th meeting. Each site is continuous with the present city limits and is a little more than 30 acres in size. Collectively, the land is around 71 acres and was purchased by the city several weeks ago at an auction. The Smith property is off 64th Boulevard and the Findley/Smith property of off Highway 29.

Also to be acted on next Monday is a request to rezone a 26-acre site off King Road. It was on the agenda for the Monday meeting but was tabled for action to be taken on December 4th. A request to rezone would change the designation from the present C-3 (community business district) to R-3 (medium density residential). This could clear the way for a new subdivision.

In other action, the council called for a public hearing to take place prior to the December 18th meeting to discuss rezoning a 275-acre site in the vicinity of Combs Road and Fairfax Bypass from R-3 to PRD-3 (planned single family attached and detached residential district).

A four-item consent agenda was approved. These items included installing a new street light on 12th Avenue, two requests to permit the consumption of alcoholic beverages at Lakeview Cabin and the determination of a public nuisance and authorizing action to clean up a site on South 2nd Street.

Code Enforcement Officer Reid Riley told the council that his department had sent the property owner a 45-day notice that the site needed to be cleaned up. A structure on the property was recently damaged by fire. “These photos are self explanatory,” he said while presenting images of a burned-out building on a large TV screen inside the council chamber.

Riley said he was seeking the council’s permission to go in and finish cleaning up the property. The council unanimously approved such action.

Police Chief Mike Reynolds had some good news to report in receiving new vehicles for the police department. “After 13 months of waiting, our two new Tahoes are in and are on the road,” he said.

Reynolds added that he had been contacted by the Chattahoochee Humane Society and had been informed that Valley was at capacity right now for animals that can be housed at the shelter. “We have temporarily suspended taking stray animals,” he said. “The animal control officer will still be talking to people if they have questions concerning animals.”

The cities of Valley, Lanett and Chambers County each have a monthly quota on how many dogs can be taken to the local shelter’s kennels. Plans are to expand kennel space but until this can be done, each city and the county is limited on the number of animals that can be taken there each month.

Valley Parks & Recreation Director Laurie Blount informed the council that the Christmas Merry Go Round had gotten off to a good start Sunday afternoon despite some rainy weather. “We had a pretty good crowd there despite that,” she said.

Blount expects the merry go round to be a busy place between now and Christmas. There are some merry go round t-shirts for sale, and Santa Claus and friends will be there on weekends leading up to Christmas Eve.

The annual Valleywide Christmas Parade will run on Thursday, December 7th and will follow the same route it has traveled in recent years, starting at the Cherry Valley Shopping Center in Lanett, going through downtown West Point and heading down Highway 29 into Valley, where it disbands in the parking lot outside Valley Walmart.

Valerie Gray, who recently retired after 25 years as executive director of the Chambers County Development Authority (CCDA), will be this year’s grand marshal.

Following Monday’s 6 p.m. council meeting, the annual Christmas tree lighting was held outside city hall. Mayor Leonard Riley told the council that the city had been experiencing a very good year in 2023 and that he was looking forward to an even better year in 2024. “We are in the best financial condition we have ever been in, and we are looking to grow in the coming years,” he said.

Members of West End Baptist Church served hot cider and cookies to the crowd present. A choir directed by Truitt Pirkle led everyone in singing traditional holiday melodies such as “Joy to the World,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

Rev. Brad Reed is the interim pastor at West End.