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VALLEY — At its Monday meeting, the Valley City Council held a second reading of and approved an ordinance to sell some property, held a first reading of an ordinance to sell another site and held another first reading of a proposed zoning change. With Mayor Leonard Riley absent, Mayor pro team Kendall Andrews presided over the meeting.
The land that was sold is off King Road and is some 26.7 acres in size. It has been purchased by Landkart LLC for $329,001. Landkart is an Alabama domestic limited liability company th has Kalpesh Bhandari as its registered agent. The company has plans of building a new subdivision on the site. A total of 47 single-family homes is planned.
The second site where the city is looking at selling some land is off Fairfax Bypass near the intersection of Highway 29. Michael C. “Mikey” Givorns Jr. has offered to purchase an 11-acre site for $24,049. The conveyance will be made by quitclaim deed. A first reading of an ordinance to do this took place Monday. A second reading could be held at the council’s next meeting on Monday, March 11th.
The first reading of a proposed zoning change is for a 256-acre site near the Chattahoochee River between the Shawmut airport site and EAMC-Lanier Hospital. The land is presently zoned FAR (Forestry. Agriculture and Recreation). A change would give it the R-1 (Low density residential) designation. This would permit housing to be built on the site.
On the regular agenda, three budget amendments were approved. This will allow for the purchase of items that are needed but not included in the annual 2023-24 fiscal year budget.
These purchases include an expenditure of $18,500 for some payroll & accounting software, $11,000 to purchase some new air conditioning for the Bobby Crowder Room inside Valley Community Center and $337,000 to purchase a Komatsu dozer for the Public Works Department. The new dozer will be replacing one that was recently damaged. The new dozer could be used in doing some of the first site clearing where the new Chambers County High School will be going up.
Valley Parks & Recreation Director Laurie Blount said that two of the youth basketball teams that went to the district tournament in Alexander City won some games but did not reach the finals. She was pleased to report that a newly purchased senior center bus had arrived and was in service. Blount asked everyone to keep in mind that the city’s annual cleanup week will be taking place around April 20th.
The Valley Tree Board’s annual tree distribution will be taking place on the morning of Saturday, March 9th. It will be getting underway at 8 a.m.
Council Member Jim Clark recognized his predecessor in the audience and thanked him for being there. Paul Story was a member of the Valley City Council before being elected Chambers County probate judge. He’s up for reelection on Tuesday. March 5th party primaries.
A public hearing took place prior to the regular session to confirm abatement costs for properties located on South 2nd Street, King Road, School Street and 18th Avenue. Code Enforcement Officer Adam Roberts told the council that the costs for the South 2nd Street cleanup came to $2,627.33, the King Road site $6,400, the School Street site $8,500 and the 18th Street site $5,400. Those costs were approved on the regular meeting’s consent agenda.
As a special event during Black History Month, Teddy Morris was recognized for his dedicated service to the people of the Greater Valley Area.
“Teddy Morris moved up the ranks from patrol officer to detective, Drug Task Force commander and police chief in Lanett from 2007 to 2009,” the mayor’s proclamation reads. “He served as a code enforcement officer for the City of Lanett from 2018 until 2023.

Teddy Morris was also a supervisor for the WestPoint Stevens Fairfax plant from 1994 to 2000 in the Weaving, Slashing and Spinning departments. Mr. Morris is a member of the Evergreen Baptist Church.“
“Teddy Morris has set an example though his willingness, determination and talents and by doing so has enriched the City of Valley and the Greater Valley Area as a whole,” the proclamation reads.