VALLEY — In their first meeting of the new year, the Valley City Council bade farewell to a departing council member and wished him well in a new position.

Paul Story has resigned as a council member and will be sworn in as the new probate judge for Chambers County this coming weekend. A 3 p.m. Sunday ceremony will be held in the old courtroom upstairs in the county courthouse to swear in those candidates who were elected to county offices on Nov. 6.

Story was presented a plaque and in turn thanked his constituents for twice electing him to a council seat.

“I want to express my sincerest appreciation for the opportunity I was awarded to work with such a great group of officials and the honor of being able to serve the citizens of District One and the City of Valley as a whole,” he said. “I have learned so much and will carry that knowledge forward into serving my future endeavors of serving this county and the people in it. I love and respect each person on this council and the individuals who are part of this staff and city.

“I will truly miss you and all the friendship and support we have shared.”

In business at Monday’s meeting, the council approved some restrictive covenants and authorized an access agreement with Four Star Freightliner. This new truck sales, repair and servicing business will be locating in plain view of I-85 near the Lanier-Carter site.

An access road is currently being built off Valley Industrial Drive. Plans are for the business to open by the end of the current year. Four Star Freightliner has existing locations off Interstate highways in Tallahassee, Florida and Valdosta, Georgia.

The council approved a six-item consent agenda including such items as seeking bids to re-roof the Valley Police Department building, accepting a bid for a pickup truck no longer needed by Valley Parks and Recreation, declaring as surplus the old heater for the Community Center pool, seeking bids for a vehicle that’s been used by Planning and Development, authorizing AuburnBank as a city depository and approving the installation of street lights at 120 Leta Lane, 258 2nd Street, 1092 Whitesmill Road and at the intersection of 20th Avenue and 21st Street.

The pickup truck that’s been used by Valley Parks & Recreation is a 1995 Ford 150. The city has accepted the offer made by Willie James Reed of Lanett to purchase it for just under $300.

A new heater was recently installed at the Community Center pool. The old one is no longer needed and is now being put up for bids.

This will allow it to be sold, according to existing state law and municipal policy.

Bids are also being accepted on a 1998 GMC 2500 that’s no longer needed by the city’s Planning and Development department.

The next regular meeting of the council will be 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14.