At the regularly scheduled Tallapoosa City Council meeting, the council approved a motion to accept a bid from Ralph Payne Construction Company to replace the roof on the Tallpoosa Police Department’s building.

According to Tallapoosa Mayor William “Pete” Bridges, the police department has been experiencing leaks recently, and the replacement of the roof would remedy the problem. The council accepted Ralph Payne Construction’s bid of a little more than $16,000.

The council approved several other motions, including a motion to apply for funding for a future waste water treatment plant and a motion to spend the $21,000 in grant funding they recently received for public infrastructure. The city approved entering into an agreement with Turnipseed Engineering to complete the infrastructure improvements.

“These funds can only be used for certain things,” Bridges said. “We have to use it on infrastructure, (as a condition of the grant), so that’s why we’re not using it on something else.”

The council also approved changes to the health care plan they provide to their employees and renewed their agreement with Northwest Georgia Regional Commission to be reimbursed for their transportation program for the elderly in the city.

In other news, City Manager Philip Eidson and Better Hometown Manager/Leisure Coordinator Kate Gardner gave the council an update on the recently installed SPOT the Internet service.

“Some areas were receiving service last week and others weren’t, so they raised the antenna and they will continue troubleshooting over the next several weeks,” Gardner said. “They’re going to be slowly bringing more people online as they go.”

According to Gardner, 86 people initially signed up for the service, and those customers are sending her good reports.

“If anyone wants the service, they need to sign up now so they will know where to provide the service next,” Gardner said.

Eidson affirmed that SPOT the Internet will be turning service on in areas as they go down the list of those requesting service, so the sooner you sign up the earlier you can get service. City officials announced that there will be a demonstration and information booth at the Possum Drop on New Year’s Eve at Touch of Heaven Salon for any residents wishing to know more about the service.

“Hopefully, this will grow and we can receive television and phone service in another year or two,” Eidson said.

Anyone wishing to sign up for SPOT the Internet can pick up forms at City Hall.

In the Better Hometown Report, Gardner reported that Tina Allen was the winner of the Possum Caper scavenger hunt and thus received $100 in Possum Bucks to be spent at any of the local participating businesses.

Tallapaoosa Planning Coordinator Patrick Clarey announced during the Planning Report that the city has submitted a grant proposal to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, and the Planning Commission will soon be updating the city’s zoning map and subdivision ordinances.

The city’s last order of business was to say farewell to outgoing Council member Connie Gentry, whose term of office ends this month. Her seat will be filled by Dan Pope in January.

The next Tallapoosa City Council meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11.