By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



The Gardendale City Council tended to city matters during its Monday night meeting. However, the well-being of a Gardendale wrestler was first and foremost on the minds of council members.

Sixteen-year-old Brandon Cato has been at UAB hospital with a spinal injury since a Dec. 22 wrestling accident. Brandon’s wrestling teammates, his football coach and other supporters were among those in attendance at the meeting.

De Allen of Gardendale First Baptist Church gave the pre-meeting devotional and asked those in the community to do whatever they could to help the Cato family. He noted that the community response has already been overwhelming. “That’s the neat thing about living in Gardendale,” he said. “We’re like a family.”

Gardendale football coach Keith Luker told the council that Cato is a great student and “one of those kids that you just love to coach.”

Mayor Kenny Clemons said the support for Cato is indicative of the fraternal nature of the area’s wrestling community.

“These folks know each other and wrestle together,” Clemons said. “It’s great that we live in a community that we do react to this kind of thing.”

Cato underwent surgery Tuesday to fuse two vertebrae in his neck back together and relieve pressure on his spinal cord. Brandon’s father, Barry Cato, said doctors told the family the three-hour surgery “went fine” and that the family is in “wait and see mode.”

In other business, the council:

• declared city holidays for 2008 and new year’s 2009. Those holidays include:

n Good Friday: March 21

n Memorial Day: May 26

n Independence Day: July 4

n Labor Day: Sept. 1

n Veteran’s Day: Nov. 11

n Thanksgiving: Nov. 27-28

n Christmas: Dec. 25-26

n New Year’s Day: Jan. 1, 2009

• authorized the installation of nine fire hydrants in the Turnberry Ridge subdivision

• approved street lights on Newcastle Road and Watson Way

• hired Jeffrey Hayes as a police officer. Hayes, a Corner resident, has 20 years of experience with the Birmingham Police department.

• reappointed members to the appeals and adjustments, hospital and medical clinic, inspections appeals, parks and recreation and planning and zoning boards

• authorized an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation concerning improvements to Odum Road. Clemons said those improvements pertain to the construction of sidewalks on Odum Road.

The council will meet again on Jan. 21 at 6 p.m.