By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



Cane Creek Auto Service will remain within the city limits of Warrior.

Gene Hallmark, owner of the business, had requested in writing to be de-annexed from Warrior.

On Monday, council members denied the request, saying only that it was not in the best interest of the city of Warrior.

Hallmark, via telephone on Tuesday, said that he has been in business since 1968. He has been at his current location at 800 Warrior-Jasper Road for 15 years.

He said that about 10 years ago, he voted for his business to be annexed into the city of Warrior.

Hallmark declined to say why he wants to be out of the city now, except to say that people got angry when he annexed into Warrior.

Also at the meeting, Warrior Police officer George Billits returned an American flag to the city of Warrior.

Billits, an Alabama Army National Guard soldier, was deployed to Iraq from July 2007 to May 2008.

Before he left, the city gave Billits a flag, which he made sure was flown in Iraq.

He presented to the council the flag and a certificate stating that the flag had been flown. The council and audience responded with a standing ovation.

In other business, the council:

• opened four bids for a new brush truck for the public works department. All bids were just below $100,000. The council tabled a vote in order to review the bids.

• voted to purchase $3,643.50 worth of ammunition for the Warrior Police Department because the cost of ammunition is reportedly about to increase 40-50 percent. The ammunition should last the department three years and will reportedly save the city $2,074.50 over the course of three years.

• hired three part-time summer workers for the street department

• approved a burn request for a house at 787 Westwood Drive

• heard a request from Fred Berry of Fireworks Unlimited to leave a trailer by Fuel Z year-round. The council voted to allow him to leave it until the end of the year, when he must again submit a request to the council.

• adopted a resolution to use electronic voting devices in the August election

• adopted an ordinance to take part in the sales tax holiday on Aug. 1-3.

• accepted a bid of $975 for a metal door and a glass door to be placed in concession stands at the Warrior football field.

• voted to have the four Bradford pear trees in front of Warrior City Hall removed.