Kimberly is still in recovery mode following an April tornado that devastated the city, but it is making headway. 

On Tuesday, the city council approved several items to get services restored and to repair city property. 

One item of business was to repair damage following a vandalism incident after the storm. 

The council voted to pay $2,985.75 to Kevin Dollar to repair roofing, gutters and fascia at city hall. 

The gutters and fascia — or wood support behind the gutters — were damaged more than necessary by two men who reportedly cut all of the gutters from the city hall building, even those not damaged, in an alleged attempt to take it. 

After being told to leave, the men returned to city hall two more times to ask if they could salvage metal from other damaged property in the city, despite repeatedly being told no.

Upon their third visit to city hall, Kimberly police officers arrested the men in the city hall lobby on charges of vandalism for damaging the city hall building. They were transported to the Warrior City Jail, where they were released on bond. 

Kimberly Police Chief Bill Isbell said the men are now awaiting their court date. 

Another storm-related problem is that city hall has been without telephone service since the tornado. 

City Council members remedied that on Tuesday by approving a bid from Momentum Telecom for an upgraded telephone system. 

The city will pay the company $11,544.48 for three years of service. The price includes a 20-percent savings by paying up front. 

The service is Internet-based and includes numerous features including voicemail accounts for all city council members even though they will not have telephone lines at city hall, and the capability to transfer voicemail messages to email. 

The city will retain AT&T Internet service for $550 a month, but will cancel all other AT&T services. 

In other business, the city council:

• approved paying Carl Gaither $2,700 to repair ceilings in city hall and the police department from where the storm damaged the city hall roof. The city will furnish all materials

• voted to spend $1,776 to replace three damaged doors on the city park restroom building

• purchased 10 portable handheld radios, five remote vehicle mounted radios and other equipment including programming and installation for the fire department

The city still has contracts with crews to do storm cleanup. Officials said they have not yet received a bill for debris cleanup, but they are hoping the city receives enough funds from FEMA to get reimbursed for it.