While Pinson leaders are moving toward possibly forming their own police department, the main proponent of that idea hasn’t ruled out a variation of the city’s current contract for the Jefferson County Sheriff.

Councilman Joe Cochran, who first proposed that the city end its longstanding arrangement with the county for providing law enforcement services, said in last Thursday’s council meeting that he would consider a plan that would substantially increase the number of contracted deputies patrolling Pinson.

Such an alternative would still be funded by a proposed 2-cent hike in the city’s sales tax rate, bringing it to a total of 10 percent. The plan would increase the number of patrols to 12 cars, and would also include a substation located in what is currently the Pinson Public Library. A dedicated supervisor would command the substation.

The alternative plan would negate the need for a city jail, or contracting inmates out to other nearby cities. A municipal court would also not be necessary.

Cochran said he has not yet discussed the alternative plan with Sheriff Mike Hale or his subordinates.

Cochran’s original plan calls for a police department to be created in approximately two years, with eight officers, two lieutenants, a detective, a captain and a chief. The department would also be located in the current library space, with the library moving to the Rock School Center.

Both plans would cost the city a net of about $1.1 million. A police department would cost closer to $1.4 million, but would gave the current $340,000 that Pinson pays the sheriff’s office for its current four contracted officers.

At the prompting of Councilman John Churchwell, the council voted to invite Hale to speak to them about the option of expanding their current contract. Churchwell mentioned that one of Hale’s deputies had also prepared a study comparing the costs of cities operating their own department versus sheriff’s contracts.

“I’m not abandoning the police department concept — I’m just throwing an alternative out there,” Cochran said, adding that he still hopes to have a plan approved by the end of the year, so that the increased sales tax could go into effect at the start of 2016.

In other matters at Thursday’s meeting, the council authorized its attorney to negotiate a contract with Jefferson County for the installation of speed control devices on various roads and streets.

The devices, such as speed humps, would mainly go into residential areas and could be installed in a way that they could be removed for paving or construction work.

“Some people will not be pleased by this, but that’s because they’ll have to slow down,” Cochran said.

The council also voted to replace light fixtures in the community center, also known as the Civitan Building, with LEDs at a cost of $4,500 to $6,000. A contract costing $800 was also approved for the development of a landscaping plan along Innsbrooke Parkway, and the council voted to spend $1,650 for repairs to some ball fields at the Pinson Youth Sports Complex.