Mayor Jim Lowery presented a proclamation honoring members of the first class of New Castle High School in honor of their 50-year class reunion. 

FULTONDALE—The Fultondale City Council honored the first class of the New Castle High School in honor of their 50-year class reunion. Although New Castle High School is no longer open, the class graduated in 1967 as the inaugural class.

Mayor Jim Lowery presented members of the class with a framed proclamation honoring the occasion.

In other business, the council also:

•passed a resolution to authorize Lowery to begin taking bids to provide residential garbage disposal since the city’s current contract with Advanced Disposal Services expires at the end of September. The city is required to take bids and award the contract every few years.

•held a public hearing for the condemned structure at 1421 5th Avenue and passed a resolution authorizing the demolition of the property. No one appeared in front of the council to speak for the property.

•repealed a previous ordinance related to building codes in the city and replaced it with an updated version of the codes. The new ordinance also authorizes the building inspector and fire marshal or a designee of theirs to issue summons and complaints on building code violations.

•heard an update from City Attorney Charlie Waldrep regarding the status of the red light that has been approved for the intersection of Interstate 65 and Walker Chapel Road. The traffic lights, which will control traffic getting off and on the interstate northbound and southbound at Walker Chapel Road was approved by the state. Waldrep said the state will be sending someone to drill core samples at the site of the poles so they can determine the appropriate next step to set the poles and begin the construction process. City leaders, including the mayor and police chief have previously said the intersection is the scene of many serious wrecks but the state had been hesitant to approve the light previously because there had been no fatalities.

•announced that Toby, the large giraffe from the Children’s Park, has been repaired and will be returned to the park this week. The giraffe statue was damaged by a vandal and had to have major repairs.