Pinson’s under-construction park now has a full-time director in place.

Mike Sullivan has been hired as the city’s new parks and recreation director, Mayor Hoyt Sanders announced during Thursday’s regular session of the Pinson City Council.

Sullivan will oversee the new Pinson City Park, as well as the ball fields used by the Pinson Valley Youth Association — which means that much of the burden of caring for the latter facility will be removed from youth-sports parents.

The council voted to terminate the existing lease of the PVYA, in order to assume full responsibility for the upkeep of the city-owned ball fields. The lease will end on July 7.

The council also approved a resolution to declare the Lane House, an empty home on the land that is part of the new city park, as surplus. Previously, the council had approved the house’s demolition, but Sanders said someone had approached him about moving the house off the park land instead.

“The home has no significant historical value to us,” Sanders said.

The parade of annexations continues for Pinson, as the council approved 16 parcels for addition into the city. It’s all part of the influx of annexation requests caused by the city’s new garbage service, which replaced the county-based pickup service that served all residents, whether they were in the city or not. As the new service began, some residents of outlying neighborhoods soon realized that their properties were not inside city limits, and have since applied for annexation.

“We have even more to come,” Councilman John Churchwell said.

The council also voted to temporarily amend its contract with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for enhanced patrols by deputies. The amendment comes as a result of the retirement of one of the four deputies assigned to the service, and a replacement is not yet available. Until a new deputy is in place, Pinson will reduce its payment to Sheriff Mike Hale’s department by one-fourth.

“We will rearrange the hours of the remaining three deputies to maintain coverage,” Sanders said.

A modification to a part of the Rock School Center facility was approved, which will turn a brick building in the rear of the old school into a garage for public works vehicles.

The modifications will involve the installation of doors to create three garage bays, as well as storage for materials such as Christmas decorations. The cost of $9,598 will come from gasoline-tax funds.