The Gardendale City Council on Monday honored Gardendale High School graduate Josh Kinney after Kinney signed a record deal with Birmingham Entertainment LLC out of Los Angeles, California. Kinney will be heading to Nashville on June 18 to meet with industry insiders, producers and others to begin work on his album.

Gardendale Mayor Stan Hogeland honored Kinney with a proclamation and stories about Kinney getting his start at 14 when he received a guitar for Christmas and taught himself to play.

In other business, the council also:

•awarded a bid to Forestry Environmental Services Inc, for landing clearing of the future commercial property between Odum Road and I65. The bid amount was for $45,972.50 and will include cutting the foliage and trees to increase visibility from the interstate. Hogeland said there are currently no businesses committed to opening in the space, but that there are several deals that are in the works.

•approved the installation of two fire hydrants in the Turnery Highlands subdivision.

•approved the installation of three streetlights.

•commended the Public Works Department on the new pedestrian crossing signage they installed on Main Street.