South Vinemont Mayor Reggie Dodson, from right, reads from the agenda  during a November 2021 meeting, with Councilwomen Sonya Copeland and Bonnie Goodwin.

Beginning next year, shoppers in South Vinemont will see a half-cent bump in the local sales taxes they pay on purchases made in town.

At its regular meeting Tuesday, the South Vinemont Town Council voted to raise the town’s sales tax rate by the proposed half cent, in the process bringing the town’s total sales tax rate, including local and state sales taxes, to 9 percent.

The council approved the increase on a roll call vote, with mayor Reggie Dodson and council members Chris Thompson, Charlotte Cosper, and Bonnie Goodwin voting in favor of the measure. Council member Sonya Copeland voted against the increase; council member Sonya Mabry was not present at Tuesday’s meeting.

Copeland said she objected to increasing the sales tax because the ordinance enacting the measure specifies only that revenues from sales taxes collected from the half cent will go into the town’s general fund. She informed the council that she would prefer the tax be earmarked for a specific expenditure category, such as schools or infrastructure, rather than allowing the town open-ended access to the additional revenue.

“I’m against this. Could we not structure it instead so that the money could be marked specifically?” Copeland said following the meeting. Doing that would at least be a way for people to know that we’re spending the money for the betterment of this town in a specific way. I was elected to represent the people, and people don’t want their taxes raised.”

Preliminary research conducted by the town, using information provided by the Cullman County Sales Tax and Revenue Enforcement Office, indicates that the town could see an approximate annual revenue increase of $32,000 per year from the sales tax hike. The increase will go into effect sometime after the start of 2022.

In other business at its regular meeting, the council:

Approved the annexation into the town limits of approximately 2.5 acres of property located near the intersection of County Road 1296 and Goodwin Road. Owned by Tenax Enterprises, the property is the site of four proposed new single-family homes.

Authorized mayor Dodson to apply for a Community Development Block (CDBG) Grant of $300,000 for the installation of a turn lane along High School Road where it intersects with U.S. Highway 31. The town’s local match, if the grant if approved, would be $60,000.

Declared as surplus two four-wheelers owned by the town.

Proclaimed January of 2022 as human trafficking awareness month in South Vinemont.

Authorized the mayor and council to attend the Alabama League of Municipalities’ upcoming Municipal Advocacy Day and training seminar for 2022, and authorized town clerk Kayecea Sasser to attend an upcoming training conference.

Approved the minutes of the council’s November regular meeting.

Approved the minutes of the council’s Nov. 30 specially-called meeting.

Approved financial statements for the month of November.