GARDEN CITY — Garden City water customers will soon have the option of having their water payments come directly from their bank accounts each month.

The town council on Monday approved the authorization of debit payments for water customers, making it easier for customers to pay water bills each month and keeping individuals’ banking information from being stored at town hall. 

Town clerk Amy Black said they will run a test cycle and then customers can sign up for the option. The council also approved allowing direct deposit of employee’s paychecks, as well, which is part of the service offered by the bank.

The council amended the town’s mobile home ordinance to add a requirement that owners submit pictures of the actual mobile home they are locating in the town. They will have to show all four sides of the mobile home.

“I really like it because getting to see four photos of the trailer that is moving in will make a big difference,” said Mayor Tim Eskew.

The revised ordinance also requires mobile homes to have an 8×8 porch and at least one set of stairs. Mobile homes currently in Garden City will be grandfathered in.

The council also spent time Monday discussing changes to the town’s personnel policy at the request of employees. Black said she’d researched the leave policies in other Cullman County municipalities and recommended a change to the personnel policies that would allow town employees to roll over more of their unused leave time.

She said employees are requesting the change in case one has an extended illness or injury and they don’t have leave time accumulated. The proposal she presented would allow up to 240 hours to roll over into the new year, but would limit how much an employee could take at one time.

“It’s not that we’re wanting to accumulate this and then break you,” she told the council.

The mayor and council were open to the discussion, but tabled the item until next month so the town’s attorney could do more research.

“We want to do what’s right by our employees,” noted Councilman Butch Bradford.

In other business, the council:

Approved a one-time $150 pay raise for employees;

Approved the Severe Weather Preparedness Tax Holiday for Feb. 25-27, 2022;

Approved participation in the Cullman County Christmas Parade;

Approved $3,000 for improvements to the town’s fire trucks.

The council also discussed upcoming events, including the fire department’s Swam John dinner Saturday from 4-7 p.m. and the community Thanksgiving service taking place at the Congregational Church on will be November 25 at 5 p.m. at Congregational Church.