It was a full house at the Baileyton Town Council meeting Monday night, with all the candidates for town council showing up at the last meeting before the Aug. 25 election.

Dwayne Sumner is the only candidate to run unopposed, and Mayor Johnny Dyar certified his election Monday. “I’m honored to be able to serve,” said Sumner. He noted he’d been attending the council meetings as a spectator for the past three years. “I love the Baileyton area and the people here.”

The mayor allowed all the candidates an opportunity to speak, and most did, expressing their appreciation to the town and it’s people. Dyar is being challenged by current councilman Windell Calloway; Deborah Moon and Roy Shedd are candidates for Place 2; Randy Gaines is challenging Councilman Wendell Peterson for Place 3; Councilwoman Myra Martin is facing a challenge from Benny Dean Guthrie for Place 4; and Pat Dyar is facing incumbent Greg Griffin for Place 5.

The council also recognized Gene Sumner, who choose not to seek re-election. Sumner had been appointed to the council to fill a vacancy. “I’ve enjoyed every moment of it,” he said. “I love the community; I love the people here,” he said.

Dyar and Peterson expressed their thanks for Sumner serving when asked to. “We thank him for stepping in and doing what needed to be done,” said Peterson.

Along with the possibility of a new town council, the town will have a new town hall this fall. The council made the final payment on its $285,000 town hall. The $95,000 payment to Walker Brothers completed the building project, but paving and landscaping still needs to be done. The council authorized Dyar to get bids on those projects.

The council also approved a Drug Free Workplace policy for the town. A motion to pass the policy was tabled at an earlier meeting, but Dyar brought it back Monday, noting that after the last meeting, the town’s insurance went up $135.

“I don’t understand why we don’t want one,” he said. This time, the policy passed unopposed.

The mayor said he’d been contacted by people who wanted to know why the town’s park was closed. Dyar said that according to the Alabama Department of Public Health, Cullman County is in the “high risk” category for COVID-19, and one recommended measure is keeping children off playground equipment.

The mayor said in order to open the restrooms and playground at the park, they’d have to clean them every three hours. “If y’all want to open the park and take full responsibility, you can open the park,” he told the council. “I don’t have equipment to keep the park safe.”

He clarified that the walking trails are open.

The council, with the exception of Peterson, approved keeping the playground and restrooms closed for the time being.

In other business, the council:

Approved appointing Samantha Stout as elections inspector with Dawn Gilbert, Diane Gilbert and Kirsten Stout serving as election clerks.

Authorized the mayor to purchase a new lawn mower and bush hog for the town

The Baileyton Town Council meets the first Monday of the month.