The Winnfield City Council meeting Nov. 14 was busier than normal and while it couldn’t be said that there were “fireworks” during the session, they were on the agenda when the council approved a $3,650 outlay for an impressive fireworks display at the conclusion of the annual Christmas parade slated for Friday, Dec. 3.

With a theme of “Piney Woods Express,” the parade will roll down Main Street at 6 p.m.  For those wishing to participate in the parade, entry forms are still available at the Political Museum and at Winnfield City Hall.  Because of the City’s action, the night sky will be filled with the noise and colors of a fireworks display by Pyromania Fireworks, LLC. 

Councilman Matt Miller said that after meeting with Fire Department personnel, he recommended that the city pursue legal avenues to purchase a new fire truck.  The council concurred.  In an ensuing report, Fire Chief Brian Montgomery said that while he is proud of the Class 3 rating (better than most communities) that Winnfield currently enjoys, the department aspires to achieve a Class 2 status in the next round of ratings coming up next year.  “It would be an exceptional move,” he explained.  “We’ve gone through aggressive training, working with the City Police.”

Of his comments, the chief added that an old pastor once said, “It’s a sad frog that won’t croak from his own pond.”  In related action, Montgomery reported he has met with the Public Safety Committee and recommended that Joshua Coyler Sr. be hired part time for the Fire Department while Charles Little and Bailor Brown be taken on as volunteers.  The council approved.

Cassidy Martin gave an update on the coming “Shop with a Cop” drive which after 15 years has grown from benefitting 50 children to 100.  The recent “Boot Drive” at the high school traffic light usually nets $5,000 but this year brought $7,200 which “at $100 per kid, that helps a lot.”  The event will be held Dec. 9 and Martin encouraged the mayor and council members to participate.  Member Theresa Phillips encouraged parents whose children wish to participate to put a valid telephone number on a application; don’t “double-dip” if the child is already signed up for “Toys for Kids” and don’t bring extra children who are not signed up.

A series of year-end department reports from Animal Control to Police to Streets to Utilities showed one common theme of being “short-handed and it’s hard to catch up.”  Eddie Johnson for Wastewater Management reported that during the recent heat and drought, more leaks in the system have occurred than combined over his previous seven years.  He also needs more help, “and not old guys like me.  Hire young ones that can go down into holes.”  He added that while he is the only city employee certified in his wastewater duties, two others have been training and could be near certification.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, merchant Nikki Etheridge registered her objection to the City’s fee on food trucks, citing much lower rates in surrounding communities, some of which offered additional services included in those fees.