Lisa Chapman-Fowler, right, was officially sworn in at Tuesday's city council meeting by chancellor Ron Thurman, left.
Algood has officially sworn in the new mayor, Lisa Chapman-Fowler, 16 years after she last served in that position.
Chapman-Fowler defeated incumbent Kirk Dyer in the August election, and took her seat as mayor during Tuesday's city council meeting. The first order of business: passing a resolution to honor Kirk Dyer's service to the City of Algood.
As previously reported in the Herald-Citizen, council member Justin Grant had planned to abstain from voting and refuse any stipend received from serving until the election contest had been decided.
Grant sat among fellow council members, but abstained from all voting on agenda items presented during the meeting.
During the comments from the audience, city attorney Dan Rader was asked if the City of Algood was paying for attorney Bill Cameron's representation of Justin Grant. Rader and Grant both vehemently assured the audience this was not the case. The council also approved the Algood Police Department to declare a 2001 Mazda van as surplus and purchase new vehicles for the fleet.
The Mazda van had been seized in 2014 and subsequently used as an undercover vehicle for the department to combat drugs in the city. Proceeds from the sale will go back into the drug fund.
Officials plan to purchase another vehicle for similar undercover operations.
Last month, the council approved the purchase of used vehicles for the department which had been advertised to be in good condition for a low price. After looking through the vehicles, the police department determined the vehicles were not in good enough condition to justify purchase.
Because of these factors, the council approved a request to return to the previous fleet management plan to purchase two vehicles for the department within the budgeted amount. The department plans to purchase a 2019 Durango and a 2019 Dodge Charger within their budget.
The purchase of the new vehicles will continue the fleet management plan in place, and older police units will roll off the streets and eventually be sold.