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VALLEY — Following an executive session approximately 10 minutes in length, the Valley City Council on Monday voted unanimously to purchase some property on 20th Avenue at a negotiated price not to exceed $300,000. The land is approximately one acre in size and is adjacent to two lots purchased by the city at its last meeting. When the sale is finalized, the city will own all the frontage property on Highway 29 from Chambley’s to the Merritt Building. The city also owns land behind those three lots.

The site looks to be valuable commercial real estate ready for expansion.

Mayor Leonard Riley has been authorized by the council to negotiate the terms of the sale.

In other action at Monday’s council meeting, a three-item consent agenda was approved. These items include the confirmation of the cost of abatement of a property on Hodges Street, the city’s participation in an upcoming sales tax holiday and the approval of the 2025-26 contract with the Chambers County Emergency Communications District.

The recent abatement on Hodges Street cost the city $4,000. This will be placed as a lien on the current property owner. The city can get back the cost of having cleaned up the property when they pay their tax bill.

The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday in Alabama will be taking place between midnight on Friday, July 18 to midnight on Sunday, July 20.  State and local taxes will be exempted that weekend on the purchase of school-related items.

Valley Parks & Recreation Director Laurie Blount reported to the council that youth baseball season is winding down and that a USFA fast-pitch softball tournament would be taking place at Valley Sportsplex the weekend of May 30th and 31st.

Blount said it was very frustrating dealing with getting the Community Center pool up and running again. It has been closed for repairs for some time now, and there’s a lingering problem with getting a needed part to get it fixed.

A backwash device must be purchased from a company in the Miami area, and it’s been exceedingly difficult to get in touch with them.

She said she’d like to have the pool open again by the time she retires as recreation director at the end of June.

Public Works Director Patrick Bolt told the council that he and his crew had a very busy day this past Saturday at the Farmer’s Market pavilion. It was the annual e-waste day during Clean Up Valley Week. A total of 14 pallets of unwanted electronic items and approximately 400 old tires were brought in by city residents. Clean Up Week wraps up this week with the curbside pickups of limbs and yard debris.

Council Member Jim Clark said he wanted to thank everyone who took part in some way with Clean Up Valley Week. He also congratulated his wife Judy 0n being a great grandmother for the first time.

“She’s meant so much to me in my life,” he said. “She’s been my girlfriend, my wife, a mother, grandmother and now a great grandmother. We have had a good life together.”

Council Member Marquetta Madden thanked Cameron Reed and the Reed Foundation on the great job they did in hosting an annual gala event this past Saturday at the Community Center. She said it was good to see scholarships awarded to some deserving young people and some outstanding local citizens recognized for what they do for the local community.

She also thanked Public Works Director Bolt and his crew for some work they have recently done in her district. This includes some long-delayed work on Whitesmill Road.

Council Member Henry Cooper thanked Bolt and his department for work they did in District 6.

Council Member Randall Maddux asked local residents to be careful if they  drive on 32nd Street.

“It’s torn up right now but will be repaired,” he said. “Just be careful if you’re driving there.”