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Emily Featherston
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The Vestavia Hills City Council presented certificates of commendation to four of Vestavia’s first responders for their actions during the fire at Vestawood apartments on Jan. 14.
At the council’s meeting, they presented the commendations to police officers Jonathan Mitchell and Cory Sarvaunt, fire-fighter and paramedic Christopher Mareno and Fire Captain Shawn Jackson.
The men were commended for their response to the fire and their rescue of a family of five that was trapped in the building.
Chief Jim St. John read the commendation for each first responder, and Mayor Butch Zaragoza and the Council members present presented the plaques.
“It just speaks volumes of the type of individuals in our police department and fire department,” Zaragoza said.
Later in the meeting, the Council voted to repeal the ordinance passed on Jan. 28 that allowed for the operation of transportation networking companies within the city, and instead amended the Vestavia Hills Code of Ordinances to establish operating standards and penalties for violations for those companies.
Zaragoza said he and other members of the council had been in talks with ridesharing service Uber over the last two weeks attempting to iron out the details of the changes, in order to make sure the council made the best decision. Ultimately, he said he expects Uber to be part of Vestavia Hills in the near future.
Other Council Business:
- The Council also heard from Jim Coker, the director of the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency about an emergency-alert system the county provides to the city, free of charge.
- City Manager Jeff Downes reported that because of city-wide efforts to improve safety, the City’s workers-compensation premium has been reduced by $40,000.
- The council approved a resolution allowing the city to apply to ADECA for a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for the proposed Patchwork Nature Park at Patchwork Farms.
- The council approved a request for an alcohol license for the new Chipotle Mexican Grill on Highway 31.
- The council approved a request from Sprouts Farmers Market on Highway 31 for an off-premises alcohol license.
- The council approved a request for an off-premises alcohol license for Circle K Store 2723802.
- The council heard the first reads of a resolution to adopt the 2014 Jefferson County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, as well as an ordinance allowing conditional use approval for the subleasing of a single family residence to three unrelated individuals. No action was taken on those items.
