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Emily Featherston
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Emily Featherston
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Emily Featherston
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Emily Featherston
Despite a small crowd thanks to the Rebel Baseball team's appearance in game three of the state quarterfinals, the Vestavia Hills City Council met Monday night to discuss business at its first May meeting.
Before getting down to the first agenda item, the council took the time to issue two proclamations.
The first was to proclaim May 17 Neurofibromatosis (NF) Awareness Day.
NF is a genetic disorder that can present tumors on nerve endings throughout the body, and can lead to blindness, deafness, disfigurement, bone abnormalities, significant pain and even cancer.
Philip Moss, a fifth grader at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central, was diagnosed with NF in 2010, and has undergone multiple surgeries, treatments and MRIs.
Philip, who was there with his mother Renee and sister Helen, spoke to the council after the proclamation was read to tell his story.
He said that since starting his clinical trial, his tumor has been reduced in size by 50 percent. He thanked his teachers and principals at Central for their understanding and support, as well as his family.
Tommy Hendry, who was present with his mother Jenny, also addressed the council about NF and its impact.
Renee Moss said by email before the meeting that she and the other members of the Vestavia Hills community who have been affected by NF are grateful of the city's support.
"Each Vestavia family approaches living their lives and fighting NF with strength and dignity," she said. "We like to say that while our family members have NF, NF doesn't have them."
Buildings at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and at Children's of Alabama are lit up this month to raise awareness about NF as well.
The second proclamation of the evening was to honor Steve Gaydosh, the legendary former Vestavia Hills High School wrestling coach who retired last year.
Later this week, Gaydosh will be inducted into the Alabama Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The city proclaimed Saturday, May 13 as Steve Gaydosh Day to commemorate not only his most recent award, but his record of accolades and his service to generations of Rebel wrestlers.
After the proclamations, the council, which consisted of Mayor Pro-Temp Rusty Weaver, Place 2 Councilor Kimberly Cook and Place 3 Councilor Paul Head, voted to settle a lawsuit with R.E. Grills over the Safe Route to Schools sidewalk project.
The lawsuit first came up in 2013, when R.E. Grills sued the city, the local sponsor of the contract, when the project was stalled.
City Attorney Ben Owens said that the firm opted to sue the city for the delay damages, because ALDOT, the primary driver in the project, is immune from litigation.
The original claim from R.E. Grills was for $300,000, but Owens said the settlement agreement was for $40,000.
Despite his belief that the city was in the right, Owens said the settlement amount is less than it would cost to take the case to trial.
Cook said that after the council discussed the matter in executive session — pending litigation is an item governing bodies can discuss behind closed doors, pursuant to the Alabama Open Meetings Act — and that after careful questioning, they believed settling was the best course of action.
