✕
☰

Chelsea Council introduces ordinance to establish municipal court, recognizes members of the community

by

Erica Techo

Erica Techo

Erica Techo

Erica Techo

Chelsea City Council has taken the first step toward potentially establishing a municipal court in the city. During its March 21 meeting, the council introduced an ordinance to establish a municipal court.

Mayor Tony Picklesimer said rather than suspend the rules to introduce and vote on the ordinance at tonight’s meeting, as the city sometimes does with annexation or other ordinances, Picklesimer informed the council they would only introduce the ordinance.

“We want to be prudent, we want to take our time,” Picklesimer said. "We want to make sure we do this exactly right, the very first time. So that’s the reason we’re tapping the breaks a little bit, to do this in steps.”

Establishing a municipal court was a highly discussed topic during Chelsea’s 2016 municipal election. During his campaign, Picklesimer said he was in favor of a municipal court in order to “assist the sheriff’s department with enforcement of our ordinances and traffic calls of our city,” he said during a candidate forum in August.

A municipal court would allow the city of Chelsea to enforce its municipal ordinances, which suffer a lack of enforcement due to the lack of a court. During a July council meeting, Lt. Cody Sumners, now a member of the council, said even though deputies could issue citations in regard to ordinance violations, “without a court to enforce these ordinances, they’re worthless.”

The council will revisit the ordinance at its April 4 meeting, giving the council two weeks to read over the ordinance.

“My intention was for us to establish a municipal court during the first 100 days of our administration,” Picklesimer said during pre-council. “That’s impossible, and I didn’t realize it. … I did not understand the entire process and how much of a process it is, and it is a process.”

The council also introduced and ordinance to adopt state offenses and traffic violations as municipal violations within the city limits and police jurisdiction of the city of Chelsea.

During the mayor’s report, the council also took time to recognize members of the Chelsea Fire and Rescue Department and the Chelsea Wrestling Club.

Sumners, who is president of the Chelsea Wrestling Club, introduced Justus Adams, Zeke Adams, Malachi Adams and Jasper McCoy, who all placed in the state tournament. Justus Adams and Zeke Adams placed first, and Malachi Adams and McCoy placed third. Zach Wright, who placed second, and Tate McNicol, who placed third, were not present at the meeting, but Sumners also recognized them.

Chelsea Fire Chief Wayne Shirley recognized both new and newly promoted members of the fire department.

He first recognized Kenny Wilhoit, a firefighter and paramedic, who recently retired from the Montgomery fire department.

“He brings a lot of experience and education and training to Chelsea,” Shirley said. He joined Chelsea about a week after he retired from Montgomery.

Shirley also recognized Lt. Jason Watson, who was recently promoted. Watson started part time with the department in 2005, has several certifications and also is a deputy sheriff. He came on full-time with the department in December of 2012.

“He has earned the rank, and I’m proud to promote him to the rank of lieutenant,” Shirley said.

Chase Armstrong, who started with the department in 2006 and came on full-time on March 3, was also recognized although he could not be at the meeting.

Also at the meeting, the council:

Back to topbutton