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Erica Techo
Members of the Chelsea High School theater program performed songs from Godspell at the April 5 Chelsea City Council meeting.
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Erica Techo
Members of the Chelsea High School theater program performed songs from Godspell at the April 5 Chelsea City Council meeting.
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Chelsea Fire & Rescue recognized and pinned new employees of the department, including (left to right) Andrew White, Andrew Shears and Zack Lee. Also pictured: Brittany Shears and Joe Lee (far right)
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Firefighter Andrew Shears at the April 5 Chelsea City Council meeting.
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Firefighter Andrew White receives his pin from Chief Wayne Shirley at the April 5 Chelsea City Council meeting.
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Firefighter Zack Lee receives his pin from his father and fellow firefighter Joe Lee at the April 5 Chelsea City Council meeting.
Chelsea City Council approved a change to the speed limit on portions of U.S. 280 despite some concerns.
The council approved an ordinance changing the speed limit on a 1.1-mile stretch to 50 miles per hour during its April 5 meeting. The stretch of road is from 1000 feet west of Chelsea Road to 1000 feet east of milepost 15.4, near the Walmart. The ordinance also changed the speed limit from milepost 15.6 to 15.8 to 55 miles per hour.
During pre-council discussion, council members expressed concern because the ordinance did not reflect what ALDOT previously offered in regard to speed limit changes. At the March 16 council meeting, Mayor Earl Niven had said ALDOT agreed to drop the speed limit to 50 miles per hour from Essex Drive to Chelsea Park Drive.
City attorney Mark Boardman said he recommended the council accept ALDOT’s proposed change and ask for more later, rather than completely turn down the plan.
Councilman Dale Neuendorf said during pre-council he wanted to table discussion of the ordinance in order to study the area more. He also noted that most other cities along U.S. 280 have the speed limit at 45 miles per hour in their business district, where the proposed change would be in Chelsea.
“We are the only city up and down 280 that will be at 50 miles per hour,” Neuendorf said.
Council member Alison Nichols said she wanted to give ALDOT more information about the city’s intersections and the dangers drivers face in some areas. She noted that at the intersection of Old Highway 280 and U.S. 280, many young drivers are trying to cross high speed traffic, and a speed limit set at 45 miles per hour would offer more security for Chelsea citizens.
Nichols, who is also a bus driver, said that the speed limit makes crossing U.S. 280 in a bus more difficult.
Council member and mayor pro tem Juanita Champion said she agreed with a lower speed limit would help with safety, but ALDOT would not want to slow down traffic.
“This, what we got, is not what we asked for,” said Councilman Tony Picklesimer.
Niven had asked for a decreased speed limit for a longer stretch of road, Picklesimer said, in addition to the installation of multiple traffic lights. He also noted that ALDOT does not normally take on that large of projects at once. Because the proposed ordinance was different from what Niven presented to the council at the last meeting, Neuendorf said some residents might be upset with the plan.
“They’re all expecting a lot more than this gives them,” he said.
The council discussed petitioning ALDOT for more changes, which Champion said was possible every 30 days, and Chelsea resident Casey Morris asked if more input from community members and business owners might convince ALDOT.
Morris said at the business he manages, Ground Up Coffee & Smoothies, he has seen several accidents, and he said most business owners want the speed limit to be lowered.
As pre-council conversation continued, the council discussed accepting the ordinance and then continuing to petition for a lower speed limit as well as other changes. Councilman David Ingram noted he was worried voting down the ordinance would keep the speed limit where it is for an unforeseeable amount of time.
The council voted 4-1 in favor of the ordinance, with Nichols voting against. Most council members qualified their votes of approval during the meeting.
“I think it is only one step for what we need to get to for the safety of our citizens,” Neuendorf said.
Neuendorf added that one step in the right direction is better than no action, and the change could save a life. Picklesimer also said the change is a good step, but it is less than the city and mayor requested from ALDOT and less than ALDOT initially presented to the mayor.
Chelsea Fire & Rescue Department Chief Wayne Shirley also recognized new employees of the department during the meeting. Full-time staffers Andrew White and Andrew Shears as well as part-time staffer Zack Lee received their pins.
"The three of them just have the best servant's hearts and personality," Shirley said.
All three men are also Chelsea residents, Shirley noted, and he is proud to have them in and serving the community. Shears was pinned by his wife Brittney, and Lee was pinned by his father, Joe Lee. White received his pin from Shirley, and his wife Emily was also present at the ceremony.
Shirley noted that Lee is following in his father's footsteps. Joe Lee is a lieutenant at Bessemer Fire Department and has served over 20 years in the fire service. This is the first time that Chelsea Fire & Rescue has had a father and son on its paid staff, Shirley said.
Also at the April 5 council meeting:
- The council took no action on an ordinance regarding a de-annexation of property around the Highlands Subdivision. There were differences between exhibits with the ordinance, and Boardman asked the council to take no action so that he could straighten that out.
- The council took no action on an ordinance regarding a water line for the Chelsea Sports Complex. Boardman said the information for that was not complete at the time of the meeting.
- Members of Chelsea High School’s theater program performed songs from Godspell. Upcoming performances are April 15 at 7 p.m. and April 16 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
- Shirley said the fire department is repainting all of the city's fire hydrants from yellow to "Chelsea blue."
