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(from left) Mayor Tony Picklesimer, Christi Wilhoit, Kenny Wilhoit and Chelsea Fire Chief Wayne Shirley at the March 21 Chelsea City Council meeting. Wilhoit recently joined Chelsea Fire and Rescue as a fulltime firefighter.
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Lt. Jason Watson (right) receives his badge during a badge pinning at the March 21 Chelsea City Council meeting. Watson's father (left) pinned on his badge.
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Councilman Cody Sumners (left) introduced Justus Adams, Zeke Adams, Malachi Adams and Jasper McCoy to the council and recocgnized the wrestlers for their performance at state.
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(from left) Mayor Tony Picklesimer, Phil Watson, Lt. Jason Watson and Chelsea Fire Chief Wayne Shirley at the March 21 Chelsea City Council meeting.
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:
- Approved the annexation of an 11 acre property on Highway 51. The annexation ordinance was submitted by Make Way Partners.
- Approved a resolution to authorize a partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Chelsea to provide Fire at the Foothills, an annual BBQ and Chili competition.
- Approved a resolution to update the Chelsea Planning and Zoning Application and Zoning Fees. These fees are in line with the cost of other cities, which Picklesimer said Chelsea was formerly behind. Request fees are now $150 for a variance; $150 for conditional use; $250 plus $10 per care, $2 per adjacent property owner and $50 for legal advertisement for proposed zoning change for rezoning; $250 plus $25 per lot for preliminary plat; $150 plus $15 per lot for final plat and $150 for re-survey.
- Approved to pay the city’s bills.
- Approved the city’s 2016 audit report.
- Recognized April 25 as Parental Alienation Awareness, or “Bubbles for Love” day.
