The organizational meeting of Falkville’s elected officials was conducted in front of a packed house of family members, town employees and other supporters Nov. 2. 

Guests listened and watched as Mayor Ken Winkles and Councilmen Brandon Dillard, Alton Hill, Charlie Gover, Jimmie Walker and David Carroll assumed four-year terms of office, conducted routine business matters and shared in a reception held after the meeting adjourned.  

Good news was shared, as Winkles announced a $5.3 million TAP grant, which will be used to rehabilitate existing sidewalks and construct new ones in town. He said the money, funded through the Alabama Department of Transportation, would be matched locally by $104,000. Construction is expected begin in late spring or early summer next year. 

Town attorney/prosecutor Larry Madison administered the oath of office to the mayor and councilmen as well as town clerk Dawn Estes and Police Chief Aaron Burgess. 

 The council also:  

–Established dates and times of meetings: the first and last Mondays of the month at 4 p.m. 

–Retained all administrative officers and employees of the municipality in their respective duties 

–appointed Larry Madison as town attorney/prosecutor 

–appointed Wayne “Chip” Alexander as municipal judge 

–designated the mayor, mayor pro tempore and town clerk as signers on all accounts 

–appointed Winkles as utility superintendent 

–permanently designated Cadence Bank of Falkville as the depository for all municipal funds 

–renewed a contract with the Morgan County Sales Tax Office for the collection of sales tax 

–renewed the annual contract with Verizon Wireless 

–appointed council committee chairmen as follows: police/fire, Hill; utilities/streets, Walker; finance/sanitation, Carroll; parks and recreation, Carroll; and cemetery/library, Gover. 

Winkles thanked guests for their attendance and said he looks forward to serving four more years.  

Carroll, who served on the council during the 2012-16 term, thanked the mayor for doing a good job and said he is excited about having the opportunity to serve on the council for the next four years.  

“I believe we are going to see a lot of growth,” he added.