By Lora Carroll
The Leeds News

During Moody’s City Council meeting on Monday, the St. Clair County EMA in conjunction with Metro Mail and Printing Services, announced plans to distribute free Emergency Alert Radios (EARS) to residents across St. Clair County.

Patricia Surrett of Metro Services said that EARS will be distributed in St. Clair, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah and Talladega counties beginning in January 2009 in order to alert residents of severe weather or other emergencies.

She added that federal funding had secured the program from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the transition of Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program zones and that in 2009 the tone alert radios will no longer be supported.

The only requirements to receive a free Emergency Alert radio are to have a valid address in the participating areas and to request an Emergency Alert Radio before March 31, 2009. The radios are available for homes businesses, churches, schools and any other location where they may be needed.

The campaign is set to start in mid-December and posters and handouts will be distributed to raise awareness of the EARS distribution. Surrett added that a direct mail campaign would begin January 5 to all residences and non-residential facilities including a postage-paid reply card. The radio will then be requested by returning the reply card or over the phone and online.

Residents are asked not to contact the EMA or Metro Mail and Printing Services before January 5 regarding EARS, but after that time they are encouraged to contact either the EMA or Metro Services if they do not receive a participation card or if they know of locations in need of an emergency radio. The absolute deadline to receive the radio is March 31 and they will start arriving in the mail in early 2009.

Other items on the council agenda included:

• assigning council member appointments;

•appointing members to the Planning Commission;

•approving the off premises sale of wine and beer license to Jyoti Patel at Moody Quick Stop located at 2341 Moody Parkway;

• approving to accept the lowest bid on police video equipment for five police cars that is funded by a $25,000 ADECA grant and $2,500 city share with the bid made by Digital Ally Inc.;

• approving the purchase of a siren box for car 305 at $275;

• approving the purchase of tires for car 308 at $298;

•approving Ruth Newton to attend a certification class in Tuscaloosa for her required education hours at $378.40;

•approving the council appointment of Paul Johnson to the Planning Commission;

•approving the advertisement of a new police chief position;

•approving to renew a contract with River Tree;

The next regularly scheduled Moody City Council meeting will take place at Moody City Hall on November 24, at 6 p.m.