Community Gives Back In Council Meeting

PHOTO SUBMITTED
Mayor J.R. Fisher (left) of Goodman receives a donation of $2,000 for chairs and tables for the new community building from Michael Griffith (right), a representative from The Cornerstone Bank.
PHOTO SUBMITTED Mayor J.R. Fisher (left) of Goodman receives a donation of $2,000 for chairs and tables for the new community building from Michael Griffith (right), a representative from The Cornerstone Bank.

The community showed up in support of several business items on the agenda for Goodman's city council meeting held on Tuesday, July 21.

Business kicked off with acquiring donations for the new community building. The Goodman Betterment Club donated stainless steel appliances (a refrigerator, stove and microwave) and The Cornerstone Bank donated $2,000 for tables and chairs.

As the board moved on to discuss bids for mulch and barricades for the new playground, several members of the community stepped up to help by making donations themselves.

Heath Lewis, the recreational director, donated $1,500 from the Parks and Recreation Department. Marshall Long donated $1,300, and Steve and Sinda Wimpey donated $500.

"I couldn't be more proud to see how our community stepped up," Mayor J.R. Fisher said. "I've never seen anything like that in a meeting."

The council also approved allowing the police department to purchase a police reporting program and hire another part-time officer. The police department now has five part-time officers, including their newest hire, Tanner Rice.

The purchase of the police reporting program called Omnigo will allow the police department to print citations over WiFi instead of handwriting them and will also serve as a database.

"The new program will allow us to be more proficient and helps us to stay up to standard with the FBI database," Police Chief Adam Miller explained.

The program costs $3,607 the first year and includes activation and training for officers. Several agencies surrounding Goodman, such as Pineville and Anderson, also use Omnigo.

"It's a big communication tool," Miller said. "Information will be more easily accessible. We can search for a suspect's name and all the updated information will be there."

In other business, the council approved the purchase of 24-month CDs from The Cornerstone Bank and designated Mayor Fisher, Alderman Ed Tuomala and Alderman Sammie Jo Goodson to be signers. The council also approved the city to pay bills in the amount of $70,034.75.