SILVERHILL, Alabama — After a somewhat heated discussion at its March 19 meeting, the Silverhill Town Council agreed to reimburse the Silverhill Library Board for roof repairs at the historic Oscar Johnson Memorial Library.

Repairs on the more than 100-year-old structure were first brought up at the council’s Feb. 5 meeting when they were tabled to decide on the cashing of a certificate of deposit owned by the library, then were tabled again at the Feb. 19 meeting after Director Shirley Stephens questioned the use of library funds for the repairs, which will cost approximately $9,300.

At the Feb. 19 meeting, Stephens stated that the funds were raised through the annual Memorial Weekend car show, which started as a fundraiser for the library, along with bake sale and other fundraisers and were designated for future expansion of the library.

Stephens also stated that the town owns the building and should be responsible for maintenance.

According to the minutes from the March 5 meeting, the matter was again tabled to allow attorney Josh Myrick to “review the town ordinances regarding the policy and procedures of the library.”

Mayor Pro Tem Jared Lyles stated in the March 19 meeting that the Library Board had met and had agreed on a proposal to use funds from a CD that had already been cashed in by the town, and to have the town reimburse the library over a five-year period.

Mayor Tim Wilson expressed concerns over the town reimbursing the library for the repairs, at one point asking Stephens if the library would be willing to pay half.

“I just don’t understand what the objection is to this proposal,” Lyles said. “It seems to me that this is free money and I just don’t understand why anyone would object to that.”

When asked, Stephens stated that the library receives a monthly stipend of $350 from the town, the majority of which is used to pay utility bills.

Council member Wayne Gruenloh made a motion to use the funds from the library and to increase the monthly stipend to $500 per month over a five-year period in order to reimburse the library for the repairs. Lyles seconded the motion and all those present, including Wilson, voted in favor of the measure. Council members Steve Brooks and Bert Jones were not present at the March 19 meeting.

In other business March 19, acting Police Chief Michael Taylor stated that he wanted the public to be aware of counterfeit money that is circulating in the area.

Silverhill Police responded to a call at around 6 a.m. March 19 of an individual who had used counterfeit money to purchase a vehicle.

Following the transaction, it was discovered that the cash used to pay for the vehicle was prop money, or money that is printed to be used in movie or television productions.

Silverhill Police have a suspect in the case, who was not identified at the March 19 meeting, with warrants on first degree possession of a forged instrument and theft by deception.

The council also delayed a report on the police department S.O.P. because Town Prosecutor Michael Dasinger could not be present for the March 19 meeting.

A resolution to surplus the 2010 Crown Victoria used by the police department was also tabled.

Wilson and council members also met with engineers to discuss the running of 8-inch water lines and replacing of 2-inch water lines with 8-inch waterlines along East Boulevard.

The engineers stated that the town was not eligible for an ADEM grant which would have paid half of the project.

They proposed that the town could increase its water rates by $1 three times over a 2-year period. That, coupled with an increase in water customers over that time, would go a long way toward paying for the project.

No action on the matter was taken at the March 19 meeting.