The Pell City Council approved six-month extensions for the interim fire chief, Jim Parsons, and the interim parks and recreation director, Bubba Edge, at Monday’s meeting.

Other items on the evening’s agenda included:

* Councilman Donnie Guinn spoke out regarding the parks and recreation department. “The last couple weeks, the council and parks and recreation program have taken a real bashing from people on the parks issue. There has been a lot of miscommunication and slanted truth in the press. I don’t appreciate it at all,” Guinn said.

The parks and recreation department was discussed with parents during several spring meetings. Guinn said he took away three key things from those meetings; parents wanted better upkeep of the facilities, more input on decisions and keeping the money raised by parents in separate accounts.

“We have agreed and done these things,” Guinn said.

“I think the council should be commended for what they did. I don’t think it is right or fair, some of the things said. I think they owe the mayor and park and recreation staff an apology.”

* The approval of the 27th Street North streetlight was tabled.

* Mayor Bill Hereford presented a proclamation proclaiming October as Dyslexia Month.

* An agreement between the county and the city for work at the Pell City Animal Shelter was approved. The city will provide some site work that is estimated to cost between $2,200-$2,500.

* Linda Crow, owner of the downtown store La Ti Da’s, spoke to the council about the drug testing facility that is now located in the downtown shopping area between local businesses. Crow said that several other business owners were having problems with people using their bathrooms two at a time, littering around storefronts and general loitering. Crow explained that she was not exactly sure what was going on during the two person restroom visits but alluded to the fact that it may have something to do with urine samples for the drug testing facility.