Opelika council recognizes fireman of the year

The Opelika City Council and Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller honored the Opelika fireman of the year, Capt. K. Phillip Hope, for his hard work and 22 years of service to the Opelika Fire Department at the Opelika City Council meeting Tuesday night.

“He was nominated by the C shift fire fighters,” Fuller said. “They nominated him because he stood out from all the others this year.”

Hope is a CPR instructor, a recruit instructor and offers assistance and training to local industries, Fuller said.

His fellow firefighters also said Hope has the ability to stay calm and to do the job right and safely, Fuller said.

In other news, a resolution was unanimously passed to pay the Alabama Department of Transportation for services rendered in 1987.

The city of Opelika had a project where $76,000 in engineering fees were amassed. No actual construction was done on the plans and since no progress was made, the city has to pay that money.

The city voted to pay around $73,000 because some of the money has already been paid.

One council member, Patsy Jones of Ward One, was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

The Opelika City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of the month at City Hall in downtown Opelika.