By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – The Columbiana City Council approved resolutions authorizing the submission of a senior center grant application for 2020 and for the mayor to sign a contract with an event production company for the city’s Liberty Day 2020 event.

The Columbiana Senior Center plans to use the $2,000 in grant money to pay the center’s tai chi, yoga and line dance instructor fees, and to subsidize art classes for seniors to be held at the Shelby County Arts Center at Old Mill Square, Community Relations and Senior Center Director Ali Payne said.

Regarding the event production company contract, Payne said this is the first year for the city to be working with Big Friendly Productions, which will set up and take down two stages for Liberty Day, as well as provide the necessary materials to protect the grass.

In addition, the company will set up a video wall to display all of the event sponsors.

In other business, the council:

• Heard an update on the property on South Main Street known as the old pool hall. Mayor Stancil Handley said an unidentified buyer has purchased the property from the owner, H.L. Conwill. In November, the City Council had approved to move forward with the abatement of the deteriorating building, which was declared a public nuisance by Columbiana’s Public Safety Committee in 2018.
• Heard an update from the first Forging Families 5K held on Jan. 11 in Columbiana. Handley said the run drew about 150 participants and raised nearly $10,000.
• Heard plans from Councilman Ricky Ruston for Columbiana to host the Dizzy Dean 9U-10U youth baseball state tournament on the last weekend of June, the same weekend as Liberty Day.