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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

CALERA – The Calera City Council received a proclamation from the mayor declaring January 2025 as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month and honored Seattle Seahawks flag football player PJ Pitts during a meeting on Jan. 6.

During the meeting, the council took the time to honor Pitts who was unable to make it to the previous meeting where the council recognized members of the fourth and fifth grade Seattle Sea Hawks for becoming the 2024 flag football champions.

“We appreciate you coming out and appreciate you being involved,” Calera Mayor Jon Graham said. “Congratulations on your season.”

Susan Crow of Child Trafficking Solutions Project and Laquanna Washington were present at the council meeting to represent anti-human trafficking interest groups and to support the mayor’s proclamation.

“We just wanted to come and thank you for considering and passing a proclamation recognizing Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month,” Crow said. “It takes partnerships among municipalities, law enforcement (and) folks from all over the state to keep everyone safe from sex and labor trafficking and from online predators.”

Crow highlighted that the internet gives criminals and predators easy access to young people and children with new apps, games and websites popping up daily. She said that first responders and child-serving agencies are seeing a huge increase in children and teens that are being targeted by online predators.

“This is a month that allows all of our communities to begin to recognize some of these insidious things that are happening and to make plans and educate our communities about how we can prevent them,” Crow said.

After the proclamation was approved by the council, Graham signed it and and handed it to Crow.

Calera Middle School Principal Desaree Jackson attended the meeting and approached the council to honor Assistant Principal Jennifer Nabors for being named the Alabama Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year by the Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals.

“Ms. Nabors has given her service to the city of Calera for 22 years,” Jackson said. “She’s been an educator for 25 years, so (for) 22 of those year’s, she’s been here servicing the students and the families here at Calera Middle School”

Jackson also shared news of the school’s success in hosting a CPR training day on Dec. 16 which was made possible thanks to the assistance of the Calera Fire Department. CMS student AJ Motley was present at the meeting and shared with the council how valuable the experience was.

“CPR day was really important because I think it can be really useful in case an emergency happens where, say, a firefighter or paramedic wasn’t around—like if you were using the bathroom and someone’s heart just suddenly stopped,” Motley said. “I think it’s just important in situations like that, that we use it.”

Motley also emphasized that the partnership with the fire department allowed students to work with trained firefighters who had been through the process multiple times.

During the meeting, Council Member Calvin Morgan asked Graham if there was an update on when the council will be able to take action on a previously proposed increase to the city’s pay for the mayor and council. If approved, the salary changes would not go into effect until the next mayor and city council are in office. After discussion, the council decided to add the item to a future agenda.

In other news, the Calera City Council approved the 2025 holiday schedule and approved a streetlight for the Kensington Place subdivision.