Arley Town Council prepares to fill vacancy

ARLEY - The Arley Town Council currently has a vacant seat after Robert Williams stepped down as council member at the end of the year.
At the January 6, council meeting, Mayor Chris Tyree declared Williams' council seat vacant. Williams last day on the council was December 31, 2024. Tyree said the council would need to appoint someone to fill the seat within 60 days.
At the February. 3, council meeting, George Gibson told the council he had been approached about filling the vacant council seat.
"It would be an honor," he said. "I worked for Arley about 50 years in the fire department and grew up here. I see a lot of things going on. Some of the things I like; maybe some I don't like. I feel like I could fill in and help out."
Also at that meeting, Arley Women's Club member Johnna Bailey introduced Stephanie Childers, the executive director of United Way of Cullman, who plans to speak to the council at a future meeting about her organization's plans to begin working in Winston County.
The Arley Women's Club (AWC) has already partnered with United Way on bringing the Dolly Parton Imagination Library into Winston County, which Bailey said currently has 550 children signed up.
Laurie McGriff, AWC president, told the council the club had applied for a $50,000 tourism grant for Arley Day from the state of Alabama. She said Rep. Tim Wadsworth and Dr. Nicole Wadsworth deserve a lot of credit for helping with the grant application and pitching it in Montgomery.
McGriff discussed three possible projects the money could be used to fund that would create permanent improvements in Hamner Park where Arley Day is held: dedicated pickleball courts, a metal roof for the playground to keep the equipment from becoming too hot to use or an electronic sign to be placed in front of the basketball court to advertise upcoming events.
She said the AWC is already working on a walking trail project in the park the council had previously approved.