BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Approximately 9.5 inches of rain fell on Bay Minette last week, creating flooding problems throughout the city, prompting the City Council to address the issues during its regular meeting Monday night.

"The men with Public Works got out there and worked cleaning out ditches and blocking roads," Mayor Jamie Tillery said. "There are no words that can adequately express our gratitude for these men."

Tillery said the city received 22 calls during the torrential rains that fell Tuesday and the precipitation that continued through the next two days.

"You wouldn't believe the things these men pulled out of the ditches," she said. "There were tires, one had a water meter in it, trees and limbs."

She said the biggest problem was that debris was washed into the ditches, plugging the culverts, creating a backup.

Alabama Gov. Bob Riley declared a state of emergency, allowing the city to use emergency funds to purchase a new limb truck.

"We have three limb trucks, two of which are torn up," District 1 Councilman Danleigh Corbett said. He said one is fixable, but one is not.

"Through the state of emergency we can purchase another limb truck," he said. "That will put us back up to three and allow the department to keep the limbs picked up."

"This is a health consideration," Tillery said, requesting a motion to purchase the truck. The motion was approved and a new truck will be purchased.

In other business, District 3 Councilman Johnny Biggs donated $1,000 out of his contingency fund for the building of mounds and bullpens at Halliday Park. Additionally, Corbett and District 2 Councilman Mike Phillips donated $250 each from their contingency funds. The bullpens will accomodate baseball and softball players.

The May 4 council meeting has been moved to May 11 to allow the council to attend the State Municipal Convention.