FOLEY, Ala. — A member of one of the city’s annual “Black History” observances told the mayor and city council this week that she felt “uncomfortable” last month about use of the Foley Civic Center for what she called a “Black Appreciation Program.”

Anne Smith of the Beulah Heights neighborhood, who co-chaired the program in question and identified herself as a board member of Church Women United, addressed council members on Monday about an incident that occurred on Feb. 20.

Smith’s main concern, as delineated in a prepared statement, was that the group holding the “Black History Celebration” had rented the Civic Center, but was unable to “utilize it and we don’t know why.”

According to Smith, when program coordinators asked that more chairs be made available to accommodate servers, they were told no other chairs were available and none could be brought in due to the fire codes, something Smith told the council she understood.

But Smith said she called Mayor John Koniar and spoke to him about the seating situation. Koniar asked Civic Center manager Pam Ulrich to work with Smith and program coordinators, but Smith said she “recognized a change of attitude” thereafter by Ulrich.

Ulrich suggested program coordinators find a larger place for next year’s program, Smith said.

Smith also told council members that things were locked up in the kitchen.

“There was not even a clean dish towel out,” she said.

“I apologize if you felt insulted because that was not the intent,” the mayor told Smith. “We have previously had things ‘walking’ out of the Civic Center,” he said, a reference to Civic Center property going missing of late following events at the facility. Koniar said that’s why things were locked up in the kitchen and had nothing to do with the “Black History Celebration” participants.

Also, the mayor noted that with children involved in the “Black History Celebration,” that was all the more reason for safety measures to be in place.

Councilman Rick Blackwell told Smith that Gulf Shores Civic Center has also had to cut back on the way that facility is used of late.

Councilman Wayne Trawick told Smith by the time next year’s “Black History Celebration” rolls around this “transition” period at the Civic Center should be over and things should be “better next time.”

Prior to mentioning her complaints, Smith expressed thanks to the city for supporting the annual Black History event.

“We commend the City of Foley and its employees for all the assistance and support you extended to us for the past 23 years,” Smith said in her prepared statement.

“You made us feel very comfortable, and it has been a pleasure working together with you during our programs.”

In other council action this week, a resolution was approved setting aside $5.5 million in what the mayor called a type of “Rainy Day Fund” that could be utilized in an emergency situation such as a hurricane.

In what the mayor called a “good fiscal move,” the council approved a resolution that amends the personnel policy and moves Foley firefighters from a 21-day work cycle to a 19-day work cycle. The action changes the point at which firefighters move into overtime pay.

Other funding approved by council members included the following: $29,662 for Durby Lane repairs based on R&S Paving’s quote; $6,000 to hire Jeff Rouzie as a consultant through the end of the fiscal year for economic development with an emphasis on retail development; $14,005 for purchase of a used reel mower.

The council set a public hearing for Tuesday, March 10, 5:30 p.m., to consider a recommendation that the City approve ABC Board applications only within the corporate city limits and allow the county to do so within the city’s police jurisdiction, the 3-mile area outside the corporate limits.

With Foley Police Department’s recommendation, the council moved to recommend approval of a Retail Beer and Retail Table Wine (both off premises) applications to the ABC Board. The applicant is Shreem Enterprises Inc. under their new name, Quick Stop, for their location at 930 W. Laurel Ave.

The council approved a second reading of an ordinance authorizing compensation of salaried employees and setting forth administrative pay policy during declared emergencies.

Based on the mayor’s recommendation, the council approved Wayne Trawick to be the city’s voting delegate to the Alabama League of Municipalities’ Annual Convention in May.