PINSON, Ala. (Trussville Tribune) -- The Pinson City Council approved a franchise agreement with Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative to install a fiber optic cable for broadband internet through part of the city.
According to Nathan Prewett with the Trussville Tribune, representing the cooperative was Marlon Williamson, executive vice president of business development. He explained that they were given a middle mile grant from the state to begin a project of installing a 155-mile route of fiber.
“It was one of many grants that the state has done but for us when it was engineered and designed the goal was to get from Marshall County all the way south to Trussville, which it was all engineered and designed to pass as many underserved or unserved anchor institutions,” Williamson said said.
He explained that the project is a two-year commitment, specifically February of 2026. Approximately 50 miles of the 155 goal has been finished, he said. The next phase is from Oneonta to Pinson.
The agreement allows the company to run the route through public right-of-ways. Most of the cable will be buried. In Pinson the route proceeds along Highway 75, through the downtown area and along Highway 79.
Williamson added that the route is required to be open access network. With three different conduits that it has one will have transport fiber. If a third party were to express an interest in offering broadband the cooperative is obligated to give access.
The agreement was approved unanimously.
Later in the meeting, Roberts gave his report in which he addressed the wildfires that occurred on Tuesday in which the Alabama Forestry Commission reported a record number of 181 fires from that day to Sunday and expressed his gratitude for the response of the local fire districts.
“I was extremely impressed,” Roberts said. “I cannot state this any more strongly with the professionalism and the inner cooperation that took place between the various districts.”
He also pointed out the role of the sheriff’s department and the forestry service.
Several from the fire districts were present at the meeting, including Center Point Fire District Battalion Chief Chris Horn. He reported that Pinson had 18 fires during that time. He then said that in February there were 22 fires.
Though some rain has occurred it has not quite alleviated the dry conditions in recent times and so the public is reminded that no outdoor burning is allowed. He expressed his thanks to the Palmerdale and Glenwood Departments, as well as the Fultondale department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
There were 42 firefighters on the ground, he said.
“I’ve told y’all this again and again, it’s not about territories but about what we do for our living,” Horn told the council.
Palmerdale Fire Chief Taylor Hancock spoke afterwards and pleaded with the public to avoid outdoor burning, noting an increase of people do so after the recent rains. In particular, people are burning limbs.
“And that’s what’s causing it,” he said. “Especially in these high-wind environments right now. It’s causing fires to run away where they can’t control them and they end up having to call us.”
Glenwood Fire District Chief Rocky Bell echoed Horn’s earlier words.
“They know they can call, we’ll come. When we call, they’ll come. It’s all about the community, not just districts,” he said. “That’s pretty much all.”
Pinson City Council meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month at City Hall on 4410 Main Street. Live-streamed meetings can be seen on the city’s Facebook page.
Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@gmail.com.