Mayor Brian Young has yet to decide if he will make a run for the vacant seat left by Alabama House District 40 Rep. Lea Fite, who died last week.

After Tuesday night's city council meeting, Young said that "while it would be an honor to serve in that position, it's a big decision and I need to discuss it with my family."

Young has a week to decide. The qualifying period for the seat ends on Nov. 13 at 5 p.m., and the primary election is to be held on Jan. 5.

Young said that he and his wife have a trip coming up, and that "we'll have lots of time to talk about it on the plane."

The council held its first public hearing on a proposed plan to create safer routes for children to get to school. The program named "Safer Route to School" is a joint venture by the council and the Piedmont Board of Education which hopes to acquire a grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Health. The grant, which could total as much as $450,000, would allow the city to build new sidewalks and greenways, increasing the safety for school children who walk or bike to school.

The proposal for the grant is due by the end of the month, but the decision to award the grant won't be made until June 2010.

The council and the school board have five proposed projects in mind.

• To build a greenway from K-8 campus to Alabama Highway 200.

• Crosswalks at Main Street, 5th Ave, Brock Street, Hood Avenue, Church Street, and Center Avenue/\.

• Greenway on Hood Street from Main Street to Church Street.

• Greenway around K-8 campus — Brock Street from Main Street to 4th Ave, from Brock Street to Hood Street.

• Bicycle parking facilities on K-8 campus.

The next meeting on the "Safer Route to School" proposal will be on Nov.10 at 5 p.m. during the school board meeting.

The council voted to change utility bill due dates for residents. Residents will still receive two separate post-card bills, but beginning in December, both bills will be due on the 15th of the month. Some residents had expressed frustration about the separate billing cycles, and the council agreed to change it back to a single due date.

In other business:

• The council passed a resolution that gives permission to the Alabama Scenic River Trail to build a ramp to improve access into Terrapin Creek. The ramp will be located behind the water plant on County Road 33 off U.S. Highway 278 East. The ramp will serve as an insert for canoes and kayaks into Terrapin which would extend the capability of paddlers to a 30 mile range.

• The council passed a resolution which honored Rep. Lea Fite for his long career of public service.

• Young proclaimed Feb. 24, 2010, as Arbor Day for the city. He also proclaimed Nov. 20-26 as National Farm-City Week.

• The city paid bills in total of $142,684.71.