The Piedmont City Council passed a motion allowing for the payment of a $3,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for vandalizing two city-owned lawnmowers and a boom truck.

Syrup was poured into the fuel tanks of the equipment, kept at the armory, likely some time over the weekend, said Mayor Brian Young. The cost to repair the damage has been put at approximately $2,250, said Young. The sum of $3,000 is the maximum allowable reward a city can offer for such a case, according to Young.

Young announced that Governor Bob Riley has signed the project agreement between All State Diversified and the city of Piedmont. All State’s president, Thomas Cela, has also signed the lease with the owners of the spec building on Industrial Drive, said Young.

Cela said that he expects to begin moving forward with readying the new metal manufacturing within the next few weeks, said Young. Under the agreement, All State will be required to grow up to 125 jobs by 2013.

A motion also passed that will allow the council to adjust the city budget to cover health care cost increases for city employees. The budget will be increased $6,800 a month, a nine percent increase, said City Clerk Michelle Franklin, to cover increases in the Blue Cross / Blue Shield health insurance premiums currently covering city employees.

The low bid for a well located at the high school was approved by the council. City Utility Manager Lee Young said the bid from the Hand Service Company came in at $92,750, but since the amount of the bid is based on the company digging down to 335 feet, and the test well indicates water was reached at 135 feet, Young believes the actual cost to the city will be closer to the $40,000 range.

Residents will be charged a $2 convenience fee each time they pay city fees on one of the new credit card machines the city will be installing in the coming weeks. The council passed a motion setting the fee for each transaction, whether debit or credit, for city fees. Currently only the civic center has one of the new machines installed and ready for use.

PARD All Stars were honored during the council meeting. Four teams received trophies Tuesday afternoon – 8 & under girls softball placed first in district and third in state; 9 & 10 girls placed second in state; 11 & 12 girls placed first in district and in state, and the 8 & under boys Dixie Youth were district winners as well.

In other business:

• The council paid bills in total of $92,805.66

• The Eubanks Welcome Center reported a record number of visitors (418) for the month of July.