The City of Greenville has renewed its annual contract with GEMS Ambulance to provide ambulance service for the city.

“I remember back in the early 1990s when we had four ambulance services operating in the city and they operated on a rotating basis,” said Mayor Dexter McLendon. “It was just a really big mess.”

Other actions taken by the city council on Monday night:

Awarded bids on behalf of the Greenville Police Department for vehicle towing, maintenance and repair contracts. The vehicle towing contracts was awarded to Greenville Towing in the amount of $22 per tow for in-town or out-of-town, day or night towing, with a one-way mileage rate of $1.50 per mile. Vehicle maintenance and repair contracts were awarded to Greenville Motor Company in the amount of $44 per vehicle (5,000 mile maintenance), and $39 per hour for labor with parts to be invoiced at list price less 10 percent in case of repair.

Authorized a budget amendment from fiscal year 2007-08 in the amount of $209,974 from the finance miscellaneous expense account to balance budgetary accounts needed within city departments.

Accepted financial reports and approved disbursements from all city accounts for fiscal year 2007-08.

Authorized the continuance of city’s financial operations under 2007-08 general fund budget pending approval of 2008-09 budget. McLendon said the city should have a budget for the upcoming fiscal year by the next council meeting, scheduled for Oct. 13.

Rescinded a resolution providing for alternating bank depositories every two years. City Clerk Sue Arnold said two banks – People’s Bank & Trust Company and the First National Bank of Greenville (now Whitney Bank) – had been the primary depositories for city funds. She said significant changes (electronic baking, wire transfer deposits and automated debts) have been made in banking over the past 16 years and it has become increasingly difficult and more costly to transfer the bulk of the city’s operating funds from one bank to another every other year. Additionally, the new resolution designates seven banks – Bancorp South, BankTrust, Butler County Bank, Colonial Bank, First Lowndes Bank, Regions Bank and Whitney National Bank – as depositories for city funds.

Renewed a contract with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office for the jailing of city prisoners at the annual sum of $100,000 and $5.50 per inmate per day as a feeding allowance.

Renewed a polygraph services contact with Gerald Carter & Associates for 22 on-site visits at a cost of $300 per month.

Authorized a subscriber agreement in the amount of $2,475 per quarter with the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center for the GPD’s access to the criminal justice network.

Authorized a contract renewal between the city and Butler County for pound services in the amount of $1,000 per month and $13 for each euthanization and disposal.

Authorized the city to enter into an agreement with the Housing Authority to provide full employment salary and benefits for one fulltime investigator and extra-duty hours not to exceed $36,000 from Oct. 1, 2008 to Sept. 30, 2009.

Approved the following expenditures: $4,739 to Lee Electric, Inc. for 10-ton HVAC unit replacement; $13,807.77 to Gulf States Distributors for 13 Tasers plus batteries and replaceable cartridges; $1,584 to BHS Concrete for curb mix to Hickory St. repairs; $9,251.38 to Hartley & Hickman for legal fees; $1,150.62 to Ingram Equipment for two 16-inch by 4-foot heavy duty suction and return hoses and four hose clamps for one of the city’s street sweepers; $3,306.18 to L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital for emergency medical care to city prisoner Mack Rocase on Sept. 16; $1,129.96 to L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital for emergency medical care to city prisoner Reba Price; $1,585 to Stabler Clinic for 16 annual fire department physicals; $2,170 to Ortivus, Inc. for Sweet Soft ambulance billing software support.