The cost to purchase an accident or police report from the Cullman Police Department just went up.

For almost 15 years, the fee for a copy of an accident or police report has been $3 — now that price is set to more than triple.

At a recent meeting, the Cullman city council adopted a resolution raising the price of police reports from the current charge of $3 to $10.

Cullman Police Chief Kenny Culpepper said the fee has been the same for more than a decade.

“It has been approximately 15 years since the fee charged for a copy of an accident report or incident report has been increased,” Culpepper wrote in the official request to the council.

Culpepper attributed the need for a price increase to the rising cost to process and supply the reports to the public.

“In this space of time, the costs associated with supplies and report processing has greatly increased,” he wrote.

The fee hike will also bring the Cullman Police Department’s charge more in line with comparable local cities.

“For example, Jasper also charges $10 for a report,” Culpepper said. “The state even charges $15.”

Culpepper added that the police department hopes to make reports available online soon, as well.

“Hopefully after Jan. 1, you will be able to go online and get them,” he said. “That should be a great convenience to the people.”

In other business, the council also approved a bid for concrete and rock for the Cullman Street Department was approved at Monday night’s city council meeting.

The supplies should account for the majority of the department’s needs for 2009.

“That was part of their annual needs for the year,” Mayor Max Townson said.

Good Hope Contractors was approved as the lowest responsible bidder for rock, with a $651,400 pick-up price and $1 million dollar delivery price.

Cullman Street Department Superintendent Rick Henry said the two prices represent the cost for if the city is capable of picking up the materials, or if delivery will be required.

“We do pick it up when we can, but sometimes we can’t,” he said. “It’s just a matter of practicality.”

Henry clarified that the price is bid in the amount of a ton, which is much more than the city uses annually.

“They bid it so many tons more or less,” he said. “In a million years we would never use a ton.”

Overall, Henry said the city does not spend a large amount on rock supplies annually.

“I know it’s not that much, and last year considerably under $100,000,” he said. “Plus, that’s for the whole city.

The bid is set up so the department can pick up rock on an as-needed basis.

“Naturally how much we need will vary,” Henry said. “The city continues to vary allows us to get what we need.

Concrete same thing, may or may not use it — have to bid it in case we need it, most common mix is 3,000 pound mix.

For a concrete supplier, the city approved Kirkpatrick Concrete as the lowest responsible bidder, at $670 combined mix per yard.

Henry said the supplies are used for a variety of city projects.

“That is just our yearly bid, and we use it for everything,” he said. “From paving, to piping and different projects like that. It’s just for general use.”

In addition to the street department, the supplies are also shared among other city departments.

“It’s general usage supplies, and some of the other departments use it too, such as the water department,” Henry said.

Though exact numbers were unavailable by press time, Henry said the bids for 2009 were similar to previous years.

“They stay pretty much in there, right about even,” he said.

The council also:

‰ Approved a request to bid an IBM server upgrade, Windows server installation and network upgrades for the city. The city will seek a three-year lease, and $30,000 is budgeted for the services.

‰ Approved a request to solicit bids for tree trimming services for the city.

‰ Adopted a resolution to declare seven city vehicles surplus, including a 1994 Ford Crown Victoria, a 1995 Ford Crown Victoria, a 1995 Ford Thunderbird, a 1997 Jeep Cherokee, two 1998 Ford Crown Victorias and a 2000 Chevy Impala. “The city council finds and determines that the interests of the city can best be served by sale of said property,” the resolution stated. The vehicles will be sold by their fair market value.

‰ Adopted a resolution to appoint Michael W. Fuller as the city prosecutor.

‰ Adopted a resolution officially authorizing the competitive video services agreement with AT&T; Alabama.

‰ Adopted a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) to permit a traffic signal upgrade at the intersection of Highway 31 and Highway 278. The project had been budgeted the previous year.



‰ Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 225.