Valley Grande passed two items at its first council meeting of the year on Monday night at City Hall.

The council approved to spend $8,625 on two cameras and a pole for road surveillance. A representative from SELCOM provided a display during the meeting on how the cameras would observe cars driving down the street.

Mayor Matt Dobbs said the cameras are part of public safety, which he maintained is the city’s top priority. City Clerk Janet Frasier said the cameras will be paid from the city’s Capital improvement fund, which has $80,0000 in it.

The council also approved Resolution No. 2019-90, accepting a bid for sell of concession at the Valley Grand Sports Complex. Bids opened on Jan. 3 at Valley Grande city hall and Andrea Holley’s $1,000 was the only bid. The resolution became effective once Dobbs and the council approved.

Dallas County Sherriff-elect Mike Granthum and Lt. John Hatfield both attended the meeting. Granthum, who officially gets sworn in on Friday at 10:45 a.m. at the Dallas County Courthouse, thanked the council.

The Dallas County Sherriff’s Office (DCSO) purchased tasers and spent overtime for deputies during the Christmas holidays with $25,000 from Valley Grande’s public safety budget.

“We did not have a single incident during that time,” Granthum said. “People from the county came to shop in Valley Grande. I don’t know how much that means in tax dollars to Valley Grande, but the workers appreciated it.”

The next Valley Grande Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. at Valley Grande City Hall. The meeting was moved from its original scheduled Monday because of Martin Luther King Day.