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At the April 25 Troy City Council Meeting, the council unanimously voted to reappoint Dr. Dr. Jonathan Cellon to the Troy City Schools Board of Education.

Cellon, who currently serves as board president, was nominated for reappointment by District 4 councilperson Stephanie Baker as his term was coming to an end. The council unanimously approved his reappointment.

Cellon, who also serves as Associate Dean of the Center for Student Success at Troy University, was first appointed to the board of education in 2018. In addition to his work with Troy City Schools and Troy University, Cellon is a member of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club of Troy.

Also, the purchase of a new Pierce aerial ladder fire truck was unanimously approved. It will be the first purchase of an aerial ladder fire truck by the city since 2004. The cost of the fire truck will be $1,912,057. Mayor Jason Reeves told the council that the purchase needed to be approved now because the wait time for delivery is two years and if the city waited that wait time would be increased to four years. The fire truck will feature a 100-foot ladder and will be a stationed at Troy Fire Station No. 2.

The council also approved the operating and administrative budget for the Pike Area Transit System (PATS) for fiscal year 2024, so the program’s federal grant application for matching funds could be completed by May 1.

The PATS program is a joint program between the City of Troy, Pike County Commission and City of Brundidge that offers public transit for the Pike County area. The total cost of matching funds is $343,000 and the City of Troy pays 47 percent of that cost, the Pike County Commission pays 45 percent and the City of Brundidge pays a little more than seven percent. Federal funds provide more than $435,000 in funding. The council also approved a resolution to continue an agreement of compliance with Title VI, which stats that there be no discrimination based on race or religion. This resolution has to be passed to qualify for the federal grant.

“This is an excellent program,” Reeves said of PATS. “Anyone that needs a ride anywhere in Pike County can call, just ask that you make plans a day ahead, and we’ll get you there. We have a lot of people that are able to work and go places because of this program and (PATS Director) Donta (Frazier) does an excellent job of leading that program.”

The next Troy City Council Meeting will be held at 5 p.m. in the council chambers at Troy City Hall on May 8.