The Eufaula City Council is once again at full force after months of working with only four board members.
Monday night the Council appointed James Mason Dobbs, 29, to fill the position of Freeholder left vacant by the dismissal of Todd Warren for missing too many meetings.
Dobbs continues the family tradition of community service begun by his late mother Margaret Dobbs, who served on the Eufaula School Board for 15 years before resigning in June 2016. She passed away on Jan. 27, 2024.
His brother, Braddock Dobbs, 31, was appointed to the School Board last month.
Mason Dobbs is the owner/ operator of Belt Construction & Land services.
“I look forward to helping our community grow and help make the right decisions for the city.
Thank you everyone for the support!,” he said.
After his appointment he was sworn in by Clerk Valarie Cox and took his seat with the Board.
The first order of business was the mayor reading a proclamation thanking the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Accepting the proclamation of gratitude on behalf of the Nation was David Ford, head of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s Federal Roads Program.
“I just wanted to say thank you so much to the Creek Nation and your helping us with the road and doing all you’ve done a fantastic job. We’re so thankful. And at this time, we want to give the Creek Nation a proclamation here from the city.”
The proclamation read, in part: “The Muscogee Creek Na- tion has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to the community through the complete reconstruction of Birch Road and portions of Industrial Drive… And this project was over one mile of roadway at a cost of more than $2.5 million ensuring a modern, durable infrastructure that will serve the city for decades to come. And just thank you so much for that… The reconstructed Birch Road is a vital link…” Ford attended the meeting not only to receive praise from the city, but also discuss a future partnership.
“He was gracious enough to come here this evening to talk about how that partnership could work.”
Ford said the city must prioritize its roads, stating the obvious that not every road can be worked on.
“I can actually spend federal money,” he said.
But, he said, it helps if the city “has a little skin in the game.”
In other business, the Council approved the transfer of a concession lease from Mark Dobbs to Kyle Reans, owner of Tavern No. 9 on Main Street.
The city must approve the transfer, but ultimately it is the decision of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The council also agreed to a number of changes to various ordinances related to animal care, duties of the City Manager, salaries, and more, all described as routine housekeeping.
