CULLMAN – On Monday evening, the Cullman City Council voted to pursue grants to expand or complete two area improvement projects, along with numerous other items of business.
Highway 157 expansion
The council voted to authorize Mayor Woody Jacobs to submit an application to the United States Department of Transportation requesting fiscal year 2018 Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant funds in the amount of $14 million to widen Alabama Highway 157 from U.S. Highway 31 to Alabama Highway 69 with a local match of $1 million. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has committed $13,261,880.16 of its own funds in support of this project.
According to Cullman Economic Development Director Dale Greer, this grant would replace a TIGER grant for which the City previously applied.
ALDOT is scheduled to make needed utility upgrades to the Hwy. 157 corridor during the 2019 fiscal year, and do construction, including paving, in 2020. Also, according to the plan, the two-year improvement was projected to cost a total of $25,204,000.
Brunner Street neighborhood improvement project
The council passed a resolution to award the bid for phase two of the Brunner Street Neighborhood Improvement Project to the lowest responsible bidder, Tren-Tay, Incorporated, in the amount of $861,539.45. Just over half the cost of the project will be funded through a Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $450,000. (www.cullmantribune.com/articles/2018/02/02/ivey-awards-city-cullman-450k-completion-brunner-street-project)
Other council business
The council approved a tax abatement for fall protection equipment manufacturer JELCO to offset the expenses of building an addition to its existing facility. The abatement will include “all state and local non-educational ad valorem taxes,” and “all construction-related transaction taxes, except those construction related transaction taxes levied for educational purposes or for capital improvements for education.” The ad valorem tax abatement will last for 10 years. JELCO is expected to invest $88,030 in the addition.
One day ahead of the official opening of Duck River Reservoir, the council suspended the rules of procedure to approve an ordinance to amend its previous Ordinance (2018-36) for the regulation and control of the water supply for the City of Cullman, to limit watercraft engines to 25 horsepower. The updated ordinance will read, “It shall be unlawful for any person other than a municipal or lake patrol officer or State of Alabama patrol officer or state agency as authorized by the Mayor or his designee, engaged in the performance of their lawful duties, to operate any type of watercraft whatsoever for any purpose, with more than twenty-five horsepower motor on the water supply lake(s).” (www.cullmantribune.com/articles/2018/07/07/duck-river-reservoir-set-open-recreational-use-july-17-pipeline-ahead-schedule)
The council suspended the rules of procedure in order to annex property owned by Wesley Harden and Ashton Harden located at 501 County Road 1467 into the city limits of Cullman as R-1 Residential District.
The council voted to renew its lease agreement with the United Way of Cullman County, granting it use of the Old Train Depot for another year.
The council also authorized City Attorney Roy Williams to seek an opinion from the Alabama attorney general concerning weed abatement, in hopes of an opinion that will authorize the city to enter private property to perform weed abatement for public safety. Williams specified that such authorization would still require property owners’ permission.
The council had a first reading of Ordinance No. 2018-34 to vacate and surplus City-owned property located at 1638 Brantley Ave. NW which is no longer needed. The City will hand that property over to its Industrial Development Board, which will give the City the proceeds when it sells the property to an incoming industry. No action was taken at this meeting.
At the recommendation of councilman Johnny Cook, Barry Slatton and Michael Sullins were appointed to the City Tree Commission.
The council approved requests for two charitable community events:
- A request from Justin Gilley for a special event permit to hold the annual Jack Aces Car & Bike Show for “Shop with a Cop” in the parking lot across from Moe’s Original BBQ on Aug. 11, 2018 from 3-10 p.m.
- A request from Ben Johnson and the North Alabama Agriplex to announce “COOLFEST” a local fundraiser at the corner of Second Avenue Southeast and Fourth Street Southeast on July 26 from 4:12 p.m. until 7:12 p.m. (See a separate story on this event.)
The council also approved three requests from Water Superintendent Chris Freeman:
- to purchase a pipe fusing machine from Consolidated Pipe & Supply Company, Inc. on the NJPA bid list in the amount not to exceed $81,431.49.
- to purchase a lateral pipe bursting machine from Hammerhead Trenchless on the Buy Board bid list in the amount not to exceed $25,207.69.
- to purchase a tandem axle enclosed trailer from Lawrimore Manufacturing, Inc. in the amount not to exceed $5,260.
Additionally, the council heard once more from Kerry Zozoka and a small group of other residents from the Heritage Village subdivision on Welti Road. According to the residents, conditions have not improved and new construction in the neighborhood might be making some problems worse. While council members maintained that the matter might ultimately be between the residents and the developer, and that City Building Director Rick Fulmer would be the person to make an official decision on the matter, Zozoka complained that no one from the City has contacted her to give her any information at all.
The Cullman City Council will meet next on Monday, July 30, at 7 p.m. in the city hall auditorium, with work session at 6:30. The public is invited to attend.
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