CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman County’s state legislative delegation delivered some holiday cheer to the Cullman County Commission Tuesday evening in the form of a $215,000 check from Montgomery. Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman and Rep. Corey Harbison, R-Good Hope were present at Tuesday’s commission meeting to announce the good news.
Gudger explained how the money was obtained, saying, “During the session this year, there was a big construction project in south Alabama. We were able to kind of stop that and say, ‘Listen, if you are going to be able to do an ag center and spend a lot of money in south Alabama, which we are for, we still could use money here in Cullman, Alabama, which (is) number one in agriculture pretty much every year.'”
Gudger, Harbison, Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview and Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle, along with the Alabama Farmers Federation, worked for a year to get the money through the various budgets.
“We were able to fight for it the whole time and it ended up being about $215,000,” said Gudger. “We are able to give it to the (Cullman County Agricultural Trade) Center and that doesn’t cost the taxpayers here a penny. This is Montgomery money and something we all fought for. No one else got this in the state.”
The hope is to be able to replace the leaky roof at the ag center, as well as make other needed improvements.
Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry, whose office hosts the annual Jimmy Arrington Memorial Rodeo and Special Needs Rodeo at the ag center, was present at the meeting and reacted to the announcement, saying, “It means so much for them doing this for us, and you know how much the rodeo means for us. Special needs children, we have about 1,400 that always show up. Again, this year was different, and we did it virtual. That just means a lot for us to be able to have a great place for those kids to come and stay dry and safe. I want to thank y’all for that.”
Also on-hand to present the check to the Cullman County commissioners was Ben Haynes, president of the Cullman County Farmers Federation. Haynes expressed his gratitude for the ag center project in Clanton, Alabama but also the importance of the money coming to Cullman’s ag center.
“The ag center is still a critical part of what goes on in Cullman and Cullman County,” said Haynes. “We are just thankful that we are able to get some improvements done here and also support our new farm center in Clanton, Chilton County, too.”
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