CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman City Council on Monday evening passed a resolution to enter into a contract with Sain Associates for a traffic signal warrant evaluation and timing plans for the intersection of Cherokee Avenue/Alabama Highway 69 and 24th Street Southwest in the amount of $32,600. A traffic signal warrant evaluation is made to determine if the installation of a signal at a particular intersection can be justified. If the signal is to be installed, the timing plan helps determine how long the various approaches to the intersection should have right of way, and if particular approaches should receive priority.
The Cherokee Avenue/24th Street intersection is known to be quite busy at various times, and was the scene of a December 2018 wreck that claimed the life of Hanceville resident April Dawn Landinger, who was a passenger in one of the vehicles. Both drivers were charged with criminally negligent homicide, with additional individual charges of failure to yield right of way and exceeding reasonable and prudent speed.
The light is also needed for industrial development projects.
Greer explained, “It (one project) is being combined with a new project that is in Industrial Park II.”
He said that as an incentive, the industrial prospects have requested a traffic signal be added at the intersection of Alabama Highway 69 and 24th Street Southwest. He said he had met with the City of Cullman and the City of Good Hope about the project as well.
The council passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Woody Jacobs to apply for grant funds of up to $500,000 from the TVA Invest Prep Program to do site work on property at the Cullman Regional Airport as part of the airport’s five-year plan. The funding, if approved by TVA, would be a 50/50 matching fund grant. Since the airport is jointly owned by the City of Cullman and Cullman County, each would be responsible for half of the matching funds, or 25%, of the overall project cost.
The council also approved a request from Jay Ganga, Inc./Jet Pep Foodmart 54 located at 645 Alabama Highway 157, at the intersection of that road and Alabama Highway 69, for a Beer and Wine Off-Premises alcohol license.
Additionally, the council approved a resolution to award the bid for a 12-inch grit augur classifier unit to the lowest responsible bidder, Cahaba Water Solutions, in the amount of $30,688. One other supplier, Jim House & Associates of Irondale, submitted a bid of $42,500.
The council also approved a last-minute resolution to amend the City’s position control to allow the creation of a new position for a mechanic at the city garage.
RV park protest
During the public comment portion of the agenda, the council heard from a local resident unhappy about the development of an RV park at the City’s Burrow property on County Road 222. Elizabeth McDowell, who supports the development of a botanical garden at the site, began reading comments and 67 names from an online petition she started through change.org until council president Jenny Folsom pointed out her time limit. McDowell said that she would submit the names in writing.
McDowell argued that plans for the park were hidden from the public until construction had already started “with a complete disregard for the community’s wants and needs,” and linked the development to Rock the South, saying that the park’s sole purpose is “so the wealthy can have their own private parking lot during this event.” She told the council that she and other opponents would be “pursuing boycotts and protests until this is rectified.”
The Cullman City Council meets at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Monday evenings of each month in the Cullman City Hall auditorium. The public is invited to attend.
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