“This would be the planning stage of downtown revitalization.”
She said the first project may be to replace current sewage lines and install
underground utility lines to eliminate poles. Then, workers would come above
ground to do sidewalk renovations and other beautification projects.
Water drainage issues might also be addressed. Sherrill and councilmen Paul
Stidham said years of asphalt layers have raised streets to sidewalk level.
That has led to damaging water drainage downtown.
“We’ve had trouble with whenever it comes a big rain. Some of the stores get
flooded,” Stidham said. “Some of them put sandbags out when there is a real big flood.”
Sherill cautioned that the plan would have to be carried out in several phases
over four to five years. It would also be restricted to the downtown area and
would not stretch to outlying areas, such as Walmart.
“We’ve done all the preliminary work. We’ve identified all the buildings that are terrible, that’s been there a long time and that nobody’s in,” she said.
Although the city has had trouble recently matching some money for other grants,
Sherrill said the city has some funds stored away.
“This is so needed that I feel like the council would be willing to use some of
the money we’ve got for the revitalization,” she said.
Also, the city does not have to come up with all the funds at once since it will
be done over several years.
She said once the planning board and the beautification commission approves the
plans from the first phase, the city will apply for more grants for future
phases.
“That’s the only way you could afford to do it,” Sherill said. “You could not do it all at once.”
However, one of the more discussed renovation projects in the city concerns
something on a separate track—what to do with the old Munsingwear plant.
Sherrill said the Munsingwear building was still being “looked at for whatever purpose that we can look for.” All environmental work on the building has been done for any future
renovations.
“I think that building is being considered to tear down the old portion and
utilizing the newer portion in the basement for a senior citizen center and a
safe house,” Sherrill said.
Because the work will need grant funding, Sherrill urged seniors in the area to
start writing letters of support or protest for the project, addressed to
Holliday. Council members said there has also been talk of passing around
petitions to make it easier for seniors by just adding their signatures.
“We’re going to have to have a lot of community support for it all,” Sherrill said after the meeting.
The Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments has also been involved with
the planning, she said.
“We’ve talked about tearing the building down. We’ve talked about renovating it for some new purpose,” Sherrill said.
There has been some talk of making it into a city hall. Sherrill said it would
be a great use for a courthouse, although she doubted the county would want it.
Sherrill said while there has not been much growth in the city to warrant moving
city hall to the Munsingwear facility, which the city owns, she said down the
road there will be enough growth to have a larger city hall.
“At some point there will be, but not right now,” she said.
The more critical concern is over the current senior center, located at the E.T.
Sims, Jr. Neighborhood Faciliites Building (Hamilton Recreation Center).
“We’ve really run out of space at the rec center. With ballfields and soccer now, we’re running out of room.
The major concern for the Munsingwear facility is that it is in bad shape since
apparel operations ended there a number of years ago. Sherrill noted it was in “terrible shape,” while councilman McDavid Franks said estimates indicate it would cost up to
$5-6 million to get the facility in proper condition.
In other business, the council:
• Approved payment of $5,217.66 to the Marion County Commission for covering the
city’s share for impounding animals. The bill, based on population, had been held
over to check the accuracy of the amount. The council asked for a monthly
report on how many animals are being covered.
• Amended a recent noise ordinance to give excemption for school and religious
events. City attorney Scott Hunt said churches and schools were concerned the
earlier ordinance would affect events, such as ballgames and church meetings.
Amplification will be allowed for “any worship or religious service or any other lawful assembly of people,
including athletic events.” Violators, including those using loud boom boxes or motorcyles, will be fined
anywhere from range from $50 to $500.
• Awarded the gasoline bid to Hamilton Petroleum after Lowry Oil withdrew its bid
earlier in the day. No explaination was given why the bid was withdrawn.
Regular was bid at $2.02, super unleaded was bid at $2.19 and diesel was bid at
just under $2.12.
• Heard councilwoman April Steele say the council hopes to have the fiscal 2010 budget ready to adopt by the Nov. 2 council meeting.
• Heard Sherrill explain heavy rains this summer, as well as a shortage of crews,
will delay some road paving projects into next year. She did not give specifics but said crews ran far behind because of the rains.
Councilman McDavid Franks suggested contracting for outside crews for some projects.
• Sherill noted the 25-year lease of the property where the city walking track
now sits is coming up for renewal. The city built the walking track and has
maintained it, paying a nominal lease fee to the Marion County Board of
Education. Council members after the meeting said they did not expect any
problems in renewing the lease, which runs out on April 28.
• Franks noted that “the heating element has gone out” at the fire station.
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