Hamilton renews C3 membership for $25K

HAMILTON — The Hamilton City Council voted unanimously on Monday, Dec. 15, to renew the city’s membership with the C3 of Northwest Alabama Economic Development Alliance.
Hamilton was one of the charter members of C3 in 2010. Most recently, C3 was instrumental in helping the city obtain a nearly $1.5 million “Growing Alabama” grant for two spec pads at its I-22 Industrial Park.
C3 works to help promote economic development within the city and is paid $25,000 annually for their services from the city’s general fund.
Asked to comment, C3 President and CEO Tom Wisemiller noted, “C3 values our longstanding partnership with the City of Hamilton and the strong relationships we've built with communities throughout the Northwest Alabama EDA region. We're excited about what we can accomplish together in the years ahead."
In other city business, the council:
• Approved the transfer of $1,000 from the city’s general fund back into the Hamilton Police Department’s drug fund, payable from grant funds awarded to the police department and deposited into the general fund previously.
To explain, mayor Tami Lewis Williams noted that monies in the drug fund are discretionary to the chief of police and are comprised of proceeds awarded from drug related seizures resulting from cases made by the Hamilton Police Department.
She said HPD Chief Jordan Carter withdrew $1,000 from the drug fund account as a donation to support the “Shop With a Cop Program” which was held the Saturday before the city council meeting.
Walmart had previously issued a grant to the HPD in the amount of $3,750, which was deposited into the city’s general fund. Of that amount, $2,750 was designated to cover  police department operational expenses, and the remaining $1,000 was designated for the “Shop With a Cop Program.”