By Karen Middleton
A quarterly meeting of the Limestone County Commission and Athens City Council Monday was an affirmation of how well the two governmental bodies work together.
After the settlement of a lawsuit between the Limestone County Water and Sewer Authority and the city of Athens Water/Wastewater Department on who serves city-annexed portions of the county and several communication snafus, the two entities agreed to joint quarterly meetings.
Most of Monday’s talk concerned the failed attempt to recruit Volkswagen to Huntsville-annexed portions of the county near Greenbrier.
“It was an excellent opportunity to show our regionalism,” said Commission Chairman David Seibert.
He said the $60 million pledged by Athens, Limestone and Huntsville set a record in the state for local government incentives.
“It totaled out to $385 million with the state,” said Seibert.
Volkswagen announced a week ago that the company had settled on Chattanooga for the site of its plant.
However, commissioners, Mayor Dan Williams and City Council members praised Seibert for being the community’s negotiator during talks with Volkswagen.
“I’d like to extend the community’s thanks to Mr. Seibert for his involvement and interest in negotiations over months and months,” said Williams. “We were standing on the cliff of what was to have been the biggest economic opportunity to come to our community.”
Williams said with the negotiations came the knowledge that there are two viable sites—the TVA mega site off U.S. 31 South, and the Greenbrier site—for potential industry.
Williams said he wanted to work with the county in paving Nuclear Plant Road from Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant to U.S. 31.
“We would also like to involve the County Commission in library plans and we thank the county for their part in donating the property for a dog park,” said Williams.
Councilman Ronnie Marks said that in the new spirit of regionalism that came out the VW negotiations, he would like to see local governments support the biotech community in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville.
Councilwoman Milly Caudle thanked the commission for its support of the Spirit of Athens downtown revitalization group.
Outgoing Councilman Johnny Crutcher thanked the commission for erasing the “black eye” the two entities had in the community for not being able to work together.
“But we are working together on several projects, such as Cowford Park, the Health Department, the Mental Health Center, the Robotics Center, the rail spurs and industrial development,” said Crutcher. “And we’ve also paved several roads together.”
Councilman Jimmy Gill said he especially appreciated District 3 Commissioner Bill Latimer for his help with the restoration of Cowford Park, a place Seibert said “People went to do things they weren’t supposed to be doing.”
Latimer ended the meeting with a note of humor, in saying, “After the VW negotiations, I think the whole world now knows people in Alabama wear shoes.”
