County recycling receives grant from ADEM

Published 10:00 am Wednesday, June 21, 2023

The county’s Recycling Department got some good news recently in the form of a $600,000 grant for a new building. Chairman Collin Daly announced that Limestone County had received the grant from ADEM at the commission meeting Tuesday morning.

“It was a tough decision the county made to get into recycling but I think it is going to be really rewarding to the county. I know we had a big push to get started. We started over at the old L&S property and you’d be amazed at the amount of people in Limestone County that use that service,” Daly said.

Each commissioner took a moment to thank those who worked hard to secure the grant including County Attorney Drew Dill, Limestone County Grants, Community Relations, and Legal Specialist Christa McCurry, Limestone County’s Recycling Specialist Keri Chalmers, and others.

“The purpose is to construct a recycling building for recycling operations,” Dill said. “Christa McCurry, she did a remarkable job and Keri (Chalmers) did a remarkable job. I’ve been pulling for the recycling Department and this is a big step for it.”

The grant for the new building will eventually give the Recycling Department their own physical location and increase it’s capabilities. Dill referred to the building as “the first major piece” for their new program’s future.

There is still one obstacle for the Recycling Department. The commission had previously approved the purchase of a piece of property they hoped would serve as the county’s recycling location. An environmental report on the land came back as not conducive for the intended purpose.

“It took everybody. I am just proud we got it. Our next hurdle is, where do we put it?” District 4 Commissioner LaDon Townsend said. “Recycling is a big thing in Limestone County and I get a lot of calls about recycling. I am so glad we got that. Get us a place to put the building and we can get back to recycling in Limestone County like we were before.”

Resolutions and orders

• A resolution identifying Goodwyn Mills and Cawood and Morell Engineering as engineering firms that can be utilized by the county to begin project development activities in support of varios federal grant applications on behalf of the county on a project-by-project basis.

• A resolution authorizing Chairman Collin Daly to enter into a contract with Morell Engineering to provide all engineering services required to implement the Mooresville Road Improvement project in accordance with the approved FmHA Engineering fee scale and scope of services associated with the project.

Contracts, agreements, and grants

• A MOU with Mid America Health for portable dental services at the Limestone County Jail from July 2023 through June 2024.

• A construction agreement for an industrial access project (new roadway from Airport Road to Pryor Field property line) between the State of Alabama and the Limestone County Commission. The State reimburse the County for no more than $776,400.

• Apply for a grant in the amount of $30,000 through RC&D Council (Alabama’s Mountains, Rivers, and Valley Resource Conservation and Development Councils Inc.) for Cowford Campground to complete electrical upgrades to bring the power up to state standards. There is no cost match.

• Apply for a SS4A Grant (USDOT for the Safe Streets for All grant) in the amount of $2 million to complete a demonstration project that will improve roadway safety in Limestone County. TARCOG is completing the required action plan for Limestone County. There is a 80/20 match with the required match being $400,000.

Board appointments

• Appoint Kyle Bridgeforth to the ALH Hospital Board.

Personnel actions

• Hire Michael Leslie Bailey and Michelle Leigh Roberson as part time van drivers for Council on Aging.

• A position for one temporary Jail Records Technician until August 1, 2023. Said position will allow for a current Jail Records Technician to appropriately educate and train the new incoming Jail Records Technician.

• Hire William Cowman, Jimenze Jennings, and dalton groce as Corrections Officers pending drug screenings.

• Hire Haven Helms as a temporary laborer in the Engineering Department.

Engineer’s reports

• Final approval for Jones Spring Subdivision Phase 3, a major subdivision, creating 57 lots in District 2 on the west side of Jones Road just north of Pepper Road.

• Preliminary and final approval for New Garden Acres Subdivision creating two lots in District 1 on the north side of New Garden Road just east of Slate Road.

• Preliminary and final approval for Stanford Road Subdivision creating two lots in District 3 at 9453 Stanford Road.

• Preliminary and final approval for the replat of Lots A and C2 in Nancy C. Brown Subdivision affecting 2 lots in District 3 located on the east side of Rockhouse Road on the east side of Lands End Drive.

• Preliminary approval for Creekmore Glen, a major subdivision, creating 13 lots in District 2 on the west side of Sanderson Road between Capshaw and Nick Davis Road.

Other business

• According to an enactment by the Legislature of Alabama, HB113, allow the Limestone County sheriff to set the service process for Section 2 (a), in-state papers, at $25 and the service process for Section 2(b), out-of-state papers, at $50.

The next Limestone County Commission meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Monday, July 3, 2023, at the Clinton Street Courthouse Annex.