I really don’t like writing this letter but my feelings are running so deeply that I feel I must address this issue which is greatly bothering me.

Every time I pass the construction work being done on 3rd Avenue across from the train tracks crossing on King Edward Drive, my blood boils. The city Council of Cullman voted, after two meetings attended by citizens who live on the Southeast side of Cullman, to allow the change of zoning regulations so that a company, GBL, could put 50 apartments on a 5-acre tract of land. Local citizens from the southeast area attended these meetings and fought for this complex not to be built. Even school teachers stated that the additional students from this complex would make an already crowded classroom situation even worse.

Residents noted that traffic along 3rd Avenue SE already is backed up during school hours each day, and exiting from side streets is often dangerous and time-consuming. Over 250 signatures of southeast residents were submitted, opposing this construction. Single housing units would make more sense for this plot of land.

But, no, the city council, which was short by two members, but having a quorum of three, voted to change the rezoning to the benefit of the owners of GBL.

I have always respected our city council and numerous times have complimented them on their leadership. However, when the interests of the citizens who elected them expecting them to look out for our local community, were put aside in favor of “big business,” I guess we could say, something’s wrong. That old expression “you can’t fight City Hall” proved to be very accurate in this instance. This was a done deal even before the first reading of the notice, so why did you have us waste our time. The GBL Company had already started clearing out the land before the first meeting.

Why have you turned your backs on your fellow community members and our wishes in this matter? Citizens who live in this area are worried about current water problems, the lowering of property values and overcrowded streets.

Why didn’t you pay attention to us?

Barbara G. Ragsdale