Marengo County Commission approves $350k grant proposal

Sheriff Ben Bates is recognized by MCC Chairman John Crawford. (WAW | Jan McDonald)

Thirty families along County Road 53 between Linden and Thomaston soon will have safe drinking water, thanks to action by the Marengo County Commission Tuesday.

Stacy McKean of Grant Management said the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project would connect the water lines over a 1,000-foot stretch between the two communities.

Resident along the line now rely on old, unsafe wells with low pressure. The $350,000 grant will pay for an 8-inch water main joining the two towns.

The Commission unanimously accepted both the engineering and grant management proposals presented by McKean.

Revenue Commissioner Sharon Barkley got the Commission’s okay to spend $25,000 of her budget over the next two years to take part in an aerial survey of the county.

The state-sponsored project will map one-third of the state over the next three years. Marengo County will be in the first group, which needs to begin immediately while trees remain leafless.

Barkley said the survey would photograph the county at a one pixel per 200-foot scale. She said $10,000 of the cost would be paid this year with the remainder remitted the next fiscal year.

The mapping firm offers two options that Barkley will look into to see if the costs can be met. The first would be a greater photographic resolution, and the second, called planimetrics, would compare the new photos with those taken the last time the county had an aerial survey in 2008.

After discussion, commissioners decided to leave the Tobacco Tax CD at Sweet Water State Bank for six months but extend the EMA CD at First Bank of Linden to one year.

District 2 Commission Jason Windham nominated Justina Quinney Allgood to the Marengo County Economic Development Authority. Nominated from District 3 was Mike Robinson. Both were approved. Calvin Martin asked to table his nomination from District 4 until the March meeting.

The Grand Jury report was accepted, but the Commission voted to direct Chairman John Crawford to look into the recommendation to replace some 50 chairs in the small courtroom.

Sheriff Richard Bates was recognized for having completed the Alabama Jail Training Academy. Bates attended four two-day sessions of the ACCA-sponsored program. At least two of the Marengo County jail personnel have graduated as well.

In other action, the Commission:

  • Approved a resolution for the Alabama County Commissions Association Liability Fund Participation Agreement.
  • Passed county levies for alcohol licensing set by the state.
  • Approved a request from County Engineer Ken Atkins for a resolution on a change in funding for the Gandy Ferry Road project. Atkins said the resolution was needed after the state made an error.
  • Set a one-hour lunch break for all county employees between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and the clock-out time at 4:30 p.m.