Planning starts on replacing jail roof
Showing slides of the deterioration of the Marengo County Detention Center roof, Cedric Campbell of the engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood (GMC) reviewed the proposal for replacing the structure at the County Commission meeting Tuesday.
“It’s outlived its life, and it’s time to be replaced,” he said.
Campbell said the job, estimated at $388,960, would take about three months depending on other work that must be done. Several of the HVAC units on the roof are scheduled to be replaced, and he strongly advised doing that before or during the roof replacement. GMC would replace the roof with a 60 mil PVC membrane which would have a 20-year warranty.
The Commission, agreeing that the roof must be replaced, said it would approve a contract in January or February.
The first action taken by the Commission at the meeting was to approve the architect agreement with GMC of 7.9 percent of the cost.
Director of the Marengo County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA), Jo Ellen Martin, presented the Commission with a plaque from USDA Rural Development for its efforts to improve life in rural Alabama.
She reviewed MCEDA’s activities, including:
- A meet with OPAL (Opportunity AL) or Rural Recovery Accelerator, a technical assistance program to help rural communities build economic resiliency strategies needed to make it through the pandemic.
- Participating in a meeting with state-wide economic development departments.
- An offer from ATRC to take part in the Discovery Act. It is working on a disaster recovery program. MCEDA would receive $4,000 over two years to use as it sees fit.
- Reporting that RBC Enterprises has purchased a building in Linden and continues to grow and add jobs.
- Completion of a survey for Rural Development for West Alabama, which includes Sumter, Greene and Hale counties. An additional survey is being sent to all city and county leaders for their input.
- Meeting with a leading member of the Southern Automotive Association who encouraged MCEDA to pursue its plan to recruit of Tier 2 and Tier 3 automotive industries.
Probate Judge Laurie Hall said the Town of Faunsdale has requested a change in voting location from its City Hall to the Faunsdale Community Center. Commissioners said they wanted to inspect the site before approving it.
Hall said the proposed site is newer and has more space than the City Hall.
County Engineer Ken Atkins said the county applied for assistance after Hurricane Zeta from two FEMA programs. Inspection teams from both programs have completed the work, and the county is awaiting results.
Commenting on how long it is taking to find out if the County is getting any assistance, McKinney said, “I’ve never seen it this disorganized.”
Atkins said 4,500 square yards of debris need to be removed. Of the 100 affected by the storm, 27 were damaged or destroyed.
In other action, the Commission:
- Approved the Department of Youth Services Contract in Selma to house juvenile offenders.
- Approved the 2021 holidays.
- Approved having the board chairman be the signee for the bond issue to pay for road work.
- Appointed Loretta Moore to a second term with MCEDA.
- Received a latter awarding the county $204,306 for work with the Drug Task Force.