Road projects, broadband coverage brought before Commission

Marengo County can move forward with its major CDBG road projects once the rights-of-way are obtained, a long and sometimes complicated process.

Craig Sanford and Judy Jones with the engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, told the Marengo County Commission Tuesday that 69 properties or parts of properties must be acquired for the proposed projects. Sanford said up to 95 percent of the design stage has been completed. Once the rights-of-way are obtained, bids can be sent out for the project.

The two asked for commissioners’ help in finding landowners and speaking with them. Sanford said some of them – especially absentee landowners – have asked for compensation. Others who live along the roads and see the need are donating their property.

“We’ve had this money for a while,” said Commissioner Freddie Armstead. “We’re ready to turn some dirt.

Diane Brooker, Community Affairs Manager with Alabama Power, said it has become her “personal mission” to get broadband service to rural areas of Marengo and Sumter counties.

“Broadband is an issue in our area,” she told the Commission. It especially became obvious during the pandemic when children in the rural areas of Alabama had difficulty accessing the internet for virtual school.

She is working with UWA on a grant to extend broadband to Linden and Thomaston, which met the rigorous standards required. Demopolis is not eligible, but she is pursuing another grant for the city.

Pine Belt Wireless already is working in the south end of Marengo County and the Jefferson community to provide service, she said.

The Commission approved a resolution endorsing UWA to pursue broadband funding.

Andrew Williams with the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee asked for Commission approval to set up a demonstration site in overgrown acreage behind the mechanical shop at the MCEDA and Extension office. The idea is to expand on some of the services provided to landowners in the county as it related to sheep and goal production.

“We’ll clean it up and it will look a lot better,” said Williams.

The Commission directed County Attorney W.W. Dinning to make sure the property is owned by the county.

Audrey Haskin with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives located in Sumter County, gave a report on the work of the federation during the pandemic. She said the it was called on to support the USDA in its food box distribution and provided field peas, okra and greens shipped across the country to support local food pantries. It helped negotiate contracts between the USDA and local farmers.

The Federation processed more than 200 Coronavirus Food Awareness Program, or CFAP, applications across the Black Belt that brought more than $150,000 directly to farmers, livestock owners and landowners. The latest coronavirus assistance started this week is for timber producers and haulers.

She asked the Commission to consider declaring a Farmers Appreciation Day to honor the farmers for the work done during the pandemic.

Dr. Claudette Poole, assistant professor of pediatrics at UAB, told of the complicated research now being conducted at the request of the CDC in Wilcox, Lowndes and Perry counties on the existence of intestinal worms in children.

The soil transmitted helminths, as hookworm, roundworm and whipworm are known, have not been seen for many years. Dr. Poole believes it is because doctors no longer look for them.

“The concern is that in parts of rural Alabama we think conditions are still existing that can support these infections,” she said. Those conditions include poor sanitation, especially in homes with untreated sewage going into makeshift sewage systems.

Of the 300 children tested so far, no infections have been found, she continued. The CDC has asked her research group to expand the study, and she is trying to make people aware of what the group is doing.

Gallion resident William Wright asked if the county builds private drives since work crews from the county paved that of a neighbor.

Commissioner Armstead, in whose district the work took place, apologized and said the paving was done at the behest of a state senator.

“We did go too far,” he told Wright. “That won’t happen anymore. It was a miscommunication, and I take full responsibility.”

Commissioners approved the 2022 Rebuild Alabama County Transportation Plan which will see work done on parts of county roads 7, 19, 38 and 39.

A motion to vacate Big Buck Road was rescinded until the ongoing work on the road is completed. The matter will be taken up at the September meeting.

The Commission set the 2021-22 budget hearing for Sept. 7 at 5:30 p.m.