City purchasing land for downtown parking
By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle's City Council is spending $48,000 for land downtown with hopes of using the property to ease parking problems in the area.
The acre lot on Main Street is owned by Gordon Davenport. The city has been eyeing the property for years, hoping to use it as an off-street parking lot.
"It will be a great asset to the downtown area to have some additional parking," Mayor Dwight Tankersley said.
Tankersley said the starting price for the land was around $100,000. Property tax appraisals estimated the land was worth some $41,000.
Department of Development Director Jeff Johnson said the land will be divided into 68-70 parking spaces. Using the land as a parking lot won't be effected by the lot's flood plane and flood way designations.
"FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) welcomes amenities such as parking lots, parks or flat areas so they can be controlled and never built on," Johnson said.
It will cost an additional $30,000-35,000 to pave, curb and gutter the lot. No time frame has been set for that work. The city will also pay legal fees connected to the purchase.
Couple files $1 million suit against Hartselle
A local couple have filed a $1 million suit against the city, alleging emotional distress, mental anguish and humiliation following a Nov. 8 incident at their home.
The suit alleges two Hartselle police officers came to the home of John and Ozell Davis at night and entered without a search or arrest warrant or probable cause.
The couple's attorney, Jerry Knight of Decatur, had no comment on the suit. No further details about the incident were available.
The city has authorized its insurance company to take over handling the suit.
In other city council news:
Among the changes would be allowing commercial flags as long as they are no more than 15 square feet; allowing non-profit groups to advertise using temporary banners; and allowing one sidewalk sandwich per business.
The hearing will be held during the 7 p.m. council meeting.
The city will finance the loan over six years and pay 4.02 percent interest.
