County seeks grant to replace bridges
The possibility of additional federal stimulus funds being released for shovel ready road construction projects is prompting the Morgan County Commission to move forward with design and engineering for proposed bridge replacements on West Lacon and Gum Springs roads.
The matter was discussed at the commission’s Aug. 10 meeting.
“We don’t have funding for these projects at the present time but if they’re designed and ready to build we’ll stand a better chance of being approved when and if federal or state funds become available,” Morgan County chief engineer Greg Bodley said.
Bodley said application for funding is being made to the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant II (TIGER) program. An earlier application for a TIGER grant was denied.
The West Lacon Road Bridge spans Sally Mike Creek on County Road 1047, two miles south of Falkville in District 3. It is 39 feet long.
The Gum Springs Road Bridge is a 37-foot structure that spans Gum Springs Creek on County Road 1328, five miles east of Hartselle.
The commission also approved two utility agreements for water line relocations on county road rights-of-way in District 3. One was made with the West Morgan-East Lawrence Water and Sewer Authority involving a line on Highway 55. The other was made with the Cullman County Water Commission involving a line on Wilhite Road.
The commission acted on other agenda items as follows:
• Accepted a bid from Southern Monitoring Systems to supply the Morgan County Juvenile Probation Office with electronic monitoring devices at a rate of a $50 activation fee and $8.80 per day.
• Accepted a bid of $27,140 from Johnson, Bates and Legg Inc. to demolish and remove the old jail annex building at 214 Oak Street in Decatur Eight other bids, ranging from $38,000 to $149,600 were received.
• Approved refunds of sales tax as follows: AlphaPet Inc., $32,246 and Dade Paper and Bag Co., $667.
• Authorized Moss Audio Systems Inc. of Hartselle to upgrade the sound system in the Morgan County District Courtroom at a cost of $2,923.
• Authorized OSCO Inc. to equip a workstation in the Morgan County Commission Office at a cost of $4,279.
• Approved payment of $8,810 to the Association of County Commissions of Alabama for the annual membership renewal for the Morgan County Commission.
• Authorized the chairman to execute a renewal lease agreement with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency for 950 square feet of floor spaced in the basement of the Morgan County Courthouse at a total cost of $11,400 per year.
• Approved certificates to subdivide for Basil A. (Jr) and Pearlena Eargle with Patricia Ann Brown, Mt. Carmel Rd., District 3 and Terry Loyd and Cheryl Mansel Morris with William H. and Linda S. Harper, Cotaco-Florette Rd., District 4.
• Reappointed District 3 Commissioner Don Stisher for a two-year term on the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association board of directors.
•Approved payment of $6,928 to Harris, Caddell and Shanks P.C. for legal services rendered during the month of July.
• Authorized the chairman to execute an agreement with Davis and Associates Auditing to provide an audit for the Morgan County Sales Tax Office at a rate of $50 per hour.
