City edges closer to ACE designation

Hartselle’s on-going effort to obtain the status of an Alabama Community of Excellence moved a step closer to reality last week when local stakeholders met with representatives of the Economic Development Institute at Auburn University to begin the strategic planning phase.

A group of about 20 local elected officials and business and professional leaders met with facilitators Joe Sumners and Mike Easterwood at the Morgan County Extension Service facility. Their purpose was to identify the city’s most pressing needs and to seek ways and means to meet those needs.

The group was divided equally into two groups, one assigned to discuss quality of life issues such as public safety, health care, education. retail shopping, parks and recreation and the other was tasked to deal with economic development and marketing.

A survey of the participants showed that most, no matter which group they were in, viewed retail business development (bigger tax base) and transportation infrastructure (including the addition of turn lanes) as the greatest needs.

It was the consensus of both groups that stronger and more imaginative efforts need to be made to entice established retail businesses to locate on prime commercial lots on both I-65 and Highway 31. At the same time, emphasis was placed on finding tenants or buyers for empty storefronts in the central business district.

Several participants voiced concern about the lack of turn lanes on Highway 31 at the Nanceford and Vaughan Bridge Road intersections. However, no one was able to come up with an answer for the lack of funding to do the work. The same conclusion was reached for the four-laning of Highway 36 from Roan Road to I-65, completion of the Thompson Road four-lane project and funding for the North Bypass link between the CSX Railroad bridge and Roan Road. It was stressed that all three projects should be on the state’s five-year transportation plan.

Other quality of life needs discussed included expanded opportunities for youth sports and recreational activities, the widening of the I-65 and Highway 36 bridge, improved access and traffic control for schools, new swimming pool and education offerings in career technology and pre-K program.

Economic development needs aired included workforce development opportunities and establishing a community identify as a business-marketing tool.

A follow-up strategic planning session is scheduled for Tuesday, June 7, at 5:30 p.m. at the Extension Service facility.