Council approves grant to relocate Uncle Herschel Way

By Jacob Hatcher  

For the Enquirer  

Members of the Hartselle City Council unanimously voted July 12 to pass a resolution authorizing Mayor Randy Garrison to sign a CDBG grant funding agreement for the relocation of Uncle Herschel Way just off of I-65 at Exit 328. 

“Uncle Herschel Way accesses Cracker Barrel and relocation is necessary due to the Mapco engagement and future construction there,” Jeff Johnson, who works as the director of development for the city, explained to the council.  

The CDBG grant will be in the amount of $300,000. The City of Hartselle will provide a local cash match of $205,235.56, as well as all cost associated with engineering design and administrative services in support of this project, according to the resolution. 

The council also passed a resolution that would permit the city to join the State of Alabama and other local governments as participants in current and future opioid settlements. The passed resolution allows City Clerk Rita Lee to accept funds from future opioid settlements as opposed to having separate resolutions allocating each individual settlement into the city’s general fund.  

“A settlement has been reached in the opioid litigation with two more companies, Johnson and Johnson and McKesson. Those are two much larger companies than the previous one – this would be money that comes directly to us,” city attorney Larry Madison explained.  

In other business, the council also: 

• approved alcohol licenses for El Carrizal LLC and T & A Smoke Shop 

• approved a request by the Hartselle Police Department to declare a radar trailer and approximately 25 tasers as surplus  
• approved a special event permit for the 12th annual Hartselle Area Veterans Day parade 
• approved a special event permit for Serve Day facilitated by the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce 

The next city council meeting will be held July 26 at 7 p.m. at city hall located at 611 Chestnut St.