Six months after a tornado decimated parts of the city of Fultondale, the mayor said the city is well on its way to recovery.

“I would say a large percent of the city is back on track,” said Mayor Jim Lowery.

Lowery said the city is responding to the tornado — one of about 300 that swept through the Southeast on April 27 — in three stages.

“We’re calling it the three R’s: The first stage was responding, the second stage is recovery and the third is revitalization,” he said. “Right now we’re between the second and third stages.”

Besides Fultondale, Warrior and Blount County also suffered damage. The city of Warrior was not in the path of a tornado as Fultondale was; rather, the city had many downed trees from strong winds.

City officials said Warrior has already received some reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and still is waiting on some invoices to be paid.

Warrior had to purchase equipment to remove trees from the roads and to cut up downed trees and limbs.

Storm-related expenditures in Fultondale is more than $1.7 million, including debris removal, city labor and equipment costs, and damage to city property. Lowery said Fultondale is also still waiting on FEMA reimbursements for some of the cost; other reimbursements will come from private insurance.

No businesses in Warrior were damaged, and a few houses received roof damage or other damage. The hardest-hit spot in Warrior was the city ball park.

Fultondale was not so fortunate: The city had 37 businesses damaged, 17 of which have rebuilt. Lowery said two businesses, Doodle’s and Fultondale Auto, are not building back; it is not known if any others will remain closed.

In addition, 32 houses were demolished due to extensive storm damage.

According to Lowery, the total cost of reconstruction and repairs to homes and businesses tops $6 million. The city has issued 385 reconstruction permits for damaged homes alone.

Two apartment complexes in Fultondale were also damaged; Fulton Hills and Fulton Ridge. The owner, Penn Properties, is in the process of rebuilding the structures.

Also damaged was the Hawkins B. Carter American Legion Post 255 facility off of U.S. Hwy. 31.

Lowery said he has been meeting with officials from the post, and he has proposed a possible “land swap” with the group. He said the city has land available behind Applebee’s that would be a good location for the post.

“I’m working with the American Legion,” he said. “My understanding is they don’t have their insurance cleared up. We’ve talked about a property swap; that would be a better location for them. … We plan to work with them to keep them here.”

The American Legion has been temporarily meeting in the former Oysters & Stuff restaurant next door to the post’s property. The owner of the Oysters & Stuff restaurant, Frank Siragusa, said recently he is looking for another location in Fultondale to reopen his business.

Meanwhile, the city of Fultondale is moving forward with its overall revitalization plan, being prepared by Kelly Landscape Architects LLC of Mountain Brook. Lowery said the city had initiated the plan before the tornado, but the cleanup efforts put everything on hold for awhile.

The study is being done in two parts; on U.S. Hwy. 31 from Walker Chapel Road to the Interstate 65 entrance ramp, and from Walker Chapel Road north to the Gardendale city limit.

Lowery expects the plan to be released in about a month. He said when those studies are complete, the city will likely contract for a similar study along Walker Chapel Road.

Ongoing projects in the city are the rebuilding of the fire station, which had extensive storm damage, along with building a new fire station on Walker Chapel Road and building concession stands and restrooms at Black Creek Park.