After years of hiring outside contractors to keep Mud Creek clear of debris — and keep Hanceville and areas upstream from flooding in the process — the city will begin taking on the work itself, using equipment and labor from the Hanceville Public Works department.

At a specially-called meeting Wednesday, the Hanceville City Council declined to act on any of the bids it had recently solicited to mow the banks along the 4.3-mile section of Mud Creek under the city’s care, and instead approved the purchase of equipment that will allow city workers to do the job themselves.

The council agreed to purchase a used Bush Hog mower at a cost of $6,700, approving the additional cost of setup and delivery from its current location in Michigan. Factoring all expenses into the arrangement, public works superintendent Rusty Fields estimated the total one-time cost at roughly $23,000.

Even though the creek must be maintained where it flows through Hanceville, the flooding repercussions of neglecting its cleanup would be felt well outside the city limits. Under a longtime agreement between the Cullman County Commission and Hanceville — one that’s continually renewed each year — the county contributes $15,000 toward the annual cost of creek maintenance while Hanceville contracts for the work to be done and provides ancillary, in-kind services.

From this point forward, though, the city will take on the work with its own labor and equipment. It’s a move that comes with some concerns for the mayor and council members, who remember the accident that claimed the life of longtime Hanceville resident Jimmy Hamrick, who died after being pinned under his tractor while cleaning the creek in 2010.

Council member Kim Brown said the city should consider hiring a trained employee to do the work in the near future, or at least pay to train current employees who’ll be involved in operating the mowing equipment.

“If we’re going to begin doing more and more of this kind of heavy equipment work ourselves, at some point it would behoove us to get someone who’s trained and licensed to do it in the future,” she said. “We need to make sure that we’re being safe, and I would hate to lose anybody.”

Fields said no employee will be allowed to mow at the creek without being accompanied by a second city worker. Overall, the city expects to run four mowers (including the newly-acquired one) for two weeks in order to complete the work before winter rains set in. 

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 145.