VINEMONT — Paving efforts in the town of South Vinemont are likely to encounter a bit of a road block due to a series of setbacks according to local officials.

The town presented its annual report, required by the Rebuild Alabama Act, during its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, Jan. 14. The report showed striping and resurfacing projects on both Patton Drive and Sherrill Street had been completed during the past year and a similar project on Roberson Street was predicted to begin in 2025.

Town clerk Kayecea Sasser said the town had expected to have completed the Roberson Street project last year, but it was delayed when surveyors discovered a section of the road would need to be completely removed in order to address the roots of several nearby trees, which had grown under the roadway.

A $40,000 estimate obtained by the town from a now-defunct company was included in the Rebuild Alabama Report, but Sasser said the town would likely need to revisit the projected total. She said the estimate was nullified after the issuing company had been acquired by Vulcan Materials — a construction company based in Falkville, Alabama — several weeks after it was issued.

On Tuesday, Sasser told members of the town council that she anticipates an updated estimate to be around $100,000 which would require the town to open the project up for public bids. Mayor Radginal Dodson said the bidding process was not likely to reduce the town’s costs because of a lack of competition among viable companies.

“Bidding it out may be a problem. From what I understand most of the paving companies have been purchased by one or two companies, either Wiregrass [Construction] or Vulcan [Materials],” Dodson said.

Sasser said the town’s public works director Mike Graves had attempted to contact Vulcan Materials several times to obtain an updated estimate but, as of Tuesday, been unsuccessful. She said she had also discussed the project with employees of Wiregrass Construction who told her there would be around a six month wait-time before they could provide an estimate.

“We wanted to have this project done by the summer but it’s not looking like we are going to be able to get it done, especially if it’s going to be over $100,000,” Sasser said. “All we can do is bid out the specs that we are going to need and see where we land from there.”

The town also approved to postpone a senior citizen’s luncheon which had been scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20, due to the potential for a winter weather event. The event will now take place the following Monday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Vinemont Community Center.

In other business the town:

— Approved a Human Trafficking Awareness Month proclamation.

— Announced it will be partnering with the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce to host a “Cup o’ Community” event at the Vinemont Town Hall next month on Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 7 a.m. until 9 a.m.