Cullman County Commission

The Cullman County Commission has targeted a busy road that runs through the Gold Ridge community for a full-scale repaving treatment next year, scheduling County Road 1545 for an extensive resurfacing for the 2019 paving season.

The commission signed off on the project at its regular meeting Tuesday, entering into an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation to resurface a 4.15-mile stretch of the road between County Road 1422 to County Road 1527.

Estimated to cost $876,570, the project represents the commission’s 2019 choice for the annual federal grant program it participates in to fund one major repaving project each year.

Under the program, the county must pay 20 percent — an estimated $175,000 — of the project’s total cost. The federal grant will reimburse the remaining 80 percent of the project’s overall cost.

In other business Tuesday, the commission:

– Authorized two State Homeland Security Grants for $5,935.34 and $358.34, which together will fund the replacement of an EMA trailer destroyed by hail earlier this year.

– Authorized chairman Kenneth Walker to sign a resolution permitting the commission to apply for funding assistance for ongoing taxiway improvement work at the Cullman airport.

– Authorized revenue commissioner Barry Willingham to renew a three-year software licensing agreement to continue the county’s GIS mapping service for the reappraisal department. The cost of the agreement in 2019 will be $50,000.

– Authorized an agreement with Pictometry International Corp. for data services relating to aerial photography mapping, to be used to track new private property construction subject to appraisal by the revenue office.

– Authorized Walker to sign a hold harmless and indemnity agreement with Danny Norton, a volunteer at Smith Lake Park.

– Approved associate commissioner Kerry Watson’s appointment of Kelly Duke to the Duck River Advisory Committee for a three-year term expiring in September of 2021.

– Approved the installation of retrofitted locks for the C block of the Cullman County Detention Center. The locks will be installed by Cornerstone Detention Products, Inc. at a cost of $28,444.

– Approved a $1,000 donation to the Future Foundation scholarship fund at Wallace State Community College.

– Surplussed a 2008 John Deere grader for sale to Winston County.

The next regular commission meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on Oct. 23 in the commission meeting room of the Cullman County Courthouse. An 8:30 a.m. work session in the commission conference room will precede the meeting.

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