City of Hanceville

HANCEVILLE — Days after word came down that Hanceville would be the first area of Cullman County to benefit from Gov. Kay Ivey’s newly-implemented infrastructure gas tax, the Hanceville City Council talked next steps on how to put its fresh infusion of funding to work.

At its regular meeting Thursday, Mayor Kenneth Nail and the Hanceville City Council discussed the city’s newly-awarded $250,000 road appropriation, with Nail again thanking local leaders involved in helping the city land the funds for an improvement and repair project along Commercial Street.

“I really appreciate the folks who helped us get to this point,” said Nail. “Representative [Randall] Shedd, Senator [Garlan] Gudger, the governor — without this funding, Hanceville definitely would not be able to address the drainage problems we’ve been having along Commercial Street.”

The council previously had scheduled the project’s next official step — a city hall public hearing slated for Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. If no hurdles arise from the hearing, the city will be on track to receive an award totaling $250,000 — with a city-provided 10 percent match of $25,000 — paid from the gas tax-supported Rebuild Alabama road fund.

The money will be used to resurface and reconfigure drainage along the portion of Commercial Street that extends from U.S. Highway 31 downtown to a point just past the Hanceville Civic Center.

In other business at its regular meeting, the council:

Approved bills payable for the current fiscal period.

Discussed early plans for a June 6 celebration at the city’s dog park, which is receiving improvements funded from a grant by the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. The celebration will also serve as a promotional event to raise awareness for participation in the 2020 U.S. Census.