Cullman County Parks and Recreation operates facilities at five locations, but despite its diverse (and sometimes costly) array of amenities, the department has never operated under a future-facing master plan.

In the coming months, that’s set to change. At its latest regular meeting, the Cullman County Commission took the first step toward implementing a master plan for the county parks department, recruiting Alabama architecture and engineering firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) to begin the intensive and likely lengthy process of partnering with county leaders to create one.

GMC rated highest among other firms in an internal selection process, with the commission agreeing at its July 18 meeting to retain the company to help draft a parks and recreation master plan document. There’s no timeline for how long that process might take, though commissioners said soliciting input from the public will be a part of it, once the department has curated a slate of ideas to share.

Many municipalities and county governments statewide rely on master plans for parks as well as other departments — in part to make efficient long-term use of local public funds; but also to bolster their opportunities for receiving state and federal grants. In Cullman County, the parks department maintains Smith Lake Park, Sportsman Lake Park, the Stony Lonesome OHV Park, the Clarkson Covered Bridge, and the Cullman County Agricultural Center.

In other business at its regular meeting, the commission:

• Approved the minutes of the commission’s June 22 regular meeting.
• Recognized employee Troy Screws of the sanitation department on his retirement from a 27-year career with the county.
• Approved a one-time allocation to the Brushy Pond Community Center, a county polling location, of $3,000 to cover half the replacement cost of an HVAC unit.
• Approved a one-time allocation to the White City Community Center of $12,500 to assist in the completion of a construction project. The center will serve as a county polling location once the project is completed.
• Authorized chairman Jeff Clemons to enter into a contract with Community Consultants, Inc. to provide administrative services for future projects funded by grants via the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
• Entered into a memorandum of understanding with the City of Cullman for the formation of a new incorporated municipal entity to be known as the Solid Waste Disposal Authority (SWDA) of the City and County of Cullman, and approved the board’s formation with Clemons and associate commissioner Corey Freeman named as the board’s pair of representatives from the county commission. Associate commissioner Garry Marchman cast the lone dissenting vote on each measure.
• Approved the reimbursement of capital costs for the county’s 50/50 matching contribution toward the purchase of solid waste disposal facilities related to the purchase of the Cullman County Landfill, to be paid out of a forthcoming tax-exempt bond issue of approximately $14 million. The commission separately approved an agreement with a representative of investment banking company Piper Sandler to negotiate the terms of the bond.
• Approved a $650,000 payment of earnest money from the commission to current landfill owner Cullman Environmental, LLC, committing the county to following through on its intent to share equally with the City of Cullman in the purchase of the landfill. Associate commissioner Garry Marchman cast the lone dissenting vote.
• Authorized Clemons to sign a system safety security and emergency preparedness program for the Cullman Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS).
• Authorized Clemons to sign the contractor report for fiscal year 2023 for the Rebuild Alabama infrastructure funding program.
• Approved a State Mortuary Operations Response Team (SMORT) grant for the 2024 fiscal year, and authorized Cullman Emergency Management Agency director Tim Sartin to sign all related paperwork.
• Amended the county’s transportation plan for the 2024 fiscal year to accommodate cost changes for one project, as well as to incorporate the possible addition of an eligible county road to be improved under the Rebuild Alabama program.
• Appro
• ved the submission of a Community Development Block Grant application seeking funds for the resurfacing of County Road 1490.
• Approved associate commissioner Kerry Watson as the commission’s nominee to the legislative committee of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama.
• Approved the extension of a half-price discount in rental fees to Cullman County nonprofit organizations that rent the Cullman County Agricultural Center.
• Approved a plat proposal for Phase 1 of Serenity Pointe Cabins, a minor subdivision containing 2 lots located along County Road 338.
• Approved a plat proposal for Wilson Hill subdivision, a minor subdivision containing 2 lots located along U.S. Highway 278 East.
• Awarded a rotating bid for aggregate materials to Vulcan Materials Co., Whitaker Contracting Corp., C.A. Langford Co., Inc., and Wiregrass Construction Co., based on the materials’ vicinity to local road projects as well as availability.
• Extended an existing bid for gas and diesel fuel to B&B Petroleum Products, LLC.
• Extended an existing bid for lawn care and maintenance to Pro Lawn.
• The next regular commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, in the commission meeting room of the Cullman County Courthouse. A 4 p.m. public work session will precede the meet
• ing at the same venue.