NORTH COURTLAND — After more than 10 years of waiting, North Courtland residents can expect construction to start on a new fire station in late spring.
The project is being funded by a $250,000 Community Development Block grant provided by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. North Courtland had been trying for 10 years to get funding.
The Town Council recently appointed Terry Acuff, of Huntsville-based Community Consultants Inc., as grant administrator. Birmingham-based Goodwyn, Mills and Caywood Inc. will design the building.
“We have been needing this for a long time,” Mayor Ron Jones said. “It’s about time we get a nice facility for the community.”
The town will have to contribute $5,000 toward the project.
Acuff said the town is on a $200,000 budget to build a station, which will be moved from its location off Jessie Jackson Parkway to town-owned property at 1181 Davis St.
Acuff believes a new station is long overdue.
The town’s only station, built in 1981 and run by 13 employees, is in poor condition and doesn’t have enough room to store anything other than one of the two fire trucks. The station also sits in a low-lying area, which makes it harder for the trucks to get out.
“It looks like a barn that they converted to the station,” Acuff said. “By moving it, it’ll be more in the center of town.”
North Courtland was lucky to receive grant funding, which is becoming more of a rarity in Alabama. Of the 38 cities and towns that applied for municipal recovery funds, only 18 were approved. The reason: There is less money to hand out.
Acuff said ADECA has a $22 million budget for economic development funds this year, which is $6 million less than what it had in 2011. What made North Courtland’s grant application stand out was the town’s 67 percent low-income population, which is 16 percent more than what ADECA required to be eligible for the funds.
“So that helped them build a fire station that will benefit the whole town,” Acuff said.
The funding isn’t in the town’s account yet. The council first has to complete a letter of conditional commitment — a checklist of 25 items the council has to turn in to the state, such as environmental studies, number of employees and fair housing assistance. After the four-month process, the funds will start flowing in.
Jones said the council will start accepting construction bids in March or April.
Jonece Dunigan can be reached at 256-340-2442 or [email protected]. Follow on Twitter @DD_Dunigan.
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