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Commission receives annual update from NACOLG

Franklin County commissioners received their annual update from officials with the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments (NACOLG) at their February 12 workshop.

NACOLG executive director Keith Jones shared with the commission the multiple ways his agency works for, and with, Franklin County officials and citizens, including the agency’s Department of Governmental Services, Senior AIDE/Worker Program, Revolving Loan Fund, Department of Planning and Transportation, Dial-A-Ride program and meal delivery through senior centers in Russellville, Phil Campbell, Hodges and Red Bay.

NACOLG is the regional planning and intergovernmental coordination agency created by the local governments pursuant to Alabama State Legislation in June, 1967. The objectives and purpose of NACOLG were established by Act 1126, Regular Session, 1969, Legislature of Alabama; Act 85-757, Regular Session, 1985, Legislature of Alabama; and codified in Title 11, Chapter 85 of the 1975 Code of Alabama.

It is a voluntary Association of 37 governmental units in the five-county region of Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Marion and Winston counties, along with the municipalities therein. NACOLG is not a government but rather an extension of city and county government through which officials get together to decide issues of region-wide importance and work together to solve problems that stretch beyond local government boundaries. All NACOLG policy decisions are made by local elected officials.

Governmental Services is the part of NACOLG that works with each member government to develop viable community and economic development projects, including infrastructure and community enhancement projects.

The department works with numerous agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration and others to secure funding for local governments.

There were a total of 11 NACOLG Governmental Services projects in Franklin County last year. They included:

  • Community Development Block Grant—Economic Development: A $360,000 project (with $60,000 local match) to provide signalization standards and safety parameters required by Norfolk Southern for a railroad crossing to access the new Mar-Jac feed mill facility in Spruce Pine.
  • Franklin County Commission Community Development Block Grant & Appalachian Regional Commission: An $820,000 project with $350,000 CDBG funds, $200,000 funds and $270,000 local match to provide adequate storm drainage and street repairs in the Oak Hill subdivision. The project is in progress.
  • City of Russellville Community Development Block Grant: A $359,400 project with $109,400 local match to reconstruct Hal Kirby Park. The project was closed out in November of 2017.
  • City of Russellville FEMA: A $278,500 project with $69,600 local funding to construct three 96-occupant safe rooms in Russellville to be located at 111 Armory Drive, 109 School Drive and 27601 Highway 24. An additional project of $96,000 saw the construction of 96 occupant safe rooms at 206 Hamilton Drive and 90 Dillard Hollow Road in Russellville.
  • 2016 City of Red Bay CDBG: A $245,800 project with $45,800 local funding for a sewer line relocation at Sunshine Mills, Inc. 400 jobs were retained. The project closed out in August 2017.
  • City of Red Bay CDBG: A $488,000 project with $89,000 local funding for sewer line rehabilitation on County Highway 11 (4th Street NE) and running south along 4th Street NE. Also included portions of 2nd Avenue NE, Davis Street, Willow Street, Ginn Circle and 5th Street. The project is underway.
  • City of Red Bay ARC: A $398,000 project with $198,000 local funding for 4,800 linear feet of sewer line rehabilitation on County Highway 11. Project closed out January 2017.
  • Town of Vina ARC: A $165,500 project with $49,650 local match to rehabilitate the town’s two water tanks. The project is underway.
  • Town of Vina CDBG: A $399,960 project with $99,960 local funding to make drainage repairs at Town Park. Project closed out in January 2017.
  • Town of Phil Campbell ARC: A $199,350 project with $35,800 local match to rehabilitate 45 damaged, corroded and unsafe manholes in Phil Campbell. Project is underway.
  • Town of Phil Campbell CDBG-DTR: A $250,000 project consisting of a loan pool established after the 2011 tornadoes to assist business owners in reviving the local economy with job creation. Project was closed out in June 2017.

For more information on NACOLG and the services it offers, contact the agency at 256-389-0555.

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