Lauderdale County supervisors on Thursday passed a resolution clearing the way for the county to apply for a grant intended to rehabilitate one of the volunteer fire departments.

 

Supervisor Craig Houston and County Administrator Chris Lafferty first approached the board earlier this month with the idea to apply for a Community Development Block Grant through East Central Planning and Development District to fund construction of a new station for Center Ridge Fire Department. Construction of the current station began in 1989 and was never finished, Houston said in a May 1 work session.

 

With a CDBG grant, the Board of Supervisors has to commit to funding its portion of the project, and action to move forward with the grant application was delayed as Houston worked to gather information needed to fully understand the cost of the project. The county had hoped to have cost estimates in time for its May 5 meeting, but that did not happen.

 

Although supervisors normally refrain from taking official action in work sessions, an exception was made for the grant resolution as the deadline to apply was Friday, May 16.

 

After meeting with ECPDD, Houston said the cost of the project looks to be around $700,000, with the county committing to providing $300,000 in funding. The matching funds, however, are contingent on the county winning the grant award.

 

Supervisor J.J. Anders said he supports the project as improving fire protection directly benefits all Lauderdale County residents.

 

Houston said the county will be notified in September if it has been awarded the funds or not.

 

In other business, supervisors revisited two requests for assistance from the city of Meridian and town of Marion. Road Manager Rush Mayatt said Meridian has requested the county’s help clearing and grading land at Northeast Park as part of a project to build pickle ball courts, and Marion has requested the county’s help demolishing three houses and clearing trees on land between Town Hall and Confederate Drive, which the town recently purchased.

 

Supervisor Josh Todd said he is open to discussing the Northeast project where the county helps with clearing and grading, but have Meridian do the work hauling debris and other material on and off site. Any discussion, however, will need to include estimated costs for the board to know what it’s signing up to provide.

 

Mayatt said he did not have estimated costs for the Northeast project but did have numbers for the Marion work. After talking with Marion Mayor Larry Gill, he said the town will pay for asbestos abatement and disposal of material from the demolition work, leaving the county with just equipment and labor costs. Estimated costs for the project came in at $30,409 for equipment, $3,720 for labor and $8,925 for disposal.

 

With minimal cost and work that can be knocked out in a day or two, Mayatt said it really comes down to the county deciding whether or not it wants to help. A project like this, he said, is a way for the county to assist without putting money on the table, but it is up to supervisors how best to move forward.

 

“It’s a matter of do we want to do this or not,” he said.

 

Houston, who represents District 2, which includes Marion, said he wants to see the county help with the work. Since Marion is paying abatement and disposal costs, he said, the project comes with minimal costs to the county.

 

Board Attorney Lee Thaggard said he and Mayatt will need to work together to figure out what the proper legal pathway is to move forward. Once that is decided, it can come to the Board of Supervisors for a vote.