Tallapoosa County might be getting a grant that would help bring industry to Tallapoosa, Coosa, Randolph, Chambers, Lee and Bullock counties.
Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance executive director Chad Odom told the Tallapoosa County Commission at its Tuesday meeting there is a grant application due Oct. 19 he would like to see Tallapoosa County apply for.
“We have been going back and forth in the Lake Martin EDA deciding on projects to apply for,” Odom said. “It’s one of those long shot grants and will be great if we get it.”
Odom said in checking with the Alabama Extension Service at Auburn University saying he would be applying for a grant, another opportunity came up.
“We ended up getting included in a regional submission that would create, if funded, a regional transit for workforce development, money for broadband, money for site improvements on industrial parks and other things,” Odom said. “It was fortuitous that I made the call because with Auburn University being the applicant we might have a shot at getting some projects funded. By ourselves it was just going to be showing I could write a grant. I’m happy to inform you that we will be applying for this.”
Commissioners approved a non-committable letter of support for the application.
Odom said the grant, if approved would be in multiple phases. The first round would be between $200,000 and $500,000 for a feasibility study to be awarded in December. The second application would bring the possibility of being part of a $25 to 100 million grant through the area. Odom said Auburn University would be connected to the regional grant.
County administrator Blake Beck asked the commission to approve accepting a yearly grant for the Wall Street Nutrition Center. Beck said the annual grant is for Title III federal funds and is about 20% of the total program funding. Beck said the amount is lower than last year because COVID-19 relief funds were made available.
Commissioners approved allowing the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department to apply for a reimbursement grant for the installation of machinery and equipment to clean, deep clean, and sanitize the Tallapoosa County Jail. The grant is only available to confinement facilities in the State of Alabama. Another item available for reimbursement is UV lights in the jail’s HVAC system to help mitigate the transmission of COVID-19.
The commission approved to start the bidding process for a total of $400,000 in capital improvements across the county shops. The funds were budgeted for fiscal year 2022.
In other action the Tallapoosa County Commission:
• Approved minutes of the Sept. 13 and the reconvened Sept. 13 meeting
• Approved warrants and purchase orders
• Approved a retail beer and retail wine on or off premises license for 34 Market LLC
• Approved a resolution for a longevity bonus for participation in the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fund
• Approved a resolution adopting the East Alabama Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
• Appointed Beck to serve as a representative on the IAC Operations Council to stay apprised on how funds from the American Rescue Plan can be used
The next meeting of the Tallapoosa County Commission is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 8.