CULLMAN — Approximately $150,000 is available for a new commission in Cullman County to issue grants, commission members learned this week.

Called the Cullman County Community Development Commission (CCCDC), the organization’s sole responsibility is to distribute funds provided to the county from state-collected monies from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and funds provided to the county from state alcohol sales taxes.

There was estimated to be approximately $100,000 available for use — though commission members did not learn the exact amount until meeting with the Cullman County Commission on Thursday.

The CCCDC was created through a House bill passed in the Alabama Legislature earlier this year. The bill was sponsored by Reps. Oden, James Fields, Ronald Grantland and Sen. Zeb Little.

The current commission consists of the chairman, Cullman Mayor Max Townson; vice-chairman, Mike Graves; secretary, Staci Bryan; and the two members of the finance committee, Tommy Waldrop and Betty Dover.

The bill established that the commission would consist of five members, four of whom would be appointed by legislators who represent the county. The fifth member will rotate in every two years between the mayors of the county’s two largest cities, which are currently Cullman and Hanceville.

The CCCDC met with the county commissioners Thursday to discuss how funds would be allocated for grants. The funds are held by the county commission, but the CCCDC decides how they are spent.

“We wanted to just sit down and say we’re more than open to working with you on the finances,” Townson said.

County administrator Gary Teichmiller said the funds are subject to state audits, and therefore must stay in the county treasury.

“We’ll have it earmarked for you, and will dispense it based on your commission’s recommendation,” he said.

County commissioner Doug Williams said the county has little choice in the matter.

“We’d much rather just give it to y’all, so you can handle all of it,” he said. “But, since it’s state audited, we have to do this.”

Teichmiller recommended — and the CCCDC agreed — that information on grant recipients will be sent to the county for a check to be cut. The funds will then be sent back to the CCCDC for dispersal.

The county also agreed to send a monthly statement to the commission detailing how much money is available to them.

“The funds come in monthly and the account accrues approximately $240,000 annually,” Teichmiller said.

Before the CCCDC was established, the county commission and several local politicians staunchly opposed the bill while it was under debate in the Legislature. They alleged the bill would create an unnecessary governmental body for legislators.

Williams said he believes the commission can do some good in the county, but losing the funds from county accounts has been hard.

“I have no ill will toward the commission, but $90,000 of that came from my road department fund and that hurt,” he said. “But, there are a lot of needs out there.”

According to an Alabama statute passed in 2006, all counties who receive these monies were required to pass local legislation to distribute it. Cullman failed to comply, which prompted the creation of the bill.

The TVA money in question accounts for an extra 3 percent added to the 75 percent of funding north Alabama counties receive from TVA’s annual in-lieu-of-taxes payments to the state. The 3 percent is paid only to dry counties that are TVA customers.

The alcohol sales tax money in question is distributed to Cullman — despite being a dry county — because of the Terri Pines Country Club. According to Alabama law, if they meet the proper criteria, certain groups and organizations such as country clubs can sell alcohol in dry counties. Since Terri Pines is allowed to sell alcohol, Cullman receives a portion of the state’s alcohol sales tax revenue.

As stipulated in the bill, 50 percent of the alcohol money will automatically be dispersed among the municipalities based on population.



* Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 225.