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Cullman Mayor Max Townson, left, and Cullman County Commission Chairman James Graves chat prior to the annual State of the city/county address at the Chamber of Commerce 4th Friday luncheon. Amanda Shavers-Davis
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Chairman James Graves looks to move county forward
CULLMAN — Cullman County Commission Chairman James Graves didn't dodge the tough issues that lie at the heart of commission politics in his State of the County speech Friday. The chairman addressed the county's budgeting shortfalls of the past year, emphasizing the need for road improvements and a stable water supply in the wake of unpredictable weather that has ravaged both.
Graves, who spoke to a crowd of approximately 200 chamber members at the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce's annual Fourth Friday luncheon, sounded a brief but optimistic note for the county's future collaboration with the city of Cullman on the long-gestating Duck River Dam project, which could provide both city and county with a massive supplement to its existing water supply.
"I have high hopes that Cullman County will join you on the Duck River project, and I'll leave it at that," Graves told Cullman Mayor Max Townson during his speech.
Graves also highlighted many areas in which the county had made progress over the past year, and indicated the commission's intention to pursue several difficult issues which, if successful, he said would move the county forward.
Among those is the prospect of holding a county-wide referendum on a half-cent sales tax to bolster the Cullman County School board's flagging education budget, which since last year has seen multiple funding cuts and teacher layoffs.
"I know the county schools are trouble," said Graves. "Because it's such a volatile issue, we felt you should have the right to vote on it. It will be on the June ballot."
Problems with the sewage infrastructure in Hanceville that have affected Wallace State College were on the list of items Graves said the county would like community-wide support in addressing in 2010.
"Sewer upgrades at Wallace State College are not just a Hanceville thing," he said. "We want to protect it because it is a county benefit. Hanceville can't handle this alone - everybody's got to get involved."
What that may mean has yet to be determined, as officials continue research into possible grant funding from various sources, but Graves said the upgrades already are in the planning stages and that a $500,000 "first phase" of fixes must be implemented in order to gain momentum for future sewer upgrades.
"If we can't get the grant money we need, get ready,” said Graves. “We're going to have to dig into our pockets a little bit. Please consider this and help out if folks come your way asking you to assist in this."
Wallace State president Vicki Hawsey welcomed Grave’s support, telling the group, “We’re in dire circumstances concerning the sewer situation.”
Road maintenance, the perennial bane of county commission politics when finances are tight, featured prominently in Graves’ presentation.
While displaying pictures of deteriorated road banks and potholes, Graves explained that wet and cold conditions in 2009, coupled with a down revenue year, had taken their toll on county roads and the requisite funding to keep up with the many needed repairs.
“There was tremendous road damage from heavy rains and flooding in ‘09,” he said. “Then when the deep freeze set in, it wreaked havoc on our roads. It did millions of dollars in damage.”
The damage was not extensive enough for the county to meet a $5 million minimum damage threshold last year that would have qualified it for federal emergency funding, but Graves said this year is a different story.
“The good thing, at least, is that this year we will reach our $5 million threshold. The governor is standing by and ready to sign as the funding comes across,” Graves said.
* Benjamin Bullard can be reached by e-mail at bbullard@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131 ext. 270.
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