CULLMAN — A new commission created to distribute money to non-profit groups and towns in Cullman County has now established some basic guidelines and released a preliminary grant application.

Called the Cullman County Community Development Commission, 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 is approximately $100,000 available for use by the commission according to current estimates — an amount that is expected to increase each year.

The commission 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; the vice-chairman, Mike Graves; the 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 be rotated every two years between the mayors of the county’s two largest cities, which are currently Cullman and Hanceville.

At least two grant requests have already been received, though the commission is putting any decisions on hold until by-laws are officially established.

“We can take the applications for now, but hold onto them until we get where we need to be,” Graves said.

Grant applications are currently available at Cullman City Hall, but should soon be available at most town halls in Cullman County.

At a Tuesday night meeting, Townson said he wanted to clarify some facts about the commission.

“We do operate under the open meetings laws and are subject to government audits,” he said. “We wouldn’t want it any other way.”

A plan to follow-up on approved grants was also discussed.

“The groups who do receive grants should provide documentation and receipts for the money they spend,” Graves recommended.

“We need to get any documentation available and really press the issue, to make sure we have it,” Dover said.

The commission also decided to set a minimum amount of funds to stay in reserve, in case a new project arises in need of funding.

“There may be some worthy, bigger project that could need it,” Graves said. “It should be judged on how it impacts the people ... This way, we could help with it immediately.”

Commission members also addressed some of the opposition and concerns that arose before the commission was established. The Cullman 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.

“This is not a slush fund,” Bryan said. “We’re trying to get the information out there.”

The commission plans to meet with the Cullman County Commission to discuss further details soon, though a meeting date has not been set.

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.