Local News
Cherokees ask to lease land from county commission
By Patrick McCreless
STAFF WRITER
Members of the Cherokees of Alabama asked the Cullman County Commission Tuesday to lease them land for an American Indian education center.
“Our dream is to take 357 acres and turn it into an education hotspot for the county,” said Cherokees of Alabama member Teresa Bolduc during the county commission meeting. “We respectfully request you lease us the land for $1 a year for 99 years.”
Bolduc said the facility would be built on land near County Road 1807 in the Joppa area.
“We want to build a museum ... and walking trails ... and have a summer camp and teach survival techniques,” Bolduc said.
Bolduc added that the center would create many jobs for the county.
“We’ll need people to build and that will create jobs,” she said. “Plus when it’s done, it’ll have jobs for people too.”
Commissioner Doug Williams said while he wished the county commission could help, the land in question is actually owned by the Cullman County Board of Education.
“It you’re going to bring something in to create jobs, we’d be just tickled to death to have it,” Williams said. “But that land does not belong to us. You’ll have to deal through the school board.”
During the discussion, a person in the audience asked the Cherokees if there would be any stipulations forbidding casino construction should they obtain the land.
“We’re not planning on putting any casinos or gambling out there,” said Chief Bobby Sterling. “We just want to help the whole area.”
Bolduc said her organization has been trying to get the Joppa land for nearly nine years and have had trouble finding out who exactly has control of the property. She said her organization approached the board of education several years ago, but were told to contact the Alabama Department of Education. The state department later told them to contact the county commission, Bolduc said.
She said her next step would be to contact the board of education.
In other business the commission:
‰ Officially thanked all county volunteer fire departments for their assistance in clearing roads of trees after the Sunday and Monday storms.
‰ Authorized the chairman to sign an agreement between the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and Cullman County for an audit of federal assistance at a cost of $7,540.
‰ Granted a one-year extension on the proposed plat for Daystar Shores Subdivision located in District 2 off County Road 222.
‰ Approved a resolution to limit the weight on County Road 616 to 15 tons.
‰ Extended a bid to Termite Control Service with Cook’s Pest Control for one year.
‰ Extended a bid to Pest Control Service with Melton’s Pest Control for one year.
‰ Awarded a bid for guardrails to Alabama Guardrails.
‰ Awarded a bid for jail supplies to Paper and Chemical Company.
‰ Awarded bid for Bulk Cement to National Cement Company.
‰ Patrick McCreless can be reached by e-mail at patrickm@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131 ext. 270.
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