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September 16, 2011

St. John hired to coordinate underground utilities in downtown (WITH VIDEO)

City hires facilitator to spearhead effort

By Trent Moore The Cullman Times

CULLMAN — With so many logistical questions still needing answered, the City of Cullman has hired an independent engineer to coordinate the installation of underground utilities in downtown.

Officials are focusing on two square blocks — between First Avenue SE and Third Avenue SE, on Fifth Street SE — that were virtually flattened by the April 27 tornado that hit the city. The area included historic local businesses such as East Side Barber Shop and the Busy Bee Cafe.

Council president Garlan Gudger, Jr. said the city opted to hire St. John and Associates as a specialized consultant to handle the project with hopes of expediting installation. The effort includes gas, cable, phone, water, sewer and electrical lines.

“We decided to go with an engineer to coordinate the placement and location of this new infrastructure that has been requested from most of the tornado victims in downtown,” Gudger said. “The system is so extensive it’s hard to have a part-time person, or someone with another full-time job, to try and coordinate that. It gives you one person to call, instead of different heads from different utilities.”

With the site of her old business now just a vacant lot on Fifth Street SE, Busy Bee Cafe owner Kitty Spears hopes the reworked utility plan will be a fresh start for her downtown restaurant.

“I’m really fond of going underground,” she said. “I like the looks of it and you’re less likely to lose power.”

* Read more in the Friday, Sept. 16, 2011, print or e-edition of The Cullman Times.

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