Council approves Culpepper Park, HVAC bids

Daleville is one step closer to completing its Culpepper Park Phase II project, which began last year.

The $100,000 project will feature a new playground area, or “Tot Lot,” for children ages 5 and under.

During an Aug. 5 meeting, council members approved a $69,878.52 bid from Pelham’s J.A. Dawson and Co. for the new playground equipment.

The project is being funded through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Land and Water Conservation Fund. The grant covers 50 percent of the proposed project costs and Daleville is required to cover the other half.  

Daleville’s portion of the project will cost $34,939.26.

City council members also approved a $57,800 bid from Air Conditioning Associates Inc. of Dothan to replace the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units at city hall and the department of public safety.

In other business, council members approved a travel request for two Daleville Department of Public Safety dispatchers to attend a new dispatcher certification course in Opelika at a total cost not to exceed $400.

Mayor Claudia Wigglesworth also announced road projects will be taking place in Daleville within the next year.

The Alabama Department of Transportation will begin work on the planning and resurfacing of Alabama 12 (U.S. Highway 84) from East of Armory Road in Daleville to just East of Alabama 123 in Wicksburg on Aug. 8.

The project is standard routine maintenance and could take about 85 working days from the start date to complete. The project is estimated to cost the state $3.4 million.

In June, Dale County was awarded $5.2 million in state grant funds to help finance road projects throughout the county as part of the ALDOT’s Rural Assistance Match Program (RAMP).

Projects funded through this program, include the improvement of Dale County Road 114 (Old Highway 134) in Daleville from Hwy 85 West to the dead end. The project is estimated to start Jan. 1 and will cover 1.4 miles at a cost of $231,000. 

Wigglesworth said Highway 85 will also be resurfaced sometime within the 2014 fiscal year.

In other news, Wigglesworth announced a board appointment is still available on the Industrial Development Board.

The Industrial Development Board creates buildings for lease to provide to new industries. The term is a staggered six-year term. 

Daleville Chamber of Commerce Director Kay Kirkland also addressed the board with reports.

The chamber is currently working on the Lady’s Day Out fundraiser and several events for the fall, which include the Scarecrow Festival and the annual poker run.

Kirkland said she’s also been talking to the businesses about the Department of Defense civilian furloughs and how it has impacted them.

“One of the restaurants told me he’s probably down 30 percent and that he can really tell the difference on Mondays and Fridays,” she said. “Another one said he’s down 20 percent and others will just say they’re feeling it. So it is having an impact. We encourage folks to shop local for our businesses during this critical time.”

The next Daleville City Council meeting is at 5:30 p.m., Aug. 20, at city hall.