By: John Zippert,
Co-Publisher

At its regular meeting on May 22, 2018, the Eutaw City Council approved resolutions to apply for $872,425 to connect the City’s sewer services on Highway 14 (Mesopotamia Street) to a site near the Exit 40 interchange the Interstate 20/59.
Love’s Truck Stop proposes to build on a 13.9-acre site adjacent to the Interstate at the 40-mile marker exit. The site will have a fueling station, a convenience store, two fast food outlets (Hardees and Godfather’s Pizza), parking for 87 trucks and other related amenities to serve heavily traveled Interstate.
The truck stop is proposed to employ 43 people when operational, at least half of whom will be people who were previously low income. The business will also generate significant sales and gas tax revenues for state and local entities.
The resolutions were presented to the City Council by Ms. Cory Johnson, grant developer with the West Alabama Regional Commission in Tuscaloosa, which is assisting the City of Eutaw with this sewer project.
The Council approved a resolution to seek a grant of $400,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Alabama Department of Community Affairs (ADECA). This grant is based on the projection that the new business will create 43 new jobs.
The Council also approved a resolution to seek a grant of $372,425 from Delta Regional Authority to match the CDBG funding. The City of Eutaw will have to provide the remaining $100,000 in matching funds.

The City may be able to borrow these funds and make repayment from projected sales and gas tax revenues generated by the truck stop.
The funds will be used to provide a 1.5 miles sewer line extension from an existing manhole located near the intersection of Hook Avenue and Mesopotamia Street (aka AL Hwy 14) proceeding north to Interstate 20/59
(Exit 40) to serve the new Love’s Travel Stop. The improvements include a combination of force main and gravity sewer line, one road bore and a new lift station.
Mayor Steele advised the City Council that the engineering firm of Godwyn, Mills and Cahill of Montgomery, Alabama, that completed the City’s recent water project, was working on plans and specifications for the sewer system extension. The Mayor estimated 2 to 3 months for the final designs to be available for bidding the project. The truck stop also needs several other permits from the Alabama Department of construction of the truck stop can begin.
The City Council also adopted several other resolutions, which were required as part of the application package to ADECA, these included a Fair Housing Policy, Citizens Participation Plan, Procurement Policy and Limited English Proficiency Plan. These are standard procedures required for any state and Federal grant funding.
At the recommendation of Police Chief, Derrick Coleman, the City Council approved hiring of Kendrick Barnes as a new police officer. Barnes had experience working in Pickens County and was certified as a police officer. Two other potential officers are going through the Police Academy in Tuscaloosa.
The Council agreed to impose a rental fee of $300 to all groups using the Civic Center (formerly the National Guard Armory) whether they were for-profit or non-profit organizations. Mayor Steele said, “Our budget will not allow us to provide the facilities for free. We have to cover the costs of utilities, maintenance and repairs on our buildings.” The resolution was approved by a 5 to 1 vote, with Councilwoman Latasha Johnson as the only dissenter.
In it’s March 8th. Meeting the City Council approved its Municipal Water Pollution Annual Report and agreed to rename a portion of Prairie Avenue south of the railroad tracks to Highway 43 as “ Bo Scarborough Avenue” to honor the University of Alabama football player with family roots in Greene County.