Commissioners approve partnership with Gadsden, Sardis City on roadwork
Etowah County Commissioners on Tuesday approved two separate agreements with the City of Gadsden regarding roadwork to be done within the city.
These agreements will allow the county to assist with street resurfacing on Hillsboro Drive, and authorize the creation of an access road that will serve Oscar Adams Elementary School in East Gadsden.
Funding for the projects will be supported by District 5 Commissioner Jeffery Washington through his personal discretionary funds. Washington will provide $81,665 toward the Hillsboro Drive project and $111,050 toward the Oscar Adams project. Any additional costs will be provided by the city.
"When parents come to pick up their children in the evening time, there can be a lot of congestion on that road from the school traffic," Washington said during the commission's work session last week, "A side road being built will make it safer for those who have to walk home, and make it easier for traffic to flow in that area during that time."
A third agreement for roadwork was approved between the commission and Sardis City. Per this agreement, the county will resurface Son Johnson Road and then "relinquish any further control, management, supervision, regulation, repair maintenance and improvement to the Town of Sardis City."
"We will be doing this project under the Rebuild Alabama funding the county has received," County Engineer Robert Nail said. "It's been something we have discussed with Sardis City as they continue to grow and incorporate more area."
Commissioners also welcomed the Etowah Middle School Robotics Club to their meeting. The club and current state champions, alongside the robotics teams at Duck Springs Elementary School and Ivalee Elementary School, who were invited to the commission's last formal meeting, will be traveling to Dallas in the coming days to compete in the VEX Robotics World Championship.
"These students have put in countless hours not only at school, but at home and other aspects of life," said Etowah Middle School Principal Jeff Johnson. "It's pretty amazing as to what these robots can do and what these students can do when building them from scratch."
The Gadsden Museum of Art Board also was designated as an organization within the county that serves a public purpose. This will allow the board to be eligible to receive public funds from the commission, and was confirmed to be legal by the county attorney.
Chief Administrative Officer Shane Ellison said the county will start accepting bids regarding a new provider for residential waste collection. He and Commissioner Craig Inzer cited several problems that have been reported with the current provider; the county has been looking into a new provider since the beginning of the year.
"I've had three calls just this week from people who can't get services out in Whorton Bend because they've been told they live in Calhoun County," Inzer said.
Ellison said Advanced Disposal will have its open-top containers available from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
The locations are Leeth Gap and Sardis Road; the intersection of U.S. Highway 278 and Alabama Highway 132; Whorton Bend Volunteer Fire Department; and Gaston School on U.S. Highway 411 North.
Household trash for residential cleanup will be accepted, but no tires, batteries, appliances or hazardous waste.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Commissioners approve partnership with Gadsden, Sardis City
