In early February community representatives from Hartselle and Morgan County traveled to Washington DC for their annual trip to present members of Congress with a federal legislative agenda, outlining federal funding needs and priorities for the area. The group met with Rep. Mo Brooks, Sen. Jeff Sessions, Sen. Richard Shelby and staff from Rep. Robert Aderholt’s office.
The top priority during this year’s visit was to request support for the region’s efforts to obtain a FEMA grant providing Pre-Disaster Mitigation funding for flood control. The city plans to request $300,000, with Hartselle providing a 25 percent local match of $100,000, to build a second retention pond on the west side of the railroad tracks.
The city received $245,000 in funding in 2010 for flood mitigation, and construction on the first retention pond is expected to begin late this year.
Community leaders have asked members of Congress for help with flood mitigation in previous conversations, but Hartselle Mayor Don Hall says that the July 4 flood – the second in four years – helped to move the issue to the top of Hartselle’s priority list.
“The July 4 flood was a major event, and it affected our downtown businesses economically,” says Mayor Hall. “It had a serious impact on their bottom lines. And with the streets all but impassable, it became a safety issue. In that situation, it is difficult for emergency vehicles to get from the East side of town to the West,” he explains.
Mayor Hall feels confident that Hartselle will be able to receive assistance from FEMA when funds become available. Other projects that the group discussed with the Congressional delegation include:
- Continued support and funding for the Hwy. 36 extension and widening
- Right-of-Way acquisition and utility relocation along Thompson Road
- Funding for Hartselle Utilities’ Waste Water Treatment Plant for engineering and construction should the Environmental Protection Agency mandate lower effluent limits
- Assistance in obtaining a waiver from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requirement that Hartselle purchase stream mitigation rights near the landfill
- Continued efforts to construct new access roads and extend utilities to the new Morgan Center Business Park
- The Medicare Wage Index and its impact on Alabama hospitals
- Federal funding for new fire fighting equipment
- Funding for Emergency Warning Sirens
- A feasibility study to extend the runway at the Hartselle-Morgan County Regional Airport.