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Council agrees to use remaining APPLE funds for Hagood Street

by

Lexi Coon

To start off the City Council meeting on Aug. 28, Fire Chief Chris Mullins told the council of a recent occurrence that involved a 94-year old resident who had recently fallen in her home. Her son, who lives in California, noticed that she was on the floor around 11:30 p.m. and called the fire department. 

“He said, ‘My mom’s on the floor, I can see her crawling around,’” Mullins said.

The firemen on the shift arrived shortly thereafter and helped her off the floor. But Mullins said they didn’t leave after that, instead staying to help her get washed up with clean clothes and cooked her a hot meal before leaving at close to 2 a.m.

“[It’s just to show you] that we hire and promote the right people,” Mullins said. His story was met with applause from the council.

Council then moved on to review the use of remaining APPLE grant funds for future Hagood Street sidewalk projects. 

Jennifer Brown with Sain Associates said that with the approximate $11,000, officials would be able to look at preliminary engineering and drainage.

“That’s one thing that’s always kind of stopped us [from completing a sidewalk on Hagood Street],” said City Manager Sam Gaston. 

Brown said one of the problems with the area is that it is flat and the nearby ditch is relatively shallow, but with the study they will be able to find different solutions to address the issue. She estimated the project would begin in 2019.

Hagood Street resident Marshall Clay and neighbor Daniel Murdock spoke at the meeting to both thank council members for working with the community as well as reiterate their concerns regarding a lack of sidewalk on their street. 

“There’s certainly been a number of near misses,” said Clay. “We think it’s only a matter of time before somebody gets really hurt over there.”

Murdock said too that he believes there is speeding in the area, which when couple with the curvature and the narrowing of the road, makes a dangerous situation for joggers, walkers and families with strollers. “I think it’s a legit concern,” he said.

Officials hope to have a better course of action regarding potential future sidewalks to the road after the preliminary engineering and drainage project from the residual APPLE grant funds. 

Brown also spoke to the council about the second phase of the cultural resource work for the roundabout project, of which ALDOT has approved the cost. Under the second phase, researchers use ground penetrating radar to scan for unmarked human graves in the area that may be disrupted by construction.

When the area was originally renovated with the U.S. 280 ramp in the late 1960s, Brown said different regulations were in place that did not require this phase. In response to a question asking what is to be done if unmarked graves are found, Brown said members of ALDOT have told her future actions depend on what is uncovered.

“It’s not something that happens very often,” Brown said. She estimated that crews should begin using ground penetrating radar in the next few weeks and the second phase would be completed before the end of the year.

Council approved both motions.

Also during City Council on Aug. 28, members:

The next council meeting will be on Sept. 11.

Editor's note: This article was updated on Aug. 29 at 1:00 p.m. to correct the spelling of Brian Barrett's name.

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