30 Minutes with Mayor McCamy

Clarion Top News

Thursday, 30 June 2022 13:03

With the approaching Fourth of July holiday, Mayor Jim McCamy would like to remind everyone of the new firework ordinance that was recently passed in April. The ordinance states that no fireworks shall be discharged within the Scottsboro city limits between the hours of 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. The ordinance is available to review by clicking here, and will be enforced by the Scottsboro Police Department.

“We have already had complaints about fireworks. I’ve had conversations with Police Chief Ron Latimer, and they are going to do everything they can to enforce the ordinance. Hopefully that will resolve the problem, and we don’t have to go any further with it,” stated the Mayor.

The Mayor also wishes to remind residents that on Saturday, July 2, 2022, there will be another Freedom Celebration on the downtown square, with another parade, as well as vendors and other set-ups. Then on Monday, July 4th, there will be another celebration at Goose Pond.

“This will be an all-day event,” he stated, “and then there will be fireworks that night.”

Several months ago, Scottsboro City Council approved for the office of the Mayor to apply for a Rebuild Alabama grant that would fund $250,000 to allow for subgrade repairs at the intersection of Highway 35 and Crawford Road and the resurfacing of Crawford in Scottsboro. According to the Mayor, after the water board completes a project running alongside Crawford, the road will be freed up to be resurfaced. With the funding for resurfacing now in place with the grant, as soon as the Water Board project is complete, the resurfacing will begin within the next year.

Mayor McCamy has begun a resurfacing agenda for Scottsboro, working in conjunction with Scottsboro Water, Sewer and Gas and the Street Department to ensure all projects are completed underground before any resurfacing takes place, thereby eliminating the instance that a freshly resurfaced road must be dug up in places to instigate repairs underneath. As far as other paving, the Mayor would also like to request everyone’s patience as the WS&G Board awaits the crucial piping needed to finish the project on Broad Street. According to the Mayor, with the current state of supply, it will be a few months before WSG receives the piping.

“It doesn’t make sense to resurface it now and then have to dig it up again right after you had it resurfaced,” the Mayor stated. “We ask everybody’s patience to get through this and get it fixed right. The Street Department also has a project they’re working on, a drainage replacement, in the same area. Once they get all that done, in the meantime, they will do a patch. It won’t be up to the standard we all want it to be until they can come and actually replace that water line.”

As with Crawford, as soon as the projects are completed, the street can be resurfaced.

Another grant is in the works for Scottsboro. A Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) would allow for more demolition projects to take place, allowing the city to dispose of blighted/abandoned structures that pose a threat to commerce and safety standards. Scottsboro recently completed the same type of grant, clearing some 30-40 structures. One of these cleared sites, where the old Scottsboro Wholesale building once stood, is now the property of the Boys and Girls Club of North Alabama, where they plan to build a multi-purpose room, playground and basketball court. According to the Mayor, a list has been compiled of more structures, and if the grant proceeds, and when all property owners are contacted, they will have a clearer view of what they will be able to accomplish with the grant.

In regards to the Publix/Shops of Scottsboro project currently underway, the Mayor was informed the date will need to be pushed back to the first week of November.

“They have had difficulties in getting some electrical panels and equipment they had to have, so that will have them delayed, which is actually pushing all the others behind,” the Mayor stated. “The poles for the signal are supposed to be here in August or September timeframe. Then, the contractor, hopefully, will be able to get all that started.”

The site for the new Whataburger has been completely demolished and cleared. According to the Mayor, things are progressing well with the Whataburger team, as they accomplished demolition much sooner than expected. Construction of the new facility should begin in the next two to three months.

A national chain, Italian family eatery also has its eye on Scottsboro, according to a conversation the Mayor recently had with Retail Strategies. Because it is too soon into negotiations, Retail Strategies was not able to disclose just which Italian eatery it is, but the national chain is very interested.