Grant sought for road repair

By Staff
Jonathan Willis FCT Staff Writer
Some Franklin County residents are one step closer to finding out whether or not their drive home each day will get a little smoother.
The Franklin County commission unanimously voted to apply for a Community Development Block Grant to help fund the restoration of County Highway 87 at Monday's regular meeting.
Highway 87 serves as a connecting road between Highways 24 and 48. The 6.18 mile-long stretch of road runs through the Newburg and Tharptown communities.
The commission reviewed several proposal options to make to the state before eventually deciding to apply in more than one way.
The grant proposals are put into different categories, so the county's pitch will possibly be accepted one way and not the other.
The commission voted to apply for a $250,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, while chipping in over $175,000 from the county for the project. Of that total, $80,319 will be for in-kind costs, which would provide the labor and equipment. The total cash that the county is pledging to the project is $95,657.
In other business, the commission voted to accept a low bid from MPH Industries, Inc., to purchase three patrol car video systems and accepted all bids on projects at the new Franklin County Detention Center.
At the close of the regular meeting, the floor was opened for a public hearing concerning the closing of Bean Valley Road, which is located between County Roads 92 and 93 in the southeast corner of the county, near the Winston County line. After looking at a petition of over 400 signatures opposed to the road's closing, and hearing from a group in support of the move, the commission voted to table the matter until the next regular meeting.