By Nathan Prewett
MOODY – A public hearing was held at a regular meeting of the Moody City Council on Monday, November 22, to consider entering into a development agreement with St. Clair County and TCG Crossroads Plaza, LLC.
City Attorney James Hill explained that the agreement would allow for a development project at a vacant building that the Gathering Place Church had once occupied. He said that the agreement “contemplates a rebate of 50 percent of taxes generated by the project for a period of no more than ten years and up to no more than $960,000.”
He added that the agreement also has a similar rebate concept with the county of a 50 percent rebate and up to a period of 10 years.
“In order to try and ensure that the product that goes into that property is what the city would like, we have limited those uses that the city would consider incentivizing and have actually rejected certain uses out of hand,” Hill said. “The use concepts that the city would incentivize are those retail concepts such as grocer products, hardware products – those types of standard retail uses that the city would certainly be benefited from.”
Hill said that the project falls under the requirements of Amendment 772, making it a “valid and sufficient” public service to the city.
St. Clair Economic Development Council Director Don Smith was the only one to speak from the audience during the public hearing.
“It’s allowing the city to be very proactive,” he said. “The developer has a lot of experience. The great thing is that it’s not coming out of [the city’s] pocket. It’s actually going to be funded from the generation of the activity of the new retailer coming in. So it’s a win-win for everyone: the citizens, the city, and also the developer.”
The council then unanimously passed the resolution to enter into the agreement along with another resolution to issue a certificate of indebtedness to evidence the city’s obligations in the agreement with the developer and the county.
Afterward, a resident of Moody, Mike Benedict, spoke to the council about the private roads of his neighborhood in what he said was called the Cahaba Springs Lake. He stated that the roads in the area are in need of being paved but understood that the city doesn’t pave private roads.
Benedict said that he and other residents determined that they could not afford to hire a company to pave the roads. He asked the council for advice on what to do, and a discussion followed on options, including the city accepting the roads and streets if they are brought up to standards, though this would entail the residents paying for the repairs themselves.
Hill offered to speak with Benedict further about options to resolve this.
Later in the meeting, the council voted to approve a resolution for a fire protection upgrade using funds from the CDBG Economic Development Grant. This concerned the extension of a fire tank at Moody Commerce Park. The grant pays for 80 percent of the project.
The council also accepted the lowest bid and entered into a contract with Jet Pep, Inc. for the project for $99,150, which is in accordance with the terms and conditions of the CDBG grant.
In other business, the council:
- Approved a request by Police Chief Thomas Hunt to purchase one X26P taser for $1,268.95,
- Approved Hunt’s request for Assistant Chief Freeman and Lt. Smith to attend a leadership training session in Florence, AL, for $538.07,
- Approved Hunt’s request for him to attend Lt. Hick’s graduation of the National Academy in Virginia on Dec. 15 and 16 for $500,
- Approved a request by Parks and Recreation Director Mike Staggs to purchase ryegrass for athletic fields for $1,370,
- Approved Staggs’ request to purchase key fobs for the civic center for $300,
- Approved a request by Public Works Director Steve Mitchell to have Alabama Power install two streetlights on Acmar Road,
- Approved a request from Councilwoman Linda Crowe to purchase two flagpole Christmas trees for the civic center for $748.52,
- Approved hiring CMH Architects to design plans for a new Police Department building,
- Approved a request by Fire Chief Larry Horton to purchase uniforms from vendor Sew Nice for $400,
- Approved Horton’s request to purchase uniforms from vendor Galls for $350,
- Approved Horton’s request to install four new fire hydrants on Acton Road, Pine Hill, Aldridge Lane, and McCrory Road,
- Approved Court Clerk Magistrate Tim Senft to purchase driving school books for $508.66, and
- Canceled the regular council meeting on December 27.
Meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at Moody City Hall on 670 Park Ave.