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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County Commission held its first meeting of the year on Monday, Jan. 13. The meeting mainly focused on the recent winter weather in Shelby County, with some updates on the county’s long-term projects.

The meeting’s agenda, in comparison with other commission meetings, was relatively light. County Manager Chad Scroggins said that this is normal considering the time of year.

“This is a more typical agenda for the first week of the year and the first meeting in January,” Scroggins said.

In his address to the commission, Scroggins commended the work done by David Willingham, the county’s engineer, in circumventing the troubles caused by the weather and maintaining safe road conditions in Shelby County.

“David and his crew did an excellent job,” Scroggins said. “We had one opportunity that really could have shut down 280, they saw that really quickly. We had a jackknifed 18-wheeler blocking lanes of traffic that was going to be a problem. They saw that really quickly. All in all, we’ve escaped that (weather).”

Willingham then proceeded to give updates on the county’s various projects, including the project to replace a bridge on County Road 55 in the Sterrett community.

“That (project) is coming along,” Willingham said. “Norfolk Southern has approved the contractor for the removal plan. So we should start to see that come down this week, hopefully.”

Willingham also gave an update on the Interstate 65 widening project, including both the north and south areas of the project zone.

“I’ve awarded (a bid for) the south project,” Willingham said. “I appreciate our accounting staff getting that. That invoice came to us on Dec. 23. Very short notice, I appreciate them turning that check around for the Jan. 1 deadline.”

Willingham gave a timetable on the construction time for the north zone as well.

“It has a construction time of 980 calendar days, as you can see,” Willingham said. “So that’s basically three years for a lot of work to be done.”

Willingham, in closing, gave an annual report on the Rebuild Alabama project, a project dedicated to revitalizing the infrastructure of Shelby County.

The County Rebuild Alabama Annual Report provides detailed expenditures from both County Rebuild Alabama Funds and Federal Aid Exchange Funds as demonstrated in the previous fiscal year’s County Transportation Plan.

“This is an annual report that we do for the first meeting in January each year,” Willingham said. “It’s required so that we can report all of this to the state.”

The meeting closed with various comments from the commissioners, including Commissioner Robbie Hayes celebrating the birth of his first grandchild.

Overall, the first Shelby County Commission meeting of the year provided citizens with updates on various infrastructure developments after a weekend filled with winter weather. For more information on the Shelby County Commission and its regularly-scheduled meetings, visit Shelbyal.com.