By NANCY WILSTACH / Community Columnist

Raise a glass to Montevallo!

It seems to be a popular activity, according to Mayor Hollie Cost.

In her “State of the City” address, Cost noted that beer tax collections in Montevallo were up 66 percent from the previous fiscal year.

Cost spoke to the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce luncheon Jan. 17 in Parnell Memorial Library . . . the only libation available, incidentally, was iced tea.

Other revenue is up as well. Sales tax collections rose 14 percent, while the number of building permits rose 44 percent. The city also added six new businesses.

Cost said that she did not attribute all the rise in beer tax revenue to thirsty Montevalloans.

“I was talking with the parks director, and he said that the number of baseball and softball tournaments doubled this year,” she said, and those travel teams bring parents and other spectators who visit local restaurants.

Besides looking back on a successful year that included the first “Love Montevallo Day,” and the launch of the city’s “streetscape,” featuring the dedication of Bicentennial Park and entertainment events in Owl’s Cove Park.

Referring to the latter location, Cost said: “We saved Paradise and tore out a parking lot,” a play on the lyrics of “Big Yellow Taxi,” recorded by Joni Mitchell in 1970.

Owl’s Cove sits between UMOM (University of Montevallo on Main) and It’s About Time Barber Shop on Main Street.

UMOM is recycled, too. The building started out a few decades ago as an office of Alabama Power Co. What now is Owl’s Cove was the office’s parking lot.

Cost noted that the Montevallo Main Street project has received recognition and awards and singled out Executive Director Courtney Bennett for particular notice.

The spruced up appearance of Main Street with its vintage-style lamp posts, hanging banners and colorful storefronts looked particularly attractive during the holidays, Cost said, as she displayed a before-and-after Power Point image of Walt Czeskleba’s store—the electronics repair business went from ho-hum battleship gray to a striking dark blue and white.

“It was a Hallmark Christmas downtown, ya’ll,” Cost said.

She also noted the national recognition received by the Montevallo Junior City Council, noting that Junior Mayor Abigail Heuton “brought down the house” with her acceptance speech for the group’s national award in Washington, D.C.

The city’s first Tinglewood Festival drew more than 6,000 visitors to the city’s Orr Park, Cost said.

Looking ahead, Cost saw both problems and solutions in the city’s crystal ball.

Scott Village, the public housing project near Montevallo Middle School, has had its share of problems, she said, and some residents there have approached city officials to seek help.

“Our Scott Village Task Force is going to be addressing challenges over there,” she said. “One apartment will be available for public meetings, and we want them to be proud of where they live.”

Also on the horizon is the official opening of Shoal Creek Park on March 16. The 167-acre property was a gift to the city from the estate of Elizabeth Mahler and eventually will have five miles of trails, Cost said.