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By EMILY SPARACINO | Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County Commission approved several bids for building, road and trail projects at a regular meeting on Monday, March 28.

The Commission approved a $274,500 bid from Wayne Davis Construction for renovations to the Shelby County Property Tax Commissioner’s Office.

The renovation project will join the property tax collections and assessments side together for more streamlined operations, Shelby County Manager Chad Scroggins said.

“Commissioner (Don) Armstrong has done an excellent job of looking at ways to continue to improve customer service over there,” Scroggins said. “For Commissioner Armstrong to bring up this project and let us be a part of helping design it, we appreciate that. It’s a very good project.”

According to Armstrong, the changes will benefit both customers and employees.

“I think it’s going to be better for the taxpayer,” Armstrong said. “It’s certainly going to be better for us to utilize as employees and making sure that we are waiting on the public in a timely manner. I think it will be a lot better total environment for our office.”

The Commission also approved a $31,000 bid from C&C Construction for a trail expansion project at Cahaba River Park.

The project is the result of Shelby County being selected by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to participate in the Recreational Trails Program to expand the recreational amenities and opportunities along the Cahaba River.

“This is a pavilion that is a part of that greater RTP project,” Scroggins said. “It’s just one portion of it.”

In other business, the Commission:

• Voted to award the bid for road paving and resurfacing work to Wiregrass Construction Company for $5,932,450.

• Approved an agreement with CSX for the construction of a signal preemption at the intersection of Shelby County 11 and Shelby County 36, where a project to install a traffic signal has been approved already.

• Approved the updated Shelby County Hazard Mitigation Plan in accordance with FEMA requirements.