St. Clair County approves CDBG amendment for Trails Inn extension, seeks LWCF funding

The St. Clair County Commission on Jan. 28 approved a resolution to submit a formal amendment to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Trails Inn extension project, authorizing an amended request totaling $900,146.25.

County staff introduced the matter at a public hearing and said the amendment is needed because change orders and unsuitable soil conditions raised the county—s local match above the 10% threshold that triggers a formal amendment and public notice. "We had unsuitable soil conditions, and we had to have a change order of 3 or $400,000," said Mr. Aikas, a county staff member, during the hearing.

The public hearing also covered a separate, related Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant application for a portion of the trails project. County staff said the LWCF request is for $300,000 with a $150,000 match (described in the presentation as included within the $300,000 figure). Candice, a county staff member who described the master plan, said the trail would extend from the existing arena, cross a small creek and circle the RV parking area. "The trail is 1,650 linear feet long, which in Mississippi math is 0.3 miles," she said. The master plan shown to the commission included four RV pull-through spaces and proposed horse-trailer parking.

Commissioners were told the Trails project began in February 2017 and has incurred additional costs over time; staff said they will submit the formal amendment and follow ADECA guidance for approving the revised use of CDBG funds. The commission moved to adopt the resolution; a motion and second were made and the item passed on a voice vote with commissioners saying "aye." The agenda item was listed as the request to adopt a resolution to submit the formal amendment to ADECA for the CDBG Trails Inn extension project in the amount of $900,146.25.

No individual roll-call vote tally was recorded in the meeting minutes; the clerk recorded the motion, a second and voice approval. Commissioners and staff said the county will include survey and public-feedback materials (including input from the Odenville strategic plan) in the grant packet and will pursue the LWCF application concurrent with the ADECA amendment filing.

The commission did not specify a timeline for ADECA review or for any forthcoming construction schedule changes; staff said the amendment is the next administrative step to allow use of county funds to finish the work. The county—s presentation credited McNally (the planning firm noted on the master plan) for preparing the plan used in the grant application.