Gadsden City announces ADECA-backed projects, ribbon cuttings and Coosa River water pumping to save $12,000 a month

Mayor Craig Ford said Gadsden City has received multiple grants from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) for projects including electric-vehicle charging stations and land, water and soil conservation, and he announced several upcoming ribbon-cutting events for city facilities.

“These are your tax dollars,” Ford said while outlining the projects. He announced a ribbon cutting for a new Noccalula-area fire station with a log-cabin facade intended as a recruitment tool, a state-of-the-art campground replacement to accommodate modern motor homes, and two 225-foot turf fields developed through a partnership with Gadsden State (Ford referred to the partner as "Gas and State") and Dr. Murphy. He said the turf fields and new concession stand will reduce rainouts and that the city will add curbing and guttering to discourage parking on grass.

Ford said the city has secured a FERC permit and worked with Alabama Power to install a pump station to draw irrigation water from the Coosa River for the sports fields; he estimated the change will save the city about $12,000 per month. “So we're excited about that. That's gonna save $12,000 a month,” Ford said.

Other items Ford announced included a fuel station at the popular boat-launch/bait-shack area to provide fuel for both land vehicles and river boats, and the return of the city's duck boats to service once weather permits. He also said he participated in an ADECA video with ADECA director Kevin Boswell (referred to in the transcript as Director Boswell) and praised ADECA’s role in securing grants for the city.

Ford said a city staff delegation is traveling to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal officials and the city's congressional delegation — he named Congressman Rogers and former Congressman Aderhold and referenced two senators by name in the transcript — to pursue federal funding for identified projects. Ford was not able to join the trip because of a recent retinal procedure; he listed Tina King, Heath Williamson, David Hooks and Ruth Moffett as staff who would attend.

All items were presented as mayoral announcements during the mayor’s minute. No council votes or formal appropriation actions were recorded in the remarks; Ford described grant awards and ongoing project work but did not provide full project budgets or specific ADECA grant award amounts in his comments.