At their Tuesday night, Feb. 28 meeting, Greensboro’s City Council selected delegates for the upcoming convention of the Alabama League of Municipalities in Birmingham May 10-13. Cities send a voting delegate and two alternates to each convention. By unanimous voice vote, the council confirmed the following delegates to this year’s convention: Councilmember Curtis, voting delegate; Councilmember Shepherd, first alternate; and Councilmember Bragg, second alternate.
The council also approved the city’s bimonthly expenditures, which included $3,000 for work at Lions’ Park. City Clerk Lorrie Cook said local contractor Elbert Ellis replaced burst pipes, installed two water spigots, repaired a leaking water fountain, and installed copper water line and cutoff valves at the facility, which Greensboro assumed full ownership of last year.
A group of Main Street residents were on hand to ask the city about repairs to storm drains in their area.
“It’s destroying my property,” said Shane Aultman, who said the drainage issue was eroding his driveway and causing water to collect under his house, which could cause serious structural damage.
Mayor J.B. Washington said that area was part of a slated larger contracted project the city expected to begin March 15.
“I know it got worse when we got that bad rain,” he said.
Katherine King, another resident of the area in question, asked if the work would begin in their neighborhood.
“He’s going to start at Dollar General first,” said Washington.
City Clerk Lorrie Cook confirmed that the drain work as planned would begin on North Street near the location of the old Dollar General building.
“Are we next?” asked King.
“I don’t know how he’s got it scheduled,” said Washington, noting that there were several other drains in the city which were also in dire need of attention.
“Our houses are falling down. It’s not good,” said King.
Washington said he knew the situation was serious. He said the plans to begin at North Street were how the contractor had originally staged the project last year.
“Who’s paying for all the damages to our property?” asked King.
Washington said the city would have to look at that more closely.
“You need to look at it. It’s not good…every time it sprinkles a few drops,” said King. “My basement the other day, I needed a boat.” King showed Washington some pictures of the drainage and flooding situation at her property.
“It’s not just on their end,” said Councilmember Shepherd, noting that similar issues were affecting the Ward Street neighborhood as well. “The more you pay to put dirt down there, it’s just washing away…It’s not just you all, its also me and everybody else on the other end.”
Washington said Greensboro was facing the same situation as many other small towns across the country: “This is old infrastructure. It’s breaking down all over town. Water lines, storm, sewer…we have to deal with it as far as the money will go.”
Street and Sanitation Superintendent Aaron Evans asked if the city’s Water Board could help to fund some of this work. “They’re trying to keep up with what they have,” said Washington.
“When you call them, they put it on the city,” said Shepherd. “They got [federal] money too, just like the city did.”
King asked if there was grant money for the city to make some of the repairs in question. Washington said the city was always trying to find applicable funding.
“It’s not just us,” he said. “All the small cities are having problems. Short on revenue and long on problems.”
The council then approved a request from Toyvian Brand of the Men of Valor. His organization was requesting permission to hold a Juneteenth celebration in town, as it did last year. Brand said nothing was expected to change from the format of last year’s program. He said it would be held downtown on June 17. Police Chief Willie Lewis said his department would be on hand to help with traffic control and the blocking of Market and Beacon Streets to accommodate the festivalgoers downtown.
