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From Forrest Register, Group Leader
With the implementation of the joint Alabama/Florida Mega Site cooperation agreement for placement of a large industrial site along the I-10 corridor the Infrastructure Committee has been working with Matt Parker to determine the best use of our existing industrial land to prepare for smaller industrial development projects. We have several parcels in our Public Industrial Parks which need improvements so they are in development ready condition. The Infrastructure Committee will be touring the various parks in April and begin the analysis of each so we can determine where to best utilize existing resources. Once we determine where best to place those resources the Infrastructure Committee will make a recommendation at the next Economic Summit on how the City and County should proceed with those improvements.
Infrastructure Committee Update
The Infrastructure Committee’s planned meeting regarding long term water supply solutions took place on Wednesday, January 19th in Ozark, Alabama. Mayor Mike Schmitz and Mayor Billy Blackwell were in attendance as well as members of the Dale County Water Authority, Ozark Water Authority, Dothan Utilities, and Dothan Engineering Services. George Flowers and Forrest Register from the Infrastructure Committee were present. The discussion opened with current and future needs of Dothan and capacity and availability of resources contained in the Tuscaloosa Aquifer located in Dale County. Max Mobley of PolyEngineering was on hand to give the group background information on the aquifer as a resource as well as costs associated with accessing and transmitting the water. Historical concerns related to Dothan utilizing and Dale County providing the water resource were discussed. It was generally agreed that some form of partnership would benefit all, but all parties would need to discuss among their various boards and staff the particulars of their needs so a template for a partnership can be formed. We will reconvene the group again this spring to bring those ideas forward and determine our future course of action. The Infrastructure Committee will continue to update the larger Economic Summit community on our progress as we continue to address the issue of long term water supply.
During October Dothan Mayor Mike Schmitz, Dothan City Manager Mike West, Dothan Utilities Director Billy Mayes, and Infrastructure Committee Chair Forrest Register met and discussed the goals outlined by the Infrastructure Committee at the Economic Summit on Jobs. Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce President Matt Parker and Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver were not able to attend, but have been briefed on the group’s goals as well.
Representatives from Dothan and Houston County along with members of the Infrastructure Committee will meet with representatives of the Dale County Water Authority, Ozark Utilities Board, Dale County Elected Officials, and Ozark Elected Officials to discuss the possibility of creating a Regional Water Authority. The purpose of creating a water authority will be to grant members equity ownership in any infrastructure improvements related to withdrawing water from the Tuscaloosa Aquifer located in central Dale County. This is the area furthest south in which water from the aquifer is not tainted by minerals.
Mayor Billy Blackwell of Ozark has agreed to help coordinate the meeting which will take place in Ozark in January. After this meeting the infrastructure Committee will report results back to the community and pending the outcome of discussions decide on future action. The committee’s goals will not infringe on current efforts to permit withdrawing water from the Chattahoochee River nor the work of groups and agencies seeking development of a regional reservoir.
Infrastructure Goal: Make utilities and broadband more marketable to prospects.
Plan: Develop a group/team /committee to study water, sewer and power and a 2nd group to study broadband
1. Explore capacity of water
2. Identify resources and needs for specific sites
Our first goal will be to coordinate a meeting with Mayor Mike Schmitz and the City of Dothan public works engineers, Mayor Billy Blackwell of Ozark and his water staff along with representatives of the Dale County water authority to discuss the possibility of creating a partnership with joint ownership for any system involving the City of Dothan which taps into the Tuscaloosa aquifer. After our meeting we will report back to the community on our efforts and should there be an interest in the parties to expand negotiations we will determine what we can do to provide support.