BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER
HGOLDFINGER@
OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
LEE COUNTY — As the Lee County Commission continued discussing increasing broadband in the county, it has moved into Phase Two of its plan.
The broadband discussion has been ongoing since Lee County received it’s American Rescue Plan Act funding from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Part of this money has been allocated to expanding broadband within Lee County to unserved and underserved areas. The money must be allocated by the end of 2024.
“I first want to give you an update of where we are with … Phase One,” said County Administrator Holly Leverette. “As of Friday, two of the agreements have been signed with BEAM. So the two projects, the one in Salem and the one in South Central, have been signed and those projects are ready to begin.”
The Salem project should be finished by the fall and the South Central will begin afterward, Leverette said.
The Loachapoka project is in Point Broadband’s hands, she said, and it estimates the completion within a year.
With Phase Two ISPs will hopefully help identify other unserved or underserved areas, Leverette said.
“With Phase Two, we developed some potential priority areas that we would like to see … and then, our hope is that the ISPs will also contribute with some areas that they feel like also are unserved or underserved, where they can help as well.”
The applications are due May 10, Leverette said.
LOACHAPOKA PARK:
The commission heard an update on the Loachapoka park on Monday night.
The park is in the hands of the contractor now, said Lee County Parks Manager Ryan Norris.
A waterline has also been installed.
“[It’s] Moving right along,” Norris said.
The parking lot is ready for asphalt and the pavilion pad is ready for the structure to be installed, Norris said. The plants for the park will arrive and be planted by the end of the week.
The highway department will come back in near the end of the process for final touches, Norris said.
“I say this every time but I want to thank the highway department for what they did down there also,” said District One Commissioner Doug Cannon.
OTHER BUSINESS:
- The commission swore in two new Lee County Emergency Management Agency employees.
- The commission heard the annual coroner’s office report.
- The commission recognized EMA Communications Officer Clinton Knox.
- The commission heard a report on National Work Zone Awareness Week.
- The commission heard the first reading for a vacancy on the Smiths Station Fire and Rescue Board.
- The commission approved the county “No Trucks” route list.
- The commission approved a field rental fee consideration.
- The commission added an item to the agenda a discussion on the new Lee County planning director.
- The commission approved a memorandum of understanding for improvements to the Lee County Health Department.
- The commission approved the results of a bid for 14 or more Chevrolet Tahoes for the Lee County Sheriff’s Department.
- The commission did not make a determination for Lee Road 515’s jurisdiction.
- The commission approved a federal aid agreement for resurfacing Lee Road 240.
- The commission approved the final plat approval for the subdivision plat for Crowder Properties LLC.
- The commission tabled the final plat approval for Hornet Hills Subdivision.
- The commission approved the FY 2024 Local Resurfacing Project No. LCP 41-RALR-24.
- The commission approved the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Formula Allocation.
