By Stephen Dawkins

The Chilton County Commission on Monday approved a bid of $69,990 by Aqua Marine for the construction of an emergency shelter adjacent to Union Grove Fire and Rescue.

The county has received a grant for 75 percent of the cost, and Emergency Management Agency Director Bill Collum recommended the county contribute its 25 percent in the form of groundwork preparation at the site.

The proposed shelter would be identical to the one recently constructed in Maplesville, Collum said, and is part of a plan to make shelters accessible within a 10-minute drive of every county resident.

In other business, the commission discussed the closing of County Road 73 so road department workers can install new drainage pipes at two sites under the road, which became hazardous over the cold, wet winter.

Assistant Engineer Matt Epperson said a section of 73, just north of the intersection with County Road 107, would be closed beginning Wednesday morning and would reopen Thursday at the latest.

Motorists traveling north will be detoured out 107 to Jemison, then north on Highway 31 and Highway 155 toward Montevallo. Going south, the detour will be west on County Road 2 to Highway 139, south all the way to Randolph and then back east on County Road 36.

Another section of 73 will be closed beginning May 17. Detours will use the 2-139-Highway 25 route.