By J.R. Tidwell / Editor

The Clanton Housing Authority board of directors recently decided to honor one of its members for his longstanding service to the group.

The group voted to name a newly renovated maintenance building in honor of Steve Mims, who has served on the housing authority board for over 25 years.

A ceremony was held at the location on March 22 to officially unveil the plaque dedicating the building in Mims’ honor.

Members of the Clanton City Council and Clanton Housing Authority were on hand for the event.

The building is located on Thompson Avenue in Clanton just across the street from the Clanton Police Department’s North Precinct.

“Sometimes a building will be dedicated to someone,” said housing authority executive director Ron Jones. “We built an addition to this building last year and added security fence. “

“Then the idea came about that we had never named the building. The idea came up at a board meeting that we name the building in dedication of Mr. Mims’ long service.”

According to Jones, the housing authority uses the building to hold equipment, vehicles and other necessities.

“It is our maintenance building,” he said. “We store our supplies and our maintenance trucks there. It is used to store equipment and keep vehicles out of the weather.”

Mims said he has lived here in Chilton County “all [his] life.” He works at Peoples Southern Bank in Clanton.

“It’s an honor to have that building dedicated in my name,” he said. “This is a good group of people.”

Jones said the Clanton Housing Authority maintains and rents 178 units of public, low income housing.

“We have 50 unites here on Thompson [Avenue] designated for elderly and disabled people,” he said. “We have 128 family units that we manage, too. We have 130 units here, then 48 in West End. We rent the apartments, maintain them and do improvements.

“Currently on [Thompson Avenue], we are putting in central heating and air in the elderly and disabled units. That is our current capital funding project. We have completed 24, and we expect to have the entire 50 done in the next three months.”

Jones said it feels “wonderful” to be able to name the authority’s building after Mims.

“I feel great about it,” he said. “It was a way we could do a little something for him for spending 25 years of his life being a board member. He was appreciative, and it was a surprise. I’m glad we could do it in honor of his longstanding service.”