By JOYANNA LOVE/Senior Staff Writer

The Clanton City Council unanimously approved committing $157,500 to a splash pad project, if a grant application is approved, during a meeting on Dec. 10.

The city has applied for a Land and Water Conservation Fund Program grant, which would cover 50 percent of the estimated $300,000 cost.

The grant program is overseen by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and uses funds from the National Parks Service.

The project is contingent on receiving the grant.

Renovations to the tennis courts have also been discussed. Mayor Billy Joe Driver opened bids for the project at the meeting. American Tennis was the only company to bid for the project. Two no bid letters were also received. The discussion was tabled until another meeting, so the bid could be reviewed in detail.

Industrial Development Board director Whitney Barlow presented the City Council with a copy of a joint proposal for the City of Clanton/ Chilton County industrial park on Interstate 65, Exit 212.

“A couple of years ago you went into an endeavor with the county, and you purchased approximately 570 acres out at Exit 212 … and in that agreement, you made with the county at the time you agreed to split everything 50/50,” Barlow said. “What we are just trying to do is get that agreement on paper.”

The agreement was presented to the Chilton County Commission during its meeting on Dec. 11. Barlow asked each governing body to review the agreement and approve it at their next meeting. Under the agreement, costs and revenue would be divided evenly between the City of Clanton and the County Commission. A CPA would be hired to review these numbers.

“We are planning on creating authorities as projects start to grow at the industrial park, and once those authorities are created, the bylaws governing those authorities will incorporate this,” Barlow said.

Some of these oversight authorities are required by state law, such as an agricultural authority. Barlow said the specific authorities and what they will do would be discussed at a later date, likely in a joint meeting. She also asked the governing bodies to begin thinking about people that would be good to serve on these authority boards.

Any discussions about potential industries in the park would be discussed in an executive session before any announcements are made publically.

Also during the meeting,

• Margie Littleton presented information about starting a Hometown Heroes program to honor locals who have served in the military with banners downtown. Littleton said the banners would be similar to those used for the Sesquicentennial Celebration. While the program would be funded through family members or friends purchasing banners in honor of a military service person, Littleton was asking the city to agree to have city employees put up and take down the banners. She also asked that application information be put on the City of Clanton website.

“I don’t think any of us up here is opposed to it,” Councilman Awlahjaday Agee said. “It just comes down to logistics.”

Council members asked several questions about who would oversee the program and how funds would be handled. Littleton offered to oversee the program for the first year.

The topic was tabled for further discussion at a later date.

• The City Council approved paying a bill for $29,000.