The Selma Times-Journal

Enthusiasm filled the eyes of those attending the Valley Grande council meeting on Monday night with the discussion of the future Valley Grande Town Square.

The council unanimously agreed to authorize Mayor Tom Lee to enter into a contract with Thompson Engineering of Montgomery to develop the city’s approximate 90 acres of land on Spring Valley Road, adjacent to the Valley Grande Baptist Church.

“It’s a plan for something great,” said Lee.

On July 24, the council and a handful of citizens gathered at the town’s City Hall for a planning session with Thompson Engineering’s Senior Business Development Manager CAE, Barry Mask.

Mask presented those present with an overview of the company’s planning process and an approximate price tag of $25,000 plus expenses, which are estimated around $2,500 to $3,000.

The timeline to complete the plan is 65-75 days.

The first public meeting with the engineering company and council is set for Sept. 14.

“This will be a community action,” said Lee.

Lee reported that the two most requested developments have been a movie theater and a “nice restaurant.”

Lee also reported being told that Valley Grande is the new hope for Dallas County.

“Whatever we do in Valley Grande will be reflected in Dallas County,” said Lee.

In old business, the council unanimously agreed to donate $2,304 to Dallas County High School for a book-binding machine.

According to DCHS principal Don Ingram, the students could use the machine to bind sports books, cookbooks, short stories, etc.

“We felt like this could be a good fundraiser, plus it would encourage these kids as far as their creativity, as far as creating projects, marketing this book and that sort of thing,” said Ingram.

Also representing DCHS was librarian Cynthia Moore, who had presented an earlier request to the council for funds for reference materials for the library.

The reference materials totaled $6,500.

The council unanimously agreed to grant the funding.

In new business, Gaylen Denson, representing Martin Middle School, requested funding for the school’s baseball and softball fields. According to Denson, the fields will be designed to meet the guidelines of high school fields.

The Council unanimously agreed to grant the school approximately $5,000 – half of the remaining funds allotted for school donations.

In other business:

Patsy Moore reported Spivey Lawn Service will charge $1,800 to spray ten acres of kudzu – part of which is the future walking trail. Spraying will start today. A second spray will follow in two weeks. The first phase of the clearing is done.

More trees have to come out.

Council unanimously agreed to waive permit fee for Praise Park Ministries Nazarene Church.

Lee reported that AlaTax auditors found over $3,000 in misappropriated sales taxes belonging to Valley Grande from Thompson Supply Company.

Lee reported a positive cash flow for July and being in the black for the year.