The Brundidge City Council has until March 20 to decide whether to accept a low interest loan from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). The loan would be used to install electronic meter reading and water tank stabilizing systems. The ADECA loan would be in the amount of $975,000 and would be payable over a 20-year period.

Max Mobley of PolyEngineering in Dothan discussed the loan options with the city council at its Tuesday meeting and said that the fuse is short because, if the city decides to accept the loan, a public hearing is required as is a 30-day notice.

“It’s a good project,” Mobley said. “The city is strong and the water system is in good shape. The interest on the loan would be around 2.6 to 2.7 percent but would not be set until the bond is closed.”

Mayor Jimmy Ramage said the “Green” money would make it possible for the city to read the water meters electronically as well as the water tank systems.

“Then the water pressure in all the tanks could be kept level,” Ramage said. “We could also bring the water tower at the Wal-Mart DC into play. This would be good for all our water system customers.”

Ramage said the council has discussed the possibility of also installing an electronic meter reading system for the city’s electric department if a decision is made to accept the Green loan and install the electronic meter reading system for the water department.

“The computers and the main frame would be in place and the upgrade to the electric department would cost around $300,000, bringing the total cost of both upgrades to $1.3 million,” the mayor said.

The council did not discuss the “Green” loan at its Tuesday meeting. But a decision will have to be made at its next meeting to make the May 1 project deadline.

In other business, the council voted to re-bid the Lighting Grant Project for the city’s additional LED lights.

“We need to look at the specs again to make sure that the lighting will provide the safety and security that we want to afford our citizens,” Ramage said.

The council voted to give permission to Verizon to install new antennas at its tower off Highway 231.

The Brundidge City Council meets at 4 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at Brundidge City Hall. The meetings are open to the public.