Project FRESH reveal set for Thursday

Published 11:00 pm Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Come Thursday, the City of Troy will have some big news to announce about Project FRESH.

Mayor Jimmy Lunsford told the council and members of the public gathered at Tuesday’s meeting that all are invited to 101 Hudson St. in the old industrial park of Henderson Highway at 10 a.m .Thursday for the much-anticipated economic development announcement.

“There will be a big announcement,” he said, adding that Gov. Robert Bentley will be on hand for the announcement.

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The city has been working with the Pike County Economic Development Corp. to bring a new industry and some 150 jobs to Troy. Officials have remained publicly mum about the details of the industry, opting to wait until the announcement when all the terms have been finalized.

On Tuesday, council members approved another resolution addressing the incentives offered to the industry and the terms of the agreement. The council members also went into executive session during their work session to discuss the terms of the Project FRESH proposal and another industrial development prospect, which Lunsford dubbed Project RENEW.

“We’ll have more on that as it develops,” he said during the work session.

In other business on Tuesday, the council:

• Approved a resolution to take bids for the removal of the Colley Senior Complex Annex (also known as the Collier House). The structure must be removed to make way for a new nutrition center, which is being funded in part by a $250,000 grant. Jason Reeves, the only council member to vote against the resolution, explained that the decision to move the house was a difficult one. “Basically we have a $250,000 grant that we can’t use unless we remove the house,” he said. “But the house is being used now for programs of the Colley Complex …

“If the nutrition center is going to be adjacent to the senior center, the house has to go. Although it’s not ideal to say the least, it’s where we are.”

• Gave the mayor authority to pursue a grant from ADECA to provide for a three-phase energy efficient lighting and signal improvement project. The project would fund LED lights and upgrades along South Brundidge Street; upgrades to the downtown square lighting; and improvements to the lighting at the recreation center. The city will provide some $97,000 in in-kind support and is seeking more than $200,000 from the state.

• Approved the purchase of an excavator from Thompson Tractor Co. for $108,503.33.

• Adopted the Pike County Multi Hazards Mitigation Plan, which was drafted and presented by the Pike County EMA staff.

• Approved the abandonment of an undeveloped alleyway near Brundidge Boulevard at the site of the old Superior Molding company. The move was recommended by the Planning Commission.

• Approved the removal of weeds a residence at 315 Trojan Way.

• Declared weeds a nuisance at a residence at 103 Norfolk Ave.

• Approved the hiring of Goodwyn Mills and Cawood of Montgomery to draft plans for the new public works facility to be located at the industrial park and the new nutrition center.

• Approved a resolution to pay $500 to Power South Energy Corp. to cover costs associated with installing 30 feet of sewer line along the company’s right of way.

• Heard from the mayor that ADECA had committed at least $500,000 to help fund sewer improvements prompted by Project FRESH