Working together

THE ISSUE

Sheffield and Tuscumbia are wisely looking for areas in which they can cooperate to save money on essential services and provide a good level of services to residents.

It started with an agreement to go forward with plans for a jointly operated senior citizens center. Now, Sheffield and Tuscumbia officials are exploring other areas of cooperation with an eye towards reducing costs and maintaining essential services.

But don't call it a merger ploy; it's not. What officials are looking at are ways to combine efforts for the benefit of both cities.

Neither Colbert County town has much money for big projects such as paving or construction of new water treatment plants. The water situation may be the driving force behind the renewed interest in sharing resources and pooling the small amount of extra money that is available.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management may issue stricter water treatment guidelines in the not too distant future. If it does, Sheffield and Tuscumbia could find themselves in an expensive dilemma. Both cities have old water treatment plants that probably are beyond upgrading, and neither plant could significantly expand its capacity, which could pose problems accommodating population and business growth.

There have been talks in the past about combining water treatment operations, but the reality of stricter guidelines could force the issue.

City officials are also discussing wastewater treatment operations and electric operations.

On a smaller scale, sharing heavy equipment is an option under consideration. The savings in that area alone could be significant over a long period of time.

More jobs are coming to our community with the construction of National Alabama, a railcar manufacturer that will employ up to 1,800 people at Barton Riverfront Industrial Park. Those jobs mean more people will be moving to the Shoals, too. Sheffield and Tuscumbia must be in position to provide what new residents - as well as longtime residents - expect from local government. Given the state of the two towns' budgets, anything that can be provided jointly should put them in a better position to attract new businesses.

The new-found spirit of cooperation is

refreshing.