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Commission exploring purchase of parking lot


By Tom Smith
Senior Staff Writer

Published: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, May 12, 2008 at 11:14 p.m.

Lauderdale County commissioners began a process Monday that they hope will result in easing overcrowded parking conditions at the courthouse.

A quick look
  • The issue: Lack of parking at the Lauderdale County Courthouse
  • What's new: The commission has started the process to explore the possible purchase of an extra parking lot on College Street.
  • What's next: County attorney Chris Smith will present his fact-finding results on the possible purchase to the commission at an upcoming work session.

    • The commission instructed county attorney Chris Smith to explore the possibility of purchasing the parking lot at the corner of Seminary Street and College Street. The lot is owned by First Southern Bank and contains 83 parking spaces, said Commissioner Larry Irons.

    When the city of Florence and the county agreed to jointly purchase the former First Southern Bank building at the intersection of Court Street and Tennessee Street, the entities were given the first right of refusal clause for the purchase of the parking lot.

    Mitchell said the bank has been shopping the parking lot around and an offer of $250,000 has been made for its purchase. He said the purchase price has a 60-day option.

    "(Florence) has declined to participate in the purchase," said Commission Chairman Dewey Mitchell, who also serves as the county's probate judge.

    County administrator Jenoice Bevis said Smith will be obtaining information on the possible purchase and bring that information back for the commission to consider.

    "This is just the first step; what Chris is going to be doing is fact-finding as this is considered by the commission," Bevis said.

    Mitchell said the commission had discussed using the parking lot, if the county makes the purchase, as an employee parking lot.

    "We are landlocked (at the courthouse). There is no other place for people to park or visit the courthouse," said Commissioner William Smith. "This could be very beneficial to everyone."

    There are 179 parking spaces inside the courthouse parking lot.

    "If we added this other parking lot, and counting the street parking and other areas, that would give us 425-450 available parking spaces around the courthouse and city hall area," Irons said.

    Mitchell said the purchase would be an investment in the future.

    "Parking is a scarce commodity and will continue to be. So, this is a chance for us to help that parking problem in the long term," Mitchell said.

    Smith is expected to report back to the commission with his findings within the next few weeks.

    In other action, the commission unanimously:

  • declared the month of May as Disabled Americans Month.

  • adopted the week of May 11-May 17 as National Tourism Week.

  • rescheduled the next meeting for May 27 because May 26 is the Memorial Day holiday.

  • appointed Darlene Ballard to the Florence-Lauderdale Port Authority with the term being immediate and ending July 2011.

  • accepted a bid of $11,460 from MG Roofing for work at the old Red Cross building.

  • approved $540 to purchase wood flooring for Judge Carole Medley's office.

  • rejected bids for cutting timber on property at the landfill.

  • approved a bid of $121,371.70 from Shotcrete of America, of Florence, for construction of a concrete culvert on Stoney Point Road (Lauderdale 24).

    Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.


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