Photo courtesy of Discover Shelby.
Shelby County Commission was recently selected by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to participate in the Recreational Trails Program project to construct 12 miles of multi-use trails creating connections to existing trails and promoting a stack-loop system at Double Oak Park.
The grant program funded through ADECA is limited to funding a maximum of 80 percent of the proposed cost of the project, which is estimated at $571,429. The county will accept the funding assistance provided totaling $350,000 from ADECA and provide the required match of 38.75 percent totaling $221,429. Those funds will come from the county’s lodging tax revenues and/or in-kind labor labor services from Shelby County and the project partners.
“We are utilizing federal funds coming to the feds through the state then to us,” said County Manager Chad Scroggins. “Christie Hester has worked her magic once again. About 12 months ago we opened that park with kind of a spine of a system that’s been heavily used. Trey [Gauntt] and Jack Aured [trail builder] have designed a really nice flow that will utilize these funds to build and improve quality of life through this particular system. It’s already been extremely popular.”
The main part of Double Oak Park is located on CR-43, but does connect over Dunnavant Valley Park, Scroggins said. This will have trails to the top of the ridge with scenic views. Another trail will start at the bottom of the CR-43 side and go up a creek, bridge over and come back down the creek.
Commissioner Kevin Morris said that once this grant was awarded, because his name was on it, he got a lot of feedback from the legislative group, including the house and senate, congratulating the commission and thanking them for the county’s partnership at the state level with them.
“They were head over heels thanking us for continuing to look for these resources to expand the areas that really matter to our local citizens,” Morris said.
Juvenile court update
Erin B. Welborn, Shelby County’s Juvenile Court Judge addressed the commission during the Oct. 23 meeting and gave an update since taking office nine months ago.
“It’s important for me to share something positive in our community with our leaders and to share what we’ve been able to do and accomplish,” Welborn said.
The caseload was originally over 2,000 cases and Welborn has gotten the caseload down to 788. That includes all things juvenile (dependency, delinquency). She has also taken over the minor in possession docket (vaping docket), one-fifth of the domestic relations docket, all child support cases and half of small claims.
“Our numbers are really low, it’s very manageable, and we’re getting a lot of good positive feedback,” Welborn said.
She shared about the newly formed accountability court for truancy (kids who are not going to school) to identify those kids and their families by partnering with the school system to intervene. It’s a 36-week program where the students come to the court every week for a check in on their attendance and grades.
Welborn added that since school started, we have kids that are showing up for school and passing every class that have never done that.
“We couldn't shine this brightly without your support, your partnership with us,” Welborn said. “I appreciate all that you do and we are making the best of the resources that you do afford us and we are appreciative of all of it.”
