LANETT — Phases One and Two have been completed for the downtown streetscape project, and the City of Lanett is now proceeding with the third phase.

On Monday, the city council awarded a contract to low bidder Chris Clark for Phase Three, which will extend along the west side of North Lanier Avenue from the bridge over Tanyard Creek to Cherry Drive. The east side will be Phase Four, and plans are to do that at a later date.

The bid offered by Chris Clark Grading & Paving in Lanett was the lowest amount of three competitive bids at $324,151 and is under what the city had budgeted for it. Work will begin in the first quarter of 2019 and should be finished in 60 days. It will extend the appearance of Phases One and Two with wide sidewalks and decorative lighting.

In other business at Monday’s council meeting, a resolution was approved for the city to participate in the upcoming severe weather preparedness tax holiday. It will start at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, and extend to midnight on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019. Sales taxes will be suspended on the purchase of items that are needed in the event of storms (batteries, flashlights, weather radios, rain gear, etc.). The sales tax holiday is allowed by a state law that was enacted in 2012, the year after a tornado outbreak killed hundreds of people in Alabama. Cities and counties are free to participate in the holiday but must notify the Alabama Department of Revenue of their participation by Jan. 22, 2019.

“I want everyone to have a happy Thanksgiving,” said Council Member Charles Looser. “The weather forecast calls for a sunny day. That’s good. I wish the Lanett Panthers well in their big football game Friday night.”

“I’m proud of our football team for what they have done this year and War Eagle,” said Council Member Shirley Motley.

Mayor Kyle McCoy asked Electric Department Superintendent David DeLee when the Christmas lights would be up.

He said they’d be up by Tuesday on the major roads in the city and that several other streets would be done later.

The mayor said the next council meeting would take place Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. EST on the playground across from W.O. Lance Elementary School and everyone’s invited. The annual Christmas tree lighting will be taking place at that time.

“It will be a fun-filled evening for the whole family,” McCoy said. “We’ll have food vendors with popcorn, hot dogs and cotton candy. We’ll have that big Christmas card up again in Veterans’ Park.”

As part of a Chamber of Commerce promotion, Lanett, West Point, Valley and LaFayette had the big Christmas cards up in prominent places in the local cities.