LANETT – The city of Lanett and Louise Pryor Campbell, owner of the L.P. Campbell Company, have agreed on a contract to continue writing grants for the town through Dec. 21, 2019. The resolution was announced Monday night at the Lanett City Council meeting.

Campbell will be paid an annual non-refundable flat fee of $11,000 to be paid in two equal installments, according to the agreement.

Lanett Mayor Kyle McCoy said most grant writers work on the percentage of the actual grant, so after the grant is awarded, the person who did the writing receives usually about 10 percent. He said if the city chose that route with Campbell, it would have owed her about $80,000 due to funds received for the downtown project.

The downtown beautification project has consisted of replacing sidewalks and planting trees to create an aesthetically pleasing area, as well as making it more walkable.

As for Campbell’s contract, she will get paid by the city to write any and all grants for the city for that fee.

“It is easier for the city and cheaper for the citizens,” McCoy said. “It allows us to put more of the grant money toward the projects than paying someone.”

McCoy said when he became mayor, he wanted to get the best grant writer in the state, which is why he pursued Campbell because of her track record. However, he said it wasn’t just a matter of her performing work for the city.

He said when the two sides got together Campbell was interviewing the city just as much as McCoy was interviewing her. He said both felt like it was a good match, as evident by the work completed already.

Although her office is in Atlanta, Campbell has performed work for the city of LaFayette, Opelika and cities all throughout Alabama.

Currently, the city of Lanett is also working on a grant for a new road out to the Lanett Municipal Airport and a grant to replace water lines throughout the city that provide drinking water. Additionally, the city is working on obtaining funds for Phase 4 of the beautification project, which will be the east side of downtown consisting of Cherry Street and 12th Street and parts of 1st Street, McCoy said.

Phases 1 and 2 of the project are completed, and Phase 3, which will be from City Hall to Cherry Drive, has already been approved.