Lanett extends airport contract

Published 9:00 am Wednesday, December 18, 2019

LANETT — In their final regular meeting of the year Monday, the Lanett City Council awarded a contract for extending the Lanett airport, hired a grant writer for Phase IV of the downtown streetscape project, reappointed Bobby Williams as the city’s representative on the Chattahoochee Valley Water Supply District’s board of directors and backed a proclamation recognizing January 2020 at Human Trafficking Month in the city.

Goodwin, Mills & Cawood of Montgomery has been awarded the contract for engineering services for the airport project. The firm will receive a fee of about $550,000.

The Lanett airport has been closed while the runway is being lengthened from its former length of 3,100 feet to 4,400 feet in Phase I  to around 5,400 feet in Phase II. More than $8 million in Federal Aviation Administration funds have been approved for the project. The city is also building a new terminal, which will include offices for the Chambers County Development Authority (CCDA).

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Louise Campbell of the L.P. Campbell Company has been named the project director of Phase IV of the streetscape project. A Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) approved for this final phase of the North Lanier Avenue project includes $17,000. Should an Appalachian Regional Commission Grant that’s been applied for be approved for this same project, the contract for the project director would be amended by an increase of an additional $3,000.

The council is considering continuing streetscape improvements along First Street, running from the junction with Highway 29 to the intersection of South 8th Avenue, across from W.O. Lance Elementary School.

Mayor Kyle McCoy thanked Bobby Williams on the job he has done in representing the city and all parties served by the water supply district in his tenure on the board.

“He’s going to be chairman next year,” McCoy said. “His experience is unmatched. I know we will be having continued upgrades with our water in the future.”

The proclamation on human trafficking notes that somewhere between 600,00 and 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year. Most of these victims are women and children who have been marginalized and isolated from society.

“The difficulty in grasping the full scope of this problem is further compounded when people turn a blind eye to it,” the proclamation reads. “We must work together as a community so that human traffickers are punished to protect and assist their victims. Through the vigilance and perseverance of our citizens, effective enforcement of justice will someday be a reality.”

McCoy recognized Chambers County Commissioner Sam Bradford and commended him on the work being done by the county’s census committee.

“We are trying to get the word out every way we can about how important it will be to count every person,” Bradford said. “Be mindful of the fact that there’s $1,600 in grant funding for every person counted. You will lose that for the ones who don’t get counted.”

The mayor and members of the council took turns wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Fire & EMS Chief Johnny Allen said that Santa will be coming through Lanett aboard a fire truck at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. He wanted to make sure everyone gives him a warm welcome.

The mayor and council congratulated Coach Clifford Story and the Lanett High football team on having won their second state championship in the past three years on Dec. 5 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn.

“I appreciate Lanett High students on being so well mannered,” Councilwoman Angelia Thomas said. “I’m glad to have them in Lanett. Our students, administrators and students represent our city so well.”

McCoy congratulated Superintendent Jennifer Boyd on her recent promotion by the Lanett City School Board of Education.

“I also want to thank Council Member (and W.O. Lance Elementary Principal) Jamie Heard on having been a positive influence on children for so many years,” McCoy said.

Taken by surprise by that, Councilman Heard nodded and smiled in appreciation.