Eighteen area law enforcement and emergency personnel are completing an advanced hazmat training course at Andalusia’s law enforcement training center this week.
Police Chief Wilbur Williams said instructors from Jefferson State Community College in Birmingham received grant funding from the transportation department and the state Emergency Management Agency to train emergency personnel across the state.
Williams said the training would have cost $650 per person plus travel expenses.
Members of the APD, Andalusia Fire Department, Covington County Sheriff’s Department, Covington County EMA, and Luverne Police Department are participating.
Williams said the training is important, given the number of rail cars and 18-wheelers that pass through town.
“Inevitably, some of them are hauling hazardous materials,” he said.
Law enforcement officers also encounter hazardous materials in meth labs, he said.
At one time, COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) had funding for cleaning up meth labs. But in the first round of federal budget cuts when Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the government operational, those funds went away.
Covington County already has a disaster response van, he said, which makes local personnel more prepared than those who depended solely on the feds for clean-up.
“We don’t see the super labs, like in Mexico and the desert,” Williams sai
The Covington County Economic Development Commission is once again planning a meet and greet cookout celebration at the State Capitol, April 28, 2011 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The purpose of the event is to give our County the opportunity to develop and strengthen relationships with the State Legislators and staff members for future events and needs of Covington County.
Again this year, our plans are to have a tent set up on the Capitol grounds and serve grilled sausage dogs, chips and beverages to the State Legislators and their staff members.
The Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce will charter a bus for the Covington County Day on Capitol Hill. Riders will meet at the Chamber to depart for Montgomery at 8 a.m.
Cost will be $30 per person. Anyone who would like to travel via a chartered bus should call the Chamber at 222-2030.
The grounds of Springdale will be overrun with school age children as the City of Andalusia hosts Easter egg hunts this week. On Tuesday, students of Bright Beginnings Preschool were the first to hunt for eggs. For more glimpses of these would-be golden egg finders, see the Saturday Lifestyles section of The Star-News.
All county and municipal officials said their respective entities have completed the appropriate paperwork to be a part of multidistrict litigation (MDL) resulting from last year’s oil spill.
A New Orleans federal court is overseeing litigation against companies involved in the oil spill. A February 2012 trial will determine whether Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that exploded a year ago this week, and other defendants, including BP, can limit what it pays claimants under Maritime law.
Local governments had until yesterday to complete the paperwork. Those who did not complete paperwork cannot later file lawsuits or be a part of any settlements.
The Andalusia City Council voted Tuesday to join the suit. Mayor Earl Johnson, who is also an attorney, explained that by agreeing to be a part of the MDL, the city was not filing a suit. Instead, he said, the city was ensuring that it would receive a portion of any awards to the state if it is determined that the city indeed lost tax revenue as a result of the oil spill.
County administrator Brenda Petty said the commission has also agreed to join the MDL and is claiming the loss of sales and lodging tax revenues during the period April 20, 2010, through April 19, 2011.
“Covington County has two major routes from north Alabama to the Gulf Coast beaches – I-65 South to FL Hwy. 189 through Andalusia and U.S. Hwy. 331 South though Opp and Florala,” the claim read. “Tourist traffic was significantly diminished during the referenced period, resulting in lost sales and lodging tax revenues for the Covington County Commission. Also, Covington County individuals and or/businesses who lost income due to employment interests along the coast (fishing, boat excursions, etc.) were not financially able to spend money in our local economy.”
Wesley Laird, city attorney for the cities of Florala and Opp, said both entities are also participating.
“It would be foolish not to since those participating can take advantage of the court’s findings against all parties responsible,” Laird said.
Local officials said they opted into the suit in the hopes of recouping some lost tourism dollars as a result of the oil spill.
The River Falls Street project could be finished weeks earlier than the contractor’s 210-day contract allows, Tim Ramsden of CDG Engineers told members of the Andalusia City Council Tuesday.
The original contract allowed 210 work days for completion. Days of inclement weather don’t county against the contractor, Ramsden explained. Work began on June 21, 2010, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 1, 2011.
As of March 21, he said, workers had used 170 days, or 81 percent of the time charges allowed.
Ramsden said Wiregrass Construction Co., which won the $3 million bid, expects to be finished by the end of May.
“This could happen, but I’m guessing some time in early June,” Ramsden said. He said there is curb and gutter work yet to be done, and the final step will be the finishing layer of pavement from the bypass to Church Street.
The council also agreed to file the necessary papers to be a party of legal action the attorney general might bring against BP for tax revenue lost as a result of last year’s oil spill. The deadline to file is today.
In other business, the council:
• Met in closed session to discuss the potential sale of city-owned property.
• Approved an on- and off-premise beer and wine license for Sugar Rush.
• Announced openings on the South Central Alabama Mental Health board and the Planning Commission.