Guests gathered at the DalevilleConvention Center on September24, 2009 for the 3rd AnnualMeeting of SEARP&DC. Mrs. DoniIngram, Director of ADECA wasthe guest speaker. The meetingwas made possible by the follow-ing sponsors: Alabama PowerCompany, CDG Engineers,Covington Electric Co - Op,Northstar Engineering Services,

Southeast Alabama Regional Planningand Development Commission

VOL. 21 ISSUE 2 DOTHAN, ALABAMA 36302 WWW.SEARPDC.ORG FALL 2009

SSSSEEEEAAAARRRRPPPP&&&&DDDDCCCC 3333rrrrdddd AAAAnnnnnnnnuuuuaaaallll MMMMeeeeeeeetttt iiiinnnnggggSeptember 24, 2009 -Daleville Alabama

Pea River Electric Co-Op, PraestareEngineering, South AlabamaElectric Co-Op, Wiregrass ElectricCo-Op Inc., Polyengineering,David Hicks & Associates, DMDEngineers, Goodwyn Mills, andCawood Inc., Covington CountyEconomic DevelopmentCommission, Peters MunicipalAssociates, and the Dothan AreaChamber of Commerce.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSBOARD OF DIRECTORS

*Executive CommitteeJay Jaxon BARBOURG. Berry Forte*Rebecca BeasleyEarl GilmoreW. Roy Crow*, Immediate Past ChairmanHenry Franklin, Alternate

Al Britt COFFEEKenneth BoswellJames GrimesGladys YelvertonRobert Stephens*, ChairmanRoss Cotter, Alternate

Bernard Stewart COVINGTONC. L. Kirkpatrick*David LindseyDavid EllisJason JewellGreg White, Alternate

Billy Blackwell DALEWess Etheredge*, 1st Vice ChairmanEunice HaglerJulie Jones, Secretary/TreasurerKurt McDanielDiane Marshall, Alternate

Rob Hinson GENEVAWilliam J. Paul, Ex Officio/Legal CounselErnest L. SmithFred HamicMichael LangfordJoseph Johnson, Alternate

Gregory Reynolds HENRYRoger MoneyRoger ScottJoAnn SmithMary Ethel Williams*Karen Scott, Alternate

Matt Parker HOUSTONMark Culver*, 2nd Vice ChairmanDon McCleodCharles DismukeMike SchmitzTol Dozier, Alternate

STSTAFF -AFF -Thomas B. Solomon-Executive Director;Economic Development -Emily Waters,Director; Rachel Armstrong; Glenda Chancey Community Development - Scott Farmer,Director; David Lebert; Glenda ChanceyHead Start - Ron Holliman, Director;Martha Lisenby; Pat Nobles; StephanieDawsey; Jackie DanielsSenior Employment - Barbara Knight,Director; Richard DevoreWiregrass Transit - John Sorrell, Director;Tony Knight; Roberta Simmons; StephaniePennywellFiscal Department - Faye Moring, Director;Mark Williams; Natalie Cook; Sharon Barry;Martha Denson; Jessie Moring

Penny Rotolo, Human ResourcesSarah Hesters, Information Technology

“Fiscal Year 2008-2009 In Review”

Looking back on a few highlighted activities of theCommission over the past fiscal year…..The Community and Economic DevelopmentDepartments had a record setting year submitting fifty-five (55) projects for regional community and economicdevelopment. A total of $15,800,000.00 in grant applica-tions was submitted to various federal and state agencies.

This represents an increase of 57% in grant volume overthe FY 2007-2008 total of $6,758,373.00. Over $4,000,000.00 of thesegrants have been approved and we are awaiting additional announce-ments on a number of others. This sets a new record total for grant applica-tions submitted in one fiscal year by the Commission in its 40-year history.Congratulations to Economic Development Specialist II, Rachel Armstrong,who completed her certification through the National DevelopmentCouncil as an Economic Development Finance Professional. The Wiregrass Transit Authority has been selected by the NationalAssociation of Development Organizations (NADO) as a recipient of anational 2009 Excellence in Regional Transportation Award for the DixieDepot. Winning projects will be announced in the NADO News, theRural Transportation Newsletter and in future NADO publications andevents. Also, SEARP&DC and the other 11 members of the AlabamaAssociation of Regional Councils won a NADO national award for theHuman Services Coordinated Transportation Planning Project. JohnSorrell, WTA Manager and I will go to Savannah, Georgia to the NADONational Rural Transportation Peer Learning Conference in late Octoberto accept the awards.The Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) assessment phasehas been completed. This planning study has been ongoing for the past18 months conducting a long range land use planning assessment of FortRucker’s military base facilities and surrounding land use patterns. A finalreport on this project will be completed and submitted to the Office ofEconomic Adjustment in the U.S. Department of Defense next month.SEARP&DC will begin the implementation phase of this project this fallworking with regional communities and Fort Rucker officials on projectstrategies for compatible growth for Fort Rucker to support its importantmilitary and economic mission in Southeast Alabama.The Head Start program continued its important service delivery activitieswithin the six Head Start centers in Andalusia, Eufaula, Florala, Geneva,Headland and Opp. This past year this program provided educational,health, nutritional and social services to 337 pre-school children, ages 3to 5 enrolled in this program. SEARP&DC paid gross payroll wages in excess of $2.9 million to 316employees.

Best Wishes,

Tom Solomon,Executive Director

FALL 2009 REGIONAL REPORT PAGE 3

The Town of Grimes is completing work on a State ofAlabama Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)project funded through the Alabama Department ofEconomic and Community Affairs (ADECA) for streetimprovements in the Canterbury Subdivision, County Road25 and J. Steele Road. According to Grimes Mayor Frankie Adkins, the Town ofGrimes utilized the CDBG grant and local funds totaling$274,500 to completely revitalize streets in the CanterburySubdivision, that will directly benefit about 400 residents inGrimes. “This project is a tremendous improvement for theresidents living in our town. The streets that are being resur-faced in the Canterbury Subdivision have not been properlyimproved since the 1970’s. We are also installing new safetyfeatures including speed humps, new street signs and trafficmarkings for the safety of our residents there.This projectwill greatly enhance the quality of life for our residents formany years to come” said Mayor Adkins.The Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and DevelopmentCommission (SEARP&DC) assisted the Town of Grimes withthe development of the CDBG grant funding application andprovided grant administration. Lewis Inc. of Headland wasthe general contractor and project engineering services wereprovided by Praestare Engineers of Dothan.

Town of Grimes and Local Officials gather to view the new street improvements inthe Canterbury Subdivision along Old Town Road on September 3.

L-R: Mayor Frankie Adkins, Councilman Ted Guthrie, Jody Solomon, PraestareEngineers, Councilman Ray Adkins, Councilman Grady Bryant, Councilman JamesAndrews, Grimes Town Clerk Phillip Horne, Tom Solomon, SEARP&DC, Alan Parker,Praestare Engineers, Calvin Knighton, Lewis Inc., Councilman Samuel Hollis.

STATE OF ALABAMA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS STREETIMPROVEMENTS FOR THE TOWN OF GRIMESTHE TOWN OF GRIMES

Pictured above is Friar Road before thepaving project.

Pictured above is Friar Road after thecompletion of the paving project.

The Revolving Loan Fund Program recently assisted anew business locating in the Downtown DothanBusiness District. 3 G’s Girls Gone Green, Inc. is asmall environmentally friendly dine outside/carryoutrestaurant. Their specialty will be hotdogs shippedfrom Buffalo, New York. The hotdots will be madefrom the cuts of pork and beef in an all-natural casing.The menu will consist of chargrilled hotdogs and ham-burgers, homemade coleslaw, sweet potato fries, curlyfries, onion rings, seasonal brownies, beverages andmuch more.

The business is owned by Ms. BettyTomlin. According to Ms.Tomlin, “the restaurant willopen in mid-October. Thishas been a long process,but we can finally see thelight at the end of the tun-nel.” The total projectcost was over $130,000and approximately 3 to 4jobs will be created as aresult of the project.

3 G’s is located at 184 SouthOates Street (the corner ofOates and Crawford Street). Therecently remodeled building offers a

very nice and inviting outdoor atmosphere withbeautiful landscaping including benches and awaterfall. The hours of operation will beMonday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ifyou live in Dothan or are just visiting, weencourage you to try them out and support alocally owned business. SEARP&DC wishesMs. Tomlin the best of luck!

PAGE4 REGIONAL REPORT FALL 2009

Emily Waters, EconomicDevelopment DirectorEmily can be reached at 334-794-4093 ext. 1414 or

ewaters@searpdc.org

HOT DOG!HOT DOG! ....Another business locates in Downtown Dothan

Several Streets Get Repaved in Elba

The City of Elba is in the process of completing a street paving projectalong the following streets: Brown Street, Edgewood Street, FuquaStreet, Taylor Street, Clark Street, Ellenburg Street, Gordon Street, CarverStreet, Stoudemire Street, Caroline Street, Drayton Street, SunsetBoulevard, Morrow Avenue, and Johnson Avenue. The project includ-ed the paving of a total of fourteen streets. Total project costs were$526,355. This project would not have been possible without fundingassistance from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community

Affairs. The City ofElba received aCommunityDevelopment BlockGrant (CDBG) program award of $410,100. Elba provided the bal-ance of the project cost through local matching funds. TheSEARP&DC staff assisted the City of Elba with the development of theCDBG grant application and provided grant administrative services.Peters Municipal and Associates,Inc. from Dothan served as theproject engineer and APAC-Southeast, Inc. was the general

contractor for the project. Congratulations to the citizens along these streets in Elba onthe completion of this successful community development project!

For more informationRachel can be reachedat 334-794-4093 xz 1411or email her at rarmstrong@searpdc.org

FALL 2009 REGIONAL REPORT PAGE 5

The SEARP&DC Head Start Programis dependent upon local and regionalcommunity partnerships to meet our20% grant requirement of non-federalmatch. From the very inception ofour program local partnerships thatprovided facilities, utilities, and main-tenance for our Centers have beenour very foundation. However, futuregrowth will necessitate new sourcesof support for our Head Start pro-gram. While we are dependent onthe continued support of local unitsof government of our Head Start pro-gram, we must expand support fromall sources if we are to continue toprovide vital services to Head Startchildren and families. Herein we willfocus on three important services pro-vided by volunteers to our Head Startchildren. Such services provided at nocost must continually increase as arequirement of our non-federal in-kind base of support.

The Jean Dean RIF Program of theKiwanis Club of Alabama provides lit-eracy services to our Head StartCenters. Kiwanis Club members

come to our Head Start Centers threetimes a year to read to our Head Startchildren. Reading is Fundamental,known to us as RIF, negotiates bulkpurchases of books from major pub-lishers. Kiwanis Club members readand distribute these books to the chil-dren. In many cases our Head Startchildren receive their first book froma Kiwanis Club member. RIF illus-trates to children that reading is notonly fundamental but reading is fun.RIF also provides a link between civicleaders and elected officials to ourHead Start Program as illustrated inthe picture of Mayor Jay Jaxon read-

ing to our children.

Recently we partnered withSarrell Dental & Eye Centersof Enterprise, Alabama toprovide dental screenings toHead Start children. Thesescreenings, at no cost, willprovide children withimportant services and assist

our program in meeting the regulato-ry requirements of the Head StartPerformance Standards. Dr. AndrewMills is featured in the picture as he

performs a routine dental exam on aHead Start child.

The SEARP&DC Head Start Programparticipates in the Focus FirstAlabama Student Vision Initiative toreceive free vision screenings for ourHead Start children. These screen-ings provide for early detection ofvision problems that would impairthe ability of children to learn andprogress in school. Again, these areimportant services that are required tomeet our federal regulations.

Head Start appreciative of the servicesprovided by the local Kiwanis Clubs,Sarrell Dental & Eye Clinic, andFocus First Initiative of VisionResearch Corporations. The servicesprovided in every case enhance theability of our children to learn andprovide important non-federal in-kindcontributions to our Head Start pro-gram. As we look to the future

growth of our Head Start program,there will be a need to seek newpartnerships and volunteers to pro-vide in-kind services.

Growth of Our Head StartHead Start Program Depends on Partnerships

IT Administrator Receives Certification

Sarah Hesters, IT Administrator for SEARP&DC has received three IT certifications: A+,Network+ and Security + through the Computer Technology Industry Association(CompTIA) which is the IT industry's largest developer of vendor-neutral IT certifica-tion exams. These certifications are recognized worldwide as a trusted indicator ofqualified and competent professionals in the IT industry. The A+ certification is theindustry standard for computer support technicians. The CompTIA Network+ certifica-tion is the sign of a competent networking professional. The CompTIA Security+ certi-fication designates knowledgeable professionals in the field of security. Mrs. Hesters istaked with keeping the Commission's computer network operational and safe.

Under the AmericanRecovery and ReinvestmentAct (Stimulus bill),Wiregrass Transit Authority

(WTA) was granted almost $1.34 million dollars. WTA isbeginning to see the benefits of this grant.

On October 6, 2009 WTA received the first of twelvemedium sized busses to begin replacing a very aged fleetof vehicles. When we receive al of our new busses weshould have a “new look” and have a fleet that our driv-ers and our passengers can be proud of.

WTA will also order one smaller modified van to give ussome flexibility in specialized situations.

In addition to these vehicles, WTA will also be upgradingtheir technology with GPS receivers, mobile data termi-nals and video surveillance systems on all of the busses.

PAGE 6 REGIONAL REPORT FALL 2009

John SorrellWTA Manager

John can be reached at334-794-4093 ext. 1431or transit@searpdc.org

Stimulus Funds Showing Results!Stimulus Funds Showing Results!

Florala Honors Utilities Board MembersThe Florala Utilities Board honored three dedicatedboard members at a lunch reception held on Thursday,September 24, 2009 at the Alabama Power Building inFlorala. Former chairman William H. (Billy) McDanieland former board members Mr. Horace Bell and Mrs.Pearl Smith served many years assisting the FloralaUtilities Board and the City of Florala in maintaining andexpanding the services provided to the area.

SEARP&DC has partnered with the Florala Utilities Boardand the City of Florala on multiple utilities projects overthe past 35 years. We at SEARP&DC appreciate the sup-port of the Florala Utilities Board during the leadershipof Mr. McDaniel, Mr. Bell, and Mrs. Smith.

Pictured above: (Seated) Mrs. Pearl Smith, (Standing from L-R) Mr. Glen Zorn,Deputy Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries;Mayor Robert Williamson, City of Florala; Mr. William H. (Billy) McDaniel;Councilman Marvin Williford, Chairman of the Florala Utilities Board; AlabamaSenator Jimmy Holley; Mr. Scott Farmer, SEARP&DC; and Mr. Horace Bell.

Scott FarmerCommunity

Development Director

Scott can be reached at 334-794-4093 ext. 1412 or

sfarmer@searpdc.org

FALL 2009 REGIONAL REPORT PAGE 7

20 hours per week may seeminsignificant to the average wageearner but to participants of theSenior Community ServiceEmployment Program (SCSEP), 20hours represents opportunities fortraining, work experience, and finan-cial independence. For the non-profit and government agencies andcommunities where they areassigned, 20 hours means additionalservices, longer hours and more daysof access for thepublic. At a timewhen local govern-ments are beingforced to streamlinebudgets through lay-offs and reducedservices, seniors aremaking a differencethrough their SCSEPassignments.

Ms. Lisbeth Baxley‘s assignment withWiregrass United Way 2-1-1 allowsher to provide information andreferrs to callers seeking informationon services available in theWiregrass Area. Ms. Baxley statesshe finds her position especiallyrewarding because at one point, sheherself was in need of information.During the period October 2008-September 2009, the center receiveda total of 5,552 calls and made11,972 agency referrals.

Ms. Chrisana Hawk, a former SCSEPparticipant, is now employed withHawk-Houston Boys and Girls Clubas a Receptionist and MembershipClerk. Ms. Hawk greets visitors tothe Club and keeps track of dailyattendance of Club members. Ms.

Hawk assists with fundraising for theClub and is relentless in her effortsto recruit volunteers and securedonations which help to supportClub programs and daily operation.During the Club’s annual meetingand recognition banquet held duringthe month of April 2009, Ms. Hawkwas chosen as Volunteer of the Year.

Ms. Willie Mae Smith, also a formerSCSEP participant, was employed by

the Hawk-Houston Boysand Girls Clubas OfficeManager.Utilizing herstrong organi-

zationalandadminis-trativeskills, Ms.Smithassists withthe day to day management of theClub including finances and generaloperation. During the annual meet-ing and recognition banquet, Ms.Smith was selected as Staff Memberof the Year. She was also Pacesetterfor the Club’s United Way campaign,improving pledges 137 percent overlast year’s contributions.

Other seniors making a difference intheir communities are Mr. JamesPierson, Mr. Harold Lane and Mr.Rufus Sanford who are assigned to

The Ark. The Ark is a faith-basedorganization providing food, clothingand other assistance to the needy.Assigned as Store Clerks to The Ark,Mr. Lane and Mr. Sanford assist withpick-up and repair of items donatedto the organization. Mr. Pierson’scomputer and data entry skills willassist the organization with theirdatabase of donated items. He isalso assisting with a new project pro-moting these items to the public forpurchase via the internet.

According to Department of Laborstatistics, over 60 million hours ofcommunity service was performedby participants of the SeniorCommunity Service Employment

Program (SCSEP) duringthe past project year.These hours representedover $1 billion dollars inservices provided byworkers in their localcommunities all acrossAmerica.

Sponsored by SEARP&DCunder contract with theAlabama Department of

Senior Services and Senior ServiceAmerica, Inc., the SeniorEmployment Program employsapproximately 83 senior trainees invarious public and non-profit agen-cies throughout Barbour, Coffee,Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry andHouston Counties. Individuals oragencies interested in participating inthe program should call (334) 794-4093 or 1-800-489-7606 ext. 1422.

Regional Seniors Seniors Making a Difference in Their Communities

Ms. Newman and Ms.Hawk

Ms. Altha Newman, Director of Hawk HoustonBoys and Girls Club and Ms. Willie Mae Smith.

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Penny can be reached at 334-794-4093 ext. 1410 or

protolo@searpdc.org

The town ofClayhatchee is inthe process ofapplying for aLand and WaterRecreation Fund(LWCF) grant tohelp renovate thetennis and bas-ketball court atthe ClayhatcheeRecreationalPark. Numerousinterested citi-zens attended apublic hearing

on August 10 todiscuss the project. PraestareEngineering is providing the engi-neering services and SEARP&DC ispreparing the grant. LWCF grantsare due February 1.

The Town of Clayhatchee Applies ForRecrRecreational Granteational Grant

In Memoriam

Mr. William T.“Bill” Cathelpassed awayon May 27,2009. Mr.Cathell servedas the firstExecutiveDirector atSEARP&DC,from 1969until hisretirement in1987. Mr.Cathell laid asolid founda-

tion for the Commission in its early yearsand he remained a good freind of theCommision even in his later years. He ismissed by the Commission.

Mr. GlennGranthampassedawayAugurst 18,2009. Mr.Granthamserved as aBoardMemberfor DaleCountyfrom 2002-2008. Mr.

Grantham served as Dale County District2 Commissioner for 21 years. He was adedicated SEARP&DC Board member andhis presecence on the Board is missed.