By Izack Seahorn, Staff Correspondent
According to Attalla Mayor Larry Means, the city recently received $1.37 million dollars in Rescue Act funding.
Part of this money will be going into the hands of Attalla city employees in the “No Employee Left Behind” program. Over $300,000 will be distributed to amongst the city’s employees. First responders receive $4,012, while full-time employees get $3,212 and part-time workers $1,215.
Means said that his goal was to “leave one million dollars there for the sewer [project], and that’s what we’ve done.”
This remaining money will go to improvements and maintenance of Attalla’s sewer system. According to Means, this funding will help to replace old sewer lines and repair lines that have fallen in.
Means also wants to turn the Old Wells Fargo Bank in the downtown area into a municipal building. The building was built around 1920 and is located in Attalla’s historical district. Means said Attalla would be better suited for it than anyone. While it has not been decided exactly how the building will be used, Means is sure that it will be an asset to the city.
Another of Means’ plans for the city is to make the downtown Alabama Power Building a museum.
“Attalla is the birthplace of Alabama Power, why don’t we just make it a mini-museum,” Means asked.
Charles O’Rear is a former mayor of Attalla and the chairman of the museum committee.
“The museum hopes to be a focal point and attraction for people as our downtown becomes more recognized as a neat downtown with a lot of opportunity for small business,” he said.
O’Rear said the museum will be about more than just Alabama Power; it will be about the history of Attalla and Etowah County. The museum is scheduled to open during the first half of next year and it will be open two to three days a week.
Means said his “vision for Attalla is resurgence,” noting that reviving Attalla and its downtown and the museum is one of the projects that will help start that regrowth.