additional infrastructure

By BETH LAKEY

Staff Writer

Brundidge city officials were recently awarded $515,000 that will be used to provide additional water and sewer infrastructure to industries.

Monday afternoon, Brundidge officials met with Gov. Don Siegelman for the formal announcement of the Economic Development Funds through the Community Development Block Grant Program that will help the city and the Pike County Water Authority provide the infrastructure to Southern Classic Food Group and Carter Brothers Manufacturing.

Brundidge Mayor Jimmy Ramage was joined by City Councilwoman Cynthia Pearson; Steve Carter, Alfred Alloway and Ronnie Floyd of the Pike County Water Authority; along with Chuck Caraway, President of Southern Classic Food Group; Stuart Arn, president and Jim Caldwell, vice president, of Carter Brothers at the governor’s office for the official announcement. Alex Whaley, chairman of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, State Sen. Wendell Mitchell, D-Troy, and State Rep. Alan Boothe also attended the announcement.

In his comments, Siegelman praised Carter Brothers officials for their long commitment to the Brundidge area economy and also indicated his pleasure in the new business endeavor Caraway is pursuing. 

The $515,000 will assist the city and the water authority with a $3.05 million project for Carter Brothers and Southern Classic Food Group. 

Officials from the city and water authority also expect to receive additional funding from the Economic Development Administration in the amount of $1.8 million. The City and Pike County Water Authority will provide the remaining $735,000. 

The entire project will provide an additional 25 miles of 8-inch and 10-inch water lines, 1.5 miles of additional sewer collection lines, a sewer pumping station, an industrial access road and two 300,000-gallon water storage tanks, one located in Brundidge and one located in the Hamilton Crossroads community of Pike County.

The city’s portion of the grant will also include a new road ­ with an improved intersection at Southern Express Restaurant ­ to the location of the new Southern Classic Food Group plant, which will be across from Lakeview Cemetery, Ramage said.

Ramage and Carter each thanked Siegelman for his assistance. Each also each noted the successful relationship that has developed between the city and water authority is a result of the patience, dedication and trust necessary to achieve common goals.

"We’re pleased to work together to get these grant funds," Ramage said.

He said the two industries are important to Brundidge and the city is proud to help them in any way possible.