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Editor's Notes
Former Govs. Jim Folsom and Don Siegelman both touted the route when they were in office. It has been talked longer than that. Finally, $6 million has been appropriated to study the idea and to get some routes on paper ($6 million seems like a lot but this would be a big project, a multi-million dollar project). The Alabama Department of Transportation advertised "public involvement meetings" on the routes extensively in area newspapers and the newspapers wrote news stories and editorials on the subject. The first of two area meetings was held in Grove Hill last Thursday. The second will be held tonight (Thursday, Oct. 12) in Demopolis. The turnout and the response was less than encouraging in Grove Hill. Only a few over 50 citizens showed up. The ALDOT has about 14 or so of its people and private consultants working on the project on hand. There was no formal presentation by the ALDOT; the meeting was billed as a chance for citizens to ask questions and make comments on several wide corridors proposed for routes. Most of the comments I heard came from citizens purely interested in self preservation: They didn't want the highway to come through their homes or their property. While such thoughts are understandable, I had hoped there would be more of a vision shown for the route and what it could do for the region economically. That's where the meeting needed input from elected officials who could maybe see how such a highway could help-southwest Alabama in general and Choctaw, Clarke and Washington counties specifically. They weren't there. I counted only three elected officials from the three counties-Gilbertown Mayor Bobby Graham, Grove Hill town councilman Levon Hicks and State Rep. Nick Williams, R-Sims Chapel. Where were our other municipal officials, the mayors and council members? Where were our county commissioners, probate judges and other county leaders? I was especially disappointed that with the meeting being held in Grove Hill and Clarke County, only one lone elected official from Clarke County attended. But equally disappointing was the fact that only one official from Choctaw County attended. Rep. Williams was there. He lives in Washington County and represents all or parts of the three counties. However, this is an election year so it was understandable that he would show up. Nancy Gibson of the Choctaw County Chamber of Commerce attended as did Linda Vice who works with a regional tourism effort. I didn't see anyone else with economic development connections there. The region's leadership let us down. They should have been there to talk up the route and its potential good for the region. ALDOT wants to hear from private citizens and they do but they also want to hear from elected officials too. These are the leaders who can help to push a project and help to mold public opinion for it. I hate to say it, but if a region's public officials are not interested in or excited about such a highway, how will we ever get anyone else to be? How will we motivate the state and ALDOT to actually pursue the idea? We all-public and private citizens alike-have a chance to redeem ourselves at the public meeting to be held at the Demopolis Civic Center tonight (Thursday) from 5 until 7 p.m . I urge you to go if you can and offer comments and to talk favorably for the route. West Alabama needs it. If you can't do that, do the next best thing and send your comments regarding the concept and any specific routes you like within 10 days to Jerry Holt, Eighth Division Engineer, Alabama Dept. of Transportation, 129 Grove Hill Avenue East, Grove Hill, Ala. 36451. Call the office at 251-275-4103.
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