Senator Greg Reed says funding includes resources to improve security at the Walker Country Courthouse, funding to build storm shelters, and funding for a lighting project at Horse Creek Trail in Dora.

Senator Greg Reed (R-Jasper) today said that hundreds of thousands of dollars in infrastructure funding will be coming to Walker County. Reed and Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) Director Kenneth W. Boswell, along with Walker County local leaders, today visited the Walker County Courthouse, a storm shelter location at the Curry Volunteer Fire Department, and Horse Creek Trail in Dora – all of which will be receiving tens of thousands of dollars in state funding from ADECA for infrastructure projects. 

 Senator Reed, Director Boswell, Walker County Commission Chairman Steve Miller, and Walker County Commissioners Stephen Aderholt and Keith Davis today released the following statements on these critical state resources. 

Senator Greg Reed: “One of the most rewarding and enjoyable parts of being in the Senate is being able to work on bringing state resources back to Walker County to improve the quality of life of our residents and to make our county a better place to live. This year, we will be seeing hundreds of thousands of dollars flowing from Montgomery into important projects in our community, and that is something that I take as a great point of pride. I will continue to work to provide critical resources to those who call Walker County home, and I thank our local leaders and Director Boswell for their continued support and efforts to provide these important resources for our community.” 

Director Kenneth Boswell: “It was a pleasure to visit these project site locations today and see how much they will benefit from these state resources. As director of ADECA, I have appreciated my strong relationship with local leaders in Walker County as we have continued to find ways to bring resources to this community, like the building of storm shelters and the trail lighting project in Dora. I have constant communication with Senator Reed about how we can make improvements to his district, and I look forward to continuing this productive working relationship with Walker County’s local leaders as we strive to improve this area for its residents.”

Chairman Steve Miller: “Increasing security at the Walker County Courthouse is much-needed, and making these improvements has been a priority of mine in the County Commission. We have already received $230,000 in the past few years for this project, and this year the state is adding another $30,000 to meet this need. I appreciate Senator Reed’s work in the Senate as he continues to provide resources for this important project. Improving public safety in Walker County will continue to be a primary focus of mine as chairman of the Walker County Commission.”  

Commissioner Stephen Aderholt: “I am excited about the resources being provided by ADECA to fund this trail lighting project for the city of Dora. This is an important project for the Dora community and residents across Walker County, and this grant will go a long way in financing the construction of this project. I am also pleased to see state dollars being allocated to develop storm shelters, which, as we have seen with recent storm systems coming through our area, is critically important for the safety of our residents. I look forward to continuing to work on these projects as we evaluate how to best implement these opportunities for our county.”

Commissioner Keith Davis: “Developing a dependable, high-quality storm shelter in Walker County is critically important for the safety of our residents. I appreciate the work that has been done on this project and the coordination we have had with the Curry Volunteer Fire Department to bring these shelters to our community. I hope that these shelters give the people in our area peace of mind as we continue to improve our ability to keep people safe from dangerous storms.”

 The state allocations for these grants are as follows: 

Walker County Courthouse: $30,000, not including $230,000 already allocated

Walker County Storm Shelters: $120,000 

Horse Creek Trail: $268,000 

For Senator Reed and Mr. Boswell, the day’s itinerary included a 9:00 a.m. visit to Dora, where Mayor Randy Stephens provided a golf cart and passenger vans to tour the Rails 2 Trails Site and Horse Creek Trail. Attendees included Stephens and District 4 Commissioner Stephen Aderholt. 

At 10:30 a.m., Senator Reed and Mr. Boswell met several local officials at the Walker County Courthouse to discuss Courthouse Security Upgrades.Attendees included County Commission Chairman Steve Miller, County Administrator Robbie Dickerson, District 3 Commissioner Jim Borden, Circuit Judge Hoyt Elliott, and State Representative Connie Rowe.

At 11:30 a.m., the pair met several local officials at the Curry Volunteer Fire Dept. to discuss the possibility of storm shelters in District 1. Attendees included District 1 Commissioner Keith Davis, Fire Chief Danny Atkins, and District 1 Board of Education Member Trent Kennedy.