DORA – Mayor Randy Stephens asked Dora City Council members Thursday night to consider roads in serious need of paving, saying the city has nearly $50,00 in Rebuild Alabama (gas tax) funds to use for the work.
“Our major roads, like Sharon Boulevard, Horse Creek Boulevard, Doliska Road and Burnwell Road, are in good shape,” Stephens said. “It is the secondary roads that we need to focus on now.”
Stephens said the last major road project in the city was $600,000, which was completed just before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. He said all that was completed with city funds. The $50k in Rebuild Alabama funds will only pave approximately a half mile. Stephens said the city does have funds of its own that can be added to the gas tax money if they choose.
“With these funds, we have to let the state know exactly what the project will be by the end of September, that’s why I’m asking now for you guys to identify roads that need work,” he said.
The city must use gas tax funds on paving. Roadwork was done in 2021 on Cottage Crossing and Industrial Drive.
In other action from the meeting, the council heard from Rachel Davis Karr from the Children’s Advocacy Center of Walker County and voted to give $2,500 to the group, which does forensic interviews with children who have been physically or sexually abused, or children who have witnessed violent crimes. Karr said the organization does approximately 200 interviews per year with 25 percent of those cases coming from east Walker County.
Stephens also reported the city had sold its old pee wee football equipment (helmets and shoulder pads) to the town of Brilliant. Dora is not having a youth tackle football program this year, opting instead to begin a flag football program. It was reported that nearly 70 children had signed up in different age groups to play.
