Tuesday the St. Clair County Commission approved an agreement between St. Clair County and the Public Park and Recreation Board of St. Clair County to turn over the St. Clair Horse Arena property, title, deed and loan to the parks and recreation board.

The parks and recreation board will apply for a loan through Metro Bank for just more than $1 million to purchase the arena property off of Blair Farm Road in Odenville, make improvements to the arena facility and pay off the loan the county currently has on the property.

“The board was created about two years ago to manage properties the county commission handles,” board member Herschel Phillips said.  “We hope the arena will be used for many different types of functions in the future.”

The parks and recreation board manages many different properties.  Many of them are vacant.

“The agreement puts things together for funding and also covers the transfer of the property,” St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon said.  “It takes it off our hands and keeps it off the county’s annual debt limit.”

According to the agreement, the county will pay an annual appropriation to the parks and recreation board for the board’s debt service of their loan.

County tax dollars at work

—At Tuesday’s St. Clair County Commission meeting, the county approved a resurfacing project on County Road 26.  This project is the first ATRIP project the county has approved.  Through the ATRIP program 80 percent of the project is funded through federal aid, and the county provides a 20 percent match of the $1.3 million project at a cost to the county of $268,170.

—Approved sending a letter to ALDOT requesting them to initiate a resurfacing project on Markeeta Spur Road at a cost to the county of 95,894.55.

—Approved an agreement with the City of Argo to cut roadways back with a boom mower at cost to the county of $5,700 and a cost to the City of Argo of $5,700.

—Appointed Mayor Joe Lee of Moody and Councilman David Jones of Springville to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Committee, Mayor Lee to the MPO Advisory Committee and Joe Thomas to represent the St. Clair County Public Transportation Department on both the policy and advisory committee.

—Approved the purchase of a new flatbed truck to be used by the patching crew and the purchase of a mowing attachment for a skid steer loader as approved in the 2012-13 budget.

—Approved the request of jail administrator Austin Nash to post one vacant part-time position and two vacant occasional jailer positions.  All positions are budgeted.

—Approved obtaining bids for an x-ray machine for the courthouse.