By Gail Crutchfield
The Cullman Times

SOUTH VINEMONT — The big blue-green pipes lined up on the side of U.S. Highway 31 was a sight for sore eyes this week as construction began on the first phase of South Vinemont’s sewer project.

After years of planning and one setback after another, the promise of a sewage system for this north Cullman County town is becoming a reality and is the answer to a lot of problems for residents, business owners and town officials.

For GayNell Latham, owner of Vinemont Herbs, Flowers and Gifts, the construction marks the beginning of the end of using the rented Porta-John outside and being able to use the bathroom she included in her new building.

“It will help me out tremendously because I don’t have water or sewer
yet,” she said.

Latham opened her business about three years ago in the small block building next door that is commonly known as the old post office. Her husband, Melvin, runs a monument company next door and helps out in the shop. Their daughter, Rebecca Abueida, helped the couple expand the business to include silk flowers and gifts a couple of years ago when Melvin was among the hundreds who lost their job when Americold folded.

“My daughter decided since he lost his job at Americold, she was going
to help us start a business, so she did,” GayNell Latham said. “She just didn’t think it would get this big,” she added.

The Lathams made the move to a new building this year knowing that a sewer system would be installed in the future. But like town officials, she didn’t think it would have been as far in the future as it ended up. “We heard for a year we were going to get a sewer,” she said. But month after month, nothing happened.When she saw the pipes waiting to be buried on the side of the road she said she thought, “Well, I guess they mean it this time.”

It couldn’t have come too soon for town officials. “It was nice to see some activity out on 31 Monday morning,” said councilwoman Judy Dodson. “It’s a much-needed project that’s finally under way.”

Councilman Alvin Swann said the sewer has been a topic of conversation during in his two terms as a councilman. “I thank the good Lord for it,” he said of the beginning of the project.

Mayor Melba Patton said the first of three phases in the project is going to cost $1.8 million, the majority of which is being funded by grants.

“We had to put in a small amount,” she said. “We had to purchase the land [for the treatment plant].”

The treatment plant will be located about 1/4 mile from U.S. Highway 31, northwest of where Bo’s Body Shop is located. A road will have to be built leading to the 29 acres that is not currently inhabited. The 29-acre tract cost the town $257,000.

The first phase of the project will install lines from the southeastern section of the town limits down U.S. Highway 31 to the northeast section at the red light. “We will be picking up the school,” Patton said. The system will also pick up two trailer parks off the highway. The lines will burrow under the highway to attach to Roberson Street Patton Drive, Tillery Drive and Federer Street.

“We’re tickled with it,” said Jeff Krout, owner of Krout Properties which manages the Vinemont Apartments complex on Roberson Street. The sewer system will save the business money and time it is currently spending to pump sewage into two septic tanks and in cleaning up from the occasional backup of the tanks into tenants’ apartments. “For us it will just be a plus, but also for the town of Vinemont,” Krout said. “I don’t see how it could be anything but good for the community.”

Property owners now can come into Town Hall to sign up for sewer service before construction begins on their property and avoid paying a connection fee. Property owners will be responsible for the cost of running lines from their homes to the sewage lines installed by the town. The work must be performed by a licensed plumber and inspected by a state-certified plumber, Patton said. Property owners must also have their septic tanks drained and filled once they are no longer in use.

Letters went out Wednesday to homeowners affected during phase one. Patton said the route of phase two of the project will be determined by the area that is most in need after phase one is completed. Anyone with questions may call the Town Hall at 737-5411 or come by during office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Phase one is scheduled to take about 10 months to complete at which time many houses should be hooked up and the treatment plant should be ready for operation, Patton said.

Bids on the construction of the treatment plant will be opened at 2 p.m. on Dec. 17, with a groundbreaking ceremony following at 3 p.m.

The Cullman Times, December 5, 2003