Work Continues on Infrastructure Projects

We are one step closer to finishing our sidewalk project in Mentone.

As I shared in the previous issue of The Groundhog, December 20 was the date set for opening bids for the sidewalk project’s next phase. The low bid was from Avery Landscaping and Associates, LLC, at $519,303.

This project has been made possible by Transportation Alternative Program, or TAP, grants through the Alabama Department of Transportation. These are 80/20 grants, which means the Town of Mentone will pay $103,860 for the second phase.

The latest phase will extend from Dempsey Avenue to Moon Lake Library. It will include a crosswalk and bring the total sidewalk length to approximately 1.5 miles.

The first phase, measuring just less than a mile, ran from downtown to Dempsey Avenue. It included a crosswalk at Mentone Market. It has been heavily used by residents and visitors alike.

Speaking of grants, we continue to work on securing a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to make much-needed improvements to the Moon Lake Village campus. I’ll keep you informed on our progress through the pages of The Groundhog.

On January 14, the Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Moon Lake Kitchen, the newest business to join the Moon Lake Village campus. This Creole and Cajun restaurant has been a popular attraction for locals and visitors alike since its opening.

Having a good restaurant as an anchor tenant is important for the campus, which is owned and operated by the town. A restaurant draws more people to the campus, who in turn spend time visiting the shops and galleries there. This also, of course, helps the town’s tax base.

Everyone wins. I hope you make a point to visit with Robie and his family at Moon Lake Kitchen soon, and visit everyone across the campus while you are there.

By the time you read this, the Groundhog Day Community Celebration will be getting started or wrapped up. Set for Saturday, February 1, it will feature games and art activities for kids, a Crock-Pot Cook-off, and an old-fashioned Cake Walk.