CULLMAN – Peggy Smith, director of the Cullman Economic Development Agency (CEDA), met with members of the Cullman City Council on Friday at City Hall to submit several requests and provide updates on industrial locations and established businesses in the city. The requests were then listed as resolutions on the city council’s agenda to be voted on by the council in their meeting which followed an executive session to discuss the matters presented by Smith.
The three requests included a boundaries and topographical survey completed by drone for a 90+ acre property and requests were for engineering services on an industrial tract and a geotechnical report needed as soon as possible on an industrial tract in Industrial Park III. Specifics were not available on the reasons for immediacy on the Industrial Park III tract work.
All three requests were granted by the city council in their following meeting after their closed door session which lasted nearly 45 minutes.
Permission to apply for a TVA 50/50 grant in the amount of $630,000 for the purpose of land purchase was granted. Also noted was Rusken Packaging Inc.’s desire for additional adjacent land for the purpose of tentative expansion to their existing facility.
Smith spoke of the upcoming June 17 closing of Lufkin Industries, Inc. Opened since 2002, Lufkin’s local demise will displace 30 workers. Purchased by GE in 2013 and closed due to restructuring as a result of the sell, Lufkin has not yet decided what to do with its soon to be empty facility located in Industrial Park II. If no organization within the GE company chooses to take advantage of the location, the company will sell the property. There is no word yet if the city will have first option to buy.
The CEDA has been responsible for the development of an industrial complex and several industrial parks. The agency “provides assistance to new and existing industries and developers, encouraging economic growth in Cullman. The agency’s purpose is to attract new industries, retail developments and other positive economic development projects to Cullman, and provide support for existing industries.”
Cullman is recognized nationally as one of the country’s fastest growing micropolitan areas and was ranked No. 2 in the nation in Site Selection Magazine’s 2015 list of top cities for new and growing industries.
The magazine noted that Cullman’s industrial development success has much to do with five Interstate 65 interchanges within an 11-mile distance and the new interchange with County Road 222 with the opening of exit 305.
Learn more about the CEDA at http://www.cullmaneda.org/.
Photo is from Rehau ribbon cutting in September 2015.
