The city of Clanton has several projects down the pipe this year, some of them literally.

For instance, work continues on the West End sewer project. Crews continue to replace dilapidated lines, which have been leaking raw sewage following heavy rains.

“They have done a lot of work,” said Mayor Billy Joe Driver.

The sewer project is about 70-percent complete, Driver estimates.

The city is also cleaning the inside and outside and painting the city water tank off County Road 28, or Higgins Ferry Road. The project lacks three more coats of primer and should be completed within the next four weeks.

Driver said it’s important to get the 1.5-million-gallon tank refilled (it had to be emptied during the renovations) well before warmer weather and increased consumption.

“It will look like a new one when we get through with it,” Driver said.

The city is also working on a parks project to extend the walking trail at Goose Pond Park to City Park.

Once finished in March, trails will run all the way from Goose Pond to Lay Dam Road and the tennis courts at City Park.

The city is also looking at doing some paving this year, as well as possibly widening the bridge on Lake Mitchell Road just past the old Adair School.

Last month, the council awarded a bid to replace the bridge on Eighth Street below Rolling Oaks and a culvert on Dunlap Drive to Tri County Construction out of Hamilton for $529,000.

The mayor said the council also had several businesses that are looking at opening in Clanton.

He said he hopes to be able to give more details in coming weeks.

Driver said Clanton’s budget is on track for the year and that Christmas was a little better than last year for most merchants.
“Christmas looked a little bit on the better side for most; it was close or a tad better than last year,” said Driver.