By Theadoris Morris | Staff Writer

Thorsby Mayor Dearl Hilyer was informed Thursday that the town of Thorsby was approved for a “100-percent covered” assessment grant for its old elementary school.

Hilyer submitted information to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting funding for the town’s old school.

The school has been inactive for numerous years and has been categorized as a “brownfield” structure—a “real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.”

The EPA’s Brownfields Program provides financial and technical assistance for brownsfields revitalization, including grants for environmental assessment, cleanup and job training.

“We’re just waiting for the assessment and the cleanup to see if the building is worth it,” said Hilyer. “Right now, the 20-percent matchup for the cleanup is being waived so it will be at zero cost for the town.”

By Stephen Dawkins

It might not be the renovation we’ve been waiting for, but it might be a step in the right direction.
The Thorsby Town Council at its scheduled meeting Monday at the town annex voted to allow the town’s historical preservation committee to renovate the old lunchroom building that stands behind the old Thorsby school.
“If we can complete something like this, make it look nice, we’ll be able to get more people on board to renovate the big building,” committee chairwoman Tracia Bussey said.
Bussey told the council her committee is about $1,000 short of the $10,000 needed to renovate the building, which could then be rented out, similar to how the town uses Helen Jenkins Chapel.
Bussey asked the council to allow the committee to keep income from the building to use for the renovation of the school building.
Council members expressed concern over the cost of utilities and finally voted to allow the committee to keep whatever income was left after the bills had been paid.
City Clerk Denise Gunn told the council that Helen Jenkins Chapel is rented almost every weekend, which seemed to further convince the council members that renovating the lunchroom building would be worthwhile.

In other business, the council:
• Agreed to open a $50,000 line of credit, in part to pay for a new patrol car for the police department
• Allowed the town’s fire department to purchase a refurbished defibrillator for $3,600.
• Decided the town’s Christmas parade would be held beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. Council members expressed concerns about the parade being held on the night of Dec. 11 because of poor lighting in the town and the possibility the parade could cause problems with a live nativity scene planned for that night.