Bessemer: moving on

Coming up in Bessemer

City council

The new city council will hold their first meeting on Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 9 a. m. They have elected Jesse Matthews as Council President and Sherrina Rice as president pro tem.

Matthews has served as council president before, and it is good that they have elected someone with experience to lead the meetings.

Railroad hub

Also on November 9 a public hearing will be held for the Norfolk Southern rail hub in McCalla. The hearing will focus on the environmental study of the proposed hub area. It will take place at the Discovery Alabama Event Center at Watermark Place, from 4 to 7 pm.

The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration have signed off on the report, and the public hearing is required by law under the National Environmental Policy Act.

Rudy Husband, spokesperson for Norfolk Southern said they hope to start construction in early 2011 and open the facility in mid to late 2012.

Norfolk Southern says the facility will create or preserve 8600 jobs and have a $4 billion economic impact over the next 10 years.

The hearing will include stations with displays that address concerns about the project, but also there will be a short presentation about the project followed by a moderated question and answer session.

Here is a link to where you can read the environmental assessment. No, I haven't read all of the >500 page document, but I can tell you that environmental concerns are addressed, and the concerns that were submitted by residents were addressed as well. This document is also available at the Bessemer Public Library and the Hueytown Public Library.




Bessemer DHR building

The construction of the Bessemer DHR building is on schedule.

The weather cooperated and allowed the slab to be poured before the rains came.


This pile of steel will soon provide the framework for the building.




Before the end of the year look for the second floor slab pour.

The building is scheduled for completion in July 2011.