Russellville City Council approves final inspection of Harrison Avenue box culvert project

The Russellville City Council authorized some additional shotcrete work for the recently completed Harrison Avenue box culvert project at a short meeting held December 1st.

District One Councilman David Palmer said the shotcrete will reinforce and strengthen the rocks around the new culvert. 

The council also approved the final letter of inspection and accepted the contractor portion of the project Monday. The project was completed November 20th with the contractor fulfilling all plans and specification. The shotcrete installation was not part of that contract. Palmer said he expects the additional work will come at a nominal cost to the city.

Palmer abstained from the vote due to his employment with CivilGroup, the principal engineering firm on the box culvert project.

In other agenda items at the December 1st meeting, the council:

—approved the hiring of Brenda Sombra as a patrol office in the Russellville Police Department.

—approved a 36-month lease with PSI for a copier/printer for the Russellville Fire Department.

—heard from Michelle Nelson, who owns property located at 64 Hamilton St. SW, seeking clarification on the city ordinance regarding inoperable vehicles. 

Nelson said she has received notice of compliance violations based on several vehicles in her yard, including her son’s race cars that are not street legal, a truck and a mini-bus she plans to use to start a local business.

Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said the ordinance requires all vehicles to be tagged, insured and operable. 

Nelson questioned the applicability of the ordinance to the race cars, which were on trailers and are not used on public roadways. She asked for additional time to tag and insure the mini-bus once she has enough funding to start the new business.

“The city keeps citing me but the (municipal court) judge said the race cars didn’t have to be tagged or insured,” Nelson said. “If I’m not clear on something, I ask for clarification so I do understand what the ordinance says.”

City attorney Danny McDowell said he would arrange a meeting with Nelson and RPD Compliance Officer Chad Sheffield to discuss the ordinance in more detail.

—heard a report from Russellville Hospital CEO regarding Alabama’s new Rural Hospital Investment Program, that takes effect in 2026. The program allows businesses and individuals to offset their state tax in an amount equal to their donation to the hospital. 

The Alabama Legislature passed the law as a way to provide much-needed funding to Alabama’s rural hospitals. In order for the hospital to participate, at least 10% of funds must come from local government.

The next regular meeting of the Russellville City Council is December 15, 2025, with work session at 6 p.m., and meeting to follow.