The Dallas County Commission held its second-to-last meeting of the calendar year in the Commissioner’s Chamber on Monday evening.
During the public comment section at the beginning of Monday’s meeting, the West Dallas Water Authority Board went before the commission to thank them for their assistance in receiving a $350,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA.
The awarded funds will be used to supply the people of the Bogue Chitto community with clean drinking water.
Maggie Drake-Peterson, Chairman of the West Dallas Water Authority, said that the board was happy with the grant.
“We are very pleased with the grant from ADECA,” she said. “We, the board, jumped through a lot of hoops to ensure that the project went through… We are very passionate about the need to have clear drinking water in this area [Bogue Chitto].”
Drake-Peterson said that the residents of the Bogue Chitto community have been forced to turn to other means to get clean water as they have been unable to use their own wells.
“When I was appointed I was appalled by the fact that the water was undrinkable,” said Drake-Peterson.
Shelly McGhee expressed her appreciation to the commission on behalf of the Bogue Chitto Community.
“We couldn’t have gotten that water without the approval of the [Dallas] County Commission,” she said. “I thank you for all of that with heart-felt gratitude on behalf of the Bogue Chitto Community.
Alabama Rep. Prince Chestnut, D-Selma, who served as the West Dallas Water Authority Board’s attorney during the project said he was happy to be a part of something so meaningful to the community.
“There was a special need in Bogue Chitto and we were able to address that special need,” said Chestnut. “I’m thankful that you all chose this particular project to emphasize.”