City helps fund GCHS automotive program

Students at Gadsden City High School will soon have a new hands-on learning opportunity after the City Council approved $4,000 in funding for the automotive technology program.

Scott Greene, the program’s teacher, spoke to the council several months ago and returned Tuesday to talk about the project.

He said the plan is to use the money for a hot rod kit, which would allow students to build a car from the ground up and gain experience working on engines, welding, electronics and other areas.

That experience will give the students a knowledge base, even if they don’t go into an automotive field.

Greene said he’s able to work on HVAC systems in homes because he was trained on them for cars. “The principles are the same,” he said.

The goal is to complete one car every school year, but Greene said he wouldn’t be surprised if it takes two years to complete the first one.

He said ideally, the car would then be sold to pay for the purchase of the next kit.

The cost of the kit is about $6,500, and Greene said in a letter to the city that he expects the completed project to cost about $15,000.

Greene said there are a number of other fundraising projects in the works, and the program also has received a donation from Team One Chevrolet.

The agreement was with the Gadsden City Board of Education, and the $4,000 has been budgeted in the Gadsden Parks and Recreation Special Programs account.

The city updated its substance abuse policy to test for a number of new substances. That policy change will take effect on Oct. 1.

The council awarded a bid of $81,270 to Mid-Western Commercial Roofer Inc. for the re-roofing project on the East Gadsden building that houses the East Gadsden Library, Even Start and Big Brothers Big Sisters. It awarded a bid to Alabama Waste Disposal Solutions LLC for $10.50 per ton for the disposal of petroleum impacted soil from the Coosa Landing area. The estimated volume of the project is 40,000 to 75,000 tons.

The council approved the purchase of a replacement DART vehicle from Transportation South Inc. The overall cost is $56,000, with $44,800 coming from federal funds and $11,200 coming locally.

The agreement for the Bureau of Justice Assistance Bulletproof Vest Partnership program was amended to reflect the fact that new vests will be purchased annually instead of every two years.