December 12, 2005

Times are changing for Gadsden (AL) and Mayor Steve Means is leading the charge for change and renewal, both at home and away. While undergoing a multitude of projects known as Special Operation New Gadsden in the city just under 40,000, Means and his fellow Gadsdenites are also keenly aware of the aid and support they can lend to others.

Means and his city were among the first to pledge assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina earlier this fall. The city opened its doors and provided temporary housing to families from the Gulf Coast. Realizing that the road to recovery requires ongoing effort, Means and 17 others from Gadsden recently spent time helping with the clean up of Bayou La Batre (AL). Meanwhile, Gadsden is experiencing growth and economic renewal as a result of the many facets to Special Operation New Gadsden. Numerous projects are leading to cultural, economic, and housing growth for this center of commerce in northeast Alabama.

Means was joined by Gadsden city employees across several departments, including public works, fire department, building inspectors, and mechanics for his trip to Bayou La Batre, known as the seafood capital of Alabama. “Their industry was almost wiped out. There were boats that looked like toys scattered everywhere. There was devastation everywhere,” according to Means. “It was sad in some ways and most gratifying in other ways. They’re trying very hard to get back on their feet. It’s amazing the spirit they have down there.”

Gadsden’s workers put in long days, starting between 4 and 4:30am and lasting late into the night. They worked to tear down two houses and moved a large amount of debris over the three-day mission. Much debris was removed from the area in front of the town’s seafood processing plant. City inspectors assessed the condition of houses in town. Gadsden volunteers also had with them a track loader, two trash trucks with mechanical arms, dump trucks, and a John Deere Gator utility vehicle. The city has donated a surplus 1996 Ford Crown Victoria used by the Gadsden fire department to the Bayou La Batre fire department.

The Gadsden volunteers stayed at a camp set up with a kitchen and cots 25 miles from the sites where they worked. Means cooked the meals for the group and is filled with praise for all of the city employees who made the trip with him. Says Means, “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the city employees who went on this trip. They had a wonderful attitude and a great spirit about them. While we couldn’t do much in the short time we were there, we did what we could.”

The attitude brought to efforts in Bayou La Batre is not lost at home in Gadsden. Special Project New Gadsden and its multitude of endeavors ensure that Gadsden residents will enjoy economic, educational, and recreational renewal and growth in their own communities. Means says that the city is “singing a new song” thanks to several ongoing projects.

According to Means, “One of our top priorities is the cultural enrichment and education of our children.” The Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts hosts 100,000 visitors a year and offers the citizens of Gadsden an opportunity to learn from and be exposed to a wide variety of art. Furthermore, the $36 million project of a consolidated Gadsden City High School will be completed next spring. The “Titans” will have a curriculum and brand new facility unmatched in the area. The Gadsden Public Library is also undergoing a renovation. This $3 million effort will be completed next summer and will provide more indoor and outdoor seating areas, an expanded children’s department, and a teen cyber café.

Noccalula Falls Park in Gadsden is one of the state’s most visited attractions. Impending changes in the park include a new welcome center, a mini golf course, a new animal habitat and cabins overlooking the gorge. James D. Wildlife Park will also receive remodeled entrances, a new island for visitors, and a new boardwalk to that island.

Means has also noted the industrial and commercial growth in Gadsden. Industrial development efforts have resulted in the announcement of $30 million in private investments across Gadsden and over 300 high paying jobs. The new airport industrial park is just one area that is primed and ready for development. “Gadsden has focused on commercial development as a means to boost the local economy,” Means remarks. The downtown Broad Street Improvement Project was so successful in revitalizing a neighborhood that a similar project has been planned for the historic Tuscaloosa Avenue neighborhood.

New housing efforts are also increasing in Gadsden. The airport authority is leading the way with this trend by developing plans for a new community of over 900 homes on a newly purchased 365-acre tract of land.

The possibilities are endless with Special Project New Gadsden. “At the end of the day, what’s most important is that we give our children a reason to come home and raise their families, and Gadsden grows and prospers. What’s good for one of us is good for all of us,” says Means.

Certainly that message of a greater community has not been limited to the city itself as Gadsden is busy with its ongoing efforts both at home and away. Means is determined to lead his city to realizing both its great potential and the great works it can share with others.