BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Top Photo: An artist rendering of the Field House with 17 Springs.
The Millbrook City Council passed a resolution Tuesday night authorizing the issuance and sale of General Obligation Warrants for more than $22 million. These funds will pay the city of Millbrook’s portion of construction expenses for The Fields at 17 Springs.
Five agencies have partnered together for the project, which will bring multiple athletic fields, a professionally rated stadium, track and field area and much more to the property which adjoins the Grandview YMCA property on Hwy. 14. The five agencies include the City of Millbrook, the Elmore County Commission, the Grandview YMCA, the Elmore County Board of Education and the Elmore County Economic Development Authority.
This was the final action of the council with respect to the bond issue. The aggregate amount of $22,455,000 is being issued to finance the 17 Springs Complex which is already under construction.
Construction began on Phase 1 of the project last year, and recently games have been played on one of the completed soccer fields. There is a flurry of activity involved with Phase 1, with multiple fields and areas such as pavilions under construction. A meeting is scheduled for the near future with stakeholders concerning an update on plans for Phase 2.
The History Behind The Fields at 17 Springs
From the website at www.17springs.org
“In 2017, overlapping conversations between the City of Millbrook, Grandview Family YMCA, Elmore County Board of Education, Elmore County Economic Development Authority, and Elmore County Commission started the journey now referred to as 17 Springs. The name 17 Springs is rooted in a historic art festival hosted decades ago in the Millbrook community on the YMCA property. Looking for an iconic name for the joint development of recreational, entertainment and retail opportunities, the partnership settled on 17 Springs as the name to serve as its brand.
From the basis of 17 Springs, the recreational outdoor area has been dubbed “The Fields at 17 Springs” while the future event center has been named “The Fieldhouse at 17 Springs”. The adjacent commercial areas planned as a dining, hospitality, shopping and entertainment district carries the name “The Marketplace at 17 Springs.”
For a virtual fly-through of the concept, visit https://www.sslarchitecture.com/seventeensprings
In other business, a public hearing was held concerning Ordinance Z22-01, for the rezoning of the property described as the Millbrook Camp Grandview Property, which is west of the Millbrook Walmart on the same side of the road. While the specifics of businesses planned to be located here are not yet public, it will be a retail center with multiple businesses.
The only speaker was an engineer for the project, who requested that the area be rezoned from Forestry Agriculture and Recreation to Business 2, which covers individual stores. No one spoke against the rezoning issue.
In the regular meeting the council had the first reading of the ordinance, but it was not voted on in this meeting. It will be brought up before the council at the next regular meeting.
Mayor Al Kelley said, “We are really excited about this retail center.” More information will be forthcoming when available.
Also, the council had the second reading and approved Ordinance 22-03 which amends Ordinance 07-04. It grants an electric franchise to Alabama Power and its successors and assigns in the City of Millbrook. Council President Michael Gay said this is just a simple housekeeping requirement and updates an ordinance already in place.
In other business, The Millbrook City Council voted down a request for a liquor license (of more than 30 days) for Venue Twenty 9 LLC. However, according to City Councilwoman Jaquelyn Thomas, it was with the agreement of the business owner.
Venue Twenty 9 is located at 2248 Main Street and is an event center. Per their Facebook page, the center is described as “A smoke-free facility that can be rented for various events. With 2,500 sq ft of space, it’s the perfect location for corporate functions and events. It is also available to host family functions, small weddings, parties, meetings.”
The issue of the liquor license was addressed in the last regular meeting of the council two weeks ago, but tabled when discussion over the need of a sprinkler system arose. According to Millbrook Fire Marshal Doyle Campbell, the facility cannot operate with a legal alcohol license until a sprinkler system is installed. The owner of the business rents space in the shopping center but does not own the building.
The business is free to continue operating as an event center, however.
In Mayor Al Kelley’s report, he welcomed Danae Morgan who was recently named as the Special Events/Cultural Arts Director for the city.
“She is going to help us take Millbrook in a new direction,” Kelley said. “She comes to us from the City of Montgomery. She worked there for 23 years doing the exact same thing. She did a great job with Montgomery for all of these years. And she lives right here in Millbrook on Main Street. We are going to take the city in a different direction with things we have never done before. And Danae will be the lead on that. She is working closely with our Economic Development Director Ann Harper, and our Chamber of Commerce Director Brenda Dennis.”
Morgan is a long-time resident of Millbrook. She has one child who graduated from Stanhope Elmore High School and another still attending the Elmore County public school system.
In other reports:
President Michael Gay took his report time to congratulate the upcoming retirement of Councilwoman Long, as she prepares to retire with 25 years of service to the Elmore County Board of Education. The EAN would also like to thank Long for her many years as an educator and service to the children of Elmore County.
Millbrook Police Chief P.K. Johnson told the audience that his department is once again preparing for the Junior Police Academy. There will be two classes with the first June 20-24, and June 27 through July 1. Classes are held at Millbrook Middle School during the week until around Noon each day.
“We have some spots still open, so if anyone would like to have their child involved in the Junior Police Academy, I encourage them to call the police department and speak with Lt. Stephen Youngblood or our School Resource Officer Kristen Godwin.”
Johnson said this program has been very successful over the years, but it is not meant as a recruiting tool. The classes are offered to area students from the fifth to eighth grade. During the week the students learn about crime scene investigation, traffic investigations, self-defense, athletics and much more.
“As much as the kids seem to enjoy it each year, I can guarantee you the officers really love the Junior Police Academy,” Johnson said. “This is really just a continuation of our Cops and Kids program, where we try to build positive relationships with young people and let them know we are here to help them.”
Chamber Director Brenda Dennis addressed the council, giving them an update on the City’s Mural Program, which is still accessible for businesses that are interested.
There are two new mural grants that have been approved thus far, with a third in progress, and a new application that has recently been submitted. Dennis said there is still grant money available for any Millbrook business to have a mural painted on an outside wall of their business. “We are off to a good start. I have seen two of the designs and I think people are really going to like them. It is going very well.” If your business is interested in applying for a grant for a mural, please contact Dennis at the Millbrook Chamber of Commerce.
Council members also received an update on the Millbrook Senior Center which is nearing completion, and is located across from the Millbrook Fire Department on Grandview Road. The construction is essentially complete, but Economic Development Director Harper said now the wait is for delivery of the furniture. She said with COVID issues, there is still a back order and delays, but hopes to have that resolved soon.
Work has also begun inside the Senior Center with a mural on a wall. Mayor Kelley said that Tuesday morning some city employees, along with Senior Center Director Olivia Venable, were able to do a walk through of the facility.
“We are really excited about this new facility. I think people are really going to enjoy the mural as it has a lot of scenes from Millbrook that will be very familiar,” Kelley said.
The Millbrook Garden Club recently installed four planters at the front of the building with beautiful ferns.
Three public assemblies were approved:
They include April 30, 2022 – Stanhope Elmore Class of 1974 Reunion from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Minnie Massey Park.
A Davis gender reveal May 14 at Village Green Stage and Gazebo.
LaPrade first birthday party May 21 at Minnie Massey Park.
The next City Council meeting will be May 5. The Work Session is at 5:30 p.m. with the regular agenda meeting held at 6 p.m. in the Municipal Courtroom. Both meetings are open to the public.
