Aderholt announces funding for local projects

U.S. Congressman Robert Aderholt announced funding for several projects in North Alabama Monday, Jan. 9.  Projects receiving funding in surrounding counties are as follows:

Cullman Rural Broadband Project

• Proposed recipient: Cullman Electric Cooperative (CEC)
• Address of recipient: 1749 Eva Road NE, Cullman, Alabama 35055
• Amount funded: $1,704,200
• Explanation of the request: The funding would be used for the expansion of the current fiber network and extend service to areas currently without sufficient access to 100/20 Mbps broadband service, most without access to 25/3 Mbps service. The project will complete the engineering, construction and installation for approximately 35 miles of fiber broadband extending service to approximately 252 residential homes and farms as well as 28 commercial or small businesses will receive access to fiber-to-the-premise broadband service.

Expansion of Surgical and Critical Care Beds

• Proposed recipient: Cullman Regional Medical Center, Inc.
• Address of the recipient: 1912 Alabama Highway 157, Cullman, AL 35057
• Amount funded: $1,585,000
• Explanation of the request: Cullman Regional is the only acute care provider in Cullman County and serves parts of the four surrounding counties. During the COVID pandemic, Cullman Regional experienced a severe shortage of critical care beds and was forced to house critical care patients in non-CCU space. The expansion project will increase the number of Critical Care Unit beds to ensure that the sickest patients have access to the highest level of care in a setting that is necessary for the optimal treatment of such patients. It will also add 17 medical-surgical beds to meet increasing capacity demands.

Business Incubator in Cordova

• Proposed recipient: Cordova Economic and Industrial Development Authority
• Address of recipient: 154 Main Street, Cordova, Alabama 35550
• Amount funded: $250,000
• Explanation of the request: The funding would be used for construction of a building to subdivide for small businesses and startups.

Renovation of Vacant Rural Medical Clinic in Guin

• Proposed recipient: City of Guin
• Amount funded: 7500 US Highway 43, Guin, AL 35563
• Amount of the request: $150,000
• Explanation of the request: This funding will be used to renovate the currently vacant medical clinic building owned by the City of Guin to make it operable as a medical clinic, allowing for the City to recruit medical professionals to an area with a need for increased medical care.