Flomaton resident Nancy Cottrell asked the town council Monday night if it would be interested in either donating or selling the old Jackson Theater to be turned into some type of youth center to give the children something to do.
“I have a desire for something in our community for our youth,” Cottrell told the council. “I'm not looking for a church, I'm looking for something for our youth.”
She said there is no outlet for the youth in the community and she'd like to either purchase the building from the town or have it donated. She offered $15,000 for the old theater.
She said Flomaton youth are now going to Atmore, Brewton and Pensacola and she wants something here in Flomaton.
“Our kids really need something,” she said.
She said her vision is to create a 'Training for Life' center that will have computers and offer other things, like gardening and other life skills, to the children.
“Anything to get them off the streets,” she said.
Escambia County Bank donated the old theater to the town of Flomaton, which currently owns the building.
The council took no action on Cottrell's suggestion Monday.
Park rules
As the council looks to establish rules and guidelines for Hurricane Park, Town Attorney Chuck Johns said the first step is to meet with the school board before any recommendations are made.
Johns said the town and the school board are operating under a 1985 agreement and some changes need to be made.
The council agreed to meet with the school board on any possible changes to the agreement.
Drainage problem
Mayor Dewey Bondurant told members of the council the town is still working on correcting drainage problems behind Karla Ptomey's house, but added that the town cannot do work on private property.
Bondurant noted the town has a 60-foot right of way behind her house that connects with Ringold Street.
Bondurant asked the council to let him get a price on the timber within the right-of-way and cut the timber. He said the town could then possibly put in a retention pond to handle storm drainage.
“Even if we get the price right, we have a freeze on spending,” said Councilwoman Lillian Dean. “If we get the cost right, what good would it do?”
Mayor Bondurant pointed out that any decision will have to be approved by the council.
Honoring FHS
Mayor Bondurant also told the council he had been approached by several people to see if the town would put something on the water tower on Highway 113 to honor the 2018 state football championship won by Flomaton High School.
He also said he's had people say they would help raise the money to paint the tank.
Councilman Buster Crapps said if the town was going to do that it also needed to honor the two baseball state titles and the girls' softball state championship.
The council also discussed adding something about the state championships to the 'Welcome to Flomaton' signs.
Bondurant said he would get some cost estimates on painting the water tower and putting up new welcome signs and report back to the council.
