Expansion for Opp’s Custom Collars moved another step closer to fruition Monday as the council awarded the bid for site work.
The $120,409 site prep project, which is located in Opp’s mini-industrial park, should begin within 30-45 days. The contract was awarded to Earth Tech construction.
Mayor H.D. Edgar said the earth work will “fix and balance” the site and is needed to begin the 10,000-square foot building.
This is the second step in readying the new industrial park.
Last month, the city of Opp received notification it had been awarded a $150,000 Community Development Block Grant to help provide water and sewer service to the new 35-acre industrial park. The city is also supplying an additional $45,240 in local funding for this project.
Funds for the CDBG were provided to ADECA by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The expansion will allow Custom Collars, which is owned by Bruce Cauley, and manufactures numerous items for hunting dogs and pets and is diversifying its line of products to reach other types of markets, to more than double its employees.
Currently, the company employees six, but expects to add 12-15 new employees to the current workforce once the building is complete.
In addition, Edgar commended the residents of Opp on their participation in the 2010 Census.
“I want to commend the citizens of Opp, Ala. For going out and doing this,” he said. “Participation rates are 83 percent in Opp, compared to 66 percent in Andalusia, 50 percent in Florala, 70 percent in Alabama and 72 percent nationally. We have outscored our neighbors and they won’t catch us. This will help us greatly in terms of the money we can get.”
In other business, the council:
• heard from Opp High School Peer Helpers, who addressed the council about what the group means to them and its success at the school;
• Covington Regional Honor Flight President Tonitta Sauls and board member Greg White gave a presentation about the Honor Flight Program.
• agreed to donate $2,200 to the CRHF to help pay for the May 15 trip to Washington, D.C.