We would like nothing more than to hang out a sign telling everyone Talladega is a good place to come and do business in.But after the trouble several people have had working with the city and its various departments, boards and regulatory agencies when they tried to open up restaurants and stores in the historic downtown, that’s just not the case right now.
Both Tim Burt, who owns Parkside Home and Garden and was looking at opening a store on the square, and his would-be neighbor, Mario Musa who bought the old Braswell’s building and was planning to open a store and restaurant there, have found it next to impossible to get their operations off the ground because of a long list of problems with the city.
Because of all the roadblocks they hit, what could have been the spark that breathed life into the ailing downtown district here has been snuffed out.
According to Talladega’s new city manager Michael Stampfler, “The situation is untenable right now.”
Those are hard words to hear, but after watching these latest additions to Talladega’s growing list of missed opportunities, we have to agree.
Stampfler, though, has proposed a number of changes to how the city operates that — if everyone works together to make this happen — have the real potential to turn things around for Talladega.
Topping that list is getting the city finances in order. It’s always an unpopular decision when the city has to raise some fees and cut expenditures, but that’s exactly what is necessary to keep essential services, like water and sewer, running.
Talladega’s aging infrastructure is in major need of an overhaul — especially the water and sewer systems. If we don’t pay for those repairs now, it will cost the city and its citizens and businesses even more. That’s what has happened in Pell City, which is currently under ADEM orders to upgrade its sewer system.
Almost as important is his plan for a Community Development Department, which would solve most of the problems faced by these new businesses.
Creating a one-stop department to help new businesses locating in Talladega is essential for our city to grow and prosper.
Stampfler’s plans for streamlining the process are definitely a move in the right direction.
And those are just two of the major points of his proposal, which covers everything from creating a human resources department for city employees to how the city will fund and work with the school board here.
As solid as these ideas are and as much as Talladega needs to see them implemented, the city manager can’t fix everything by himself.
We strongly urge the council, municipal department heads, and citizens and businesses to work together with Stampfler to fix the problems Talladega faces.
Right now, the way the city does business is broken, and it will take everyone cooperating to turn things around.
