ACE work begins

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle completed an important step in its bid to become an Alabama Community of Excellence by conducting an assessment meeting at Quail Creek Golf Resort recently.
Participants included about 30 elected officials, business leaders and community organization representatives. Also present were members of the Alabama Communi-ties of Excellence (ACE) team that will assist in the two-year certification program. Out-of-town team members are: Captain Joey Hester, AICP, director of planning for NARCOG; Co-Captain Linda Swann, assistant director of the Alabama Development Office; Lamar Smith, ACE director of community development; C. Craig Linhoss, North Alabama project manager for TVA; Dr, Arturo Menefee, leadership0 development specialist at Auburn University; and Ellen Mertins, outreach director for the Alabama Historical Commission. Mayor Dwight Tankersley and City Planner Jeremy Griffith, AICP, are also members.
Hester commended city leaders for their work in getting the ACE program started.
The ACED program was established in 2002 for towns and cities of between 2,000 and 18,000 population, Currently, there are 18 ACE certified cities in the state and nine, including Hartselle, are in the process of acquiring certification. The process involves three phases: assessment, leadership development and vision and strategic planning.
Brief presentations were given by the city’s department heads and community leaders with the aim being to identify assets and needs.
The ACE team will make a follow-up visit and presentation next January to report on the city assets and make recommendations for improvements. Following certification, the city will receive a $5,000 grant from ACE for use in achieving one or more improvements.