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Whether biking or hiking the trails you might just see Dr. Martin, Dr. Chenoweth and geology students as they conduct a fascinating research project on the ground and in the air. This research project will document the geomorphic nature and hydrologic impact on newly constructed mountain bike trails at McClellan and on Coldwater Mountain, Anniston. The research objectives are to further the understanding of trail surface processes and erosion, and to learn more about how new trails “adjust” once people start using them. The new trails constructed at McClellan provide the perfect opportunity to document and monitor the short-term evolution of the newly built trail surface. Data collection and sampling will include drone flights and documentation and mapping of trail condition. There will be multiple flights conducted in different seasons, to get leaf-on and leaf-off conditions. We will measure trail morphology such as width and depth and soil compaction and sheer strength. We will map the hydrology and flow of water along the trail. The principle researcher is Dr. Ross H. Martin The drone pilot is Dr Sean Chenoweth FAA Remote Pilot Certificate Number 4057138 (small unmanned aircraft system) Stay tuned for additional updates on this project. Aerial photo showing the trail through the canopy.

Property Manager Job Description General Description The Property Manager works under the supervision of the McClellan Development Authority Director. This position involves the planning and coordination of project and activities in support of McClellan Development Authority economic development efforts. Duties / Responsibilities Supervise maintenance of lawns and fields. Approximately 300+ acres of grass and road sides are cut on a biweekly time frame. Check and provide security of vacant buildings in MDA inventory and make notifications to proper authorities when break-ins occur. Follow up on police reports by obtaining copies and attending court hearings as necessary. Show prospective clients properties and buildings when interested clients ask. Provide accompanied access to clients and contractors to areas behind locked gates. Manage projects by monitoring contractors work that the MDA board has approved to assure all work is completed to terms and conditions of contract. Assist other contractors working on projects that require assistance from MDA, i.e. Iron Mountain extension, Eglin Ave, etc. Purchase fuel, parts and supplies for day to day operations. Supervise grounds personnel. Work with equipment dealers for pricing on purchased equipment and lease contracts. Obtain necessary bids and conduct review process for any MDA projects. Oversee repairs of equipment and buildings. Monitor health of forest areas exceeding some 6000 acres. Work with concerns of property owners bordering MDA property. Work with utility companies in locating connections to buildings and matching former Army address to current E-911 address. Serve as contact person for ADEM inspectors of McClellan’s Butler Green Industrial Land fill. Accompany inspectors on visual inspection visits at least twice yearly. Also maintain tonnage reports file for inspectors review. Work with MDA’s ESCA contractor and Project Manager as required to maintain property and stay on top of any environmental projects. Preform semi-annual inventory of equipment and tools. Operate equipment as needed. Provide historical information of McClellan when possible. Work with other organizations on special projects. Maintain a list of approved contractors for repairs and maintenance projects MDA personnel are not equipped to perform, i.e. major plumbing, tree removal, etc. Assist in preparations of yearly budget and manage maintenance budget to stay within projected expenses. Implement proper safety procedures and ensure grounds crew is properly trained and certifies to operate MDA vehicles and equipment. MDA point of contact, on-call to respond to any security or maintenance related contingencies. Perform other duties as assigned. Knowledge / Skills Working knowledge or equivalent job experience of electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic equipment and tools. Able to troubleshoot problems and conduct recurring preventative maintenance on grounds keeping equipment and vehicles. Detailed knowledge of approved methods, codes, regulations, bid process, technical specifications, construction materials and techniques. Able to read maps, schematics and blueprints. Able to provide detailed and timely recommendations for work estimates, contractor/vender proposals and budget line items. Able to maintain accurate and complete records for all related McClellan property management activities. Working knowledge of computers, Microsoft office, and email. Historical knowledge of McClellan desirable. Qualifications Experience in general construction with a working knowledge of electrical, plumbing, equipment and real property maintenance. Experience in project management. Experience developing and managing a budget. Experience in oversight and management of employees in the effective execution of assigned task. Current Alabama driver’s license. Work Environment The work involves moderate risks or discomforts which require special safety precautions, e.g. working outdoors in various climatic conditions; working in areas with a variety of wildlife; working around moving parts, carts, or machines; working with various saws, blades, and power tools; working on ladders to make repairs; working with lawn chemicals and equipment fluids that could cause skin and/or eye irritation. Full-time position, salary based on experience. Apply in person: (mask required) MDA 4975 Bains Gap Road Anniston, AL 36205 During hours of 8:00 am – 3:30 pm, Monday – Friday Last day to apply is October 13, 2020

The McClellan Development Authority (MDA) opens Phase II of the McClellan Trails adding another 5 miles of trails within the last four months. The 10 miles of trails were designed by Trail Solutions with the Phase I trails as the first specifically designed and built NICA course in the state of Alabama. “We are very excited and proud of the mountain bike trails that the MDA has built here at McClellan,” said Julie Moss the Director of the MDA. “If you haven’t been out to see the trails whether to bike or hike we encourage you to do so; it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors especially during this difficult time of social distancing.” Recently a few of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) Alabama League Management Team came out to ride Phase II of the trails in hopes of incorporating part of Phase II into the NICA Melee at McClellan bike race that is scheduled for March 20-21, 2021. This will be the second race held at McClellan. This past March the race had 2000 people attend with around 600 of those bike racers. Our area is home to four teams, Donoho, Cheaha, Jacksonville and Oxford. “The new addition to an already fast and fun trail system is really nice. It brings some more purposed fast flow down the mountain as well as big views of the valley. Sloan’s Furnace is a blast; it’s worth riding back up for multiple trips down, said Bart Davidson, Programs & Race Director of NICA Alabama. As for the NICA race, we might be able to incorporate some of it, but that’s a secret at this point. This is a trial system well worth the trip.” Phase I of the trails are ideal for someone that is new to mountain biking with smooth climbs and fast smooth descents while Phase II provides the next level full of fast descents, rugged terrain and climbs to beautiful views. The McClellan Multi-Use Trails provided great options to meet the experience each hiker, biker, and trail runner.

Recently Davis Fish Farms delivered 800 bass and introduced them into Lake Yahou. This 8 acre rain water feed lake is on the agenda to become a public fishing and picnic area for the community. The timing for this will be a year to a year and a half away. The bass need time to grow and it will give MDA a chance to prepare the area for visitors and finalize all permitted activities. Stay tuned for additional updates on Lake Yahou Park.

The McClellan Trails are the first specially design NICA trail in the state of Alabama. A ribbon cutting was schedule for the evening of Wednesday, June 26, 2019. Mother Nature seemed to have other plans as she provided several storms with torrential down pours, thunder and lighting. As we got closer to 5:30 p.m. our designated time the sprinkles that were left all but went away. With local mountain bikers and a few from Birmingham, coaches and parents, city and county officials, and MDA Board Members, our celebration was going to happen. Remarks were made by Phil Webb, Chairman of MDA, and the cutting of the ribbon was done by Board member, Freeman Fite, whose idea it was to build the trails. The biggest announcement after the actual opening of the trails is that the second race of the NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) season will be hosted right here at the McClellan Trails on March 7- 8, 2020. This announcement was met with much applause, especially from the team riders. On behalf of MDA, a big thank you was provided to Trail Solutions (trail builders), IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association), Preston York from Flowmotion, Patrick Wigley from Wigs Wheels and the mountain bike riders and their coaches. The ribbon was then cut and the Cheaha, Donoho, and Jacksonville team riders and their coaches took to the trails for the first time. The most heard comment was “it’s smooth and it’s fast”. The thumbs up, was a good sign that the trails were a hit especially for those that will call it their home trail. The trails are officially open 7 days a week from Dawn to Dusk.

On June 5, 2018, at a called board meeting of the McClellan Development Authority (MDA), the Board of Directors unanimously approved two offers to purchase property on McClellan. Both purchase offers came from new local startup businesses looking to join the list of corporate partners who call McClellan home. The Directors first approved the sale of forty five acres located in the North Industrial Conservation District of McClellan to White’s Environmental Solutions (WES) out of Glencoe, Alabama. The Board also approved a “Right of First Refusal” contract with WES to purchase an additional twenty four acres adjacent to the other purchased property within the next five years. WES plans include the initial construction of a new fully enclosed “green” biomass processing facility that will use biodegradable products and vegetative matter (branches, leaves, clippings, etc.) to produce nutrient-rich soil additives and conditioners that are then used to create the mulch and plant soil products found in any gardening center and used by greenhouses, sod farms, and landscaping companies. Ms. Roo White, the owner of WES whose company motto is “better compliance through science”, will become part of the rapidly growing environment sustainment industry through the establishment of an eco-friendly processing center dedicated to soil and water conservation. Her new business will include the addition of up to fifteen new jobs for the community. The Board also approved the sale of two acres in McClellan’s Town Center District along Town Center Boulevard for a new full-service veterinary clinic. Dr. Elizabeth Mayne, owner of Paws and Tails Fur Family Care, LLC plans to construct a new multi-service facility that will provide veterinary services, pet boarding/day care, and grooming services. Recognizing the close bonds that people have with their pets, Dr. Mayne’s goal is to embrace each individual pet as a valued and important family member. Her vision includes the creation of a luxury hotel experience for those pets being boarded and the grooming service will be like a day at the spa. Dr. Mayne is a fully certified Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and looks to initially hire up to eight new employees for her business. The McClellan Development Authority congratulates our new corporate partners, and looks forward to watching their community-oriented businesses grow and prosper here at McClellan.

New Independent Living Facility will include the former Post Headquarters building, four former multi-story barracks, and the large parade grounds area totaling just over ten acres. On December 20th, MDA officials executed the necessary closing documents and finalized the $2.3M sale of the Historic Buckner Headquarters complex, clearing the way for the development of a new Senior Independent Living Facility on McClellan. This closing signifies the end of over seven years of discussions, negotiations, and coordination with multiple brokers, developers, underwriters, and attorneys to bring this project to a successful conclusion. The signing of these documents signals the next phase of this Project which is the investment of approximately $23 Million for the modification and renovation of these historic buildings. Plans for this new facility call for the renovation and construction of 120 independent living apartments. These apartments will consist of 81 one-bedroom/one bathroom units and 39 two-bedroom/two bathroom units all complete with full kitchens, utilities, and access to common areas. The facility will also include a clubhouse, business center, fitness center, restaurant, coffee shop, and chapel. Additional services and amenities will include daily lunch, bi-weekly housecleaning and laundering of flat linens, regularly scheduled local transportation, parking spaces, 24-hour emergency call system and staffing, social activities and recreational programs, and priority access to Assisted Living and Memory Support units on McClellan. The development of this Project is headed up by McClellan Independent Living Facilities, LP, an Alabama Limited Partnership. Over the past several months underwriters and bond attorneys have been finalizing the paperwork for the sale of bonds in January to fund the Project. Once bond sales are complete, construction and renovation of the facilities will begin with a targeted operations start date sometime in 2019.

City of Anniston Public Works employees will soon begin demolition on three buildings near the Jacksonville State University McClellan Center. The structures and property, which is owned by the University, is being deeded to the City. Through an agreement between the City and McClellan Development Authority, workers will use the landfill at McClellan for debris removal. Once the demolition is complete, the site will be used for overflow parking for the adjacent Anniston Youth Sports Complex. City Parks and Recreation Director Steven Folks says that the additional parking area is sorely needed and will help address safety concerns over visitors that park alongside Summerall Gate Road during soccer matches. Officials involved with the project anticipate minimal impact on activity at McClellan.

We hope you’ll join us for the 100 Year Anniversary of Fort McClellan, happening Saturday, August 26th from 9 am to 3 pm. There will be bus tours, entertainment, food trucks, and more! All are invited! For more information, please visit the event page on Facebook by clicking here.

During its heyday, Fort McClellan once used several small arms and weapons ranges that today lie just to the east of the McClellan Veterans Parkway off ramp that joins Summerall Gate Road. Oriented north-to-south along what used to be Iron Mountain Road, these ranges require extensive soil remediation work to be conducted as part of the overall $234 million cleanup effort. The cleanup effort will include extensive soil excavation and sifting, soil treatment, and where required, clean soil back fill for the excavated sites. In order to conduct these operations, a timber clear cut of approximately 95 acres will be conducted over the coming weeks. The clear cut operations will be followed up with limb clearing, stump removal and grading operations in order for the environmental crews to complete their cleanup work. Once the cleanup operations are complete, appropriate ground seeding and permanent erosion controls will be put into place. The MDA Committee responsible for environmental oversight will examine additional options like reforestation activities once all cleanup actions are complete. Based on the McClellan Master Plan, this is the last planned timber clear cut operation for the MDA.

Earlier this winter, McClellan staff and Alabama Forest Commission (AFC) representatives were cruising various timber stands throughout the former fort. As they performed their inspections, they began to notice clusters of dead and dying southern pine trees throughout the 2000+ acre cantonment area. Upon closer examination, it was confirmed that several stands were infested with Ips beetles. McClellan is not alone when it comes to the invasion of this aggressive pine beetle. Experts postulate that last year’s long drought and warmer than normal winter stressed many pine stands throughout the region. This resulting stress provided an opportunity for the Ips beetle to infiltrate the pine bark and begin killing the trees. On McClellan specifically, grounds crew noted that the younger tree farms which were planted here less than 20-25 years ago were especially susceptible to Ips beetle attacks. Larger than their cousins the Southern Pine Beetle, Ips beetles tend to attack the trees high up in the branches so typical signs of pine beetle presence such as bore holes and sawdust trails around the base of the tree are not visible. Often the first sign of trouble is when a tree’s pine needles quickly turn reddish brown. Once this happens, the damage is done and the tree must be quickly harvested before the bark begins slipping off of the tree. When a cluster of trees are under attack by the Ips beetle it is important to quickly remove the affected trees and, depending on the density of the stand, sometimes a perimeter of healthy trees as well to try and stop further infestation. To date, approximately 80 acres of timber have been affected by the Ips beetle infestation on McClellan. Logging teams are currently scheduled to finish up some tree stands at the north end of McClellan this week. This project is scheduled to be complete no later than March 30th.

This story orginally appeared in the Anniston Star. For the original post, follow this link. McClellan Development Authority board members on Wednesday agreed to sell property for a retail development in historic warehouses at the former fort. Robin Scott, director of the MDA, said the developer, REK Partners I, plans to turn the vacant buildings into a mix of “restaurants, open-air cafes, boutique shops and arts-and-crafts shops” where patrons can walk among the many stores and enjoy outside dining. Attempts to reach REK Partners I on Wednesday were unsuccessful. MDA board members at the Wednesday meeting agreed to sell the 17-building, 33-acre property located near the roundabout in McClellan for $600,000. The contract approved by the board states that the purchaser is to pay $200,000 at closing, with the remaining $400,000 financed by the MDA at 5 percent interest for two years. Scott said the developer plans to take advantage of tax credits made possible because the properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Those buildings were constructed between 1929 and 1974 in the colonial revival architectural style, according to National Register records. Pete Conroy, director of Jacksonville State University’s Environmental Policy and Information Center and former member of the board which oversaw the development of McClellan, said by phone Wednesday that he was happy to hear of interest in developing the area. Conroy said he hopes the developers retain historic features which make the buildings special. Among them are the former horse stables which housed officers’ polo ponies, Conroy said. The stalls are floored with massive center-cut longleaf pine blocks to withstand the weight of those animals. “It is a very, very special area with incredibly important historical context,” Conroy said.