Jasper Council Approves $50,000 Design Amendment for 9th Avenue Flood Project

Jasper, Alabama — The Jasper City Council approved a $50,000 budget amendment July 7 for Sain Associates Inc. to perform engineering and design work related to the city’s 9th Avenue flooding project.

The vote is a local implementation step, not a construction start. Records reviewed through Aug. 3 do not show a construction contract, contractor selection or published completion date for the project.

Council approved engineering funding

The council’s July 7 minutes record a motion by Councilmember Willie Moore III, seconded by Councilmember Jennifer W. Smith, to adopt Budget Amendment #2025/2026-13. Councilmembers Lincoln Moody, Smith, Moore and Presiding Officer Jenny Brown Short voted yes. Councilmember Sam Watts was absent.

The amendment provides $50,000 to Sain Associates for engineering and design work related to the 9th Avenue flooding project. The records do not describe the final design scope, a construction schedule or a total project cost.

Flooding has affected homes and businesses

In a May 11 release, the City of Jasper said the city has faced persistent drainage problems, with repeated flooding affecting populated residential areas and local businesses, including Jasper Feed & Seed. A supplemental development readout places the 9th Avenue project context near Jasper Feed & Seed and the railroad tracks.

For nearby residents, businesses and commuters, drainage failures can affect property access, travel and public infrastructure. The available records do not establish that every 9th Avenue property or the entire railroad corridor is part of the project.

Federal funding remains subject to required steps

The May 11 announcement described $893,000 in federal flood-prevention support for Jasper. The city release said the planned work could include upgraded drainage infrastructure, water-flow management and the relocation or modification of existing structures.

That announcement did not establish that the money had been received or obligated for construction. A June 24 report by the Alabama Political Reporter said communities had to apply by 5 p.m. Eastern time July 22, 2026, and that FEMA would review applications and disburse funding only after confirming eligibility requirements.

The federal funding process is separate from the city’s July 7 budget amendment. Jasper’s local vote authorized the engineering and design expenditure; it did not by itself establish federal approval, a local match or authorization to begin construction.

July 21 agenda showed no flood construction item

Jasper’s July 21 City Council agenda included other contracts and resolutions but did not list a construction contract or procurement item for the 9th Avenue flood project. That agenda check does not determine the project’s eventual schedule, but it supports describing the project as being in the engineering and design stage based on the records reviewed.

The next records to watch are the city’s design deliverables, any additional council action, FEMA’s eligibility decision, details about a possible local match and a future construction solicitation or contract award. Until those steps occur, nearby residents and businesses should not expect an immediate construction start or a published completion date from the July 7 amendment alone.

Sources

• Jasper City Council July 7, 2026 minutes
• Alabama Political Reporter FEMA funding report, June 24, 2026