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Grove Hill moves forward with beautification project The Grove Hill Town Council gave its endorsement Monday night to "Extreme Makeover, Grove Hill Edition," a campaign to beautify the community. "We want to see Grove Hill be all it can be," said Gina Skipper of the new Grove Hill Development Board, who spoke to council members. The competition is inspired by the ABC-TV show, "Extreme Makeover Home Edition," and will split the town into North and South teams with prizes awarded to property owners who make "an eye-catching improvement." In her letter to the council, Skipper said "our mission is not to 'change' Grove Hill but rather to enhance and promote the unique qualities and quaint atmosphere of our small town." Property owners are asked to make low-cost improvements such as planting flowers, trimming shrubs or simply pulling weeds. Beginning in mid-March, the competition will run for three months. "We just thought this would be a really fun, friendly way to get the business people in town to come together and create a spirit of pride and enthusiasm," she said. Skipper asked for the town hall to set the precedent for the cleanup with a new Town Hall sign. "We already know what we are going to do with it, we've just got to do it," said Mayor Lamar Hudson. The new volunteer development board also includes Marty Parker, John Daffin, Robbie Lipscomb, Jay Duke, Mike Burroughs and Wil Massey. The board is asking to be brought under the umbrella of the Clarke County Development Foundation, Skipper said. The Grove Hill council voted to pay for the postage for 140 letters, which will be sent out to promote the "Makeover" competition. In other action from Monday's meeting, the council approved the purchase of total of $14,657 in new equipment for Grove Hill Fire and Rescue. The equipment includes Max Force airlift bags ($7,152), two chain saws with a depth limiter kit ($3,341), and four air bottles ($4,164). "These bags are for rescue," said Tommy Phillips, a lieutenant with the fire and rescue squad. "If we have somebody trapped under a vehicle… you cannot get the vehicle up off of them, these bags are inflated with air packs." The special chain saws can cut through concrete and asphalt, he said. "The fire department does a great job," Mayor Hudson said. "…These lift bags can be critical when they respond to an accident." • The council approved the application for a $30,000 grant from the county park and recreation board for improvements to the S.P. Hudson Park. Chris Newton and Kate Jordan, representing Dixie Youth baseball and Dixie Girls softball, spoke to the council. "There are a lot of repairs that need doing at the park," Jordan said, "and they are small, small little projects, but they add up to a lot of money." The park is owned by the Town of Grove Hill. It will cost more than $8,000 to repair dugouts at the park, and the local Dixie Youth organization can contribute $3,000. "We need to order new benches" for the dugout, she said. Jordan was concerned about the girls' concession stand, which she described as "a completely unfinished project." Newton expects to put a countertop, sink and hot water heater in the facility. The bleachers are dangerous, Jordan said. The bleachers also need handrails, Mayor Hudson said. Approximately 325 children have signed up for baseball and softball this season, Jordan said, which is more than last year. "We do not have equipment to hand out to the children," she said. The Gibson Field at the park also needs a temporary plastic mesh fence for fast pitch softball.
• The council tabled consideration of price increases in Blue Cross Blue Shield health and dental coverage for town employees.
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