Birmingham Water Works Seeks Quick Sale

Forever Wild Board Says Wait

by Glynn Wilson

The Birmingham Water Works Board is rushing to sell 3,200 acres of land along the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River and forestalling a move to acquire the property to preserve it by the state Forever Wild board.

Glynn Wilson

Donna Schultz and Friends of the Locust Fork president Sam Howell on a recent outing on the river…

The Black Warrior Riverkeeper non-profit group is opposing this move and asking that citizens immediately contact the Birmingham Water Works Board to oppose the action.

“It is a shame that the (Birmingham Water Works Board) has chosen to abruptly shun Forever Wild and sell to the highest bidder. It seems that the rush to sell is unfounded, as they have held this property for more than a decade,” said Nelson Brooke, executive director of the group.

The property has been appraised at $3.2 Million, according to the water board. At the last Forever Wild board meeting on June 11, that board voted to seek their own appraisal of the property, a first step toward buying the land to preserve it and protect it from development forever.

The water board, however, voted in their board meeting on June 30 to open up a bid process to accept offers on the property through Friday, July 31.

“This unfortunate move effectively cuts Forever Wild out of the running for the property, as the earliest Forever Wild could make a decision would be at their September board meeting,” Brooke said. “I have been unable to meet with their realtor Stan Smith this month to figure out why they are doing this and how the process will work, despite repeated attempts and promises.”

Brooke encouraged the public to contact the board and urge them not to do this. You can learn how on its Website at BirminghamWaterWorks.com.

“This is it folks,” Brooke said. “If they choose to sell to the highest bidder after tomorrow, then the public option is off.”

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