SILVERHILL, Alabama — Officials in Silverhill hope a drainage study will provide the first step toward getting some relief in flood prone areas of town.

The Silverhill Town Council voted at its meeting Jan. 3 to enter into an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation to fund the study, which would be conducted by engineering firm Goodwin, Mills and Cawood.

“This is something that we’ve been trying to do since we had really bad flooding issues a few years ago,” Mayor Tim Wilson said. “We wanted to be able to do something that would be beneficial to all residents in those areas and not just move water from one area to another. We’re hoping that this study will show us how to do that.”

Heavy rainfall in March of 2014 dumped almost 10 inches in some areas of Baldwin County, causing widespread flooding. Several instances since that time have fueled the need for drainage improvements, including the latest flooding over the New Year’s holiday weekend.

“Hopefully this will point us in the right direction of what needs to be done to provide the greatest benefit for our citizens,” Wilson said.

ALDOT has agreed to pay for the study at a cost not to exceed $35,000.

According to the resolution agreement passed at the council’s Jan. 3 meeting, the study will “cover the funding for analysis of existing drainage system, identification of critical flow points, and preliminary recommendations for improvements to existing infrastructure based on the findings.”

The study will encompass the area along Alabama 104 to North Boulevard from County Road 55 west to Ninth Street, Wilson said.

The Tuesday night meeting was rescheduled from Monday, Jan. 2 because town offices were closed for the New Year’s holiday. A measure to move the meeting, along with moving the next meeting to Tuesday, Jan. 17 because of the King/Lee holiday on Monday, Jan. 16, was put back on the agenda for the Jan. 3 meeting because the council was unable to meet Dec. 19 for lack of a quorum.

In other business at the Jan. 3 meeting, the council voted to table the placement of a marker at town hall in order to discuss further were the marker would be placed.

Town resident and artist Peco Forsman proposed the monument at a previous meeting at an estimated cost of $3,000.

The council also voted to purchase a truck for the town’s Utility Department at the Jan. 3 meeting. Wilson said the town budgeted $6,000 per year over the next five years to purchase the vehicle.

Future plans were also discussed to adopt an ordinance for regulations regarding the usage of golf carts in town following the passage of a statewide amendment in the November general election.

The amendment, which states that municipalities have the right to pass their own laws regarding the usage of golf carts, provided that the golf carts meet with state regulations, went into effect on Jan. 3, officials said.

Wilson said a proposed ordinance could be placed on the agenda for the council’s next meeting for passage as early as February.