Henry County Commission Meeting

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 2004

Posted by: RStokes
[email protected]
334-790-1729
Date: Jul 21 2020 11:32 AM

HENRY COUNTY:     Henry County Commission has an Administrative Meeting at 9 AM where items are discussed. At 10:30 AM the members of the Henry County Commission then has a regular meeting.

The Henry County Sanitation Supervisor told the commission that one year of new one man trucks has just been completed. The Supervisor told the commission in the one year of the one man trucks there have been no accidents or near accidents. The Supervisor told the commission if they purchase one additional truck it could help in working for pickups for holidays.

A special guest at today's meeting, Sonny Brasfield, Executive Director of the Alabama Association of County Commissioners. Judge Money serves as President of the Alabama Association of County Commissioners.

Chairman Money asked for continued prayers for County Commissioner Wally Howerton who is battling cancer.

REQUEST TO APPOINT A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ALABAMA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE - Commissioner Grimsley made a motion and Commissioner Bentley second for Chairman Money to continue service on that committee.

Accepted a grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation for a van that will be used by the Henry County Sheriff Department. Item passed.

Accepted a grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation for Henry County Tax Reappraisel.

Approved Boyd Jenkins as a representative of Bakerhill Water Authority. Some of the Bakerhill Water runs into Henry County. The current member, Joe Ed Carr has resigned.

A request to move the Tumbleton Voting place to Balkum Baptist Church. The original voting place was a portable building that weather destroyed. The Judge said the temporary voting houses were costly and they have found working in a partnership with churches has worked. The county pays $ 100.00 to the church for use on voting days. The Chairman asked to move to Balknum Baptist Church on the newly paved County Road 55. The commission approved this item.

Chairman Money said the churches are safer, better facilities and the poll workers like it better.

The commission held a public hearing for White Oak Bass and Go for a retail beer license, off premises and retail wine, off premises. No one appeared to oppose this item.

The commission held a public hearing for Snoring Bear Lakeside Grill, restaurant retail liquor license. No one appeared to oppose this item.

The commission recesses their meeting for the public hearing. After the public hearing they re-renter their meeting. Those items are then considered and voted on. Both items passed without objections.

Reports from staff:

Commission Chairman - unified dispatch - one day a unified location for E911 dispatch. One location in the county for dispatch. Chairman said very important to the citizens for the most efficient dispatch. Several months there were three dispatch centers. Recently the two northern dispatcher centers have been combined into one center for both Abbeville and Henry County Sheriff. Chairman said a long term goal is one center in a unified location. A long term goal but steps are being made a future meeting of the Henry County 911 Board. Discussion of school systems and field trips and some done virtually. Hard to look at peanuts virtually but the commission has been told no field trips until mid year. Road and Bridge construction, encourage ride County Road 55. This election the turn out was about 20%. There was 6,900 republican votes on March 3 and like 2,600 on July 14.

Chairman Money said a disappointment was the Census. Just last week Henry County turned 50% which is a disappointment. Chairman Money said the City of Headland is 70%. The northern area, Abbeville and lake is the weakest. On Wednesday morning at Dothan Civic Center there is a meeting concerning the census. The completion of the census is very important. If this area does not hit 70% we could loose one Washington seat and could loose two Washington seats.  The extension is October 31.

To complete the census could take 4 minutes to complete. Anything that can be done to promote the event please do so.

COVID -19 - Henry County has done good. Everything that could be done has been done in the courthouse. Recent numbers in area are up but Henry County has done good and most people have been very supportive.

The Alabama Association of County Commissioners Association will be held as a virtual meeting this time. Normally the meeting is held at Perdido Beach but because of COVID=19 can not be held this year.

County Engineer - Resurfacing of County Road 55 started a couple of weeks ago. Several steps have been done and in a couple of weeks asphalt. The job will be competed in August. Alabama 134 south to Houston County will then begin and all being done under REBUILD ALABAMA. This is the first project being done in Henry County on REBUILD ALABAMA. The clean up from storm, Henry County has been approved and reimbursement will be, some $ 220,000.00, will be paid back for a total of 85%. That money is not anticipated until the first of the year.

County Road 62 a issue has to be repaired and the road had to closed. Hopefully this will be open by weekend or first of the week.

A Transportation Planning Meeting is set for FY 2021 is set for July 29, 2020 at 8:00 in the Henry County Commission Chambers.

OLD BUSINESS -

Abbeville Mayor Helms called Chairman Money and said it is the City of Abbeville intent for EMA Director Ronnie Dollar to be appointed as their representative of the Henry County 911.

The Chairman said they wanted to appoint Ronnie Dollar as Chief Dispatcher and pay        $ 50.00 a pay period or $ 100.00 a month. This item passed without objection.

SONNY BRASFIELD   

Was present for the meeting and then addressed the commission. Montgomery is like the rest of the country and has been put on hold. The first legislative meeting Brasfield attended was 1982 and this was the strangest ever. The legislature took spring break and then everything broke out. That forced the legislature to take different approaches. They were able to get the budget out and CARES Act. This legislative session left the Alabama Association of County Commission Association with several items they wanted to accomplish, unaccomplished. 

Some items that face counties they continue to face. As of this past Friday there were 1,300 inmates backlogged into the county jails. When trials continue Brasfield is concerned what will happen across the state. If no more state prisioners, a year from today there will still be 1,280 inmates backed up into the county jails.

Brasfield said this is the 3rd or 4th time he has been to the Henry County Commission Meeting. He did not walk into a room and did not walk into a room then like he felt everyone was a team. But today he walked in and in every room he felt there was a team.

Brasfield encouraged all to be a team, get your hands in the dirt and work together. There is a sense of "WE" and not  "I". If you do not get together no one knows what the other one does. Keep the team together.

Brasfield spoke about Chairman Money who is serving as President of the Alabama Association of County Commissioners. The annual meeting will be live streamed which will be upcoming in several months.

Brasfield said this has been a crazy year. Nothing as Chairman Money and Brasfield discussed last year of what they wanted to accomplish. Brasfield has been with the association since 1988. If COVID-19 hit in 1990, 2000, 2010, he shakes to think what would have happen. As he looks at County Government, he gives a A- to how the counties have handled COVID-19 and attempted to keep access. We took care of each other. Proud of the leadership role the Association played and the leadership of Chairman Money as President.

The job of President of the association varies from year to year. The membership somehow knows who to send for the Executive Director. This year when David Money was sent, it was exactly what was needed. A leader is one everyone gets behind. Leadership is if people follow. The membership has followed David. 

Brasfield said county government is ready if we can figure a vaccine and stop the spread. Henry County sent someone to represent the county and all 67 counties of Alabama.

Brasfield presented the Chairman with a plaque on his year of service as President.

Chairman Money asked Brantley ( my grandson ) to pick a number for a gift.  He picked number 2... and I had number 2.

Meeting was adjourned.

NOTE:   Numbers are written on the back of the agendas and the numbers are in a box. They pick a number and the Chairman presents a gift to the one with the number.

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