County Commission Agendas - Regular Meeting

the March 23rd, 2026 uh commission meeting. Uh we have tonight several items in a business uh to consider for vote and we do have a a several areas to discuss in our work session tonight. Uh at this time, I'd like to ask Mr. Ham, county administrator, please call the role, establish query, present. Commissioner Kimber. Commissioner Buckner present. Commissioner McBre,

we do have a quorum at this time. If everyone will please stand like to ask and Mr. Timmer to lead our pledge of alle.

Let's pray. God, our father in heaven, we're we're blessed to be citizens of this great country and to live in this county that all the beauty that surrounds us each and every day. And at this time of the year, it's hard to think about conflict and wars, but because we look around us and see such beauty, but we know that they're there. We know that they exist. So we pray that you'll be with the leaders of the various countries, with our leaders and and leaders of other countries and uh pray for a peaceful solution without further loss of life in all the different conflicts that are raging around the world at the present time. God, we're thankful for your blessings though each and every day. We pray you watch over us and guide us in Christ's name. Amen.

Amen. Pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The agenda for tonight's meeting is practiced earlier. We did have some new business items and work items. We will go in effective session again. It is far careful. Um the agenda for tonight uh uh there there's been a request by Mr. Jelly to add in uh work session item 7 A3 creation of truck route for Rocky in Bridgeport. So with that addition, do I have a motion to approve the agenda for our commission meeting March 23rd, 2025?

Motion. We have a motion. Do we have a second? I'll second.

We have a second. All in favor say I. Motion carries. Thank you. We don't have any awards or presentations tonight and we don't have uh any public comment tonight. So we'll move direct into our new business portion. Uh the items that we have in new business uh we did have discussions in the last public session. The first item is regarding the purchase of the new Moore for the Jackson County Park. Uh in your packet is a u a quote uh from Tri uh the recommendation of park director Parish for a Z930M Z track lawn more cost $13,6694. Uh, so do I have a motion to approve the purchase of the new Moore for the Jackson County Park?

We have a motion. Do you have a second? Second. We have a second. All in favor say I. Motion carries. Thank you. Also in the last meeting he suggested or recommended to the uh commission that we surplus an old Moore, the oldest Moore that we have in the park. Uh so with that, do I have a motion to surplus the old more of the on from the Jackson County park? Motion. We have a motion to have a second. Second. We have a second. All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Thank you.

We had a discussion in the last meeting about our part of our 26 L 20 26 road program. I want to thank uh county engineer for the work that they have done putting together a a list of roads for consideration for this year's this portion of our road program. That list included a number of roads in each district that had a total of 96 miles for consideration with a resurfacing cost. If there were hot nicks, it would be over $12 million. And there if it was a a hot nick performed by the county, it would be nearly $10 million to resurface those lists. I want to say thanks to the commissioners for getting out and meeting with our county engineer and also taking a look at roads. Uh in your packet, you have a list of roads that we discussed at our last brief and the selection by each of the uh district commissioners for a total of 15 miles. And the total cost for that would be 1,524,042. Let me ask if there are any questions or comments. If not, do I have a motion to approve the FY2026 local roads plan?

Motion. We have a motion. We have a second. Second. There a second. All in favor say I. I.

Motion carries. Thank you. Um also with the roads program, we needed to do some budget amendments to for the funding for that. So the first is an amendment uh to approve an expenditure for the uh FY 2025 local roads program. The up healthy 2026 local program roads program using fund 410 which is our rebuild Alabama bond fund. So with that, do I have a motion to approve the expenditure for the FY2025 local roads program and FY2026 local program roads program using fund 410 rebuild Alabama?

Motion. We have a motion. Have a second. Yes. Have a second. All in favor say I.

Motion carries. Thank you. The other amendment we need to make is that we take discussion special work session of utilizing uh $1 million of our general fund cash balance that's general funds to the 01 to support our 12 LY 2026 local roads program. So we need to make a budget amendment to consider that. And so do I have a motion to approve the allocation of general fund 001 money to reimburse the clean gas tax fund fund 100 and the gas tax funds 111 11 for white 2026 local roads program expenditures.

I do have one question just for clarification. Uh you said we're we're we're transferring a million dollars. Yes. Okay. Thank you. That's all. Any other questions? Do I have a motion? Motion. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. We have a second. All in favor say I.

Motion carries. Thank you. Uh with that, that's the last item in new business for tonight's agenda. We'll move into work session. All work session items tonight are public works area. And so I will turn that over to our county engineer, Mr. Campbell. Uh the items for discussion is county road 53 piping construction agreement for county road 45 city and the addition for tonight the creation of foot for Mr. Thank you chairman commissioners. Uh the first item is listed driving request. If I may, I may just defer to commissioner goalie on that addition.

I had some calls from uh some citizens uh up in the rash and uh rash and bass rash area and u I guess it's where Canada 54 was strapped at the surface. the question of the folks that live up there. And I've talked with Commissioner Kmer about it. It kind of splits my district, his district halfway through there. And we had Mr. Campbell run the numbers that were presented uh last uh meeting for you guys. It was amount of money uh to uh to drop that and we would like to have that uh added to the agenda for the business meeting next time to approve user 53 Strat. Okay. What was what was the distance from that?

It's about three miles from where we looked at was from Cro 54 to state 117. And I think we had money that was uh left over from the bond money that we could allocate to do that with. Yeah, it's part of this money that we just approved allocation for our local.

We we both agree it's good product to provide. Okay. Any questions? I live out that way. I ride that road daily almost and so I think that would be a good good thing to do for our folks that live out there. So, uh can we put this on new business next meeting? Yes. And and one one caveat to that is is there's a really bad place where I guess uh it was resurfaced chip sealed a few years back but I think it's really dark and black through that one section out through there where the tar has bled up through the gravel. So striping would really help that for safety.

Okay. We will [clears throat] address the new business for our next next meeting. The next item is construction agreement for county road 452. This is the road that leads into Buck's pocket is in your packet is a construction from the state. So Mr.

Thank you chairman. Um the you should have the agreement in your package and I would categorize this as the standard agreement with ALDOT to receive ST funding. So it does detail the uh requirements for the county and the state. Draw your attention to the the first page I guess is the primary concern. That's the funding source and estimated cost. So we are set to receive $220,000 of state funds with zero match. We are however um required to complete and furnish or review a plan set assigned and sealed by professional engineer and all construction engineering and inspection is to be provided by the county. We we will provide a detailed material report and then provide material for testing and inspection to the state. The other terms and conditions are included in this and also the proposed resolution for your consideration. The sheet for executing this agreement agree let me open up for questions. I think it's a good thing that anytime a state paid for a county should be if approved upon and improve the clock state park.

I will add the funds a little low in the reimbursement method. So we spend first seek reimbursement. And are you going to be the PE that does the plans or we're going to have to hire you? Uh um I know some of this is out of our hands but what do you anticipate timeline?

So we developed a plan set they review approved provide comment we satisfy them on the plan set they receive the executed agreement then we receive a notice to proceed. After that we can actually start work. So once we get to that stage, it'll really rely on the contractor schedule, but this season obviously. Okay. Any other comments? Uh can we put this on new business for for next next meeting? Okay.

One other question. I I believe also in the plan that uh I I'll doubt I was also discussing with the Cal County to for them to do some work on their side of of the boats pocket. Believe that to be correct as I understand.

Uh next item is creation of truck route for rock quarry in Bridgeport. Um, the SRM inquiry contacted me about the uh trucks going in and out and I've had several citizen complaints about uh trucks traveling on Canada 74 and county road 94 and and really tearing up the roads there increase truck traffic to the new broad core that's open. So, u I went out and met with them. I talked with them. I got with Mr. Campbell and [clears throat] he sent some guys out and I think there's been some remediation work that was performed prior to this to uh enhance uh the turn off 75 onto u 74 there. So, I would like to propose no trucks uh and and make trucks take a specific route of County Road 75 and make the turn on 74 to go into the Rock Quarry to County Road uh what's 587

587. So, and keep trucks off the alternate, you know, road roads coming in from Tennessee coming in 94. 94 specifically, they're really doing number on that, tearing it up. So, I'd like to have one specific truck route in and out. I think he's rode it and it will accommodate their their loads.

Any [clears throat] other questions, comment? No, I mean I'm I'm excited about the prospects of this uh because again I think I think we should be mindful of of keeping these heavy trucks on as quality of road as we can. That way not uh having to go back behind too many areas to you uh keep these roads passible. So I about to miss the request. Do do the post have no trucks with a certain weight in it or on the uh on the other road like on 414 it says no trucks.

No truck. Okay. Of course that would be exempted for local delivery. You know trucks that would have to go the house but for trucks you know right normal traffic back and forth from the it can be enforced by the state. any comment?

I'll just add a couple things for options of consideration. U we we have we did go back and research and we found a couple of cases where we had restricted truck traffic in the past. Um one was by weight limit and one was by no trucks. When we research in the MUTCD as far as guidance, they suggest perhaps a no through trucks to allow for the local option as Mr. Gully mentioned. And I'll just add this that the intersection [clears throat] on 74 and 75, it's negotiable, but it's not ideal. So, uh, those roads intersect on a skew. And the improvement came when the the interest in the quarry was first started and uh the there's there's not enough radius as it existed for truck traffic to enter in there. So there were improvements made on the shoulder and we were limited basically by the rideway that we had and the drainage structure that's in that area. So it has been improved. It's not, it has not been improved as far as full pavement. And with the improvements, trucks can make the maneuver, but it's not ideal.

Okay. Now, I need to mention this too. I'm sorry. Just prior just prior to that intersection, um there has been a warning sign placed and that's trucks entering highway. There's a hill and limited sight distance in that location. So, um, there has been a sign placed in advance of that intersection with anticipation of truck use in application. Okay. So, sounds like it be will maybe put a sign there that says, you know, the roof that Well, on on the other routes, not the route we're taking. No, no, I'm talking about the route you don't want. Correct. Okay.

The other end of 74 and Canada 9. Okay. with that when we bring a resolution for that to the next meeting. I believe that we would probably need resolutions to address that. Sure, John. Okay. So, if we can put the resolution together and bring it and put it new business next meeting. Okay. Thank you for the word amen. Okay. [clears throat] That's the last item in our work session at this time. Uh, do we have any reports from the staff administrator? Anything else?

I just have a a photo of the passion board. So, just please make sure we have your roads on there. Um, this is a hot item. I know among citizens and everyone else. So, if it's not on there, please let us know and we'll try to keep you posted on some some frequency as this. All right. [clears throat] No, sir. Lambert will be here in the morning to start on the drains to get that part of the job finished. I believe that's the last.

Just so everybody remembers that in our steps going down into the bathroom actually open during public events here. Uh there are some drains and they uh we had some rather large drains that uh originally but whenever they did the renovation we ended up with drains that about the size of a coffee can lid and uh it does not quite water very well. So that was one of the issues we had pressure it did create some issues of flooding down there watered. So, thank you. Uh, Sharon, anything?

Uh, we met with Mr. Brian Carpenter today about the noise coming from through Sister Square occasion have bands and stuff. It does affect somewhat our dispatch if they turn it up too loud. And they're working with us on keeping the sound down. But they're also coming up with a plan to some kind of soundproof uh curtains put in dispatch and possibly something for Judge Graham's courtroom because something's going on in the daytime. with it very loud. So, they're working on that for us. They're trying to work with us. They understand the problem. Thank you. That'll be no cost. Always good. Thank you. Uh Ross, anything update from you?

Waiting on shipment. I've got most of the stuff in for the panic. But if that's what you're referring to equipment get shipped here, then it's Thanks very much. Uh that with that we'll go to comments from the commission. Commissioner go enjoying the good weather. I appreciate all the hard work of the county employees. I hope uh everyone enjoys your spring break children.

Mr. Mr. K, thankful for everybody for what you do. As always, you know, sometimes it's a thankless job. We appreciate you. Uh, District 3, Commissioner Buckman. Yeah, I want to echo everything that's been been stated. We can't we can't do it without the work of our employees uh and our volunteers. We're so we're so blessed with people that love the county as as much as as much as the county deserves. Thankful for that. Uh Jonathan, could could you give me just a a quick quick tutorial on what the colors mean on the chart?

It should be in the lower right section. They should correlate with the month. I got and that month will basically be when the work order was received. So just kind of a quick reminder on how that goes. It's organized geographically, but also work on a Yes. So, so, so if I see if I see a light green, I match it up with the BP. So, okay. And, and I mentioned that because they they normally work in that order, but sometimes they look at things and priorities shift, if that makes sense. Thank you. District

like to apologize for my um want to echo what my fellow colleagues have previously said. Thank you to all our county employees for the hard work that they they do to keep our county running strong. You have a great spring break.

I'd like to say thank you for all the work that was done in the about a week ago. Our our weather event that happened here EMA directorate was stood at the EOC for I think about a day and day and a half. They were watching a weather event and keeping everybody to bed. and Jonathan, thanks for your guys being out and working working the roads. The state was out as well working the state grounds and sheriff your folks and everybody that was out uh following and taking care of folks. I just want to say thank you for that. Uh with that, our next meeting date is the 13th of April. It will be here in our meeting room and at 5:00. And so we do need to go in executive session as said earlier. We do have a discussion need to have and uh with name and character. So with that, do I have a motion to go into executive session?

Motion. We have a motion. Have a second. I'll second. We have a second. All in favor say I. Move carries. Thank you. I need uh Mr.