County Commission - Regular Meeting

I'd like to welcome everybody here today. Thank y'all for coming. Uh Chairman Baitman and Commissioner Stevens are in Washington. They won't be here today. And so we just going to move right on. Uh Dan, if you would say a prayer for us.

Dear heavenly father, we uh we just thank you so much for the blessings you give all of us and everything. Dear Lord, just thank you for the opportunity for everybody to be here today, dear Lord, and discuss the needs of the county. Lord, we just uh ask that you'd uh guide proceedings, dear Lord, any decisions that may be made, dear Lord, and just uh help all of us when we make decisions our lives, dear Lord. Just watch over all of us here, all of our all of our country, military, and everything, dear Lord, wherever they may be in Jesus Christ's name we do pray. Amen. Amen. Will stand please. Salute.

I aliance 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. Go ahead and call our meeting to order. Approve the agenda. Have a motion to approve the agenda. Motion second. All in favor say I. I. Approve the minutes of the regular meeting on January 27th, 2026. Second. Second. All in favor say I. I. Show Creek.

First off, I want to say uh thank you to the county commission, all your commissioners for allowing us to be here. I stand here on behalf of several guys who are here with me today that are members of the show Valley Improvement Association. Uh we're here today to give uh a plaque of recognition to Miss Blair Good Game. I don't think she knows ready this is happening but she does now. U first off our let me give you a little background before she comes up. Uh our association exists to assist Shrek Valley and projects that upgrade the community and help. And our main fundraiser which all of our funds come from fundraising. Our main fundraiser of the year uh is our Christmas auction that we have uh every December. So for for instance for the past three years of this auction uh we're auctioning off cakes, cookies, uh a jar of jelly all the way to a bed swing. It could be a lot of different things, but uh in the past three years it's raised almost $15,000. And in the past three years, Blair Good Game has served as the auctioneer for uh this uh fundraiser and she does a fantastic job. So on behalf of the guys and and members of the show Valley Improvement Association, uh if Blair would come forward at this time, I have a plaque to give her for our appreciation to her for everything she did. And

let me say this too before I give it to you. Uh this plaque and some of you probably know him. Uh Jeff Ker, he's a resident of Shaw Creekuit Valley. Murdoch. Huh? Murdoch. Yeah. Well, he made he does metal work and art. So, he made a beautiful St. Clair County plaque. And we had the plaque. So, we just decid I mean the uh the piece of art. we decided to put it on a plaque and we wanted to give it to you Blair. So, thank you so much uh for all you've done.

Thank you so much. Got Steve Walker, Fran Brad Fry, Don Sanders. Come on side, Don. Y'all come over here. I think she want to give us a little after y'all get the picture. Will that black? We got to let her sp give us a

space or phone. Okay, let's give a round of applause. What she does, she's amazing. It takes about two hours. She is a regular auctioneer. A lot of auctioneer. Let's hear a little bit.

I don't think I have the voice for it right now. She can do the ch do a little bit. Is it hard? Yeah, I have it in me right now. Y'all come to the next auction though and y'all can hear me. She offers chickens and goats and cows and pigs. Am I right? I am usually a livestock auctioneer. Yes. And she she's our tourism director. Most y'all don't know for county and does an amazing job. Very few people don't know her. And Don, I want you to come up here and just share a little what we will you just share a couple words about. Let's let her say some things.

Yeah. Okay. All right. No, this is just such a surprise. I appreciate all that y'all do. And it's one of my favorite events to be able to come and help y'all out every year. And if y'all not been to their auction every It's usually the second Saturday in December every year. Y'all need to put it on your calendars to be there. Yeah, it's a lot of fun. Before we uh see it too, I want to make one other statement and that is our auction would not be what it is without the help of Limeman Lovejoy too. He has helped our auction. Now you used to play the piano and sing. Okay, in case you didn't know it, but and everybody quit coming.

He has helped our auction tremendously and it means so much to show Creek Valley. So Lyman, thank you uh on behalf of everybody here in Shrek. Let's give my round of applause for the county county commission. I think we've got the best Show Creek building for a little community our size of anybody. And through the county commission, we we was able to get the parking lot paid this year. And it's also a voting place for our show. It is. And thank y'all for the parking lot. It's meant everything. Thank y'all. Before she gives it over, y'all come down stand. Let's get a picture of what y'all are. You back up there or come on.

How you going to do it? I feel this. I'm not running for the office.

One more on the far side, please. Yeah, they're walks. All right, counter that. Okay, on three. One, two, three. One, two, three. You just took me, Jason, if you want, sir.

One, two, three. One, two, three. Thank you. Hey, you done says a couple words about the tourism. Don't mind at all. Hey, tourism.

I've got it. Okay. stand for a second.

Yeah. About seven years ago, u we did a fiveyear strategic plan and it was very clear that, you know, the chambers are doing a great job of promoting things locally, but the word wasn't getting out countywide. And so the county commission provided some extra funds to the EDC to hire our first tourism coordinator director and and we had about 50 applicants and some great ones. But that whenever we one of the last people that we interviewed was Blair and somebody that can um be so photogenic as she is now, but also doesn't mind getting her her shoes dirty uh when she's hiking or on the lake and stuff like that and can auction, you know, pigs and chickens and stuff like that. It to me was the perfect fit for Slair County. And then since she uh the after we hired her and she got up and going, the lodging tax in St. Clair County doubled and it's continued to increase since then. So, I can't say enough about how um how fortunate we were that she applied for the position and the fact that she is just she works tirelessly uh every day to promote the great things that we have here and there's really the best is yet to come. So, I just want to thank her for uh for making that uh that idea that the community have success. So,

thank you. Thank you.

Dan, you up.

Okay, just a couple updates on crews and stuff. The uh of course base crews talk session been doing a lot of ditch work and shoulder work. Still working on that. a few pipes. Uh paving crew did have them doing some dish work, too, but we started back doing some uh some hot mix leveling stuff, trying to get some roads ready to to do this next paving season. So, hopefully the weather will cooperate. We can do that for for a while. Um, I guess one thing too, the uh the ramp at the Canoe Creek boat launch for the safe shelter, they should be getting on that just pretty soon. So hopefully another week or so, next bar work session, hopefully that'll be done. Have that out of the way. Okay. Uh the next item I have uh one of our projects that we've been working on for pretty good while uh Sy Road and 411 putting some turn lanes and stuff in there. We've been waiting on a permit from the engineers. We got that back. Uh we're going to have to buy some mit mitigation credits. I've got an agreement here with Westerville Ecological Services. Uh and basically uh we'd be doing our mitigation credits through them. And so the total cost of that is going to be $64,790. We need to approve that.

I need a motion. Motion. Second. All in favor say I. I.

All right. The next item uh we have some equipment that uh we're needing to rotate out of our out of our department and has some value to it. Uh Janewood Auction Company has looked at these uh piece of equipment. We've got a a Cat Reclaimer RR250 and a JCB 300T skid steer and then a a Mac Pinnacle lowboy truck. Uh the proposal they have given us would be to put it in their auction. It runs March 17th through 21st and they're guaranteeing us a gross amount of 132,000. So, and generally we get more than that most of the time. So,

we don't always get a little more than what they get too. So, that's a good thing. So, I would recommend we approve that motion. Second. All in favor say I. I.

Okay. Uh the next item we have uh we've been working on a uh a build grant and this is on 411 corridor basically from Park Avenue to Sydney Road. uh trying to get some funding here to do a planning grant and break this thing up into phases and develop plans hopefully through a first phase. Uh we're needing a 10% match. The the budget number that we have right now uh is basically 5 million for this. Uh so the uh this would require basically a 10% match. Moody's already agreed to do 250,000. That would be 5% for us. 250,000. We're still in the uh I guess planning things. So, if y'all would I would like to get this uh pass today with option to move it up all the way to 300,000 if we run across something else we're needing to include. It

moody it. I know they supposed to had a meeting last night and approved theirs. I've not talked to any of them, but as far as I know, they did. The original cost for this whole project was a little under 10 million that part right around. Well, if you're talking about the whole corridor, planning, construction, everything. We're talking over 100 million basically. Oh, I'm talking just the planning segment. Oh, yeah. The planning segment. We were trying to get plans for the whole Mhm. Uh route through there. So we were at 10 million on that. But uh when we start looking at it realistically 25 million is about all you can get a grant for. So okay,

you know we broke it down into phases and just concentrate on that first phase more so than the rest of it. I'm good with have a motion. Motion second. All in favor say I.

I. There's a couple other uh forms that go with this u and basically the chairman has to sign them. So I'd like to go ahead and get those. It's a federal uh lobbyist type thing has to be signed. Certification and another form that has to be filled out when you're applying for federal funds. But this is just standard. And if y'all go ahead and approve that, we have all that out of the way. So that'll be another item to be approved. Yes. So I make that motion. Second. Second. All in favor say I. I.

Mr. Chairman, can I ask any question for these that may not know about this 411? That would begin the what you're looking at starting at the Moody Crossroads and going to where? The uh it starts like I said move crossroads Park Avenue intersection and would extend the whole corridors all the way up to S road intersection four and basically what we're looking at and other stuff we've done it shows basically a five lane section uh two lanes both direction and turn lane in the middle

and which we already done several grants up for there anyway. We've got a grant we working on right now at four per road turn lanes put in there which we already had the grant for Sandy road and 411 for all them turn lanes to be done. We've done several more down 411 coming up. That's why they've let us do all these different ones eventually. Hopefully we've done enough time we get through doing all these little grants we have just about have five main ter. So that 100 million is actual cost of the construction not nothing to do with planning or would that be

that that was including planning. Okay. You know and the estimate actually is like from 90 million to 120 million. It's what it the range it sort of falls in. Good deal.

Uh the other thing that I have here you know we've received permit request from Alabama Power. This is for putting new lines on Sy Road. Uh this is where there's going to have lane closure for several days. Uh we worked with them some, you know, we were at 20 something. I think they're down to 16 sites right now. Uh they want to meet with us again next week, one day. but uh they would like to go ahead and get a permit to install the poles that only require one lane being closed uh at this point and you know as we're working on these others. So I I

that one lane closure is that we going to have to build any pads for them? Are they going to be have to have pads built the ones we're talking about on this permit? No. Okay. It'll just be all out of bone power on that. How long are they going to keep that one lane? They still going to keep that one lane closed up to six hours? Yes, sir. That's, you know, most days they're going to be able to beat that, but they said realistically they would got a plan for 6 hours because of the crane set up and take down. When are they going to start doing it?

They would start pretty soon. I don't have an exact date, but they're getting ones right now that's like off our ride away and stuff. Been working on that and they're getting, from my understanding, fairly close to having all those. So, you know, if we approve a grant today, I would say by probably sometime next week, they're going to be putting these other ones or we meet with them again next Wednesday. They ain't going to start that. No. Okay. There's some other issues I think we need to work out with them on some other stuff. So,

so those 16 we'll have to prepare some type of for a better word for an outrigger to hit. Uh, that's what we've got. One of the things we got to do are meet and meet with them at these sites. We got to meet with them next Wednesday. So, all right. That'll work. Well, I'm okay with that. What we need to do and the one poll up at the far end and Margaret was poll 47 we talked about needs to be moved, but it's not in this either. It's not in it's not in the permit we're going to give them. So, it actually says What about the other two down at the bottom? I talked about in that other meeting.

Yeah, I really I want to talk some more about them in that meeting because I I'm I'm kind of leer on them other two poles down there. We may run into issue down there whenever we're getting ready to widen that road out. That one pole we got right across from the church area on that side which is on it's kind of on Lyman. It's going to be on the edge of Lyman's property in our rideway with Jack Po. It needs to be moved back some. one we I talked before about we can discuss that we need to still discuss impress next week too okay

that's just an update is it nothing to be approved well they actually need permit permit I'll make that motion second all favor say I I we'll talk about next week Okay. All right. That's all I have this morning. Thanks, Dan. T Morgan, administrator.

Okay. I have one item. Consider a letter of request for the city of Riverside's grant application for street improvement on Mckenzie Street project. This is to reapply for a grant. Y'all did a letter of support last year and the grant was not approved. So, Mayor Jessup reached out to the chairman Friday asking for another letter of support. Motion. Second. All in favor say I. I. Kirk. Yes, sir.

Um, so I just got um one thing to talk with you about um on down in the agenda. There are a couple of items that y'all will consider. Um some resolutions having to do with the Ragland School District. adorum tax. Um and uh just wanted to talk about those a little bit. Also to recognize there's um we got the mayor from town of Ragland here this morning, chief of police, u council member, uh we got representatives from the uh board of education here as well. all in support of uh this measure to um keep the funding to provide support for Raglin High School to stay in business. I just wanted to tell you um that um there are two resolutions. One is to put the measure on the ballot. The other is um it just explains is a um acknowledgment of this commission's understanding of its authority um and its intent um with respect to entering or approving the resolution. Put that on the ballot.

Since you up there going ahead talking go ahead and do go ahead and you can read number two then and do number three. We'll go ahead and vote on Okay. So, uh, item number two on the agenda, uh, is a request for, um, the commission to consider adopting resolution 202619 calling for an election in the Raglin School Attendance and Tax District for a 5 mill school tax uh, pursuant to the request from the St. Clair County Board of Education. Motion. Got a motion and a second. All in favor? I.

Okay. So that will um put that on the ballot for May for the um citizens that reside in that tax district to consider approving the um adalorum tax. The item number three is a request for um you all to consider a comp adopting a companion resolution that um expresses the legislative intent um and the purpose for the tax enactment of the tax. Um, so it's a recognition of the county commission's authority to abate the tax in the event that the purpose for the tax were to cease. So, if uh in the event that the citizens approve the tax, um it's just an acknowledgement by this body now that you all understand that you have the authority to reduce or remit that tax back down to zero in the event that the school Raglin High School were to eventually ultimately close despite these efforts.

That's resolution 26 20 2620. All in favor? No. Motion a second. All in favor? I This is very important.

It's very important to the town of Raglin. I just wanted to tell you one little thing. So, yesterday I was at Walmart and I saw a young man with his Raglin High School uh jersey on. And um it reminded me that it's more than just about an institution and a building that's situated in a town in this county. It's about all those kids that go to school there and all those kids who have gone to school there and now continue to live in this county and are productive citizens here. And um I went to Birmingham Southern and have had the unfortunate experience of knowing what it is to have something that's important to you close and it is not fun. And so I hope that uh I appreciate the commission supporting Raglin in this undertaking and I hope that the citizens will uh get behind that and support this if if they see fit.

Thank you, Mayor. You got anything you want to say? Thank you to the commission. Thank you to the board of education, everyone for helping support us. Hopefully we can get this in front of the citizens on the 19th and uh they can see how the importance of the school and we can get this thing passed. Thank you to the commission for putting it on the ballot. You Yeah, thank you so much for passing that, putting this on the ballot. We all want Raglin High School to stay open. And then the second uh resolution to I mean, we're not trying to do anything there. If it did have to happen to close, we appreciate that to to pack that up because that's what people wanted as well, just to know that uh if the tax passes, it's going to keep raging school open. If for some reason it didn't, they're not going to continue to pay that tax. So, thank you'all very much. We appreciate it.

Thank you. Just just a point of clarification about that. So that's the second resolution is not any commitment that binds this body going forward. It's just an acknowledgement of the authority that you have and what the intent was in enacting the resolution. So just that's all. Board members, any board members want to speak? Bab sounds great.

We've been very um excited at the opportunity of trying to partner and do whatever we could to continue to have a K through 12 school there. So, um thank y'all for your support and getting it on the ballot as quickly as y'all will. It's very important. Yeah. I just want to say thank you. That's that's my school. I graduated from there. I work there now. Just thank y'all so much for taking the time to do this for us, mayor. And I appreciate you too. Thank you.

Anybody else got anything want to speak on on it? Well, I appreciate y'all coming. I appreciate y'all support of it and I hope that people will get out and vote that vote on it and get it passed. Thank you, sir. If there's anything I can do to help y'all promote it, call on me and I'll I'll be there. I need to be there some meetings or whatever. Appreciate y'all. All right. Stands out here. Commissioner Jeff Brown, you got any? Everything's going well. Thank you.

And I'm next, which most of my stuff I've talked about or talked about it's on Dan support here. You got anything? I don't have anything. Appreciate y'all. Thank y'all for coming. Uh, all right. Old business none new business Tina. Let you pick up a five before I get four. Yes, absolutely. Got to let some water out.

Don, while we wait 1:00 today, actually, we requested be pushed back to 1:15. Give everybody enough time to get there after their lunch. 115. I'm happy to announce if you'd like to come to the uh Town Place Marriott ribbon cutting in Pel City today at uh 1:15. We'll be having that in partnership with the uh Pel City Chamber of Commerce.

I got I'll let be there for that and then I got to be back to Pel City High School for signing at 2:30. She made money. They may have a drawing for free stays at Marriott for life.

I may have misread the text. I think you misread that probably people don't know Mr. Blair's grandpa was instrumental in getting you London water, which which built that end of the county. And most most folks don't know that he spent countless hours, days, and years working on that in Montgomery and everywhere. So, it come natural for you to be a leader. Did you know that? I did. Yeah. Mr. good guy.

Everybody on the EDC staff has so many unique uh facets of uh abilities and and things. I'm I'm just a I'm a one note kind of person myself. Anybody else seems to be pretty fascinated. All right, we're ready. Okay. Item one of new business, consider county engineer Dan Dan Donkeyy's contract extension to June the 1st. It actually expires in March. So, we're gonna extend it June the 1st if y'all Now, wait a minute. Let me re ask this again. So, so it's June the 1st, 2026. You sure? Looks like a eight on mine.

That's what I mine got messed up. I guess we I guess we'll do it then. I have a motion. I'm not going to make it. I I'll make it motion. Reluctant. Reluctantly. Second. All in favor say I. I. We're going to miss Dan. Play fill in. Okay. Item two and three was on the county attorney's report about the school writing school. Item four, consider the University of Alabama medical students resident housing contract in the amount of $18,900. This will be a budget amendment. Motion second.

Second. All in favor say I. I. Item five, consider ratifying Chairman Baitman's signature on a letter of support and partnership for an application for the EPA consolation assessment grant with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham. Motion second. All in favor say I. I. Item six, consider ratifying Chairman Baitman's signature on a letter of support for the US Highway 41 411 better utilizing investment to leverage development. This is the bill grant application. Motion second. All in favor say I. I.

Item seven, consider ratifying Chairman Baitman's signature on a commitment letter for the US 411 bill grant. This is a commitment. Second. He's going to be signing a lot when he gets back. Yeah. Item eight, consider approval of customer account representative access agreement with Alabama Power for the Jail account and give access to National Utility Refund as a consultant to review and ne negotiate a decrease in the rate pending the county attorney's review. You good? Thank you. Already reviewed. It's good to go. Good to go. Motion second. All in favor say I.

I. Item nine, consider approval of an invoice for from Jason Good Game Company for plans and specs for two buildings for the sheriff's department in the amount of 20,000 and possibly additional 25 per project for the civil engineering. Motion second. That's those buildings. One will be at the road department. One will be in behind the sheriff's present location if we can make it work that. Yeah, that's right. I got a motion. Motion. Second. Second. All in favor say I. I.

Item 10, consider resending the inmate medical bid that was approved on November the 25th, 2025. Have a motion, sir. All favor say I. Item 11, consider approving an RFP for inmate medical care for the jail that will include opioid language. Motion second. All f say I. Item 12, consider the request of Sheriff Murray to reimburse the discretionary fund in the amount of $159 for Robbie Young's dispatch instructor training. Motion second. All in favor say I.

Item 13, consider a request of jail administrator Philip Bernard to approve the CPC contract pending the county attorney's review. This is due to the new FCC ruling. Motion. Have you? I have. It's good. It's good. Yes, sir. A motion. Second. All in favor say I. I. Item 14, consider the request from jail administrator Philip Bernard to pay an invoice without a purchase order to HD Supply in the amount of $19.96. Motion. Second. All in favor say I. I.

15. Consider the request of property manager Rody Wolf to transfer affordable air conditioner to the St. County Agriculture and Multicenter Multi-event Center. Motion. Second. All in favor say I. I. Item 16, consider the request of asset manager Ashley Haye to renew Canva subscription in the amount of $120 a year and pay with a credit card. Motion second. Favor say I. I. Item 17, consider a professional service contract with Terra Engineering LLC for plans and per test for the arena property in the amount of 14,500 pending the county attorney's review.

That's need to look at that one. Look at we need to hold that. I mean, we can we can approve it pending your but so everybody will know that's we're looking at a possible onsite sewer system that would cover everything there but we're also considering tying into the sewer down the road. So anyway motion motion second. All in favor say I. I. Item 18, consider the request from the EMA director, Patrice Kiasi, to renew Canvas subscription in the amount of $120 a year and pay with the county credit card. Motion second. Second. All in favor say I.

I. Item 19, consider the request of Veteran Service Officer Jason Bolanax to apply for a Pride and Service grant and accept if awarded. The grant will range from 2500 to 25,000. Motion. Motion. Second. All in favor say I. I. Item 20. Consider the request from St. Clair Countymy's Association for appropriation of 2500. And this will be for advertising at the rodeo advertising the event center. And all their programs out there. Motion. Second. That's something we do every year. Something we do every year. Okay. For advertising. Yes.

She's got a lot of events going on out there. May I advertise it during the breaks? Item 21, consider transferring a 2013 Ford Explorer from IT division to the commission office. Motion. Motion. Second. All in favor say I. I. 22. Consider the request of asset manager Ashley Haye to purchase a 7 foot arena drag in the amount of 52 $5,200, but this will only be a $3,200 budget amendment. Have a motion. Motion second. All in favor say I. I.

Item 23. Consider approval of county funds appropriated to the county extension office for FY26 for a part-time 4 agent assistant. This was already in the budget. She's just going to use it for part-time employee. Motion. Second. All favor say I. I. Item 24 consider approval of travel request. I've got all the travel committed right here. I have a motion. Motion second. All in favor say I. I.

Okay. Board appointments. From what I understand, we need to appoint to the department to DHR Terresa Sanders to fill the vacancy of Lovejoy. Have a motion. Motion. Second. All in favor say I. I. Okay. and the St. Clair County EDC Council um appoint Joy Brightner. It's close enough. Um to replace Tammy Spire, who um resigned. Have a motion. Motion second. All in favor say I. I. Okay, that's all I have unless y'all have any additional board appointments.

Reports. I don't have any. Okay. And the next is just anformational item. The severe preparedness tax holiday will be February the 20th through the 22nd of 2026. And then anotherformational item for the minutes. The town of Ragland plans to participate in the sheriff's drug enforcement unit program. Um the fee is 2500. Anotherformational item to be recorded in the minutes. Wolf Creek Volunteer Fire Department spent $33,759.19 on P25 compatible radios. So, we have a resolution that the county will pay 5% of that. So, the county will reimburse $1,687.96 to Wolf Creek Volunteer Fire Department. And the next one is to consider payment of regular bills.

Motion got them copy. We got them right here. Second motion ite say I. I miss it Adams to adjourn and a motion to adjurnn. Motion sir. All in favor say I. I. Anybody else? Anybody want to speak while you're here? Anybody? Anybody want to speak? Any candidates want to speak? Do your three minutes. Alison, get up. Well, I will send you offer. My name is Alison. I currently come up here.

You come up here and face the camera, please.

Um, my name is Allison Grey. Most of these gentlemen, hey, Tina, I'm Allison. I don't know you. Um Um, I currently serve on the St. Clair County School Board. uh position that I hold is up for reelection and I'm seeking reelection. I would appreciate your consideration and your vote. Um I am a Sinclair County resident. I graduated from uh Sanford University with a county degree and I raised my children in St. Clair County and they are graduates of St. Clair County High School. And um it is a exciting time to be on the school board because a lot of activities going on and a vote for me would be some continuity in the system with a new superintendent and a lot of new key leaders coming in at the central office and um but I I serve to um prepare our next generation. and I have granddaughters in in Oville school. So, I'm very passionate about this and I appreciate the time.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Anybody thinking about running? Ashley, you got anything you want to say? No, I just appreciate y'all. All right, Don, you got anything else? Uh just that we're having our just a reminder we're having our investor breakfast in Nashville on the 19th at 8:00 for those that help financially support BBC. That means we're invited. Yeah. I got my invitation in the mail yesterday. I did too.

Well, if nobody else wants to talk, thank y'all for appreciate y'all coming. Thank you.