Jan. 20 commission, Jasper council meetings

I'm not sure that any other reporters eventually showed up for Tuesday's called Walker County Commission meeting, unless they came late in the back, and my own show doesn't start until Feb. 2, so I'll go ahead and give a summary here. Plus, I'll give a brief summary of Jasper City Council's meeting that morning since I've started this ball rolling.

Walker County Commission Chairman Bruce Hamrick noted the flag was ordered at half-mast that day for Pvt. Sean McCune, who died in Iraq and whose funeral was that day. Hamrick's prayer mentioned McCune and the new president to be sworn in that day, Barack Obama.

The commission gave approval to the state's paving project on Alabama 195 from Alabama 5 to 1.766 miles north of Fall City Road, also known as County Road 27. (The Jasper City Council later that morning passed the same type of resolution. Councilmen heard that this particular project will not straighten out long-term traffic problems with the infamous intersection of 195 and 5, but that the state has been discussing the matter.)

The commission approved a grant award to the county's airport for clearing of obstructions. The county and state will each pay a 2.5 percent match of $6,685, while the federal government will pay $254,024, for a total of $267,394.

The commission followed the recommendation of County Engineer David Edgil in rejecting all bids for work on the roof of the Walker County Emergency Management Agency building, with the idea of rebidding or looking again at the project later.

The commission observed the swearing in of county Treasurer Sheila Rice by Circuit Clerk Susie Odom, with family also in attendance. The commission later approved a resolution for First National Bank to clear the way for Rice to join Hamrick and county administrator Jill Farris is having signatures on the county's accounts.

The commission approved a $3,200 annual contract with the East Walker Chamber of Commerce to pave the way for the county's annual appropriation.

The commission agreed to change its food service at the county jail, which has had a contract with ABL Management for that service. Hamrick said there have been problems with ABL in the past, while the jail now has a licensed dietitian on staff. Sheriff John Mark Tirey and jail administrator Trent McCluskey wants the dietitian and other local staff to administer the program and buy local food for the meals. The county has to give 30 days to ABL to cancel its contract.

The commission agreed to reappoint EMA director Johnny Burnette as the NIMS point of contact, a position Burnette has held for a couple of years and which was previously held by 911 director Roger Wilson.

The commission announced it would hold its annual auction in April and gave permission to Hamrick, Farris and District 1 Commission Dual Tubbs (who generally directs the auction) for signing documents related to the auction.

The commission announced its annual spring cleanup will be held April 18-25 in conjunction with the statewide People Against a Littered State (PALS) cleanup.

A few blocks over, the Jasper City Council postponed a hearing with Charles Tatum Jr. concerning a hearing on a matter for Donald Booth against the city, as Tatum was apparently out of town that day. It renewed a contract with RPS to transport prisoners in emergency situations, although the fee will rise to $385 per trip in an emergency. It approved purchase (though bids) of a number of items using a $96,156 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), with $4,807 in local matching funds. It approved a resolution for nuisance abatements but postponed a couple of cases until more information could be obtained. It also introduced ordinances to rezone areas for industrial and commercial use in connection with the new industrial park and approved election officers for an upcoming school millage referendum that is to be paid for by the Jasper City Board of Education.

Also from that council meeting, the council discussed $46,500 in curb and gutter work, as well as other improvements, that had been delayed for three years on Audie Boulevard and Gary Drive. However, some on the council were concerned about the rising cost of insurance and wondered if the project should not be postponed a few months until the council can get a handle on the finances. Mayor Sonny Posey suggested a resolution for the next meeting to put a three-month freeze on non-emergency projects because of funding needs. No one on the council spoke out against the project's merits.

The council also discussed entering a lease and sublease with Walker County and Clastran to purchase a new bus that it could then lease to Clastran. That is something Clastran wants to cut down maintenance costs, and the city can get a grant for the bus, which could come several months from now. However, the council and Posey agreed to see if the mayor could use the proposal as leverage to get Clastran to allow bus passes or other exemptions to be used to help make off-route trips that are currently more expensive. City officials said it is possible government regulations or other restrictions might not allow such a change, but they wanted to see what they could get for local riders who otherwise might be physically able to make the off-route trips by themselves.