Local non-profit asks Commission for help; commissioners take oath of office
Marengo County Commissioners Jason Windham and Calvin Martin took their oaths of office Wednesday at the start of the monthly Commission meeting.
The rest of the meeting consisted of routine matters except for a presentation by Christian Chapel Associate Pastor Jesse Moore.
Moore is the director of The Moore Wright Group, a non-profit he and his wife started in February 2017.
“When we started it, we had no intention of going to this level,” he told commissioners.
“This level” involved a branch of the non-profit run by his daughter in Washington State. Locally Moore said the group has distributed some $3.4 million worth of products to families in the county who need help, especially during the pandemic.
He said they have “passed out gallons of milk, boxes of food by the thousands” as well as scores of pallets holding masks and PPEs, gloves and other necessary items to cope with COVID-19.
The group has been able to do all this through grants from the Black Belt Community Foundation, Gov. Kay Ivey’s office and other sources, with donations from Wal-Mart both in Demopolis and in Meridian, Miss., Amazon, and from people all over the country who have sent money to help them.
All this support will last only through the end of the year, Moore said. He asked the Commission to “extend our budget of $100,000 to buy, supply and support your constituents.”
The Commission tabled any action until the December meeting.
Moore said after the meeting that distribution of food and supplies are made on a first come, first served basis at 8 a.m. every Wednesday at the MCEDA office in Linden.
He added that The Moore Wright Group has spent between $60-$70,000 in Marengo County during 2020 that have come in through grants and donations. When donations come in, Moore said, “We try our level best to get it right back out.”
County Engineer Ken Atkins said an assessment team from EMA surveyed for storm damage after Hurricane Zeta, and the county has met the threshold for storm cleanup. He is waiting now to see if the county will receive the funding. If it does, a debris removal team will come in. If not, the debris will be pushed off the right of way and left to rot.
In other action, the Commission:
- Approved meeting days for 2021 to be the second Tuesday of each month.
- Approved the County Depository for 2021.
- Reappointed Jane Vick and Carolyn Finley to the Library Board.
- Announced the Severe Weather Preparedness Tax Holiday Feb. 26-28, 2021.
- Approved a liquor license for Agees Country Store.
- Passed a resolution and agency agreement updating the requirement that the county’s Board of Registrars file a voter file maintenance process.