Commission approves raise for chief clerk position

All voters in Marengo County will be notified of their respective polling places by this Friday, Probate Judge Laurie Hall told the Marengo County Commission Tuesday.

The need for the special mailings arose after hundreds of Marengo County voters found they were sent to the wrong polling place at the June 5 elections, causing a great deal of confusion and inconvenience.

Barry Hunt, chairman of the Board of Registrars, has been to resolve the problem, even checking all 16,000 voters in the county one-by-one.

Hall said that any voter with questions should call the Board of Registrars.

Handing out sample ballots, Hall said the only Democratic run-off in the county is for the District 5 commissioner race between incumbent Michael Thompson and challenger Thomas Rodgers. Only state-wide races are on the Republican run-off ballot: lieutenant governor, attorney general, associate justice of the Supreme Court Place 1, Court of Civil Appeals judge Place 1, Court of Criminal Appeals judge Place 2 and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.

In a follow-up to her request at the June meeting, Hall said she has opened the position of chief clerk to the employees in the office.

However, before she names someone to the position, she said the Commission needs to set a salary commiserate with similar counties and suggested an increase in salary of $6.50 per hour.

The Marengo County Probate Office is the only one in the state without a chief clerk.

The Commission voted for de-obligation of a FEMA grant for a safe room in Thomaston. The town originally planned to combine the grant with its own funds for a $450,000 structure, of which Thomaston would pay 75 percent, that would serve a dual purpose of a safe room and civic center. However, the plans fell through, and FEMA would not allow the county to transfer the funds to another site.

EMA Director Kevin McKinney said the county can apply during the next round of grants.

County Engineer Ken Atkins received approval to purchase four new dump trucks. He said once the trucks are delivered, he would sell the old ones.

S.T. Bunn won the contract for resurfacing work in the county for $924,288. McKinney said some three miles will be paved in each district.

With a resolution, commissioners honored Darren Glass who retired July 1 after 32 years of service, most recently as Juvenile Probation Director.

In other action, the Commission:

• Approved the Grand Jury report
• Renewed the Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission Senior Aides Program contract
• Renewed the CD at the First Bank of Linden for one year at 2.4 percent.
• Approved to an Opt-In Class Action Lawsuit filed by the Alabama Association of County Commissions for payment in lieu of taxes on federal property in the county.
• Approved Patrick McIntosh as a new hire for the county engineering department.
• Okayed a funding agreement for County Road 44.
• Presented a resolution to the Marengo Academy softball team for winning the AISA state championship.

After an executive session, commissioners voted to approve the Chief Clerk position at $17.22 per hour, or $35,817.60 annually.