County to seek 2-mill property tax to benefit L&D
After a lengthy executive session, the Marengo County Commission voted to submit a resolution to the Alabama legislature calling for a 2-mill property tax vote in Marengo County to benefit Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital.
The resolution would stipulate that the commission would direct the funds to the appropriate department and that certain changes in management must be made for the commission to approve the transfer of funds.
Commissioners also voiced their call for representation on the hospital board.
Several weeks ago the hospital announced layoffs of some 30 employees and that labor and delivery would be closed within a few months. The notice of L&D closing has caused much debate in Demopolis and Marengo County.
Although he voted for the resolution, District 2 Commissioner Dan England said the city of Demopolis should handle the problem itself.
District 1 Commissioner Freddie Armstead said, “I think we’re doing the right thing for our county.”
Probate Judge Laurie Hall received approval to move two voting sites for the upcoming election. Voters who had gone to the Old Courthouse now will use a building to be placed in the county-owned parking lot across Highway 43 from the Courthouse. The second voting site change is from Cornerstone Church to the Old Armory building.
The commission also granted Hall’s request for $1,575 to hire Election Systems and Services (ES&S) to monitor the election in June. The entire state will be using new voting machines, and Hall said ES&S would be on hand to troubleshoot any problems that might arise.
EMA director Kevin McKinney said the final payment on individual grants for storm shelters is being made.
He said the new E911 facility has been up and running for two months and has had no serious issues. In thanking the commissioners for their support during the transfer, McKinney presented each of them with a Lucite plaque engraved with a picture of the new facility.
McKinney said that the state began collecting the charges to phone for E911 services on October 1, 2013. During the transition, however, the county received no money in November and only a third of their allotment in December. The board was prepared for the shortfall, he said.
The commission accepted two low bids for services. The first was for the publication of the county voter list, won by the Demopolis Times for $6,136.62. The second was the bid from Aldridge, Borden and Co., to prepare the 2012 and 2013 financial statements for the county.
Edward King, representing District 1, and Ben Sherrod, of District 2, were appointed to the Marengo County Department of Human Resources Board. Action was tabled on appointments from the other three districts.
Thomaston Mayor Jeff Laduron and Stacy McKean of Grant Management, LLC received the okay for a resolution to apply for a Community Development Block Grant to extend its water system should an engineering study deem it fiscally feasible.
Such an extension, said Laduron, would provide clean water to 115 households east of the town.
In other action the commission approved:
• A CD rate of .75 percent for six months with Sweet Water Bank.
• County levies for alcohol licensing.
• A resolution providing for the county property tax levy.
• A resolution to update the personnel manual to reflect that part time employees work 28 hours or less.