Marengo County Commission looks to solve funding issue for county schools

If the Marengo County School System was to be granted 2 mills from the proposed 6-mill county-wide property tax hike, it would end up losing money.

Chester Moore, chairman of the county school board, appeared before the County Commission Tuesday to request the extra funding because the system’s schools are in dire need of it.

“Our system is in a financial crunch,” he said.

The state has mandated that every school system receive a 10-mill minimum. Voters in Marengo County already had approved a total of 8 mills for county schools, and the county picked up the remaining 2 mills.

Commission Jason Windham said he investigated the request and found out the school system would lose out if their request was approved by voters. He explained the system pays fees for administrative costs on the 8 mills.  If 2 mills were voted on – replacing the mandated 2 mills – the system would have to pay administrative fees, resulting in a net loss. The only way for the system to receive more would be to allocate at least 3 mills for schools.

At its meeting last month, the Commission voted ask the Alabama legislature to approve a measure allowing the county to levy an additional 6 mills to property tax. It would designate 4 mills for Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital and another 2 mills for repair and maintenance of the county’s roads and bridges.

If approved by the legislature, the measure still would face approval by voters in the next election.

Commissioners approved a revised job description and set into motion the process for hiring an administrative assistant for the County Commission office.

With the urging of commissioner Freddie Armstead, the requirement for having three years of experience in local government was eliminated and other stipulations of experience, training and/or education were retained.

The University of West Alabama will be contacted to handle the initial applicant vetting process to avoid favoritism.

Despite concerns of cost overruns, the Commission approved the Summer Feeding Program.  It is funded by a grant, but the grant amount has not kept up with the rising cost of food.

John Bell, solid waste officer, received the okay to hire three county workers for an extra four hours of overtime each week to pick up trash on county roads. Windham suggested the three men rotate among the five districts each week.

In other business, the Commission:

• Approved a tax abatement for WestRock Mill Co.
• Honored David Foxhall on his retirement from the road department after 32 years of service.
• Ordered the installation of a flood light at the intersection of Hwys. 19 and 28 at a cost of $18 a month to deter illegal dumping.
• Agreed that Chairman Michael Thompson and County Engineer Ken Atkins meet with Aubrey Patterson concerning his ongoing complaints of Red Oak Road.