Storm shelter, weather radar projects get Commission support

Plans for providing storm shelters in rural Marengo County moved further along in Thursday’s Marengo County Commission meeting as members supported a plan by an independent group, bypassing the lengthy and stiff requirements for FEMA funding.

EMA Director Kevin McKinney said a private company can retrofit container cars at a much lower cost than FEMA requires for funding.

In the Commission’s January meeting, representatives from the Moore-Wright Group and the Black Belt Community Foundation asked for support to build storm shelters in Marengo County. The group already has raised about $30,000 in donations.

Commissioners said the county could pitch in a matching amount that would enable the group to place more shelters in rural areas, but they tabled any action until the group comes back with definite plans.

However, the Commission went on to approve sites for FEMA structures if that route is chosen. McKinney said the deadline for designating the sites is this week.

He also received the okay from the Commission to provide a letter of support to a consortium of 10 counties, Alabama Power, WSFA and ALFA Insurance in their attempt to solve the lack of a weather radar covering west Alabama.

For years western counties have complained that their residents don’t always have sufficient warning should tornadoes or other heavy weather threatened the area. McKinney said one such example is the tornado that killed a Starmont woman in December 2019.

The proposed $2 million project is in the beginning stages and is looking at a grant that would require a match of $250,000 spread among the counties. The project is being spearheaded by the Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission.

Commissioner Freddie Armstead dressed down a representative of Goodwin Mills and Cawood for “dragging your feet” on the CDBG road projects in the county.

Joan Jones said title issues are preventing the go-ahead to improve the roads, and she asked help from the Commission to reach the property owners. “Each one of them is different,” she said.

Jones wasn’t the only one with whom a commissioner was annoyed. Sheriff Richard Bates asked for help getting a lightning rod on the roof of the jail hooked up again. He claims the rod was disconnected when a new roof was put on, and a lightning strike damaged the control board causing about $20,000 worth of damage.

Commissioner Jason Windham questioned whether Bates had determined that lightning actually was the cause. He said on the recommendation of the roofing project engineer, he gave the okay not to reconnect the rod. The engineer said the rod couldn’t be hooked up again but had to be rebuilt at a cost of up to $48,000 and it really wasn’t needed.

The Commission directed Shannon Parton, county administrator, to contact an IT specialist to determine the source of the computer problems.

Probate Judge Laurie Hall presented a resolution honoring the late Mary Ann Gracie, who served as a county poll worker for more than 40 years before her death Jan. 12. Gracie’s children and grandchildren were on hand as Hall read the resolution and presented it to them.

Hall updated the Commission on the changes in voting locations before the primary. Commissioners approved the site change in Faunsdale last month, but she said a signed copy of the resolution had to be sent to the Board of Registrars.

In time for the May 24 primary, new ADA machines are on site, she said, and work continues at the Faunsdale location to be ADA compliant.

In the January meeting the Commission appointed Charlotte Henson to the Department of Human Resources Board, but she cannot serve. Instead, the Commission rescinded the appointment and named Cathy Aiken to the board.

Armstead said a new Solid Waste Officer had been hired, but he cannot serve because of family responsibilities. Armstead and Windham both have possible candidates who will be interviewed before the March meeting.

In other business the Commission:

• Gave Hall the approval to advertise the county voter list and map of voter districts ahead of the May state primary. Deadline for bids is March 8 at 8 a.m.
• Gave the annual certification of the county taxes – 10 mils for schools and 18 mils to cover law enforcement, fire protections, roads and bridges and other expenses.
• Approved County Engineer Billy Joe Webb’s request to purchase a tractor and bushhog.
• Approved a resolution to adopt the updated NIMS system of communication between emergency responders.
• Heard Chairman Terry Hinton’s request to support the students at George P. Austin Middle School in their efforts to provide food, clothing and other supplies for the victims of the tornado in Sawyerville. Donated items can be taken to the temporary location of the school at the former technical school.
• Congratulated Hall on being named president of the state Probate Judges Association.