Lauren Estes-Velez

Hartselle Enquirer

The Morgan County Commission members experienced a moment of disagreement during their bi-monthly meeting on Tuesday morning while discussing a ‘emergency project.’

County Commission Chairman Ray Long shared that the project was a needed expenditure because the Falkville Senior Center asked that any park visitors no longer use its public restrooms, which once served the park.

The Falkville Senior Center is located next to the playground and pavilion area at South Park in Falkville where the restrooms have a two-way entranceway, going inside and through the senior center, and an outdoor entrance from the park.

The project will cost around $31,000 as stated by Parks and Recreation Director Sean Dailey and the contract is through Genesis Construction, Inc, of Hartselle to build the public restroom facility at South Park.

Long said the county since has closed the bathrooms for use by park visitors. Falkville is the only county park without access to a public restroom.

For those using the playground and picnic pavilion at South Park, that means a walk of more than 600 feet to the nearest bathroom, which is also not always open.

The Commission rarely faces situations where a difference of opinion is vocalized. The council marginally avoided a “no” vote after Commissioner Don Stisher voiced that the need to build public restrooms in his district was unnecessary, and it was a management problem.

Stisher voted to approve the matter, even though he felt it wasn’t in the financial plan.

“It would not be wise for me to oppose this even though there has not been enough put into it,” Stisher told the council. “It will be an asset to the park, and I appreciate everyone going along with it, so I would not be doing my duty not to agree with the full commission on this vote.”

Stisher voted affirmative in the final vote, but there were several questions asked by the council before the motion passed.

According to the seniors at the center, the park visitors were not leaving the bathrooms in good condition and were flushing non-flushable items. Due to misuse, a $2,300 grinder pump burned up last fall, forcing the senior center to close for two days, he said.

“It’s a management issue, and I think if we got this under control and the management did their checks and worked with this better, we wouldn’t have to expend this money,” Stisher told the council.

The council elected to vote in favor of doing the emergency bathroom project at South Park.

In other business the council:

 •Adopted resolution for the acceptance of bid from the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications for one (1) vehicle for Morgan County Commission, District 3, with only one bid being received from Southland International Trucks, Inc.  in the amount of $23,500.00.

 •Adopted a resolution authorizing the Chairman to execute Insolvents, Errors and Taxes in Litigation for 2016 and uncollected Insolvents, Errors and Taxes in Litigations for previous years as prepared by Amanda G. Scott, Morgan County Revenue Commissioner.

•Adopt resolution authorizing the following certificates to subdivide properties:

~Milford W. Cobbs and Faye Newton Cobbs

Newton Road, District 2

~Don A. Johnson and ~Shirley W. Johnson

Turney Ridge Road, District 4

~ Charlie Milton Maner (Target Land Co., Inc.)

Hough Road, District 4

•Adopt resolution-accepting donation of 2003 American Bus from Morgan County Board of Education.

~ Model # IC3S530

~  VIN # 4DRBRAAN13B951665

•Adoption resolution declaring the 2003 American Bus as surplus and donate it to the Boys and Girls Club of North Central Alabama.

~Model # IC3S530, VIN # 4DRBRAAN13B951665

 •Adopted a resolution authorizing Budget Amendments for June 2017.

•Adopted a resolution authorizing the Morgan County Commission to transfer funds from the MCATS Vehicle Escrow Procurement Fund for $56,465.47 to the NARCOG transit program.

•Adopted a resolution authorizing the Chairman to execute the renewal of maintenance agreement for Formax Folder/Sealer used in the Commission Office, with Presstek, Inc. in the amount of $1,440.00 per year, beginning June 1, 2017, through May 31, 2018.

•Adopted a resolution authorizing the refund of sales tax for the following, due to overpayment:

~  Carl Zeiss Indt Metrology, LLC —- $11,906.19

•Adopt resolution authorizing Don Stisher, District 3 Commissioner, to contribute $1,500.00 to the Falkville High School, payable out of Road and Bridge.

•Adopt resolution authorizing the Chairman to purchase county wide ortho-aerial photography and updated planimetrics from Spatial Net, Inc., for the Engineering Department at the data sharing group cost of $32,800.00.

Adopt resolution for the acceptance of quote and authorization for Chairman to enter into contract for men and women’s restrooms at South Park, submitted by Genesis Construction, Inc., in the amount of $27,280.00 and certify the contract to be awarded is let in compliance with the Public Works Law and all other applicable provisions of the law.

•Adopt resolution authorizing the Chairman on behalf of Morgan County to enter into an amendment for modification of Schedule A and Schedule B of the Equipment Lease Purchase Agreement Number 23797 approved on the 16th day of December 2015, by deleting 5 annual payments of $88,324.63 and inserting 9 semi-annual payments of $49,094.87, with 100 percent reimbursement to Commission by Sheriff’s Department.

•Adopt resolution approving the payment to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $1,757.70 representing the PCORI fees per Title 26 CFR Subsection C, Section 46.4371-5 of the Internal Revenue Service Rules and Regulations.

•Adopt resolution amending the class code for Custodial Supervisor – Jail from 1403 to 1405.

• Adopt resolution authorizing the appropriate Elected Official/Department Head to fill the following positions:

~Assistant  Building Superintendent, Grade 8 ($17.61-$22.97) —— Maintenance

~Juvenile Probation Officer, Grade 12 ($22.56 – $29.46) —— Juvenile

•Adopt resolution authorizing the Chairman to execute the following contracts representing the promotion of Morgan County, which will be payable out of the Tourism, Recreation, & Convention Fund as follows:

~Priceville Cruise In Car Show —— $1,000.00

~West Morgan High School (Football Program) —— $100.00