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Commission chairman must go if he can't keep hours, critics say
Rosie Howze was the first to question Bradford. She noted that Bradford was currently serving as chairman of the commission and that he worked a daytime job, which would prevent him from being at the courthouse from 9 a.m. until noon. Monday through Friday. The hours for the commission chairman's office were set in 1993. At that time a resolution was passed that the chairmanship would rotate among the commissioners every nine months. Because the commissioners are only part-time, they are not required by law to be in the office at the courthouse. The hours in which the chairman, or the delegate is expected to be there have changed several times since they were first set. "Mr. [Rhondel] Rhone is here in my absence. He doesn't have the authority to sign anything. I am in contact with the office. I talk to Mrs. [Lois] Morris [assistant county administrator] and anyone else who needs to talk to me. I come here at night to take care of signing any papers and any other work I need to do if I can't be here during the day," Bradford explained. "Shouldn't Mr. [Joe] Hunt be rotated on since you can't serve," Howze asked Bradford. "I am serving. Are you saying I've been lax in my duties? Has something gone undone," Bradford asked. Howze replied that she wasn't saying that and then asked why Hunt hadn't been chosen as the delegate since he was the next commissioner to rotate on as chairman. Bradford replied that Hunt also has a full-time job and Rhone had agreed to be at the courthouse. "So you and Mr. Rhone run the show," Howze remarked. "No, Mrs. Morris runs the show. She is county administrator in Ms. Toland's absence," Bradford replied. Sol Stewart then accused Bradford of operating outside the law because he was not adhering to the decision made in 1993, saying the office hours were part of a resolution passed during the same meeting. Bradford explained that the hours the chairman was in the courthouse was not part of the resolution authorizing the rotation of chairmanship and that he had checked with attorneys for the Alabama Association of County Commissioners and also with the county's attorney and was told it was not against the law to have another delegate available if needed. "Unless you adhere to the resolution I will file a report with the state ethics commission," Stewart threatened. "Okay," Bradford replied and then moved on to the next item on the agenda.
Solid waste removal Utilities Director Jack Greer asked commissioners if the bid openings for solid waste removal services in the county could be postponed if they wanted the contract to include that the company must have an office in the county in order for customers to pay their bills in cash. "I didn't include that in the contract because Allied Waste told us in March they would no longer accept cash payments. They were in breach of contract of they did that so they told us with the new contract they wouldn't accept cash," he explained. Representatives from the two companies that had bid, Arrow and Allied Waste, were asked if they would consider taking cash payments. Gentry Shows of Arrow said they would accept cash. Frank Sutton of Allied waste said he could not say. Approximately one percent of AWS's customers pay cash and there was some debate over the inconvenience of forcing those customers to pay with a check or money order versus having all the county customers pay a higher price for solid waste removal. It was decided to request an alternate bid for having an office in the county and to open all the bids at the next commission meeting, Sept. 12. Greer also told commissioners that he was no longer using Barry Barter as a consultant for the bidding and contract for solid waster removal. Apparently Barter announced at a hearing in Spanish fort that he was a consultant for Arrow.
Engineer's report County engineer Sam Noble reported that the new dump trucks would be ready for delivery in September, which was a bit earlier than expected. Because they had not planned to take the used dump trucks to auction until October, Noble said it presented a problem with the purchase order. "We would have an outstanding order for this fiscal year that wouldn't be paid until the next fiscal year," he said. It was decided to take five of the trucks to the J.C. Wood auction in August and the other five to the Deanco Auction in September. A work order has been issued for Newell and Bush to begin work on the bridge at Sizemore Creek. The road will be closed and traffic will have to go through Perry's Chapel. An erosion control project on Lady's Landing Road is nearly complete and another project on fool's Acre Road will begin soon. It was approved for Jimmy Thigpen to be given permanent status and the customary 50 cents per hour raise after completing his probationary period as a dump truck driver.
Economic development report Debra Bolen, Economic Development Director told commissioners the Clarke County organization had received an award of excellence in economic development. Clarke County was one of five counties in the state to be recognized. The annual meeting will be held Sept. 21 in Coffeeville at Coffeeville High School. She also reported that they planned to participate in the Sweet Home Alabama Promotion for site selections for industry.
EMA report EMA Director Roy Waite asked commissioner for approval to purchase an emergency command vehicle for the EMA office. He has some grant funds left over that must be spent and the remainder of the costs would come from money he saved from the past year's budget. Commissioners approved the purchase. He reported that he was in the process of trying to secure an emergency notification system for the county. He has contacted several municipalities about helping to finance the system and has recently been informed that a Homeland Security grant has been awarded that would fund the first year of the system. Commissioners gave Waite the go-ahead to make requests for proposals for the system.
Other business A $1,577,910 line of credit for the EDA project at North Clarke Industrial Park/Louisiana Pacific was approved. The line of credit is for the same amount as the EDA grant awarded to the county. The grant funds are distributed as reimbursements to the county after they have paid for construction bills. Noble was given permission to seek bids for fuel and pipe. The bids will be opened at the next commission meeting. A resolution declaring Sept. 11-16 Litter Awareness Week was approved. A resolution for a grant from the Department of Transportation to be used to purchase a bus for the Choctaw Bluff Senior Center was approved.
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