Lauren Estes-Velez

Hartselle Enquirer

DECATUR—The Morgan County Commission hasn’t decided to move forward with the request made by Sheriff Ana Franklin for an additional 19 jailers – and commissioners stated they haven’t yet met with her on the matter.

Chairman Ray Long said no one from the sheriff’s office has reached out to him or anyone with the county commission yet regarding the additional jailer/employee request.

“We haven’t been contacted to set up a time to meet and discuss the matter and look at her budget,” Long said. “To add 19 jailers, that’s an additional $800,000 a year, and that’s not something we have to give right now. We have a very thin budget.

“So what we would do is to look at her budget and see if there are any cuts that can be made and what can be done – but since she hasn’t contacted us, that makes me think this isn’t a priority right now. But we will work with her and help her see if there’s a way that can be done within her budget.”

The commission also found another way to save money in the budget: amend the job description and grade of one of their positions.

“The governmental accountant job description was reclassified from a Grade 17 ($29.34-$38.29) to a Grade 14 ($25.56-$33.33.) because we don’t need the same qualifications that we did before,” Long said. “I’m very budget-conscious and constantly look for ways to lower our budget and save money.”

The next county commission meeting will be Dec. 11 at 9 a.m.

In other business the commission:

1. Recognized Detention Deputy James Rosenbalm and Corporal Misty Kelly for the completion of the National Institute of Jail Operations.
2. Adopted a resolution designating all banks in Morgan County as depositories for the funds of the Morgan County Commission for the period January 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2018, as per 1975 Code of Alabama, Section 11-4-41.
3. Adopted a resolution authorizing the chairman to re-bid for a truck for District 3 and to authorize District 3 commissioner to trade two other trucks as payment. Any additional funds needed are to be paid out of District 3 Road and Bridge funds.
4. Authorized the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office to declare a 2001 Chevrolet Express Van as surplus and sell as scrap.
5. Authorized the sales tax office to sell a seized vehicle, a 1999 Chevrolet C3500, on GovDeals.com and return proceeds to Fund 781.
6. Authorized Randy Vest, District 2 commissioner, to declare an Allis Chalmers Forklift as surplus and sell on GovDeals.com, with proceeds returning to District 2.
7. Authorized George Hill, director of information technology, to declare two IBM printers as surplus and dispose of properly.
8. Adopted a resolution setting a maximum speed limit of 15 miles per hour on Griffin Road, which is a dead-end road off of Natural Bridge Road.
9. Adopted a resolution approving certificate to subdivide these properties: Sandra Jenkins Sowder, Peck Mountain Road, District 4; and Freeman Five LLC, Pines Road, Apple Grove Road, Mountain Morrow Road, District 4.
10. Authorized the chairman to execute the cooperative agreement with the State Homeland Security Grant Program in the amount of $19,354, effective Nov. 15 through May 1, 2019.
11. Authorized the chairman to execute the cooperative agreement with the State Homeland Security Grant Program in the amount of $43,162, effective Nov. 1 through Dec. 1, 2018.
12. Authorized the Chairman to reappoint Laura Ritch to the Morgan County-Decatur Farmer’s Market for a four-year term, ending Nov. 12, 2021; Ann Denbo to the Morgan County Department of Human Resources for a six-year term, ending Oct. 11, 2023; and Bobby Joe Smith to the Morgan County Department of Human Resources for a six-year term, ending Sept. 13, 2023.