Commission gives to community
BY RAY VAN COR
The Greenville Standard
The Butler County Commission meeting was held Tuesday, Feb. 12 evening and was very lengthy.
The agenda was quite full for the Commission this month but they started with awarding needed funds. The Butler County Children’s Advocacy Center was the recipient of $500. The McKenzie Parks and Recreation received $3000, and finally, Butler County’s Soil and Water Conservation was awarded $7,000.
The Commission approved Butler County Sheriff Danny Bond’s request to add back to the department’s fleet, one Ford pickup truck which was declared surplus by former Sheriff Kenny Harden.
Sheriff Bond continued with a report on feeding the inmates, stating it was a struggle with only $1.75 per inmate per meal to feed the existing jail population.
It is not a new challenge for the Sheriff’s Office. Bond said, during a break in the meeting, he was still searching for a Butler County Correction Facility Administrator.
Continuing with correction facility report, Bond brought to the attention of the commission that HVAC repairs were not completed and that the company hired to make the repairs had not returned. It was further noted they wouldn’t be paid until all of the repairs were complete.
There was additional discussion about the contract on medical care for the inmates. The current company holding the contract has gone up on the rates and the question to search for a new provider was mentioned.
A report on the Ad Valorem Tax vote included its cost, which was $20,000 less than expected. The total cost for Butler County tax payers was $40,311.10. Some 4,516 voters made it to the polls.
The commissioned discussed repairs to voting houses, adding larger gas tanks to some and the need to change the old voting house location from the old Greenville police department.
The commission also discussed and approved a Resolution expressing their support for an increase in Alabama’s gasoline and diesel fuel tax. There has not been an increase since 1992. Acquired funds from the tax will be distributed to the counties and used for road repairs.
“Good stewards” were the words Commissioner Frank Hickman used to describe this Commission’s financial handling and distribution of funds and went on to say that this commission utilizes what they have. Hickman also spoke on the hospital closure stating that political issues were to blame and Georgiana’s closure was the same as the City of Camden.
