CULLMAN – The Cullman County Commission met Tuesday morning, when, after approving the minutes of its emergency meeting called on Jan. 16, the commission motioned to terminate the local state of emergency that was declared at that meeting due to last week’s winter weather. The local declaration was in response to Gov. Kay Ivey’s statewide emergency declaration the day before on the 15th. Ivey ended the state of emergency on Jan. 19, and the commission followed by terminating the local emergency Tuesday morning.
As a result of the winter weather shutdown, the commission approved Resolution 2018-14, which allows it to pay County employees call-out pay for time they spent working while the County was closed. County Attorney Chad Floyd explained how the weather affected some employees’ hours and wages. “When we closed as a county on the 16th of January, we closed at 11 o’clock that day, and certain road department and sanitation employees continued to work after 11 just due to public safety,” Floyd said. “Some worked for a period on the 17th on Wednesday as well, so this resolution will allow us to pay those employees for that time worked.” Floyd said those workers will be paid time and a half for those hours.
The commission voted to authorize Chairman Kenneth Walker to sign an entertainment contract with Post Panda Productions for the three summer festivals at Smith Lake Park in the amount of $14,800. Cullman County Parks and Recreation Director Doug Davenport was at the meeting and explained the County’s relationship with the production company. “This is all the events at Smith Lake Park; it’s actually three days but there will be four days of entertainment,” he said. “This is the same company we used last year for the same dollar amount we spent last year.” The contract will cover events for Memorial Day, Fourth of July and two days of the Sweet Tater Festival.
The commission motioned to sign an agreement with the Loomis Brothers Circus for a family entertainment show at the Cullman County Agricultural Trade Center on Feb. 2-4. This will be the fourth year for the Loomis Brothers Circus to make an appearance in Cullman.
The commission also:
-approved a request for furniture and equipment from the Cullman County Volunteer Fire Association in the amount $6,676.30. The money is being used at the training facility in Vinemont and should complete the furnishings of the training center.
-approved the purchase of a 2018 Mack for the sanitation department off the NJPA cooperative list through Ingram Equipment Company for the amount of $262,230.73. James Rollo, head of the Cullman County Sanitation Department, explained why this is an important upgrade for his department. “We’ll be replacing a 2002 unit once we get it,” Rollo said. “We’re spending so much money on the other one for repairs and we try to keep everything within 10 years so that would be replacing it.”
-authorized the chairman to sign an auction agreement with J.M. Wood Company to dispose of six 2018 Mack GU713 tri-axle dump trucks. The commission has worked with the auction company for several years, allowing it to make back as much as they can off of old trucks in order to better replace them.
-approved a payment of $20,066.07 to the City of Arab for a joint paving project on the south end of Main Street. The commission has an agreement with the City of Arab for Cullman County to pay for 50 percent of the project because it extends partially onto a county road.
The commission will hold its next work session on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 8:30 a.m. with the next commission meeting following shortly afterward at 10 a.m. in the commission meeting room at the Cullman County Courthouse.
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