CULLMAN, Ala. – When the Alabama Legislature returns this session, the local Cullman County legislative delegation will introduce the long talked about local bill to increase public representation on the Cullman County Commission.
The idea has been discussed at community meetings for a long time and the legislative delegation has spent a lot of time on the details to try to have a county government structure that provides citizen representation for all and a structure that can respond to economic and infrastructure development needs of the future.
The following is a summary of the local legislation:
- The legislative delegation believes Cullman County’s population growth has outgrown the three-member county governing body concept, and therefore proposes to add elected representation for all four corners of the county.
- Upon being fully implemented this legislation would not add additional cost to the taxpayers
- Rather than two full-time associate commissioners, this local legislation would add to the public’s representation by having four part-time commissioners
- Four associate commissioners would represent the four sections of the county; northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest areas of the county by residency requirements.
- To promote countywide unity, all commissioners would run countywide.
- The chair could reside anywhere in Cullman County and run countywide.
- The legislation changes the title from Chairman to a gender-neutral title of Commission Chair.
- The legislation would require at least one meeting per month be conducted in the evening to provide the working public an opportunity to attend commission meetings.
- To ensure continuity, terms of associate commissioners will be staggered, with the two new commissioners serving a two-year term, then four-year terms thereafter.
- Beginning with the new commissioners in November 2022, part-time commissioners’ salaries will be $25,000 per year.
- No change in the Chairman’s salary
- Current associate commissioners would be “grandfathered in” at their current pay.
Cullman County Commission Bill by TheCullmanTribune on Scribd
