At the regular meeting of the Greene County Commission, County Attorney Hank Sanders recommended that the County Commission require a bond from timber haulers who use the roads in Greene County.

For some time, the commissioners have been trying to get the haulers to take responsibility for the damage  their heavy loads were causing to the roads. Sanders said by making it mandatory for the haulers to have a bond, the county would be dealing with the bonding company to collect for damage done.

Sanders also said that he had completed a proposed agreement between the Greene County Commission and the Greene County Industrial Authority. The language has been modified to keep the commission from losing out on any grant for which they might be eligible.

At the last meeting, there had been some discussion regarding the  Foster Ralph Water Department’s refusal to give the county their list of water customers, saying it was a breach of confidentiality. The county had wanted to tie in with the water authority in order to collect the mandatory garbage fee but were not given the list of names. Sanders said that it was no breach of confidentiality and that at some point they might want to negotiate such an agreement.

In response to one of Sanders’ proposal, Commissioner Tennyson Smith said that it was the commission’s responsibility to check the roads. Sanders suggested that in their application for a bond, they have to say when and which roads the particular trucker was using. “Take a video camera and just video it,” he said.

*Tabled the execution of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Greene County Commission and the Greene County Industrial Board.

*Ratified Commissioner Smith’s travel to Prattville, AL for ALTGI Training June 22-23.

*Approved the travel request of Commissioners Fluker, Turner and Underwood.

*Approved GCEI class for the Human Resources Officer for July 27-28 in Prattville, AL.

*Amended the agenda to rescind  the contract with Xerox for a new copier and approved purchasing a new copier from Advance Business Machine, Tuscaloosa, AL.

 *Discussed appointments to the E-911 board. Commissioner Smith said he was not yet ready to make an appointment for District 2; Commissioner Childs appointed Dotha Williams to replace Detrick Hodges and tabled the appointment for the member at large until the full body was there (Commissioner Nick Underwood was not present).

In public comment, E-911 Director Iris Sermon discussed the application EMA had pending to apply for a grant to have safe rooms added to dwellings. However, she said, the safe room would not be covered under the grant unless EMA had approved it.

Dr. Carol P. Zippert announced the annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival was coming August 27 & 28. She asked the commission for the use of the restroom at the Courthouse as was usually done. She also advised the commission that there were rotting branches on a tree on Courthouse Square. She asked their cooperation to remove the branches and said she would also advise the Eutaw Area Chamber of Commerce, who has responsibility for the grounds on the Square.

 Financial Status

 CFO Paula Bird advised the county that at the end of June, each department should have a remaining sum of 25% of their finances.

Many of the departments are below that amount but expect to receive funding to replace funds already spent.

According to Bird there is also a large overage in the amount of insurance being paid for entities that has not been repaid. The total that has not been repaid is $115,000, about $25,000 of this for employees who are no longer with the county.

In other business, the commission:

*Tabled the request from the Children’s Policy Council for the county to pay for telephone and internet service.

*Approved paying $320,015.41 in claims, including payroll.

*Approved terminating the agreement with the City of Boligee and Forkland for upkeep of local parks and assigned the initial sweep of Boligee and Forkland Parks to Public Works.

*Authorized matching funds for Operation Clean Sweep for removal of debris from private property for an additional 30 days from the effective date of July 6th.

*Approved meals and lodging expenses for a Highway Department laborer to attend Safety Inspection In-Service for Bridge School in September of 2011 in Birmingham.

*Ratified the Chairman’s action to appoint Mattie Atkins as Interim Director of the RSVP program.

*Approved advertising for a new RSVP Director.