Shown L to R Minnie Byrd, Bingo Clerk; Greene County Sheriff Joe Benison; Greenetrack Employee Mary Bulter; Emma Jackson, Bingo Clerk; Clara Tyree, Greenetrack stockholder; Merjean D. Little, Greenetrack Employee; Mary Beck, Woman to Woman Representative; Iris Sermon, E911 Representative and Jermine Eades, Greenetrack Employee.

On Thursday, February 2, Greenetrack, Inc. presented Greene County Sheriff Jonathan Benison a total of  $58,500 from bingo resources for the month of January.  These funds will be distributed by Sheriff Benison to the governmental agencies designated in the sheriff’s Bingo Rules and Regulations.

From Greenetrack resources the Greene County Commission will receive $30,875; Greene County Sheriff’s Department,  $11,375; City of Eutaw $6,500; City of Union $3,250; City of Forkland $3,250 and the City of Boligee $3,250.

Additional bingo  distributions from Greenetrack, Inc. were presented to two local non-profit entities.  Woman to Woman, Inc. and Greene County E-911 received $7,750 each.

When he took office, Benison initiated a revised formula to distribute the bingo money which taxes bingo machines to benefit the political entities and the Sheriff’s office. Recently the Sheriff  initiated another change in his Bingo Rules and Regulations to include a distribution to Greene County School System.  Sheriff Benison stated that this will go into effect as of February, 2012.

According to Sheriff Benison, the Greene County School System will receive $45 per machine in the regular monthly disbursements from the licensed bingo facilities in operation in Greene County. 

The sheriff’s new rules adjustments reduce the amount per bingo machine alloted to the Greene County Commission from $95 per machine to $80.  The Greene County Sheriff’s Department will now receive $30 per machine, a decrease of $5.  The City of Eutaw will also lose $5 per machine, going from $20 to $15 per machine.  All of the other towns, Boligee, Forkland and Union, will continue to receive $10 per machine.

Winn’s statement on bingo  licenses in Greene County

In a prepared statement,  Greenetrack CEO  Luther Winn indicated the following:

“Will electronic bingo as it stands in 2012, be able to provide quality employment and stable revenue for the school board, hospital, E-911, the Fire Association,  and other organizations that worked hard to bring electronic bingo to Greene County?    “I don’t know how much longer Greenetrack can continue to bear the legal cost of fighting the State of Alabama for the recognition of Amendment 743, while other license holders get a free ride.  Greenetrack continues to provide quality wages and benefits to our employees who have invested tremendous amounts of time. They have gone several months in 2011 just for quality insurance.

“What saddens me most is that the current sheriff continues to grant bingo licenses and the Chairman of the Greene County Commission, Nick Underwood has been dishonest with me concerning his position on the spread of electronic bingo in Greene County. Commissioner Underwood stated to me that he was totally in opposition of the Sheriff granting multiple licenses.  However, now it is my understanding that Commissioner Underwood has revitalized an old organization that allows him to operate electronic bingo at the Comfort Inn,” emphasized Winn.