In a meeting which lasted more than two hours, the Greene County Commission took several steps to ensure continued financial stability but were unable to get a majority on who was to be county attorney.
They unanimously agreed on the creation of a Financial Review Board charged with conducting detailed reviews of cash receipts and cash disbursements, meeting with staff and external auditors to clear audit findings and reviewing revenues in detail each month. They also agreed to hire a Finance Manager by April 1, 2011.
Appointed to this board was Commissioners Allen Turner and Nick Underwood, Tiffany Grisby from Citizens Federal Bank and Ralph Banks from Merchants and Farmers Bank.
However, after several votes they could not come to an agreement on who was to be the County Attorney.
Commissioner Tennyson Smith nominated Prince Chestnut, the current attorney. This motion died for lack of a second.
Commissioner Marvin Childs nominated Katie Campbell. This motion also died for lack of a second.
Commissioner Elzora Fluker nominated Hank Sanders. Commissioner Allen Turner seconded the motion, but only four commissioners voted and they were hopelessly deadlocked with two for and two against.
Chairman Nick Underwood had recused himself from voting, saying he had “an ethical obligation.” The matter was tabled until the next meeting. Later it was learned that a call meeting will be held on February 22 at 6 p.m. to decide this important matter.
In other business, the Commission:
*Was told that the county had a cash and cash equivalency balance of $2,465,899.29
*Authorized the payment of claims in the amount of $270,099.37.
*Authorized advertising for a License Inspector for the Mandatory Garbage Collection. They decided on April 15, 2011 as the beginning date for the mandatory garbage collection.
*Accepted the resignation of Troy Summerville from the PARA Board.
*Made the following Board Appointments:
County Personnel Board – Willie M. Walton
County Water Authority – Levi Morrow, Jr.
County Industrial Board – Debbie Duncan and Warren Burke.
County Housing Authority – Katy Powell
County Park and Recreation Board – Melvin Robertson, Willis Smith, Wanda Carpenter Morrow and Regina Harris.
*Approved and authorized a resolution regulating the use of roadways in the county relating to timber harvesting. All timber production companies are required to get a permit from the Greene County Public Works Department before cutting any timber. The permit holder will be responsible for keeping and maintaining the roadway leaving them in similar conditions as they were prior to the onset of timber harvest operations not allowing any equipment to be parked on a county roadway or right of way, not disturbing any ditches adjacent to the county road and paying for damage to the roadways.
*Assigned Emergency Management Operations to Iris Sermon, director of 911.
*Reappointed Bonnie Miller for two years as agent to inspect violations of animal cruelty laws for Greene County.
*Denied the request of Coroner Ronald Smith to travel to a Coroner’s meeting in Perdido Beach Resort because the funding for the trip was not in his budget.
*Denied a similar travel request from the RSVP Coordinator to travel to an annual meeting in Perdido Beach Resort.
The commission adjourned but will meet again on February 22 at 6 p.m.