COMMISSION MEETING
March 11, 2008
CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME
A regular meeting of the Cullman County Commission was held Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 10:00 a.m., in the County Commission Office Conference Room. Chairman Kitchens called the meeting to order and welcomed all visitors.
CALL OF ROLL TO ESTABLISH QUORUM, INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present were Chairman Wiley Kitchens, Commissioner Wayne Willingham, Commissioner Doug Williams and County Attorney Dan Willingham. Attorney Dan Willingham gave the invocation and Commissioner Williams lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVE MINUTES, APPROPRIATIONS, EXPENDITURES, REQUISITIONS, TRAVEL EXPENSE AND ALL JOURNAL ENTRIES TO BE POSTED
Commissioner Willingham made the motion to approve. Commissioner Williams seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Ms. J. Williams asked what journal entries included and why the delay in getting answers to questions since December and answers to the questions she submitted at the last commission meeting. Ms. Williams also said she had other questions to submit.
David Bussman, Director of the Cullman County Water Department said the County is back to Stage I of water conservation.
Carolyn Calvert of the Beat 8 Voting Center said copper thieves have stolen the air conditioning unit’s copper and totally damaged all the metal which will leave holes in the building when cleaned up. Mrs. Calvert asked the Commission to consider helping in the cost of repairs.
NEW BUSINESS
Board appointment Cullman 310 Authority – Chairman Kitchens
Chairman Kitchens made the motion to appoint Ms. Burma Graves to the Cullman 310 Authority. Commissioner Williams seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
CRMC
Chairman Kitchens said the Commission has made a commitment to Cullman Regional Medical Center (CRMC) along with the City of Cullman to give CRMC 1.5 million over a five year period. Chairman Kitchens recommended going ahead and giving this year’s portion ($300,000.00) to CRMC. Commissioner Wayne Willingham wanted to know if this is tied in with the inmate medical.
Attorney Dan Willingham said they are tied together, but one is not necessarily connected to the other. We have a contract for long term care provided at the Detention Center. CRMC has indicated they are going to lock down, to the County’s advantage, an amount that will be charged. So while it is not connected, they are connected. Mr. Willingham is sure this is a factor in their decision.
Commissioner Doug Williams asked if it is correct that the $300,000.00 payment for this year is going to come out of the Public Building Fund.
County Administrator Gary Teichmiller said that the payment was factored into this budget with a transfer out of the Public Building Fund.
Mrs. J. Williams asked the Commission regarding this new business whether the general public is allowed to ask questions as you vote on these things.
Chairman Kitchens replied that this is the commission business for the county. Public Comments are there for anything you need to know. If we had questions and answers with all the business the Commission conducts we would never get the business conducted. The Commission will be happy to answer any questions after the meeting is over.
Commissioner Williams made the motion to use the appropriation out of the Public Building Fund to pay this year’s commitment. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
Resolution No. 2008-09 Authorize the Chairman to sign an agreement between ALDOT and Cullman County Commission covering cost for traffic stripe and markings on various county roads. Project No. HRRR-CN08 (233)
County Engineer Fred Penn said this is Federal Funding the county applied for through ALDOT for striping various county roads. There is a 10% match by the county; the total award is $43,560.00, and the county’s match is $4,356.00. This is part of a safety grant ALDOT awards.
Commissioner Willingham made the motion to authorize the Chairman to sign the agreement. Commissioner Williams seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
Consider awarding Bid No. 942 Jail Supplies
Mrs. Hadley with the Sheriff’s Department recommended awarding the bid to North Alabama Chemical, the low bidder. North Alabama Chemical served them last year and has done a good job. Commissioner Williams made the motion to accept the bid from North Alabama Chemical. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
Consider awarding Bid No. 945 Traffic Signs
County Engineer Fred Penn recommended awarding the traffic sign bid to Traffic Signs of Jacksonville, Alabama.
Commissioner Williams made the motion to award the bid to Traffic Signs of Jacksonville. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
Consider the extension of Bid No. 842 Fireworks
Robbie Camp, Parks Director, said this is the bid for the 4th of July fireworks show at Smith Lake Park. The county accepted the bid two years ago from Premier Pyrotechnics. Mr. Camp recommended extending the bid another year due to the quality of show for the same amount of $17,000.00. If paid for before April 1, 2008 an additional 10% of product for the show will be received. Commissioner Willingham made the motion to award the bid to Premier Pyrotechnics. Commissioner Williams seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
Chairman Kitchens said the parks are one of the entities beginning to show some signs of revenue, other than the Water Department and Sanitation Department.
Consider awarding Bid No. 947 Batteries
County Engineer Fred Penn said only two bids were received. The low bidder did not met specifications. He recommends awarding the bid to Stewart Auto Supply.
Commissioner Williams made the motion to accept the bid from Stewart. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
Consider the surplus of white house located at 601 2nd Ave SW
Chairman Kitchens said this is the house located south of the courthouse. It is vacant and the Commission wants to surplus the house and have it moved. The county has other plans for that area. Commissioner Williams made the motion to surplus the house. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
Discuss Evaluations
Chairman Kitchens said there has been discussion regarding employee evaluations. It is not really necessary to have all the paper work involved with evaluations now that county has gone to an annual cost of living raise rather than the merit system. The Chairman stated he believes the county would be better served if the evaluation system were done away with. If an employee is a problem, write them up; that process is still in effect.
County Attorney Dan Willingham said since the Commission no longer gives merit raises, employee longevity pay is a cost of living increase. A lot of time and effort is spent creating paperwork that is no longer a benefit. If supervisors want to have annual meetings with employees that is fine; but doing evaluations for the commission to sign off on is really just time consuming.
Chairman Kitchens said it would save a lot of paperwork and time in payroll. That is why it is on the agenda for discussion.
Commissioner Willingham stated that the evaluations are not filled out correctly by the supervisors. Commissioner Williams agreed the system is not perfect, but feels we need to keep someway for our department heads, officials and supervisors to place something in employee files whether it is for disciplinary reasons or whatever the case. If a promotion comes up there are those records to refer back to.
County Attorney Dan Willingham said he understood what Commissioner Williams was saying but, if you have an evaluation system it needs to be a true evaluation. It does not help an employee if someone goes down the evaluation sheet and marks excellent or fair on everything. That does not tell an employee where improvement could be made. I would emphasis to your supervisors, if evaluations are kept in place, to do a good, fair assessment. If it is not accurate, it is better not to have an evaluation. There are parts of the current evaluation system that could be improved and it may be an educational process.
Commissioner Williams said he leans towards the educational process instead of doing away with evaluations. He wants to be able to look at something. Commissioner Williams said he will not make a motion to dissolve the evaluations, but a suggestion to provide re-education on filling out employee evaluations for our supervisors.
OLD BUSINESS
Consider voting location change at Welti
Chairman Kitchens said the Commission met with residents in voting location at Welti. The Probate Judge would like to move the voting location from the Welti Fire Department to Mount Zion Church Fellowship Hall. The church has agreed to allow the voting to be located at the church. The Public Hearing this morning was favorable for the change.
Commissioner Williams made the motion to change the location from the Welti Fire Department to Mt. Zion Church. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.
NEXT REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2008
Chairman Kitchens announced the next regular Commission Meeting would be Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 10:00 am in the County Commission Office Conference Room.
ADJOURN
Commissioner Willingham made the motion to adjourn. Commissioner Williams seconded.
_____________________________ _____________________________ __________________________
Wiley Kitchens, Chairman J. Douglas Williams Wayne Willingham
Associate Commissioner Associate Commissioner