Chambers County Commission honors employee

BY KADIE TAYLOR

THE LAFAYETTE SUN

CHAMBERS COUNTY — At the March 9 Chambers County Commission Meeting, the commission approved items, heard a Legislative Report and recognized 15 years of service.

District 4 Commissioner Sam Bradford read a 2026 County Legislative Report that detailed the legislative achievements for the county, residents and the state as a whole as a result of collaboration between the Association of County Commissions of Alabama, Alabama counties and the state legislature.

“The Senate granted final passage to Senate Bill 259, by Sen. Bob and Singleton, Rep. Paul Lee, on March 3, and sent the bill to the governor for her consideration. If signed by the governor, the bill will modernize outdated compensation rules to create a clear, uniform pay structure for county elected offices, making salaries more predictable and easier for counties to vote. The law will apply only to future office holders and provide no salary adjustments for current officials, ensuring no added cost to taxpayers.

“The Senate approved Senate Bill 269 by Sen. Bobby Singleton on March 3, and sent the bill to the House of Representatives for his consideration. If approved by the majority of members in the House and by the governor the bill will establish minimum reimbursement rates for ground ambulance transport and on-site treat-in-place care, generating additional revenue to help strengthen access to emergency evenue to help strengthen access to emergency medical services, not only in rural Alabama, but across the entire state.

“The House of Representatives granted final passage to Senate Bill 205 with Sen. Gerald Allen and Rep. Steve Clouse on March 5, and sent the bill to the governor for her consideration. If signed by the governor, Bill will make technical updates to Alabama’s Underground Damage Prevention Program and extend liability protection to county governments when improperly installed, underground lines or damage during road maintenance, protecting taxpayer dollars from unnecessary expenses.”

Capt. Justin Burns and Sheriff Jeff Nelson awarded Jamie Yates a Certificate of Appreciation for 15 years of service.

“Jamie here has been with us 15 strong years, 10 of those years I’ve worked with him,” Burns said. “He’s an awesome asset to the operation down there at the jail, and I can’t say enough good things about him.”

“This young man is probably one of the most dependable guys you will ever meet in your life,” Nelson said. “If you call on him, it doesn’t matter the time of day or night, he’s going to be there, and he’s going to get the job done.”

In Other Business

• The commission voted to approve the minutes and warrants payable for Feb. 9.

• The commission approved the agenda for March 9, as presented.

• The commission voted to authorize the county manager to apply for a $2,500 grant for projects commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

• The commission voted to authorize Chambers County to participate in the 2026 Back to School Sales Tax Holiday, from July 17 to 19, and continue each subsequent year thereafter during the same time period as the state’s Back to School Sales Tax Holiday until and unless annual participation in the exemption is rescinded by further action of the county commission.

• The commission approved a general fund budget amendment in the amount of $480,000.

• The commission voted to approve the Kendrick ground lease renewal.

• The commission approved a CCDA Intergovernmental Agreement.

• The commission voted to approve the Volunteer Fire Association Ad Valorem Tax.

“This would allow the citizens of Chambers County to vote on the Nov. 3 general election to determine whether or not there would be imposed an additional two mill ad valorem tax on all the property that is currently assessed in the county,” said County Attorney Skip McCoy. “The amendment would say that everybody in the county would vote on that. There are opt-out provisions in the constitutional amendment that we’ve included that would say that the municipalities, the water districts and the water authorities that currently provide fire protection to their jurisdictions, their administrative staff could vote to opt out and not have the property assessed in their jurisdiction. So ultimately, conceivably, what would happen is, if all opt out, then the rural part of the county where the true volunteer fire departments operate would receive the funding in regards to the needed money for their operations.”

• The commission voted to approve funding for East Alabama Water for the county Road 266 Water Line Project.

• The commission awarded the Chambers County’s Annual Traffic Striping, Markings and Markers Bid (Inquiry No. 1725) to Ozark Striping Company, Ink., the low bidder, and authorized the chairman to execute the contract documents.

• The commission awarded the Chambers County’s Annual Surface Treatment Bid (Inquiry No. 1726) to Gary Ingram Grading & Paving, Inc., the low bidder, and authorized the chairman to execute the contract documents.

• The commission awarded the Chambers County Annual Paving, Planning and Reclamation Bid (Inquiry No. 1727) to Chris Clark Grading and Paving, Inc., the low bidder, and authorized the chairman to execute the contract documents.

Announcements

• The next regularly scheduled commission meeting will be held at 4 p.m. on March 16.

• There will be an External Affairs Meeting on March 16 at 2:30 p.m. at the courthouse.