Commission adopts resolution for emergency cancellations
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By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
The County Commission called for an emergency meeting to be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday ahead of its regularly scheduled 6:30 p.m. meeting in light of the potential threat of inclement weather.
The emergency meeting lasted less than 5 minutes, with the commission having just enough commissioners present to officially meet. Commissioners Unzell Kelley and Bertha K. McElrath were not present.
Commission Chair Randall Dunham explained that the meeting was being held to “adopt a resolution for emergency closing of the courthouse and meetings where an emergency exists.”
He further asked Coosa County EMA Director Sheldon Hutcherson to explain why they were holding the emergency meeting.
Hutcherson explained that he was asked to call the Birmingham National Weather Service to get an update on the potential weather situation for Tuesday night because of the County Commission meeting scheduled for that evening.
He said he spoke with John De Block, a chief meteorologist there. De Block advised Hutcherson that with the weather models and predictions he was reviewing, it would need to be so that everyone involved with the meeting could be in a safe place by 7:30 p.m.
Hutcherson added that was just De Block’s opinion, but that it was his recommendation based on the forecast at that time.
Chair Dunham mentioned the commission only having a short agenda for the evening meeting this month, as well. With only four business items on the agenda, it was mentioned that individuals involved with two of the agenda items had canceled and would not be there anyway, leaving only one or two actual action items.
Following that brief discussion, the commission unanimously approved and adopted the resolution for closing the courthouse and canceling meetings as needed, especially in regards to emergency situations.
In part, the resolution reads, “Whereas, from time to time, weather conditions require that the County Courthouse and various satellite offices be closed for non-essential services and meetings be canceled; and, whereas, it may be necessary to close the County Courthouse complex and various satellite offices when the health and safety of citizens and employees are in imminent danger and to cancel any meetings at those facilities.”
It further stated that the commission authorizes the county administrator, in consultation with the chairman of the County Commission, “to determine when the Coosa County Courthouse Complex and other county offices should be closed and meetings canceled.”
After adopting the resolution, it was announced that the regularly scheduled evening meeting would be canceled. Further, Dunham and County Administrator Amy Gilliland stated that the meeting would not be rescheduled and that instead its agenda items would be combined with the morning meeting.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Coosa County Commission will be held at 9:30 a.m. April 12.