Commission approves Transportation Plan, discusses sidewalk, more
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During its meeting Tuesday, the County Commission approved by majority vote to remove the current chair and elect a new chair to allow other commissioners the opportunity to serve in the position. The County Commission, pictured from left, is comprised of District 5 Commissioner Lamar Daugherty (newly elected chair), District 4 Commissioner Ronnie Joiner, District 3 Commissioner Brandon Davis, District 2 Commissioner Bertha K. McElrath (former chair), and District 1 Commissioner John Forbus. Photo by Christa Jennings
By Christa Jennings
Tuesday morning’s meeting of the County Commission saw a lengthy agenda with much action and discussion, including approving the new Transportation Plan for the 2025 fiscal year, discussing the sidewalk in front of the courthouse, approving a change in chairmanship, and more.
County Engineer Tad Eason presented the commission, with all members present, the fiscal year 2025 Transportation Plan, which is part of the Rebuild Alabama program and something done annually.
The plan presented by Eason includes 1.9 miles of County Road 48 and 1.42 miles of County Road 94 in District 1, 5.07 miles of County Road 511 in District 2, 4.52 miles of County Road 63 in District 3, 0.95 miles of Hancell Road in District 4, and 3.23 miles of County Road 70 in District 5.
The Transportation Plan reflects an estimated annual revenue of $730,000 in County Rebuild Alabama Funds, or CRAF, and $400,000 in Federal Aid Exchange Funds, or FAEF.
The 17.10 total miles in road projects reflect a total estimated cost of $2,304,648.43. The estimated amount planned to be utilized under competitive bid is $503,555.51, and the estimated amount planned to be utilized under public works is $1,738,972.66.
The County Road 48 project is to include full-depth reclamation and surface treatment from County Road 85 to the Tallapoosa County line. The estimated total project cost is $122,682.93, with an expected $22,770.98 being utilized from the CRAF towards the project.
The County Road 94 project also includes full-depth reclamation and surface treatment from Alabama Highway 9 to the Tallapoosa County line. The project’s total estimated cost is $128,902.83, with $32,840.25 being utilized from the CRAF.
The County Road 511 project is to resurface and stripe County Road 511 from Highway 9 to the Clay County line at an estimated total cost of $888,035.98. The project would utilize $400,000 in FAEF and $488,035.98 in CRAF.
The County Road 63 project is for full-depth reclamation and surface treatment from Highway 9 to Highway 259. The estimated total cost is $850,936.70, with $75,000 to be utilized from CRAF.
The Hancell Road project includes full-depth reclamation and surface treatment from County Road 2 to the Elmore County line. The projected total cost is $95,805.68, with $26,188.72 to be utilized from CRAF.
The County Road 70 project is for full-depth reclamation and surface treatment from County Road 29 to County Road 41. The total estimated cost is $217,284.31, with $80,164.07 to be utilized from CRAF.
Remaining costs for the projects will be paid from the county’s 4-cent funding. Additionally, the County Road 63 project will be utilizing $350,000 of grant funding that was awarded for fiscal year 2024.
After review, the commission unanimously approved the fiscal year 2025 Transportation Plan as presented. The plan is required to be submitted by August 31, but Eason said it can be amended if needed.
Also related to Highway Department business, the commission unanimously approved to send annual bid forms for steel pipe, limestone, granite, liquid asphalt, gasoline/diesel fuel, and cement, with bids to be opened at the September 10 meeting.
In other business, Rockford Mayor Scott White was listed among the commission’s 25 agenda items to “discuss sidewalks and town updates.” However, White was not present for the meeting, with County Administrator Amy Gilliland saying that he had another appointment, adding that he sent her a statement.
She said that three years ago she had spoken with him about the deteriorating sidewalks outside the courthouse and it being a liability issue, mentioning that the county’s insurance company does not want them to use the front door of the courthouse.
Gilliland said that White said he is willing to meet with the commission and that he would like for the commission to get on the Town Council agenda, which meets Tuesday, and said he will get on the agenda for next month’s commission meeting.
She added that there are some streetscape beautification grants that White is looking into that would help take care of some issues with the exterior of buildings and more. She said that most of the sidewalks are fine, “it’s just ours that’s not,” referring to the sidewalk in front of the County Courthouse.
Further, Gilliland said that White is asking if the commission will be on board with helping to do some of the work. She mentioned laws coming into play with the issue and mentioned whether the county or town owns the sidewalk, adding that “there is a lot to consider there.”
Speaking to county attorney John K. Johnson, Gilliland said, “I don’t know if you’ve found anything that you want to say as far as who owns what. He (White) just said the sidewalk’s a gray area. He said most of it is a state right of way.”
During discussion, Circuit Judge David Law spoke up regarding the sidewalk issue and said, “I believe it is the town’s responsibility.”
In ongoing discussion, Johnson explained that the municipality is responsible for maintaining the general safety of the sidewalk.
“It is a municipal responsibility,” Johnson stated. “That’s not to say that if this commission decides it wants to participate, you certainly have that ability. But as David said, your first responsibility is the town’s, with both your sidewalks and your drainage problems. We’ve had tremendous problems with our basement that is technically due to rainwater runoff. The basement floods every time you get a big rain and goes into the town storm drains. That is a municipal responsibility.”
He further added, “As David said, the sidewalk is in an extremely bad position, but the state does not own the sidewalks. They are not responsible for it. It’s not actually an ownership question. If you look at the Town of Rockford’s ordinances with sidewalks, it requires certain things to happen, certain liabilities regarding the sidewalks, and there’s nothing that exempts the sidewalk in front of the courthouse from the rest of the ordinance. It is a municipal responsibility, and you certainly have every right to ask that it be maintained in a safe and proper manner.”
No action was taken on the matter as it was for discussion only.
Also during Tuesday’s nearly three-hour meeting, Commissioner Ronnie Joiner was on the agenda to discuss removing the current chair in order to allow other commissioners an opportunity to serve in that position.
Joiner said that when they were elected they all agreed to serve for a certain time to share the position with other commissioners. He then proceeded to make a motion to vacate the chair position.
After brief discussion, the commission ultimately took a roll call vote, with commissioners Lamar Daugherty, Joiner and John Forbus voting in favor of a motion to remove Chair McElrath to vacate the position and commissioners Brandon Davis and McElrath opposing the motion, meaning the motion passed with a 3-2 vote.
Following that action, Joiner nominated Daugherty to serve as the new chair. Forbus seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved.
Daugherty will assume the role of chair at next month’s meeting, at which time the commission will also elect a vice chair, since Daugherty had served in that role.
McElrath was initially elected to serve as chair in June 2022, following former Commissioner Randall Dunham’s resignation as chair, making her the first female chairperson as she is also the first female county commissioner in Coosa County.
Following that, after the election and the commission being sworn into office in November 2022, McElrath was once again elected to serve as chair by unanimous vote. At that time, Daugherty was also elected to serve as vice chair.
Following action taken at Tuesday’s meeting, McElrath thanked the commission for entrusting her in the position and electing her to serve as chair for the last two years.
She stated, “I appreciate the commission for voting me in as chair. I do appreciate that opportunity to serve, which made me the first female African American to sit as a commissioner and as commission chair for this county. I do appreciate the commission for electing me to this position for the time that I have served.”
Daugherty and Joiner both stated that they appreciated McElrath serving, saying that she did “an outstanding job.” Later in the meeting Daugherty reiterated what a good job McElrath has done, saying that he appreciates her and her mentorship.
In other business during Tuesday’s meeting, the commission added two items to its agenda relating to discussing the good name and character of a county employee and to discuss inmate security regarding medical situations.
For the former, the commission dismissed into executive session for approximately 40 minutes, and for the latter it dismissed into executive session for approximately 13 minutes. No action was taken on either matter following the commission going back into open session.
For coverage of the remainder of the County Commission meeting, see next week’s edition.
