Commission discusses potential courthouse annex, hears from firms
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By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
The County Commission is gradually taking steps to begin the process of tearing done an old county building and looking into constructing an annex for the courthouse in its place.
Since last year the commission has discussed at length the old rock building that formerly housed the County Extension Office, looked into the condition of the building and discussed options for the building and location. After numerous months of discussion and reviewing information, at last week’s commission meeting District 5 Commissioner Lamar Daugherty stated that he wanted to get the process started and wanted to be proactive.
In discussion he mentioned the building having numerous structural issues, as well as mold, and mentioned the high cost of modernizing the building.
While at one meeting the driver’s license building was mentioned, no discussions have been held regarding that building. Only the former Extension Office building is being discussed at this time, with the commission ultimately concluding that the building will need to be razed, after lengthy discussions and reviewing information over the last several months.
“The industrial hygienist has deemed the basement as hazardous and unusable, and the main floor will cost an exorbitant amount to remodel and bring up to code,” County Administrator Amy Gilliland said in discussion following last week’s meeting. “We have no choice but to build a viable building for the county.”
As such, the idea of constructing a courthouse annex has recently been discussed, with it being stated that employees and visitors to the County Courthouse need space to properly conduct business.
Some of the related issues that were mentioned included having no storage in the courthouse; no extra offices, boardrooms, meeting rooms, or courtrooms; halls being full of inmates being brought back and forth to court; no holding or waiting areas for lawyers and clients to meet; and there not being an area or an office for a private conversation on either floor of the courthouse.
“Many times we have three court cases at once, and there is no space to have court in a secure area,” Gilliland mentioned. “We do not have an office for auditors. They are working in break rooms or in a corner of someone’s office, which is not conducive.”
Taking all of that into account and with previous discussion held regarding the matter, at last week’s meeting Daugherty mentioned the county looking into building on an annex to the courthouse since numerous offices need more space. As such, he asked representatives from architect firms to attend the commission meeting and present information.
The commission heard from John Merrill with Waggoner Engineering of Birmingham, Billy Morace with CMH Architects of Birmingham and Pamela Mitchell with PH&J Architects of Montgomery.
All three firms and their representatives gave an overview of the company and projects done, as well as presented information to the commission relating to the proposed courthouse annex. All three also mentioned the issues and needs associated with the project and ways to address those.
Following all three presentations, Daugherty said that the county would need to get its financial obligations together and see if the project is something the county “can even afford” at this time. He said the county could then move on to the next phase and meet with all of the firms again to further discuss the project and review information.
Chair Bertha K. McElrath mentioned the commission possibly holding a work session to review and discuss county financials to get started moving forward. However, after brief discussion the commission voiced agreement to not hold a work session until after the county’s budget has been approved on September 30.
In other business, the commission also heard from Jeremy Bradberry wishing to apply for an alcohol license for the store at the intersection of County Road 55 and Mims Ferry Road at Lay Dam in District 5.
Bradberry and his wife explained that they have multiple properties in the area and are working on those for different business, including a family-friendly campground, adding that they are looking to open the store to offer some groceries and staples in the rural area without residents having to drive to Stewartville or Clanton for groceries and other necessities.
When asked, Sheriff Michael Howell said that he did not have any issues with the location or the request.
Following Bradberry’s presentation and request, the commission, with all members present, unanimously approved for him to proceed with applying for the alcohol license.
In other business, Coosa EMS Director Hollie Osbourn presented awards to Advanced EMT Yancey Brown in recognition of excellent service and care provided to a recent patient. Osbourn reviewed information on the particular case, relating to a “Miracle Walk,” as reported in the August 2 edition of “The Coosa County News.”
Osbourn spoke of her appreciation for Brown, as well as paramedic Brandon Bird, who was unable to attend the commission meeting, for the work they did for the patient.
She presented Brown with a special Challenge Coin for EMS personnel, as well as a Certificate of Recognition for his “outstanding performance in achieving ROSC (return of spontaneous circulation) in the field.” She mentioned it being a special honor and thanked Brown for his service.
Also during the meeting, the commission heard from Denise Walls, executive director of the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance, with updates on Westwater Resources and Two Rivers Lumber Company, located in the industrial park in Kellyton.
The updates on Westwater reviewed information as reported in last week’s edition and the July 19 edition of “The Coosa County News,” while the Two Rivers Lumber Company updates included reviews of information as reported in the July 26 and April 12 editions.
When speaking about Two Rivers Lumber, Walls said that there will be two construction entrances from County Road 115 into the industrial park. She said that the Highway Department is working on getting a culvert in for that area, as well.
During her updates, Walls said that Westwater Resources expects to be in production by December 2025, while Two Rivers wants to be in production by next September.
In other business, during last week’s meeting the County Commission:
- Unanimously approved for the chair and administrator to sign the Alabama Cooperative Extension System of Auburn University funding agreement to use ARPA funds for a nutrition education program.
- Unanimously approved removing and disposing of Help America Vote Act, or HAVA, reimbursed equipment.
- Unanimously approved getting quotes for new flooring in the upstairs and downstairs hallway of the courthouse.
- Discussed the county’s Solid Waste Plan and the landfill, with information presented by County Engineer Tad Eason.
- Unanimously approved and adopted a resolution to use ARPA funds for the ACEE audit invoices, with the federal audit resulting in no findings or comments.
- Unanimously approved and adopted a resolution to use ARPA funds for the computers and scanners in the commission office, with the current computers being 15 years old and having difficulty running the new software.
- Unanimously approved applying for the T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program, with information presented by District 3 Commissioner Brandon Davis.
- Unanimously approved applying for the Hugh Kaul Foundation Grant through the Regions Charitable Trust, with information provided by Davis.
- Unanimously approved for Sheriff Howell to use Ford Motor Credit Municipal Purchase/Leasing for vehicle financing instead of Bancorp as previously approved on July 29, with Ford offering a lower interest rate.
- Unanimously approved tabling additional purchases for drop ceiling materials for the sally port renovation at the Sheriff’s Office, with the matter being tabled to the next meeting.
- Unanimously approved the Citizen Participation Plan for the Community Development Block Grant Program.
- Unanimously approved to allow the sheriff to have a separate Verizon Reveal account for monitoring vehicles, relating to the GPS monitoring program the commission previously discussed and approved.
- Unanimously approved and adopted a resolution to designate SSUT, or Simplified Sellers Use Tax, funds toward the courthouse annex building, parking and maintenance of the annex, future debt services, and 5% toward economic development in the county.
- Unanimously approved for EMA Director Sheldon Hutcherson to purchase a truck from the state bid list, with the vehicle to be financed through Ford Motor Credit.
The next regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Coosa County Commission will be held at 9 a.m. September 10.
