Rockford approves updated contract with county
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By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
The Rockford Town Council had another light meeting this month, with only one agenda item seeing action aside from housekeeping matters.
With Mayor Scott White absent, Mayor Pro Tem Lynn Anne Castleberry oversaw the meeting with all other council members present.
As was brought up at its last meeting, the council once again took into consideration an increase in the fee for housing inmates at the Coosa County Jail. At its meeting last Tuesday evening, the council reviewed the new contract that was approved by the County Commission at its meeting this month.
Castleberry reviewed information with the council, as well as the new contract with the county. Town attorney Tom Young said he had not seen the contract prior to the meeting, but took time at the council meeting to review it.
The new “Agreement for Housing of Municipal Prisoners in the Coosa County Jail” pertains to misdemeanor arrests made by the Rockford Police Department. Any person charged with a felony offense arrested by the Rockford Police Department will be housed in the county jail at no charge to the town.
The fee that has been paid to for housing municipal inmates for the past several years was $10 per inmate per day, with it being divided so that the Sheriff’s Office received $5 and the county received $5, with the fee being for the housing and feeding of inmates.
The new agreement, as discussed at town and county previous meetings, increases that fee to $20 per day. Additionally, the county will continue to receive $5 from the fee while the Sheriff’s Office will now receive $15.
After discussion and review of the agreement, the council unanimously approved the new agreement with the increased fee for housing municipal inmates at the county jail.
In other business, the council heard from Kathy Fulmer with the Coosa County Chamber of Commerce offering funds to the Town of Rockford.
During a recent chamber board meeting, the Board of Directors approved offering $5,000 to the Town of Rockford out of funds to be reimbursed by the county from part of its American Rescue Plan Act funds. The money is specifically for the purchase of a programmable LED sign to be placed in town to promote town news and events, as well as chamber events and members.
During discussion, Young said that the council would need to adopt a resolution to approve accepting the funds from the chamber and purchasing the sign.
He added that there are many moving parts to think about, adding that he wanted to make sure the council is comfortable with everything, included the added expense of operating and maintaining the sign.
In further discussion, Young stated that the town is grateful for any donation, but expressed that the town had things to consider before approving accepting the funds.
After discussion, the council approved tabling the matter in order to do more research into it. Councilmember Nieshia Whetstone, who is also a member of the Chamber Board of Directors, abstained from voting.
In other business, Castleberry mentioned the Alabama Municipal Official Training Act that Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law last month. She said that the law requires them to have 40 hours of training over their 4-year terms, with the training being conducted online.
Also at the meeting, Police Chief George Fanning stated that at the May meeting Mayor White had mentioned having the two new part-time police officers attend the June meeting so that the council could meet them.
However, Fanning said that Officer William Hubbard was unable to attend the meeting because of his full-time job. Additionally, he said that Donald Giles was no longer employed with the police department, stating that he left for personal reasons.
The next regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Rockford Town Council will be held at 6 p.m. July 16.
