Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal
The Lowndes County Commission said good-bye to Commissioner Brenson Crenshaw and approved a long awaited contract with the Alabama Department of Transportation for a federal aid paving project on Lowndes County Road 23 in White Hall, Wednesday.
Crenshaw said he was attending his last meeting as a member of the commission, Wednesday, because he would be out of town for the fourth Monday of the month.
He said, “It’s been a pleasure serving Lowndes County and District 3.” But he said, “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be here. Commissioners you are going to still see my face, and if I’ve got an issue I’m coming right there to that podium.”
Lowndes County Engineer David Butts said the County Road 23 project, which had been held up several times due to issues, including railroad crossings, will be let for bid in November.
He said the contract for the project will be for $882,468.70 of which the county portion will be $176,493.74.
County Administrator Jackie Thomas said she was happy to report that the county has the money for its portion in an account.
The commission authorized Butts to begin work on a Lowndes County Road 6 paving project as a federal aid project. Butts said the road needs to be cored to see what is underneath to determine what needs to be placed on top to stand up to truck traffic that will be coming with the a proposed truck stop (Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores).
He said according to a proposal from Goodwyn Mills & Cawood Inc., the coring of the road will cost $5,500.
Butts said going down from five to four motor graders would curtail expenses and the county would “get more bang for our bucks.” He said it could cut down on expenses, time, maintenance.
However, the commission agreed to table the matter until its next meeting.
And in another Highway Department matter, the commission approved the purchase of a track hoe from Cowin Equipment that used on the ADECA paving projects the county paid down based on rental from $200,000 to about $130,000.
Butts said, “I think this is an opportunity we shouldn’t pass down.” A representative of Cowin Equipment also indicated that a trade in on another piece of equipment would be considered.
The commission approved the payment of $2,500 for Lowndes County Industrial Development Board representation on the Lowndes County Economic Development Commission.
And the commission approved the Lowndes County Health Department to install a security system at no cost to the county.

Under the consent agenda, the commission approved:
•Payment of invoices.
•An appropriation to the Collirene Volunteer Fire Department in the amount of $1,100.
•An appropriation to the Calhoun Volunteer Fire Department in the amount of $1,214.
*An appropriation to the Hayneville Volunteer Fire Department in the amount of $6,814.
•An appropriation to the Burkville Volunteer Fire Department in the amount of $2000.
•A funding agreement for the Title III Senior Citizens Program.
•A proclamation that Oct. 23-29 will be Pro Bono Week for the Alabama State Bar.
Thomas reminded commissioners that that a hearing on the county’s solid waste plan will be held on the fourth Monday of the month (Oct. 24) at 6 p.m. While she encouraged commissioners to attend the hearing, she said the commission itself does not normally does not meet the Monday night before an election.
Under commission concerns, Harris asked the commission to look at its expense for ambulance service and to “think outside the box.”
He said the county pays $19,000 a month for one ambulance, whether the ambulance service get a call or not. He said he thought there was funding for an ambulance where the county would only have to pay for the employees. And he suggested that maybe the county could get two ambulances.
He said, “The need is there.” And he asked the commission “to give it some thought.”