COMMISSION MEETING
June 12, 2007

CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME
A regular meeting of the Cullman County Commission was held Tuesday, June 12, 2007 at 10:00 a.m., in the County Commission Office Conference Room, Chairman Kitchens called the meeting to order and welcomed all visitors. 

CALL OF ROLL TO ESTABLISH QUORUM, INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present were Chairman Wiley Kitchens, Commissioner Doug Williams, Commissioner Wayne Willingham and Attorney Dan Willingham. Mr. Dan Willingham gave the invocation and Commissioner Williams lead the pledge of allegiance. 

APPROVE MINUTES, APPROPRIATIONS, EXPENDITURES, REQUISITIONS, TRAVEL EXPENSE AND ALL JOURNAL ENTRIES TO BE POSTED
Commissioner Willingham made the motion to approve. Commissioner Williams seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

PUBLIC COMMENTS
Brian Messersmith – Addressed the commission concerning Resolution No. 2007-34 County Road 715. Also ask to meet with the Commission after the Commission Meeting pertaining to the Eminent Domain on the Messersmith property.  

NEW BUSINESS
Error in taxes in litigation and insolvencies approved for final approval – Revenue Commission 
Debbie Harden with the Revenue Commission Office stated in the land tax department they are going for final settlement of the 2006 property tax collection year on June 20th with the State. We need the county commission to approve the insolvencies, the errors in assessments and taxes in litigation. The insolvencies are personal property taxes that there’s nothing to collect, errors in assessments is where citizens have signed up for the homestead exemption and we had to error it off and correct it with the right exemption. Litigation is where citizens have filed for bankruptcies. 
Commissioner Williams made the motion to allow the Chairman to sign the litigation and insolvencies for final approval. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.  

Consider approval of the 2007 Sales Tax Holiday
Commission Williams made the motion to pass the 2007 Sales Tax Holiday for this year again. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Consider transfer franchise agreement from Southern Cable Services to Alabama Broadband
Gary Teichmiller, County Administrator stated that Alabama Broadband took over the services of Southern Cable. Alabama Broadband would like to transfer the franchise agreement over from Southern Cable to Alabama Broadband. I recommend transferring the agreement. 
Commissioner Willingham made the motion to transfer the franchise agreement. Commissioner Williams seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Consider approval for increase in Environmental Fees – Cullman County Health Department 
Commissioner Williams stated this is a request to increase environment fees. Cullman County has not been increased since 1987, the increases are minimal. I make the motion to let the Health Department increase the environmental fees. 
Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Consider Traffic Signal request on Al Hwy. 157 at Cullman Regional Medical Center – Agreement between the City of Cullman, CRMC and the Cullman County Commission 
Commissioner Williams stated it was his understanding CRMC would pay for the installation cost and ask the county to pay part since this is the counties hospital and the City of Cullman would maintain the red light. 
Commissioner Williams made the motion at the request of CRMC to split the installation cost ($25,000.00). Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion passed unanimously. 

Consider renewing service agreement with Vision Technology (AVAYA Phone System)
Mr. Teichmiller stated this is the phone system that operates the courthouse, this is the on going maintenance and software. I recommend renewing the service agreement. 
Commissioner Williams made the motion to renew the service agreement. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

ALDOT funding for a portion of County Road 1141
Commissioner Willingham stated Rep. Neal Morrison helped with this funding for the County, Board of Education and the Town of West Point to help alleviate a safety issue with the traffic flow. 
Commissioner Willingham made a motion to except the funding and also Resolution No. 2007-35 authoring this funding. 
Commissioner Williams seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Authorize Chairman to sign Contact with Johnston Technologies, Inc. 
Mr. Teichmiller stated this is the battery back up system for the 911 center. This system will totally operate the 911 system. The contract is for $4,501.10 for one year. If the system had to be replaced the cost would be around $45,000.00, I recommend signing the agreement with Johnston Technologies, Inc. 
Commissioner Williams made the motion to authorize the Chairman to sign the contract. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Drummond Coal Contract 
Commissioner Williams stated the County Fire Association wanted to enter into a contract with Drummond Coal to lease some property in the Cold Springs/Bug Tussle area for one-hundred years (100).The County Fire Association would be using this property to set up a tower from a grant they received. This is no cost to the county any cost involved would come from the Fire Association. I would ask for a motion to allow me to sign. 
Commissioner Willingham made the motion to allow Commissioner Williams to sign the contract for the County Fire Association with Drummond Coal. Chairman Kitchens seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Consider annual donation to the Oktober Fest
Commissioner Williams made the motion to raise the donation to the Oktober Fest to $6000.00 and take out this amount out of the tourism fund. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Resolution No. 2007-30 Reduce Speed on County Road 1525 to 15 MPH
Mr. Fred Penn, County Engineer stated this gravel road is located off the north end of the Goldridge road and has several curves. I recommend reducing the speed to 15 mph. 
Commissioner Williams made the motion to reduce the speed on county road to15 mph. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Resolution No. 2007-31 Reduce Speed on County Road 6200 to 15 MPH
Mr. Penn stated this road is off Al Hwy. 31 near Hanceville, county road 6200 is a dead end road that goes thru a trailer park. 
Commissioner Williams made the motion to reduce the speed on county road 6200 to 15 mph. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Resolution No. 2007-32 Reduce Speed on County Road 1856 to 25 MPH
Mr. Penn stated county road 1856 is located in the New Canaan area, it just recently was resurfaced. This road has several vertical curves, I recommend reducing the speed to 25 mph. 
Commissioner Williams made the motion to reduce the speed on co

Resolution No. 2007-33 Reduce the Speed on County Road 1859 to 20 MPH
Mr. Penn stated this road has a new tar and gravel surface and several vertical curves. I recommend reducing the speed to 20 mph. 
Commissioner Williams made the motion to reduce the speed on county road 1859 to 20 mph. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Resolution No. 2007-34 County Road 715
Commissioner Williams stated in the original resolution and agreement to accept the money with the State of Alabama on county road 715 and to enter into an engineering agreement with St. John and Associates, we need to clarified some wording in there and this resolution does that. That the purchase of right of way and if deemed the use of eminent domain to take over the right of ways to do the widening and except the money from the State of Alabama. I made the motion that we accept this resolution. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Consider Extending Bid No. 811 Mowing/Maintenance of Mud Creek Channel to Hamrick Septic Tank service for one year
Commissioner Williams made the motion to extend the bid for Mud Creel for one year. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Consider Extending Bid No. 812 Service for CARTS Dept. vehicles to Express Oil Change for one year
Commissioner Willingham made the motion to extend the bid to Express Oil Change for one year depending upon if price did not change. Commissioner Williams seconded. And upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Consider awarding Bid No. 889 – Cold Laid Plant Mix
County Engineer Fred Penn stated only two (2) bids were received. I recommend awarding the bid to the low bidder Shelby Contracting. 
Commissioner Willingham made the motion to award Bid No. 889 to Shelby Contracting. Commissioner Williams seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 

Consider the surplus of Ricoh Copier – Probate Office
Commissioner Williams made the motion to surplus the Ricoh Copier from the Probate Office. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.

Consider the surplus of various computers and monitors – Sales Tax Office 
Commission Williams made the motion to surplus the computers and monitors from the Sales Tax Office. Commissioner Willingham seconded, and upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.

OLD BUSINESS
Revenue Kay Smith questioned the Commission concerning the new pay scale and where they were on this. Commissioner Williams replied he liked a little math having it completed.

Commissioner Williams first would ask for everyone in Cullman County to remember the troops leaving Cullman to day for duty in Iraq and a safe return. Second, I would like to introduce Mr. John Brunner, the new Assistant County Engineer. Third, I would like to thank the Revenue Commissioner for the vehicles her department is transferring to the road department and the IT department. 

NEXT REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2007
Chairman Kitchens announced the next regular Commission Meeting will be Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 10:00 am in the County Commission Office Conference Room.

ADJOURN 
Commissioner Willingham made the motion to adjourn. Commissioner Williams seconded.

______________________________	_____________________________ 	        __________________________ 
Wiley Kitchens, Chairman			J. Douglas Williams			        Wayne Willingham
						Associate Commissioner 		         Associate Commissioner