Jefferson County Commission

Tyson Says JeffCo Not Getting ‘Most Bang for Its Buck’ for TWG 2022; Knight Expects Budget Shortfall

Sheila Tyson said Jefferson County hasn’t gotten “the most bang for its buck” from The World Games 2022. She expressed that sentiment as she and other commissioners met this morning at the Bessemer Justice Center. Tyson said Commissioner Joe Knight, the commission’s representative to The World Games, should have been more prominently used, perhaps during the Opening Ceremony last week or the Closing Ceremony set for Sunday. “We have just as much money (invested in The World Games) as the city has,” Tyson said. “I feel like Commissioner Knight should have at least been able to speak at the Opening and the Closing Ceremony. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

JeffCo Commission Indicates It Will Look for Alternate Absentee Voting Space After Clerk Alleges Voter Suppression

Bessemer Absentee Voting Clerk Karen Dunn Burks had a hug for every member of the Jefferson County Commission present after the panel settled on a resolution to a contentious disagreement over where absentee voting will take place in Bessemer. During its meeting Tuesday at the Bessemer Justice Center, commissioners moved to Thursday’s meeting agenda a plan for absentee voting to continue in the ceremonial courtroom in the basement of the justice center while the offices of the county manager and general services explore the possibility of moving the office to the second floor. Burks last week accused Jefferson County government of voter suppression because of plans to move her office from the courtroom basement to another office also in the basement. She contended the plan created unfair conditions and accommodations for voters and was inhumane. After Tuesday’s meeting, Burks said, “I feel very hopeful. I feel very good. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

County Election Official Contends Moving Office Is Voter Suppression

Bessemer Absentee Voting Clerk Karen Dunn Burks accused Jefferson County government of voter suppression in moving her office from the ceremonial courtroom in the basement of the Bessemer Justice Center to office space there. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Jefferson County Commission Unsure About Allotting Extra Money for Expanded World Games Security

The Jefferson County Commission on Thursday again delayed voting on the sheriff’s request for $1.2 million to pay for expanded security duties during The World Games. Commission President Jimmie Stephens said he believed the request was premature because it wasn’t evident to him that the extra costs would run the sheriff’s budget into the red. Read more.

by Virginia Martin

Sheriff Requests More Money for World Games Security

Learning that his department has a much bigger task than anticipated with The World Games, Sheriff Mark Pettway today sought $1.2 million from the Jefferson County Commission. “We've had some other departments to pull out, which increased our involvement within The World Games,” Pettway said. “We are here. We're local. We want to make sure that when everybody comes here, that everybody is safe. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

JeffCo Puts Beavers at Top of Most Wanted List on Accusations of Abetting Flood Waters

Beavers do what beavers do, so Jefferson County has to do what it has to do. During its committee meeting today, the Jefferson County Commission moved to its agenda a resolution to award a contract to Nuisance Wildlife Control for the removal of beavers from designated zones in the county as needed and directed by the county sheriff. “It's been an ongoing issue,” said Heather Carter, director of the county’s roads and transportation department. “Obviously, we have lots of areas of habitat and the little critters are industrious. Especially in the areas where we have more floodplain, they tend to get in there and dam things up.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

New Face Moves Into Jefferson County Deputy County Manager’s Office

County Manager Cal Markert has moved into the office of his former boss. Now he has someone to move in next door, in the office where he worked as deputy county manager. Jefferson County has hired Dave Strahl to fill Markert’s former post. Strahl comes from Illinois, where he served as interim village manager of Schiller Park. He has more than 30 years of experience working with municipal governments of all sizes. Markert said being short-handed has made things pretty difficult because there are vacancies in some director positions, including human resources. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Tyson Handily Wins Reelection to Jefferson County Commission

A jubilant Sheila Tyson celebrated with supporters Tuesday night after she won a second term representing District 2 on the Jefferson County Commission. As the DJ at L.I.T on 8th played McFadden and Whitehead’s “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now,” the former Birmingham City Council member declared that she had defeated the Rev. Steve Small Jr. “With 55 percent of the boxes in, I am at 86 percent of the vote,” Tyson declared. “Our goal was 52 percent of the vote.” At the end of the night, Tyson had held onto that lead, logging 86.5 percent of the vote with 98 percent of precincts reporting. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

JeffCo Commission OKs Store Near New Hospital in McCalla; President Says It’s a Bad Call

Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens said that someday a future panel of commissioners will say an action taken by the commission Thursday was shortsighted. Stephens cast the one nay vote to a request to rezone property in McCalla from agricultural to commercial to accommodate a convenience store with a gas station and deli. The property, at 4476 Bell Hill Road, next to the UAB West Hospital that’s currently under construction. The current land use plan for that area is rural. Stephens said the immediate future should have been weighed more heavily. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

As More Dilapidated Structures Are Demolished, Jefferson Commissioners Discuss Ways to Redevelop the Properties

During its committee meeting Tuesday, the Jefferson County Commission applauded the demolition of public nuisance properties but expressed concern for blight that could follow. Mike Thomas, building inspection services manager with the county’s Department of Developmental Services, presented a resolution for about 30 nuisance properties to be torn down. County Manager Cal Markert commended Thomas, who has 17 demolitions under bid already and another 30 in line. “That'll be 77 within 24 months,” Markert said, “so I’m superexcited.” Said Thomas: “We've always been reactive, looking at when we have complaints. Now we've had the opportunity to go proactive and try to clean up some communities and make things better for the people who live there. “What we want to do is make an impact. We don't want to do one house here and one house there.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.