Jefferson County Commission

Humane Society Can Continue Operation After JeffCo Commission Extends Contract

The Jefferson County Commission on Tuesday made sure the Greater Birmingham Humane Society can continue to house animals the next three years, avoiding having to move – or even euthanize – them. It extended the county’s contract with GBHS, without which the humane society would not have been able to get the insurance it needs. “I don't know where the slowdown came,” Commissioner Joe Knight said, “but it was some back-and-forth stuff up in the personnel board. But we got it out and we got her done. Had it expired, they would have had to move the animals.” Read more.

JeffCo to Spend $200K to Set Up COVID Testing and Vaccination Site in the Cutoff

The Jefferson County Commission on Thursday approved spending $200,000 in relief funds to establish a COVID-19 testing and vaccination site to service the Bessemer Cutoff area. Commissioners subsequently approved a resolution for additional testing/vaccination sites as recommended by the Jefferson County Department of Health. "We want to make sure that testing is available throughout Jefferson County and that the citizens are best served by the actions of the commission,” said President Jimmie Stephens, who represents the Cutoff. “We want to make sure that if they want to be tested, if they want a vaccination, there is a convenient testing site where they can get to.” Stephens said the county serves many residents, some of whom are affirmed. He said mass testing sites may be a 20- or 30-minute drive for some residents. Read more.

COVID Stalls Storm Shelters; JeffCo Commission Discusses Road Projects on Grants Mill, Lakeshore

COVID-19 is known to make people sluggish. It has had the same effect on some storm shelter projects in Jefferson County. Commissioners today moved to the agenda of Thursday’s commission meeting in Bessemer a resolution to extend for 365 days a contract with Williford Orman Construction LLC to build storm shelters in Graysville, Bagley and Glenwood. These storm shelters will be paid for through the county’s general fund. “It's really been two things,” said Frederick L. Hamilton, director of the county’s Department of Community Services and Workforce Development, “the supply chain delay in getting materials as well as staff, some of their staff catching COVID and not being able to work at full speed because of COVID.” Read more.

Shades of Gray? Not When It Comes to Bingo in Jefferson County

The Jefferson County Commission today denied a rezoning request for a private club in Corner, suspecting that the establishment would be used for bingo. “The applicant wasn't here but we kind of got a little birdie telling us that may be a bingo hall,” Commissioner Joe Knight said after the meeting. “We don't want bingo halls. We've got plenty. We don't need all the bingo halls where these cities are passing ordinances prohibiting them coming to the county.” Knight said some may have viewed unincorporated Jefferson County as a gray area beyond the jurisdiction of cities that have expressly forbidden bingo businesses. “We don't want to be the gray area and we need to tighten that up a little bit with our ordinances as far as what we allow and what we do,” Knight said. Read more.

Jefferson County Commission Kicks Staff Out of Meeting as COVID Rages Across the Community

UPDATED with request to avoid emergency departments for tests or minor symptoms. Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens opened the commission committee meeting Tuesday by sending department heads and staff out of the room to guard against the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19. “It's a reminder for those people that we need to continue to practice social distancing,” Stephens said after the meeting. The commission president cited reports that cloth face masks are not the most effective in protecting against the spread of the omicron variant. “You need to do a KN95 or an N95 mask, if indeed you feel at risk,” Stephens said. “The main thing to do is to practice your social distancing because if the masks are proved ineffective, the only other tool we have if we're going to come to work is … either management needs to supply everyone with KN95 or N95 masks or we need to practice social distancing. “I pretty much told staff through the county manager that they should be on Zoom or be virtual,” he said, “and let the commission tend to the business of the commission.” Stephens’ comments came as omicron rages across the state. Alabama reached a record 38.5% positivity rate Tuesday as another 7,562 new cases were reported and 41 new deaths. Jefferson County contributed 1,501 of those cases and four of the deaths, and the positivity rate broke 40% for the first time. In total, 921,175  Alabamians have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began. Every county in the state is classified as being at high risk of community transmission of the virus. Read more. Also read: COVID Surge Continues, Could Peak in Mid- to Late-January

JeffCo Commission Compromises, Buys 100 CPR Devices to Distribute

Jefferson County commissioners approved the purchase of 100 Lucas CPR devices Thursday, bringing to 238 the county has or will buy with federal funds related to COVID-19. The sheriff’s department initially sought 250 devices to go into patrol cars on remote beats. That number was whittled to 138 and then 100. Commissioners debated how many devices to buy, considering the purchase would have to meet the criteria for spending of federal COVID funds. Read more.

Jefferson County Commission Considers Buying CPR Devices

The Jefferson County Commission will likely approve the purchase of at least 123 Lucas chest compression devices. The sheriff’s office requested the funding from American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase 250 of the automatic CPR devices at a cost of $17,980. The plan was for 138 of the devices to be deployed to 49 entities throughout the county. The timing of the matter is sensitive as a price hike of 7% per unit is expected after the first of 2022. Another 138 Lucas devices were previously purchased with monies from the Care Act. Commissioners were concerned that the devices need to be in more isolated locations where ambulance response times have been especially long. Commissioners noted the need to have devices in county senior centers and in schools. Read more.

Not Us: JeffCo Commissioners Not Responsible for JCCEO

Jefferson County Commission talked about media reports that said the commission was taking action regarding the nonprofit Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity. Commission President Jimmie Stephens made it clear that is not the case. “The commission has no purview over any nonprofit organizations in the county, much less the JCCEO,” Stephens said following the meeting. Read more.

JeffCo Commission Discusses Rescue Spending

The Jefferson County Commission is considering how to spend money coming in as part of Phase 1 of the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The commission began that discussion Tuesday, although the federal government has not yet issued the final guidelines for spending under that act. County staff devised the current plan using the preliminary guidelines, Justin Smith, an assistant to the county manager, told commissioners. “We're trying to get some money out immediately pending the receipt of that final guidance using the interim guidance that has been provided by the Treasury,” Smith said. “We don't want to put all our eggs into one basket this time because things are going to change once that final guidance comes out. Read more. Also in the Jefferson County Commission:

Not Us: JeffCo Commissioners Not Responsible for JCCEO

JeffCo Commission Announces $1.1 Billion Deal With Smucker’s

The Jefferson County Commission announced Thursday the largest economic development project in the history of the region. J.M. Smucker Co. will build a manufacturing facility in McCalla at the Jefferson Metropolitan Industrial Park to support its growing Smucker's Uncrustables line. The $1.1 billion capital investment will bring 750 high-wage jobs to the community. The development will be about 1½ miles from the Jefferson-Tuscaloosa counties line on old U.S. 11 between exits 100 and 104 of Interstate 20/59. Smucker’s project manager Brad Borkowski said excavation will begin Nov. 29, and the first sellable products are to roll out in May 2024. The McCalla plant will be one of three the company has producing Uncrustables, a fruit and peanut butter pocket pastry. “Smucker’s is coming to Jefferson County,” Commissioner Steve Ammons said in the announcement. “Now I can tell you it’s a sweet deal.” Read more.