Jefferson County Commission

Jefferson County Delays Request to Rescue Birmingham Residents After City Ran Short of Housing Relief Money

The Jefferson County Commission today opted not to ride in and rescue Birmingham residents, tabling a resolution to make some federal relief funds available after the city exhausted its allotment of federal funds to aid people with rental and utility assistance. The county has been spending that money to help persons in unincorporated Jefferson County and cities outside of Birmingham. Commissioner Sheila Tyson on Tuesday appealed to other commissioners to help Birmingham residents, but some of them were concerned about limiting their ability to help others, and they said they needed more information about other funds that might be available. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Jefferson County Enlists Zoning Officials in Battle Against ‘Poop Trains,’ Littering

The Jefferson County commissioners Thursday enlisted the aid of county personnel to fight illegal dumping, littering and violations involving “poop trains” in the county. And those they enlisted are already on the frontlines. “We designated the sanitation and ordinance inspectors, the zoning inspectors, the zoning supervisor and the zoning administrator as solid waste officers,” County Attorney Theo Lawson said. “By being designated as solid waste officers, that then gives them the authority under the code to write citations for criminal littering. Those folks are now able to enforce criminal littering through issuing citations. That should be a huge increase in our folks' ability to enforce criminal littering.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

JeffCo Commissioners Discuss Laws to Stop “Poop Trains” From Hauling Waste Into the County

In the race to attract businesses from the North, the Jefferson County Commission made it clear that it would rather not be in the race, and it certainly doesn’t want to win the race. At least when it comes to “poop trains.” During its committee meeting today, commissioners discussed a couple of matters they hope will address a renewed effort by companies in New York and New Jersey to ship solid waste to Jefferson County by rail. So-called “poop trains” made a literal and figurative stink in 2017 as solid waste was brought into the area by rail. A resolution that was moved to the agenda of Thursday’s commission meeting would establish solid waste officers who would help enforce ordinances put in place concerning illegal littering and, more specifically, the poop trains that are coming into Jefferson County from up north. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Second Verse Same as the First: Four of Five JeffCo Commissioners Have No Known Election Challengers

The next Jefferson County Commission will look very much like the current one as four of the sitting five commissioners have no challenger in the upcoming primary or the general election. Qualifying for the May 24 party primary elections concluded Friday with four of the five incumbents facing no opposition. District 2 Commissioner Sheila Tyson was the lone exception; Steve Small qualified to face her in the Democratic primary. None of the commission seats has a qualifier from the other party in November’s general election. Barring a successful independent or third-party challenge, Republicans Jimmie Stephens (District 3), Joe Knight (District 4) and Steve Ammons (District 5) and Democrat Lashunda Scales (District 1) will remain in office another four years. Stephens and Knight were initially elected in 2010. Scales, Ammons and Tyson were first elected to the commission in 2018. Commissioners questioned Tuesday said the lack of challengers is an endorsement of the work they’ve done. “It says that all five commissioners – not just four – all five commissioners have been working for the betterment of their communities,” said Stephens, the commission president. “We all run in districts, and everyone within those districts are extremely satisfied. They did not see a need to change. “That means that we as a commission are working together to get things done to improve the quality of life for our citizens in Jefferson County,” he continued. “That is indeed what we were elected to do.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

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.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

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.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

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.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

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.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

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

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

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.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.