Jefferson County Commission Archives - Page 33 of 42 - BirminghamWatch
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Jefferson County Commission

Jeffco Commission to Vote on Expanded Use of Mass Notification System

Jefferson County Commission members will vote Thursday on a policy governing non-emergency commission use of the Everbridge mass notification system. With Commissioner Steve Ammons absent on county business, commissioners voted 3-1 on Tuesday to move the proposal to their meeting agenda. Commissioner Lashunda Scales voted no. The matter came up when Commissioner Sheila Tyson suggested using the system to inform county residents about details of the 2020 census. Commission President Jimmie Stephens said a resolution needed to be submitted for the system – often associated with weather warnings – to be utilized. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Proposal Would Create Department of Security for Jefferson County Courthouses

Jefferson County commissioners were taken aback today when they learned during their committee meeting of an effort to establish a department of security for the courthouse. Commissioner Sheila Tyson suggested the action, which was presented by county manager Tony Petelos. Weeks ago, Commissioner Lashunda Scales suggested that security at the courthouse be beefed up. Commissioner Joe Knight, the chair of the budget and finance committees, said he was caught off guard by the proposed resolution. “That’s another department, that’s another staffing,” he said. “We want to know how’s it going to be staffed. How many people do you need? Where are they going to be? And will this transpose over to our criminal court building to help over there with the safety over there across the street?” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Jefferson County Commission Debates Putting Victim Interview Offices in Eastern Birmingham

Efforts to establish a pair of new Jefferson County Sheriff’s offices in eastern Birmingham are at least on hold until law enforcement leaders in the city and county demonstrate they are in agreement on the move. Commissioner Lashunda Scales broached a discussion about the offices. They were on the Jefferson County Commission committee agenda as “substations,” but the discussion shifted to them being offices of the Sheriff’s Department’s Violent Crime Victim Unit, which now is based in the Sheriff’s office downtown. Scales told her fellow commissioners that Tony Serra, owner of Serra Automotive Management, had agreed to lease a pair of buildings to the Sheriff’s Office for $1 per year. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Jefferson County Commission Will Discuss Revenue Department Card Fees on Thursday

The question of whether convenience fees will be added to over-the-counter transactions with the Jefferson County Revenue Department will be answered when the County Commission conducts its meeting Thursday at the courthouse in Bessemer. Outgoing chief financial officer John Henry said nearly two weeks ago that a plan for addressing the shortfall in the Revenue Department’s budget that came because of increased use of credit cards and debit cards would be unveiled at today’s committee meeting. Henry said the matter goes back to the commission meeting, as it previously had been discussed in committee. “Because of the way they tabled it, they’ll have to bring it up on Thursday instead of Tuesday,” said Henry. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Jefferson County Commission Delays Vote on Fee for Card Payments

John Henry twice said his goodbyes on Thursday – first at his final meeting of the Jefferson County Commission and then at a farewell event in his honor later in the afternoon. But the final wave goodbye for the county’s chief financial officer will likely be his input in a tabled matter concerning the proposal to add a 1% convenience fee of no less than $1.95 to over-the-counter business conducted by credit or debit card with Jefferson County. Henry suggested that commissioners table the matter for two weeks so he and Revenue Director Travis Hulsey can find an answer to a revenue department budget shortfall because of the increasing use of credit and debit cards. “We definitely understand the concerns in reference to the hit to constituents,” the outgoing CFO said. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Jefferson County Gets New Human Resources Director, Raising Hopes for Lifting Consent Decree on Personnel Practices

Jefferson County Commissioner Joe Knight offered a predictable straight line after Caroline Brown was introduced as Jefferson County’s new human resource director at Tuesday’s commission committee meeting. “Can you get us a good deal on a Toyota?” Knight asked, referring to her long tenure with the automaker. “Not anymore,” the Montgomery native said as the boardroom burst into laughter. “Not anymore.” While Brown can’t provide the hook-up for a fleet of motor vehicles, county manager Tony Petelos calls her “the missing link” in the county’s efforts to escape from the consent decree on personnel practices with which it has dealt for nearly 40 years. Read More

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Should Jefferson County Charge More for Credit and Debit Payments? The Commission Mulls the Question.

The Jefferson County Commission will decide Thursday whether persons and businesses doing business with the county will have to pay more for the convenience of using credit cards when paying bills at the county’s Revenue Department. The department sought a resolution during today’s committee meeting to add 1% to a transaction amount with a minimum of $1.95 for over-the-counter electronic payments. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Jefferson County Commission Postpones Vote on Family Dollar Beer and Wine Sales

Jefferson County commissioners voted on Dec. 19 to postpone consideration of a request to allow the Family Dollar Store on U.S. 78 in Forestdale to sell beer and wine. While the area where the store is located is zoned for beer and wine sales, and there are other stores in the vicinity that do sell beer and wine, concerns about crime and security and issues regarding cleanliness at the Family Dollar property were at the forefront of the discussion. Read more.

by Cheryl Slocum

Jefferson County Commission to Search for New Chief Financial Officer

At their Dec. 17 work session, Jefferson County Commission members discussed the plan for replacing John Henry, the county’s chief financial officer, who is leaving for a new position in Washington, D.C. Travis Hulsey, county director of revenue, will oversee the Finance Office while the position is vacant. The Human Resources Department will conduct a six-week national search to recruit candidates for the position. Read more.

by Cheryl Slocum
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