The Jefferson County Commission heard Tuesday from entities seeking funds for feeding people adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the discussion spilled over to who was getting credit for the federal funds being sought.

Commission President Jimmie Stephens closed the meeting by saying it appears that American Rescue Plan Act funds were being distributed by individual elected officials.

“If we will depoliticize what we do, I think that this commission can move forward as a better unified body,” he said. “It’s the entire commission who votes through majority, through resolution, as actually the donor of those funds. We have other elected officials that are participating, too. It leaves a misconception as to the source of the funds and the use of those. This is mainly an attempt to clarify that.”

The entities seeking ARPA funds from the food insecurity program were:

• Kikstart Inc., $175,000.
• Mission Alabama, $64,900.
• Christian Service Mission, $190,000.
• Jones Valley Teaching Farm, $70,000.

Three organizations were approved Feb. 17 for ARPA funds for food giveaways:

• Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, $750,000
• Cooperative Downtown Ministries (Firehouse), $90,585.
• Downtown Jimmie Hale Mission, $120,000.

The three organizations approved in February met with barely a query.

But commissioners at their last meeting said they wanted to hear from each organization requesting money at that time.

Dr. Douglas Jackson of Kikstart Inc. found himself squarely in the crosshairs of commission questions about a recent food giveaway event during which gas also was given away and potential voters were registered.

Commissioner Sheila Tyson said the gas giveaway portion was her event, one that did not use county funds.

Commissioner Steve Ammons said one could perceive that those events were interconnected.

“If Commissioner Tyson was giving away gas and they were giving away food, there was nothing saying who was giving away what,” he said. “With two elected officials from the county being there, the perception is they’re giving this food away, the county’s giving it away. They’re not differentiating between the gas and food and all that.” Sheriff Mark Pettway also attended.

Commissioner Lashunda Scales expressed concern that the commission wasn’t receiving sufficient credit for its role in distributing the federal monies.

However, Justin Smith, an assistant to County Manager Cal Markert, said entities receiving federal funds are contractually obligated to credit the federal government as the source of those funds.

Scales also told Jackson that she would appreciate entities such as his alert her office when they are doing things like giving away food within her district.

“Respectfully, sir, to any organization that’s within the sound of my voice, give us the courtesy to say, ‘Here’s where we’re going to be at in your respective areas,’” she said.  “Or if you just say to the county manager’s office, ‘Here’s where we’re going to be delivering food.’”

Stephens urged depoliticizing the allotment of food for those in need.

“If one person becomes the focal point, it makes it difficult for the entire commission to act … to do what’s needed to be done,” Stephens said. “We have to reach a consensus; we have to work together to make sure that’s done.”

Workforce Development

Commissioners moved to the agenda a pair of resolutions related to the Department of Community Services and Workforce Development. One was to extend the contract of Nigel Roberts, the other was to separate Community Services from Workforce Development.

“Workforce Development is a program (that is) federally funded. It comes from the state,” Markert said. “All we’re proposing to do is separate that out, make it its own department because it’s really its own department any way. Right now, the action didn’t entail putting anybody over it as department head.

“We want to make Workforce Development better and easier to manage,” he continued. “We’re not looking at having to lay off any employees. Will somebody have to report to Workforce Development or Community Development? We may have a little bit of moving around to do but nothing major.”

Bingo Cautions

Commissioners heard about six requests for zoning changes. Among them was one at 6632 Warrior River Road in the Concord area for which the applicant is seeking a liquor license in conjunction with a package store.

“There’s a liquor store that is proposed for a corner down there,” Stephens said. “We’ve seen that they’re possibly bringing in bingo machines for the rear of it. That’s something that the commissioners are looking very seriously at.”

Milo’s Tea

Commissioners moved to the agenda of Thursday’s full commission meeting a resolution for a project agreement with Milo’s Tea, which is moving its lemonade division to the former Barber Dairy location in Homewood. That project will produce 291 new jobs between the Bessemer and Homewood locations.

The agreement will provide a job incentive for the company, capped at $100,000.

“The value of the company and the value of keeping those jobs here is big,” said Ammons, who chairs the commission’s economic development committee. “It’s a huge expansion of their lemonade line in Homewood and an expansion of their tea line in Bessemer. That kept them from moving to another state, which they had an option of doing.”