March 19, 2024 - The Shelby County Commissioners were presented with additional information during their March 6, 2024, meeting to do with emergency lighting for the courthouse.
Allison Harbison, County Judge, presented the commissioners with lighting schematics provided by Scooter Clark with 4C Electrical Services and Tom Bellmyer, Commissioner Precinct 4, reviewed them.
“I learned that the data sheets on the lights and of course the emergency lighting is substantially different than normal room lighting and it's a lot of it has to do with the battery backup and the way the circuitry is and everything, so I mean they're definitely going to be a more expensive lighting fixture,” said Bellmyer.
Bellmyer said he’s pretty comfortable with the cost, realizing they're more expensive on the per unit cost, but he felt the county needs to move forward with updating the emergency lighting.
“I really don't think that they probably ever been replaced since we've been in the building,” said Judge Harbison.
Bellmyer further explained the lights are serviceable and don’t have to be completely replaced, and he encouraged them to be added to a maintenance schedule.
Judge Harbison said she would look into that possibility.
A motion was made by Commissioner Bellmyer to move forward and for the purpose of those fixtures and installation. The motion was seconded by Jimmy Lout, Commissioner Precinct 2, and the motion carried.
The cost of the fixtures and installation came to $11,075.28.
Stevie Smith, Commissioner Precinct 3, discuss with the court purchasing “haul” trucks for each Road and Bridge precinct with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
“I think we can purchase haul trucks for each precinct [out of] ARPA funds. I think this would be a long term investment for the county,” Said Commissioner Smith.
Judge Harbison asked what kind of money the county would be looking at spending and what kind of trucks Smith was talking about, and he specified the trucks would be used to haul precinct gravel trailers and would likely cost over $200,000 per truck.
Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer, spoke about the process and paperwork necessary to accomplish what Commissioner Smith proposed and she said it would likely use the remainder of the ARPA funding.
Roscoe McSwain, Commissioner Precinct 1, said the county has until the end of the year to spend the ARPA money and buying the trucks would be a positive 10-15 year investment for the county.
Judge Harbison said she also has an idea for the use of ARPA money for anything that’s left over and for communications.
A motion by Commissioner Smith to add the haul trucks as one of their projects, and the motion was seconded by Jimmy Lout, Commissioner Precinct 2, and the motion carried.
The meeting adjourned into an executive session at 9:40am. The meeting returned to open session at 10:32am.
Commissioner Bellmyer moved to take applications received by Judge Harbison and interview individuals that applied for 9-1-1 coordinator during an executive session on March 13 at 1:30pm, and Commissioner McSwain seconded the motion, and it carried.
Commissioner Bellmyer moved to accept the resignation of Angela Rayburn from custodian of all county office buildings, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Smith. The motion carried.
Commissioner Bellmyer moved to pursue finding a part-time person to clean the county office buildings until someone can be hired, the motion was seconded by Commissioner Lout and the motion carried.
Commissioner Bellmyer moved to publish and go out for bids for custodial services for the county office buildings as a contract and to fulfill the current contract to the end of the budget year, the motion was seconded by Commissioner McSwain, and the motion carried.
Commissioner McSwain moved to allow Judge Harbison to contact the dumpster supplier and place one at the AgriLife building in the parking lot for clean up of the buildings at that location with funding to come out of courthouse repairs, the motion was seconded by Commissioner Smith, and the motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 10:37am.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Pay weekly expenses. 2. Record Racial Profiling Report for Shelby County Constable. Pct 3. 3. Additional and emergency lighting for the County Courthouse that was not included in the original quote. 4. Commissioner Pct.3 Stevie Smith to discuss with the court on purchasing Haul Trucks for each Road and Bridge precinct with ARPA funds. 5. Make a decision on issues discussed in Executive Session: 5A. Take applications received by Judge Harbison and interview individuals that applied for 9-1-1 coordinator during an executive session on March 13 at 1:30pm. 5B. Resignation of Angela Rayburn from custodian of all county office buildings. 5C. Pursue finding a part-time person to clean the county office buildings until someone can be hired. 5D. Publish and go out for bids for custodial services for the county office buildings as a contract and to fulfill the current contract to the end of the budget year. 5E. Allow Judge Harbison to contact the dumpster supplier and place one at the AgriLife building in the parking lot for clean up of the buildings at that location with funding to come out of courthouse repairs. 6. Adjourn.
