Lightning knocks out courthouse elevator, computers
WEDOWEE – Randolph County Commissioners dealt with a variety of issues during their meeting on Monday morning.
Lightning knocked out the elevator in the courthouse, and a disabled person having business on the second floor of the courthouse on Monday needed it. Commission administrator Cindy Arrington said the elevator is so old, it is hard to find parts for it.
Also knocked out were four computers and a printer in the commission office, a computer at the jail, a computer and two printers it the probate judge’s office, a computer in the tax reappraisal office and a printer in the revenue commissioner’s office.
The commission approved the purchase of three time clocks for the courthouse, jail and highway department at cost of $1,100 each. The new time clocks will use ID cards, calculate time, overtime, holiday time, etc.
The county will ask for invitations for bids for the purchase of computer software and hardware for the commission office. It was noted the county’s payroll and financial management system had not been updated since the mid-1980s.
Commissioner Larry Raughton congratulated Commissioner Lathonia Wright on his receiving the Tenure in Office Award during the Association of County Commissions of Alabama convention last week. Wright has been in office for 16 years.
Wright discussed the convention at which he and Raughton learned about subdivision regulations, among many other topics. He said, “We’re losing a lot of revenue by not having them… We have to build a jail. Any dime we can legally get, we need to pursue that.”
The commissioner cited the example of Twin Lakes, where the streets – although paved – are barely passable. New subdivision regulations would require the developer be bonded and would protect the buyers. The developers would submit plans to the county, which would enforce fines for failure to comply with regulations.
The commissioners supported Commissioner June Waldrep’s recommendations to put County Roads 41 and 692 on the resurfacing list.
They approved engineer Burrel Jones’ recommendation to make Logan Roberts a full-time employee of the highway department.
Jones updated the commissioners on what he called the “saga of the side mowers.” The model of John Deere side mower tractor that the county ordered has gone out of production. Installation of the gear that was most desired by the county can be done only at a dealership – although the county had ordered it from the factory and those who filled the order mishandled it.
To make amends, John Deere has proposed a total of five years warranty and 7,500 hours of filter supply at no charge. It will take a month to install the gears. They approved going ahead with this.
Raughton said, “We’ve been all summer dealing with these things.”
