County Commission busy in final meeting of 2022

Randolph County Commission met in a workshop/regular meeting for over two hours on Monday and made their way through a long, detailed agenda. The commission will not meet again until January 9. Among the items on the agenda were the purchase of a boat, board appointments, garbage, real estate and many more.

Visitor comments

Four visitors at the meeting addressed the commission concerning the condition of their roads. Brandon Cole, a resident of County Road 825, said the road has been worked but has not been worked properly and not at the right times. He stated the ditches were not properly cleaned out and after scraping the road a small amount of gravel was put on the road. Cole said he had heard complaints from not only residents but from school bus drivers.

“I feel like this road is a liability and something needs to be done,” Cole said.

The commission agreed to talk with Engineer Burrell Jones.

Three residents who live on County Road 299 told commissioners their road was a hazard. John Andrews said safety is the main problem with his road.

“The road is curvy, with three 90 degree turns and the road goes up and down hills. It would be tough for emergency vehicles to go up and down the road,” Andrews said.

Dave Kilgore said there are 27 houses and three subdivisions on the road.

“It is a safety issue for emergency vehicles and all residents on the road,” he said.

Paul Walther said there are more fulltime residents than there use to be so the road is traveled more.

“There are some residents that have health issues and the road is definitely a liability,” Walther said.

Commissioners agreed to see what can be done.

New club in Wedowee

(Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed Mary Ammons as the president of the Roanoke Boys and Girls Club and stated that she addressed the commission. Yolanda Lee is the president of the Roanoke Boys and Girls Club and neither Lee nor Ammons were present at the commission meeting.)

Ida Amon addressed the commission on the need for a Boys and Girls Club in Wedowee.

“We need some place for these kids to go and hangout, study, read or even take classes,” Amon told the commission.

Amon said the proposed facility would have two basketball courts, one inside and one outside, meeting rooms and possibly a bowling alley.

“I am just asking for your help for the kids,” she said. “I know there are state and federal grants available and local funds so I am asking you to help the kids in Wedowee. They should be our top priority.”

Mandatory garbage pickup

At the last meeting the commission tabled a motion to rescind a May 26, 1992 motion for mandatory garbage pickup for all residents in the county. The motion was made by former commissioner Lathonia Wright for all residents to have mandatory garbage pickup effective October 1, 1992.

Commissioners agreed that the regulation is 30 years old and it has never been enforced. To be enforced a compliance officer would have to be hired, and commissioners agreed this was not financially possible. It is a state law if anything is mandatory it has to be enforced. After a lengthy discussion, the commission agreed to table the matter until the January meeting to hear opinions from county residents.

Chairman Derek Farr said he was for rescinding the motion, but was the lone no vote.

911 Board appointments

County Administrator Lisa Herren told commissioners there some 911 board members with terms expiring on December 31. Herren said she had received a letter from 911 Director Kelly Edwards asking that the board members be reappointed for another term. Commissioners will appoint/reappoint the board members in January since the board will not meet again until after the first of the year. It was noted that several residents expressed their desire to serve on this board.

Boat purchase

The commission approved a low bid of $34,971 from Wedowee Marine for a new pontoon boat. The boat will be used by the Revenue Commissioner’s office to appraise property on the lake from the water.

In other business, the commission:

• Approved repairs in the amount of just over $2,000 for repairs of a motor at the Sewer Lift Station at the county jail. It was noted that one motor was not working and the other was about to be down.
• Appointed Commissioner Chris Brown to the new board that will oversee the Randolph Equine and Ag Center. The request came from USDA.
• Approved agreements with the City of Roanoke and the Town of Wedowee for housing prisoners in the county jail.
• Agreed to a listing extension with Sonja Hollomon for the property on Highway 431 in Roanoke.
• Awarded the bid for #78 stone to Vulcan Materials.
• Approved the new office manager job description at the highway department and move current manager Donna Hand into that position which more accurately describes her duties.
• Approved granting online bank access to Revenue Commissioner Tammy Farr for land redemption, motor vehicles, manufactured homes and property tax accounts.
• Agreed to donate approximately 103.3 feet of property to the City of Roanoke, at the intersection of Gulf Street and Chestnut Street.
• Approved a onetime employee incentive pay of $350 for employees in the sheriff’s department with the funds coming from the sheriff’s discretionary fund.
• Appointed Commissioner Larry Roberts to replace Commissioner Derek Farr on the Randolph County Hospital Authority.
• Agreed to discuss at the first January meeting a problem with prohibited contents in dumpsters being dumped at the landfill.

Announcements

The Randolph County Courthouse and annexes will be closed December 23-26 for Christmas and December 30-January 1 for New Years.

There will be no second commission workshop or meeting in December.

All commissioners wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.