South Alabamian

Clarke Commission OKs paper mill abatements

Commissioner Rush: ‘I don’t like them but they’re a necessary evil’



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Clarke County’s E-911 telecommunicators were recognized with a resolution during the county commission’s meeting Tuesday. It is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Front row from left, Commission Chairman Stan Hutto, E-911 Director Roy Waite, Cedora Wright, Susanna Few, Lillian Adams, Lauretta Garraway, Commissioner Tyrone Moye and Commissioner Rhondel Rhone. Back, from left: Commissioner Jackie Ray Rush, Commissioner Bill Taylor, Angelica Floyd, Erica Pogue, Chasity Barren, Charles Burge and Chris Marshall.

Clarke County’s E-911 telecommunicators were recognized with a resolution during the county commission’s meeting Tuesday. It is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Front row from left, Commission Chairman Stan Hutto, E-911 Director Roy Waite, Cedora Wright, Susanna Few, Lillian Adams, Lauretta Garraway, Commissioner Tyrone Moye and Commissioner Rhondel Rhone. Back, from left: Commissioner Jackie Ray Rush, Commissioner Bill Taylor, Angelica Floyd, Erica Pogue, Chasity Barren, Charles Burge and Chris Marshall.

Tax abatements for a $440 million upgrade to the PCA paper mill in Jackson were granted by the Clarke County Commission Tuesday. PCA is converting one of the paper machines from making white paper to making brown linerboard.

The project is massive, said to be the largest single announced investment in the state, and commissioners granted the maximum abatement allowed, 20 years. County Attorney Bruce Wilson noted that the abatement was only for the new equipment being installed, not for the rest of the mill.

Excluded were road and bridge taxes. The increased truck traffic expected to the mill and the wear and tear on local roads was cited as a reason for the exemption.

While commissioners are happy with the investment, Commissioner Jackie Ray Rush mentioned the downside. “I know this is customary to do [the abatements], but this equipment isn’t going to be worth anything in 20 years” so the county will never realize any taxes from the project.

“I don’t like it but it is what we do, they are spending money.

“It is a necessary evil. I don’t know any other way to put it.”

The abatement is to Boise White Paper, a PCA company.

The city of Jackson also had to approve and did so a couple of weeks ago.

Road issues

Marie Hutto of Chance asked when County Route 30 would be paved and to complain about the long delay in installing a culvert in front of her house and the way it was installed.

Hutto said, “It is six miles from Nettlesboro to Chance and it is potholes and patches” that have to be dodged.

She said what patching is done on the road is soon rutted out by log trucks.

She said she was told every two or three years it’d be paved “next year” or “when the loggers finish.” She remarked, “They will never be finished.”

County Engineer Jake Bailey said the plans are for the first use of the county’s share of the recently-passed gasoline tax monies to be the resurfacing of the route. However, because of its unusual poor condition the cost is estimated at $1 million.

So far, about $650,000 have accumulated in funds for the project. Bailey said the coronavirus pandemic slowed traveling, thereby incoming taxes. It will still be a while before enough is accumulated for the project.

Hutto also said that she had asked for a culvert to be replaced in her driveway a year ago. No work was done until she asked to be put on the commission’s agenda to speak and then it was replaced in three days. But, she said, it wasn’t done properly and still needs work.

She questioned who fills work orders and in what time frame.

She said she’s requested another culvert at her mother’s home in Scyrene on the Old Line Road that hasn’t been installed either.

Bailey said the delay in installing her culvert was due to other work and the need to prioritize as to need as well as the distance to Chance.

Commissioner Rhondel Rhone said County Route 30 isn’t a major collector, for which other funding is available, and the county bears the entire expense for it.

Hutto left unsatisfied. “So, I still don’t know anything about when the road will be repaired or the culvert finished.”

Rhone noted later, after Hutto had left, that the county doesn’t replace culverts on private property but in this instance the ditch line falls within the county’s responsibility. He wanted citizens to make sure they understood the county doesn’t work on private properties.

EMA update

Roy Waite said work has been completed on FEMA requirements from Hurricane Sally and the county should be receiving $13,357. Work continues on Hurricane Zeta. The county should receive $112,000 in mitigation funds from Hurricane Sally and $633,000 for Zeta. There are specific uses as to how the money can be spent.

Regarding the coronavirus pandemic, Waite said cases are down drastically with none reported in the county for 14 days until Friday when three were added. Even though the statewide mask mandate has ended he urged people to continue to wear them in crowded venues, to observe other safe practices and to be vaccinated.

Despite the statewide mask mandate ending, commissioners voted to continue the requirement of a mask to enter the courthouse and distancing requirements “until further notice.”

Waite referenced the severe weather of Friday and Saturday.

He said Louisiana Pacific has donated $3,000 for disaster preparation needs.

Finally, he noted that Internet services were down in the courthouse Monday (as well as in much of Grove Hill). It disrupted work in various offices and affected 911 as phone lines were affected as well.

Personnel matters

Several items were personnel related.

Approval was given to hire three part-time flaggers for the Road and Bridge Department for summer work, to promote Joe Martin to Operator 1 in Road and Bridge, to fill two part-time E-911 telecommunicator positions and to open and fill an appraiser position in the Mapping and Appraisal Department. Commissioner Rhone voted no on the mapping and appraisal item.

Clark Roberts completed a probationary period with Road and Bridge.

Changes were also approved to job descriptions for the bookkeeper and personnel manager.

Other business

A designated list of scrap metal items to be sold to Smith Scrap of Jackson was approved.

A consultant from the company EDT, with an office in Spanish Fort, was approved for preliminary engineering work for two Federal Air projects on County Routes 15 and 27.

Bids were opened for an upgrade, installation and consolidation of the IBM System. Hi-Comp was the low bidder of two at $39,995. The bid will be reviewed and considered at the next meeting.

Approval was granted to pay Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission $22,500 related to an EDA grant project at the Westervelt sawmill.

A new Hazard Mitigation Plan was adopted.

Commissioners approved Dennis Green to pave patch two areas of County Route 23 (the Zimco Road) and County Route 21 (the West Bend Road) where culverts had been installed for $4,050.

A lease for a new copier from Quality Business Systems was approved for the E- 911 Department.

E-911 telecommunicators were present and their work recognized for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

Commissioners also agreed to change the job title of “telecommunicator” to “public safety telecommunicator.” Roy Waite, who oversees the department said it better reflects what they do. Too, it could make a difference in eligibilities for various funding opportunities.

Several travel requests were approved.

Four of the five commissioners will be going to the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach for the ACCA conference Aug. 23-25 or 26: Stan Hutto, $941.44; Bill Taylor, $941.44; Rhondel Rhone, $1,110.44; Tyrone Moye, $1,101.48.

Commissioner Jackie Ray Rush said someone had to stay home and tend to business.

County Administrator Christy Roberts was approved to attend the ACAA conference at the Perdido Beach Resort May 12-13 for $567.96 She was also approved to attend a conference in Prattville May 26-27 for $533.16.

License Commissioner Linda Goodman and Alma Williamson of the office were approved to attend motor vehicle training at the Perdido Beach Resort June 14-17 for $1,556.56 each.

Roy Waite was approved to attend a one-day training meeting in Evergreen for $20, to attend disaster preparedness conference in Mobile June 22-24 for $600, and to attend a 911 conference in Prattville June 8-9 for $457.

It was announced that the courthouse will be closed Monday, April 26 for Confederate Memorial Day.

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