By Zach Hester, Reporter • zach@southerntorch.com
DeKALB COUNTY, Ala. — The DeKalb County Commission held their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, December 10.
At the meeting, DeKalb County Attorney Charles Mauney was recognized for his many years of service to this area. This meeting was Mauney’s final meeting as the chief legal counsel for the DeKalb County Commission.
Emily McCamy of the DeKalb County Council on Aging delivered an update regarding the Council’s many current activities. She reported the following:
- Veterans Breakfast Social: Meets the 2nd Thursday of even months at the Council on Aging (upstairs). Veterans of any age are welcome.
- Monthly Food Boxes for Seniors: The monthly food box program, the first on this scale for Northeast Alabama, is a partnership with the Food Bank of North Alabama called the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. The final event of the year was held on Thursday, December 12 from 9am to 11am. In order to qualify for the program, you must be 60 years or older, live in DeKalb County and meet the income guidelines ($1354 for a household of 1, $1832 for a household of 2, $2311 for a household of 3, and $2790 for a household of 4, add $479 for each additional family member). Over 140 clients have been served so far.
- Medicare Open Enrollment: 458 have been served during this time for Medicare open enrollment. Lynn Hixon and DiAnne Callahan have assisted in over 200 changes for better health coverage this year, saving a total of $558,246.22 next year.
For the DeKalb County Road Department, the Commission:
- Accepted the resignation of Nathaniel Smith as District 2 crew leader
- Promoted Kerry Duncan to fill the position of crew leader in District 2
- Hired Danny Bray (for open yard position) and Corey Bouldin (District 4 position)
- Reposted two positions
The Commission appointed the following people to serve on the DeKalb County Hospital Board: Michael Posey, Tony Taylor, Mike Lee, Sam Phillips, and Patty Pope. The terms for Board members last five years.
The Commission approved the request to bid for a new server in the information technology (IT) department.
For the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, the Commission:
- Hired Brooke Smith from dispatch to full-time deputy, Tracy Padgett to replace Dustin Fleming as a part-time deputy, Christine Whitcomb as dispatch to replace Brooke Smith
- Promoted Sergeant Jeff Baine to Lieutenant, Greg Bryant from deputy to Sergeant, school resource officer (SRO) Paul Bell to Sergeant, Chris Zito from correctional officer to correctional sergeant
- Approved Nick Brown to attend a crime scene management class in the amount of $295
- Approved three SROs to attend D.A.R.E. training in Mississippi (cost to be split with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and the DeKalb County Board of Education)
The next meeting of the DeKalb County Commission will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at 10am in the DeKalb County Activities Building
