By Zach Hester, Reporter • zach@southerntorch.com

DeKALB COUNTY, Ala. — At this week’s meeting, the DeKalb County Commission approved their 2020-21 budget, amounting to $23,232,120. 

DeKalb County Administrator Matt Sharp reported that the budget had increased from last year due to funding from the Rebuild Alabama Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, as well as increases in school resource officer hires and simplified sellers use tax (SSUT). It also accounts for changes in the county employee retirement system.

For more detailed breakdown of the Commission budget, please see our full live video on southerntorch.com.

At the meeting, Road Superintendent Tom Broyles updated the Commission on road projects within the county. He stated that work had been halted on County Road (CR) 835, also known as Old Highway 35, due to the excess rain that had fallen in the last few days. Broyles hoped to restart work on the project next week. 

Commissioner Scot Westbrook was honored for completing all the second-level mandatory courses through the governing training institute with the Association of County Commissions of Alabama (ACCA).

In other business, the Commission: 

• Initiated federal aid projects on CR26 in District 2 and CR83 in District 3
• Approved the annual release of the county’s snow and ice removal quote for the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT)
• Approved adding Crowne Healthcare to the Rural Public Transportation’s (RPT) third party resolutions
• Agreed to draft a resolution to approve the 2020 Emergency Operations Plan
• Posted a part-time position with the DeKalb County Revenue Office

The Commission approved the following personnel changes for the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office: 

• Hired Kim Wright to replace Tyler Pruett as Public Information Officer
• Transferred Beau Cagle from student resource officer (SRO) to patrol to replace Levi Bates
• Transferred Levi Bates from patrol to transport to replace Tim Devlin
• Transferred Tim Devlin from transport to SRO to replace Beau Cagle
• Transferred Regina Wilson from dispatch to corrections to fill a vacant spot left by Tim Smith
• Moved Sara McAnelly from part-time dispatch to full-time dispatch to replace Regina Wilson
• Hired Jennalee Roberts as a part-time dispatcher to replace Sara McAnelly
• Transferred Kevin Akins to transport corrections officer to replace Will Formby
• Promoted Kizzy Jones to deputy chief of corrections to replace Kevin Akins
• Promoted Mickey Bowen to executive assistant to replace Kizzy Jones

The next meeting of the DeKalb County Commission will be held on Tuesday, October 13 at 10 a.m. in the DeKalb County Activities Building.