Shelby County CFO shares 12 month tax review
During the Oct. 12 Shelby County Commission meeting, CFO Cheryl Naugher gave a financial revenue update that included a 12 months of revenue report through Sept. 2020. The hardest hit areas due to COVID-19 were lodging, rental and highway taxes, while sales taxes were up.
- Rental tax ended at an 8.51% deficit, with an actual variance of $212,940 year to date.
- Lodging was under budget by 22%, with an actual variance of $553,118 year to date.
- Highway gas taxes were under budget at 5.92% overall with an actual variance of $309,433 year to date.
- Sales tax was up 6.51% with a $109,619 actual variance of $997,672 year to date.
County Manager Chad Scroggins said the lodging tax was down significantly and due to that, there would be fewer projects budgeted for 2021.
During his county manager’s report, Scroggins gave an update on several projects.
- Construction on the County Services Building on U.S. 280 continues to move along. While it will serve as a polling place after completion, a temporary voting structure will be in place nearby for this year’s election.
- The new Chelsea playground is nearing completion and that has been on the commission budget since 2019.
- They are looking at ways to run fiber to the campground at Oak Mountain State Park at a minimal cost.
As for upcoming meetings, the commission is required to meet on Wednesday, Nov. 11 after the election and they will swear in the commissioners for their next term.
Sheriff John Samaniego announced that during the upcoming election, there will be a deputy assigned to every polling precinct to prevent any problems at polling sites.
County Engineer Randy Cole said there were some projects on the verge of getting kicked off, including the bridge project on Co. Road 55. Another public information meeting will be held to let the residents in Sterrett know the plans.
He said he hopes to see construction of the bridge project on Co. Road 52 begins soon and that the annual resurfacing project is still ongoing after some disruption was caused by recent weather.
“We did get a permanent stay from the shortening of the census which will go through the end of this month,” Cole said. “This directly affects Shelby County and our gas tax allowance.”
Scroggins encouraged residents to find someone they know who hasn’t filled out the census and encourage them to do so.
“Alabama is no longer in last place, and Shelby County is leading the state out,” he said. We are proud of the residents who have filled it out. Those who aren’t counted will cost the state $1,600 per year per person and $16,000 over ten years of our state and government funding.”
Several bids to be awarded that included:
- Hygiene items for the jail and juvenile detention center to the lowest overall bidder, Americare
- Copper tubing - PVC to Ferguson Water Works
- General and state-certified concrete mix to the lowest overall bidder
Two resolutions were approved:
- A joint purchasing resolution was passed that will allow municipalities, Board of Education and contracting agencies supported by the Shelby County Commission to make purchases from bids led by the commission.
- The commission approved the appointment of Lance Byrd of the Montevallo Fire Department by the Shelby County Fire and Emergency Medical Services to fill the unexpired term for former Chelsea Fire Chief Wayne Shirley on the County’s 911 Board.
The next commission meeting will be held Oct. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Shelby County Services Building in Columbiana.