Cole announces retirement, CFO shares 6 month budget review
County engineer Randy Cole, who has served in his position for the past 31 years, announced his retirement effective Sept. 1, 2022.
“I never thought I'd be here for 31 years,” Cole said at the May 9 Shelby County Commission meeting. “I thought I’ll stay five years and do something else. Somebody told me you’ll know when it’s time to retire, and it’s time. I’ve worked with some great people and worked for some great people.
Cole went on to say that he’s been able to do a lot of good things during his tenure and he couldn’t have done it without the Shelby County Commision. “I think our transportation system reflects that as a county entity, we are the envy of the state,” he said.
During the county manager’s report, Chad Scroggins said that one of things that they are seeing is a continuous increase and escalation in pricing for things that are hard to get with diesel products over $5 per gallon. The waste contract was recently bid and the results did not come back favorable, he said.
“We have 30 days to review it,” Scroggins said. “We even took out a lot of items from the past bid. Our current service provider, Republic, had declined to extend their bid. The price is about three times what it was. Because of that fact, since we only had one bidder, we’re going to try to negotiate with the available contractors.”
Scroggins said the bid was for both curbside garbage and recycling in one bid, but it may wind up being split, with owners choosing if they want to pay separately for recycling services.
He also mentioned that there are a lot of election advertisements that have been illegally placed in the right of way. With one of our largest tourism events coming up this weekend, the Regions Tradition at Greystone Golf & Country Club, signs will be removed and placed in the upper parking lot at Dunnavant Valley fields for candidates to pick up.
Kendall Williams, Executive Director of Leadership Shelby County, presented a year in review and said the benefits of LSC being under the county have made things easier and smoother.
Shelby County CFO Cheryl Naugher gave a six month budget review that was adjusted after a budget amendment in March. Real property tax is currently $415,707 over budget; motor vehicle tax is $229,707 over budget; sales tax is $607,071 over budget and mortgage tax is $418,850 over budget.
The highway funds and gas taxes are both over budget so far for the year. The overall budget to actual difference is just over $1.7 million.
Also during the meeting, the commission also approved:
- An Emergency Shelter Grant for our homeless and transition to housing for three county entities: Safe House, Family Connection and Shelby Emergency Assistance
- A cable franchise agreement of the Spectrum Southeast LLC, (Charter Communications) and to allow for comments concerning the Public Benefit Agreement of AT&T Alabama
- A bid for restroom supply products to multiple bidders
- A bid for oil changes to multiple shops in the county
- A bid for ballistic vests to Municipal & Commercial Uniforms
- A bid for pressure sealed forms to Forms Plus Services, Inc. for $6,256.
- A bid for vector supplies to ADAPCO for mosquito spraying for county parks and roadways
- Reappointed Michael Smith to the Harrison Regional Library Board of Trustees
The next Shelby County Commission meeting will be held May 23 at 6 p.m. at the Shelby County Administration Building in Columbiana.