County taxes continue to be affected by COVID-19
Shelby County CFO Cheryl Naugher gave a brief revenue update of the May taxes during the June 22 Shelby County Commission meeting.
The sales taxes only have a slight variance, and are down 1.95% from last year. Rental taxes are down 16.61% and highway (gas) taxes are down 30.07%. With more people going back to work, Naugher said she has hopes that the gas taxes will pick back up. Lodging taxes have taken the hardest hit of all, and are down 55.18%.
In the county manager’s report, Chad Scroggins gave a reminder about the 2020 Census. Shelby County has the best responding counts in the state at 72.9%. Scroggins said he is proud of the county and reminded that for each person that doesn’t complete the census, it costs $16,000 per person per year for 10 years.
Scroggins also gave an update on the County services 280 building site. Concrete has been poured and construction continues to take place.
The county license offices continue experiencing heavy traffic and long waits.
“On any given morning, there will be between 150-200 people there at 8 a.m.,” he said. “We continue to ask the state to help us with additional personnel there. If someone needs to get a driver license, take a license test, get a CDL or Star ID, I urge them to come to the Columbiana office.”
Scroggins thanked EMA Director Hub Harvey for the many things he has been doing for the county. He continues to work with the Dept. of Public Health to bring free COVID-19 testing to communities throughout the county. The next one will be June 30 in Harpersville City Hall from 8 to 11 am.
County Engineer Randy Cole said that all road projects in the county are back on schedule and all operations are up and running in the “new normal” phase.
Resolutions approved during the meeting include:
- Bid to the only responsive bidder, Adamson Ford, for the purchase of an F150 truck in the amount of $37,051.50.
- Bid for kitchen equipment services for the Shelby County Jail to the only responsive bidder, Jones-McLeod, for $7,126.50
- Approval to re-appoint Commissioner Rick Shepherd and Phil Burns to the Shelby E-911 Board of Directors.
The next commission meeting will be held July 13 at 8:30 a.m. at the Shelby County Administration Building in Columbiana.