Shelby County Commission recognizes Rep. Ellis' legislative sponsorship

The Shelby County Commission gave an update on the county’s Oak Mountain State Park project in addition to presenting a plaque of recognition to representative Corley Ellis at their Oct. 22 meeting.

Ellis was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives to represent District 41 in October 2016 after running unopposed in a special election. Ellis was recognized for his sponsorship of getting Acts 2018-577 and 2018-265 passed during the 2018 Legislative Session. Act 2018-577, which became effective July 1, 2018, revised the tax lien sale procedures for counties to authorize tax liens to be sold at auction to the bidder with the lowest interest rate. In the past, counties were only able to sell their outstanding tax liens on real property, with the purchaser of the tax liens then being able to gain the right to collect all delinquent taxes, penalties, interest and costs with respect to the property.

Act 2018-265, effective March 20, 2018, amended Alabama law to require a retailer seeking to use a sale or lease transaction to boost its case for appealing a property valuation to disclose whether or not the property was occupied at the time of transaction and if the comparable property was subject to any restrictions at the time of transaction that prevents the property from being used for its original purpose. These new requirements were put into place in order to prevent retailers from hiding information that could result in commercial property tax loss.

With all commissioners present the meeting proceeded, following the agenda, with the county manager’s report, an update on the Oak Mountain State Park project, county engineer’s report as well as an update on the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program Project (ATRIP).

The original Right of Way Acquisition, Construction and Preliminary Engineering Agreements made in March 2015 have been amended to include the addition of bike lanes. The lanes will run from State Park Road from John Findlay Drive to State Route 119.

The ATRIP project will involvew the widening and resurfacing of county road 17 from county road 22 north to county road 26 (Kent Dairy Road); a total of 4.423 miles.

The following points were also covered during the meeting

County manager’s report

County engineer’s report

Water services report