Commission approves courthouse annex for jurors

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The Grand Hall at Old Mill Square in Columbiana has been approved as a Courthouse Annex to provide a place for jury selection for the Shelby County Circuit Court. This will allow for adequate spacing and social distancing for juror candidates during COVID-19. The Shelby County Commission approved this request during their Aug. 10 meeting. 

Judge Bill Bostick said that jurors can now qualify remotely and those who are selected will be brought in groups of 36 at a time. 

“We start jury duty with 110 candidates, then break them up in panels of 36,” Bostick said. “Once the qualifying questions are asked, then the COVID-19 related questions, we can get a batch of qualified willing jurors. We can strike the jury at that facility and move the selected jurors over to the courthouse.”

Bostick said at the courthouse gallery will be used exclusively for the jurors to be seated distant from each other and there will be plexiglass separation. Since the public has the right to attend any court proceeding, there will be a three camera setup broadcasted within the courthouse in the conference room and one of courtrooms not in use showing the live video feed. 

When the jury is ready to deliberate, they will use the courtroom itself as the jury room and everyone else will be asked to leave. 

“The Supreme Court said the earliest we could start having jury trials is Sept. 14, and I would like to move ahead with a test case,” Bostick said. “We will pay out of the presiding judges fund the cleaning fee and setup fee. I intend to fund all the costs and we are getting reimbursed for COVID-10 related costs and have enough funding to pay for the equipment necessary.”

Commissioner Lindsey Allison said that Bostick has done an amazing job and his technical approach to protecting [Shelby County] citizens has been phenomenal.

CFO Cheryl Naugher gave her projections for revenue for Fiscal Year 2021. Her projections included increases in property tax (4%), highway budget (0.19%), landfill (1.68%) and water (9%) and decreases in sales tax (6%), gas tax (10%) and lodging taxes (40%). The overall general fund revenue budget is a 1.57% decrease. 

For the year to date budget, sales tax revenues are up 5%, rental revenues are lower by 9%, lodging revenues are lower by 21% and highway revenues are lower than the year to date budget by 6%. 

Scroggins added two things that aren’t known are how long is COVID-19 is going to continue and how things will look like after schools begin.

“We are expecting a decline in revenue, but also expecting a decline in expenditures, but will still be within budget,” Scroggins said. 

Also approved during the meeting:

  • A Digital Information Cooperative Agreement with ALDOT corp data agreement for the acquisition and establishment of the 2020 computerized mapping project
  • Adoption of the county transportation plan for FY 2020-21 that includes the resurfacing of Co. Rd 47 from Columbiana south to AL 145 (7.21 miles) and resurfacing of Co. Rd 47 from AL 145 south to Co. Rd 71 (1.60 miles). $1,796,940.13 from the County Rebuild Alabama Funds and $400,000 from the Federal Aid Exchange Funds. 

The next commission meeting will be Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Shelby County Administration Building in Columbiana.