The April 9, 2024 Shelby County Commission meeting. Photo by LEAH INGRAM EAGLE
Shelby County Manager Chad Scroggins reported during the April 8 Shelby County Commission meeting that two new key employees soon will begin their jobs.
Brian Wheeler has been hired as the county’s new CFO and will train under current CFO Cheryl Naugher until her retirement in 2025. Wheeler works with the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, and his territories include Washington, Monroe, Escambia, Mobile and Baldwin counties. He was also the manager over the Shelby County audits in 2011.
Meanwhile, Jesslan Wilson has been hired as the deputy county manager. She has been working as the director of economic development at the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham for the past six years.
Both Wheeler and Wilson will begin in their new roles on May 6.
The commission also on April 8 approved the paving contract for the west side of the county to Wiregrass Construction for $2,407,778. At the previous commission meeting, the paving contract for the east side of the county was awarded to Dunn Construction.
Scroggins said the idea to separate the contracts was wise to make sure the companies were near the paving area to reduce transportation costs.
The total of the two contracts totaled almost $6.2 million. The county partnered with the cities of Wilsonville and Harpersville, along with one route with Chelsea, and paid $5.85 million in county funds.
A resolution was passed for an energy efficiency and conservation block grant, which is designed to assist state and local governments in implementing strategies to reduce energy use, reduce fossil fuel emissions and improve energy efficiency. Shelby County is eligible for $81,530 that will be used to replace lighting systems with more energy-efficient LED lighting.
“We will use this grant to do a project we were already going to do, which is to convert some of the old halogen lights at Dunnavant Valley fields to LED,” Scroggins said. “The remainder of funding will come off lodging tax 2023 funds to meet the balance.”
An update on projects throughout the county:
- There is a continued investigation of mental health services that can be implemented in the county to meet the demand.
- The restroom/bathhouse at Oak Mountain State Park will have a ribbon cutting in May
- There is an ongoing restroom and pavilion at Altadena Park in Vestavia Hills (part of the park is in Shelby County)
- Trail construction continues at Double Oak Park as a result of recent Recreational Trail Program grant funds
- The water services department will move into its new building by the end of the month. This space will house employees, but water bills will need to continue to be paid at the 280 County Services Building.
Also during the meeting, the commission approved a second agreement between Shelby County and Shelby Ridge Utility Systems for installation on sanitary sewer facilities on specific county highway rights of way. This will add about 2 miles of length to their service area.
This area is located at Shelby County 43 (Bear Creek Road), from the access drive to the Shelby Ridge Utility Systems pump station at Forest Lakes, about 10,456 feet east to the entrance road to the proposed Isaac's Gap residential development, including a crossing of Shelby County 43 located about 10,117 feet east of said access drive.
Upcoming events in the county:
- April 13: Mammoth March at Oak Mountain State Park
- April 27: Spring Craft Fair at the Chelsea Community Center
- May 8-12: Regions Tradition golf tournament at Greystone Golf & Country Club
- May 16-19: XTERRA North American Championship at Oak Mountain State Park
For a list of all upcoming events, visit discovershelby.com.
