Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle
Shelby County’s probate records will soon undergo a digitization and indexing project that was approved by the Shelby County Commission during their June 13 meeting.
Probate Judge Allison Boyd was in attendance at the meeting and said the scope of this project is something she is really excited about for the county.
“It's going to take our records back to record one, which was in 1819, all the way up to 1972 which is where we currently have digital records for,” Boyd said. “They will be indexed and searchable along with any other record, so it would be just the same as it was filed yesterday. It's wonderful for the citizens of Shelby County. I don't know that there are any other counties in Alabama that have this and if there are, we are one of a handful.”
The bid was awarded to the current provider, Granicus, LLC, in the amount of $282,173.03 and funding for the project was from carryover funds from last fiscal year’s probate budget.
Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle
Michael Asdale, new director for Shelby EMA
During the County Manager’s report, Chad Scroggins introduced Michael Asdale as the new Shelby County EMA director. Asdale was hired as the deputy director in March and took over as director June 10 after former director Hub Harvey started a new position of the director of Juvenile Risk Services.
Asdale spent 21 years in the Air Force law enforcement before becoming the Hospital Disaster Preparedness Coordinator for the VA Hospital in Birmingham where he was in charge of over ten facilities.
“It’s an honor to be here. I was glad to be invited to the table of Shelby County. I'm here to serve and not to be served and I thank you for the opportunity,” Asdale said.
Scroggins also announced that Scott Holiday has taken the position of assistant county engineer in the highway department. Scroggins and County Engineer, Randy Cole, will begin interviews for Cole’s position upon his impending retirement on Sept. 1 and said he hopes to have a recommendation for approval at the next commission meeting.
As for projects around the county, Scroggins said the Chelsea High School turf field is under construction, slab has been poured for the project at Veterans Park in Alabaster and the restroom project at Oak Mountain State Park is wrapping up before The World Games begin next month.
Sheriff John Samaniego gave an update on the sheriff’s department, stating that the summer population in the jail is increasing and he is working with the probate judge for deputies to assist in the runoff elections.
Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer was in attendance at the meeting and said that a lot of progress has been made over the last ten days on the road construction project at County Roads 39 and the new County Road 47 is now open.
“We can't say thank you enough,” Picklesimer said. You've been an outstanding support and big brother to our city and we appreciate it.”
The commission also approved:
- A bid for Concrete pipe delivery and pickup for roads and transportation to Foley Products
- A bid for Copper tubing and PVC pipe for Water Services to Core & Main
- A bid for Calcium hypochlorite tablets for Water Services to Aqua Products
- A bid for landfill well extension supplies for Environmental Services to Consolidated Pipe & Supply
- The Property tax commission final assessment resolution for the 2020 tax year
- A pavement maintenance project for the Shelby County AIrport
- Approved a tax collection resolution to align with state procedures