[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6474367,"mediaKeyId","5741587-e5248291e5bc0e8f05fda19a4816d26b","parentId",5741587,"title","Sheriff seeks multiple hires; animal control pursues grant and temporary staff","audioSeconds",228,"startMs",222000,"endMs",450000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5741587-e5248291e5bc0e8f05fda19a4816d26b&start=222&end=450","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5741587-e5248291e5bc0e8f05fda19a4816d26b/thumbnail_222000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6474367/Chilton-County/Alabama/Sheriff-seeks-multiple-hires-animal-control-pursues-grant-and-temporary-staff","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474367-ade2a41cc4e816376e3cb494dbff6ebc/orig.mp4?Expires=1774891557&Signature=muR-iNLwhjf8H0wv-xZ5LSSKTcy3sQjIPJlNslwlh82f60TjBiR4Xo-Fvz4UsyMSUsqo~P7mxMgxuM--KMGHN5vVVjbGp5NfWYpXFHIrYyafKGT8GbzDbfufprLQftRCrgK1jPbqTVQva5wcKxbgK0rZ31ZabQEkOPg-vac5jDN9dRO9zVoJ5VwEKlQrm6z9FFHYi0FfqdKKs4BHYyIEm6OtpZfeA2UD9bT8HwfHskJRGoUWmjtZSVsXY69tu7ogHWKYeQaNjL8rAeQiLdktirb10wvFcpiwwPsefI7kbhyQ-7GaPRtkpIzYbHg5QHSiPoBX~6xGeJgMLPwEfz56Lw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Chilton County Alabama","date","2025-09-08T22:50:20Z","article","Sheriff John Sharon told the commission he will ask for a resolution to add several hires to county payroll, including both full- and part-time positions.

Sharon said he will request a resolution to hire Bradley Edward Davis as a full-time corrections officer; to add Chris Varden as a part-time deputy sheriff; Mikaela Leftwich and Blake Turner as full-time deputy sheriffs; and Damien Smith as a part-time deputy sheriff. He also said he will request reclassification of Keith Crosby to a full-time school resource officer (SRO) effective Sept. 13 to comply with a new law referenced in his remarks.

Animal control director Christina (last name not specified in the transcript) asked the commission to remove Rosa Pierce from payroll, advertise and fill the vacancy, temporarily assign Anna Brooks into that role until it is filled, and authorize two temporary animal-care specialist hires (she initially requested three, then said two). She also requested commission approval to close normal operating hours for Saturday, Sept. 13 and Sept. 27 to allow staff to operate off-site events. Christina asked that the county allow the director to apply for a Rachel Ray grant (described in the packet as competitive and up to about $50,000) to fund programs that help owners keep pets with their families: spay/neuter assistance, some medical cost support, and a pet food bank. She told commissioners that in August the shelter had roughly 1,200 intakes and about 600 were strays, meaning more than half were owner surrenders.

Transit staff requested authorization to hire two temporary transit operator positions to allow service continuity while recruiting permanent staff.

What was requested: All the items above were presented as requests to be placed on the consent agenda or otherwise approved by the commission. The transcript records the requests being made; it does not record the commission formally voting on those personnel, temporary hiring or grant-application items.

Direct quote and attribution: \"Tonight, I will be asking for a resolution to hire Bradley Edward Davis as a full time corrections officer at the payroll,\" Sheriff John Sharon said when presenting his personnel requests.

Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the requests and asked for any additional questions; staff will place the personnel and grant application items on the appropriate agenda and return them for formal approval.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Chilton County Commission Work Session Sept. 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Sheriff John Sharon asked the commission to approve several new hires and a reclassification; animal control requested temporary hires, a short closure for events and permission to apply for a Rachel Ray grant to help owners retain pets; transit requested two temporary operator hires.","taxTitle","Chilton County, Alabama","taxId",13259,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474372,"County engineer seeks approvals for FY26 equipment purchases and updates road-repair schedule",799,602000,1401000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5741587-e5248291e5bc0e8f05fda19a4816d26b&start=602&end=1401","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5741587-e5248291e5bc0e8f05fda19a4816d26b/thumbnail_602000.jpg","/articles/6474372/Chilton-County/Alabama/County-engineer-seeks-approvals-for-FY26-equipment-purchases-and-updates-road-repair-schedule","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474372-f3a6c15dc7bbe0a52540b472341ad869/orig.mp4?Expires=1774891557&Signature=Wvm2whRSpa0Hz9AOUecGWRvmG4TUCepuDmz96c~-hbdIUXldOFBhgeAxRoOLIAUJ3ys5hoTrH2HjgvqTCr75ztHNeopgK6n41nhuaeeZpnGmHAZvduUwZvkLegfl6hTrauX6mHRAI-OMOP88yvnEOU3Jy2AwCgxlAPXheJA3U9w9~QRBWSqq3trCBdqYSel33nvbkTaaklwFqvA~7LusPZdDVhE0QqdqkaNS~PGm2fslh4Dr-rmh8ZSngIeVdMxZfUJGENpwzrtyurps4mPaEc4TDUCPXHl66cfZR0lh1AnKN~rIhK37TMM9KXuq2cG86uo1yuEScMvbP6qKMbRfcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heath Sexton, Chilton County engineer, told commissioners he will seek approval for several recurring agreements and asked permission to begin procurement procedures for equipment budgeted in fiscal year 2026.

Sexton said the county will again contract for the fiscal year 2026 diversified computer services software agreement with a mobile app option and the FY26 USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services cooperative agreement, both renewals of existing arrangements.

He also requested commission approval to issue a letter of intent and later a purchase order next fiscal year for a replacement backhoe and a track excavator. Sexton said delivery times mean the new equipment would not arrive until after the fiscal year begins; the backhoe may take about five months and the excavator about a month to be delivered once ordered. Commissioners discussed whether to buy new or refurbish existing machines. One commissioner said a prior estimate to rebuild the existing machine was about $227,000; Sexton recommended getting an inspection quote to determine whether targeted repairs would be more cost-effective than full refurbishment or replacement.

Sexton raised longer-term procurement considerations: parts availability, service and vendor support, and the reduced commonality for some specialty equipment in the region. He also asked the commission to consider using existing purchasing agreements to acquire the machines and attachments discussed.

On fleet and shop staffing, Sexton reported that the county has had few qualified applicants for the shop foreman position and that shop staffing remains a challenge.

Maintenance and road project updates: Sexton reported several near-term project milestones. A caution light in Maplesville is scheduled for installation this week; contractors are expected to return to repair short asphalt sections on County Road 49; guardrail replacement on Kent Road 4049 is complete and permanent striping is expected after final work; and the contractor for the Kent Road 16 bridge improvement project has been asked to provide bonds and insurance and is expected to sign within a few weeks. Sexton said the county will move to apply wearing surfaces to roads where reconstruction is complete when timing and contractor schedules permit.

Sexton also requested commission approval to surplus an inoperable ice maker and small poly motors and dispose of them via GovDeals.

Ending: Sexton asked the commission to approve the listed agreements and allow staff to proceed with procurement and surplus actions; commissioners asked staff to obtain refurbished-vs-replace cost estimates and to pursue inspections and quotes before final procurement.","Heath Sexton, county engineer, asked commissioners to approve recurring software and wildlife-service agreements and to permit letters of intent for FY26 purchases of a backhoe and track excavator; he also reported updates on several road projects and requested surplus or transfer authority for older equipment.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474376,"Commission to reopen talks with ambulance providers after sparse RFP interest",535,1867000,2402000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5741587-e5248291e5bc0e8f05fda19a4816d26b&start=1867&end=2402","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5741587-e5248291e5bc0e8f05fda19a4816d26b/thumbnail_1867000.jpg","/articles/6474376/Chilton-County/Alabama/Commission-to-reopen-talks-with-ambulance-providers-after-sparse-RFP-interest","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474376-992606489fc576cbe0a1702a135b5822/orig.mp4?Expires=1774891557&Signature=naCRwS2dA3hJUvL1zVz3UFUY-BD1YbRtX5IJDBFjagrBsAb7E1hBP6gAxCocKARH6kV4aeTtUH6I7~XP57Wn9MTHX9EL0fuTEemjBxX9u6gxSiSFJy8KQFxgRAyF-gzBhTuKI~JvcAs0drWA44ri-CmSYBJ7bPAzeQnGqxZ~W-5XqFhk9ZA~AMyhDwPgCcLH2lYwKr6hsBD1DW4PzqLog-p4Lm7fyh~VivKtX4XMzK-UsP1lYHVE~eUilR8drhBtwnoBbAf1AYIoRz3TajFDL3Taq44ogTMgeOiPS9mHjktAA0hxxPYXiuM3soqJer3N1M2xKH6gBum8HP0fEX0Cdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chilton County commissioners agreed to reopen direct talks with prospective ambulance providers after several months of procurement discussion and limited response to a previous request for proposals (RFP).

The discussion focused on how the county should proceed after an earlier RFP drew little interest. Commissioners debated whether to continue with competitive solicitations or to conduct private, one-on-one negotiations with firms that indicated potential capacity to serve the county. The commissioners who led the procurement work said they have already contacted multiple firms and plan to schedule individual meetings to compare proposals and coverage packages.

Why this matters: The county has spent months exploring contracting options for ambulance service. Commissioners said the choice affects response coverage, timelines for establishing service, and the county’s ability to control costs and coordinate with local institutions.

Commissioners said they have had contact with multiple vendors but that few submitted complete RFP responses. One commissioner said some companies may need time for “due diligence” to analyze Chilton County’s geography and call volumes before offering an executable plan. Commissioners discussed a 30-day window as a reasonable deadline for companies to present firm proposals after in-person meetings.

The commission’s next steps will include: (1) the commission chair and two commissioners calling and meeting individually with at least four companies that have shown interest; (2) asking each provider for a detailed package describing capabilities and a proposed timeline for putting units on the ground; and (3) setting a near-term deadline (commissioners discussed 30 days) for those firms to return a final plan for the commission to review. If a firm cannot deliver a feasible plan within the agreed time, commissioners said the county will pursue other options.

Commissioners emphasized involving the sheriff’s office and other local institutions in those discussions; they also said some firms that already operate in nearby counties could stand up service faster than firms without a local footprint. Several commissioners said they wanted to limit public speculation while negotiations and site visits proceed.

The discussion did not produce a final contract award. Commissioners said they would schedule and hold the private meetings, collect the proposals, and then return to the commission for any formal authorization or contract action.

Ending: Commissioners asked the staff to compile contact information for the firms discussed and to put a status update on the commission agenda once the round of meetings is complete.","After limited responses to a request for proposals, Chilton County commissioners agreed to reach out individually to several ambulance companies and set a short timeline for updated proposals or plans.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sheriff seeks multiple hires; animal control pursues grant and temporary staff

County engineer seeks approvals for FY26 equipment purchases and updates road-repair schedule

Commission to reopen talks with ambulance providers after sparse RFP interest