Covington County commissioners approve routine items, grant sheriff deputies travel, authorize courthouse change order and parking work

Covington County commissioners on March 11 approved a package of routine administrative items, including minutes and payroll, authorized out-of-state travel for three sheriff's deputies, approved a retail liquor license for Shooter's Bar LLC and authorized multiple public-works actions including a change order for courthouse ramp construction and expansion of a parking area to accommodate county CAT buses.

The workshop, convened by the Covington County Commission, began as a brief meeting with no public hearings on the agenda. Commissioners approved the minutes from the February 2025 workshop and the Feb. 25, 2025 regular meeting and then approved accounts payable and payroll for February 2025 after a motion and second.

Why it matters: The votes implement routine county business and authorize spending or contract actions that affect County facilities and operations — including sheriff training, courthouse construction costs, and county transit parking — all of which have immediate operational impacts and budget implications.

Most substantive votes and actions

Out-of-state travel for sheriff's deputies: The commission approved travel for three deputies — Byron Smith, Kevin Barger and Clay Conway — to attend training in Biloxi, Mississippi. Commissioner Tommy moved to approve the travel; the motion was seconded and the recorded vote in the workshop transcript shows yes votes from Tommy, Ben and the Chair and no votes from Robbie and Lynn. The commission tied discussion to the sheriff's…