Limestone County Commission hears $25,000 budget request from county food ministry, approves routine contracts, budget revision and subdivision plats

Limestone County Commission Chairman Daley and the commissioners met for a work session Aug. 15 in the commission chambers. The commission heard a public funding request from Limestone County Church and moved forward without objection on contract extensions, a budget revision and multiple land-use and personnel items.

Bill (no last name given), a representative of Limestone County Churches, requested a $25,000 allocation for the 2026 budget year on behalf of Limestone County Church. He said the organization is a daughter group of the Athens Limestone Ministerial Alliance and provides food and emergency financial assistance to county residents. "We provided emergency assistance equaling about a week's worth of food to at least 1,530 families equaling around 4,500 people," Bill said, adding that the group served 374 homeless people with food bags and hygiene kits and provided emergency rent and utility assistance for 332 families in early 2024. He said Limestone County Church is launching a capital campaign and that the majority of its funding has come from churches, local businesses and individuals. Sarah Chadwell, identified in the meeting as the group's board president, attended with him.

Why it matters: The request came during the public-comment portion of the work session and asks the commission to consider a direct allocation in the county's fiscal 2026 budget. Commissioners did not debate the request during the session; Bill and Chadwell offered to provide financial statements and answer questions.

On routine business, the commission announced claims totaling $1,105,720.90 and then considered several consent and action items with no commissioners raising objections. The commission approved an extension of a memorandum of understanding with Heritage Health Solutions to continue participating in a cost-reduction program for inmate medical claims through July 15, 2026. Chairman Daley described the item as "something we already do; this is just an extension."

The panel approved a corporate partnership agreement with Bridal Wave Auto Spa to provide limited car-wash services for county vehicles. County staff said the agreement would allow a capped number of washes per vehicle per month, would be charged to the operating department responsible for each vehicle and includes a 30-day termination clause if the arrangement does not work out. Commissioner Turner asked about the scope; a county staff member performing procurement negotiations confirmed the termination provision and said the county narrowed the agreement to a single option limited by washes per month.

The commission approved the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) host agency agreement for fiscal year 2025 (July 1 through June 30) and a multi-year host agreement running through June 30, 2028. The clerk confirmed the end date as 2028 during the discussion.

The commission approved a $142,000 budget revision to purchase a new baler for the county solid-waste operation. County staff said a new building for the baler is under construction and should be finished in a few days if weather permits.

Personnel actions approved in a single motion included promotions and transfers: Christopher Green from deputy sheriff to school resource officer (effective the fifteenth); Jesse Gibson from investigator to school resource officer (effective the fifteenth); transfer of Hayden Pierce within investigative assignments (effective the fifteenth); hiring Hayden Russell as equipment operator I in the engineering department pending drug screening (effective the eighteenth); and hiring William Lueder and Jeffrey Hernandez as corrections officers pending drug screening (effective the twentieth). Commissioners approved merit increases listed on the personnel agenda without objection.

Engineer Mark Massey briefed commissioners on four subdivision items: Wright Road Estates (minor preliminary and final, creating two lots in District 3); Lambert Acres Subdivision (replat of Lots 6 and 7, minor preliminary and final in District 4); Lucille Carter Subdivision (replat of Tracts 5 and 6, minor preliminary and final in District 4); and Walton Creek Phase 1 (major final approval, creating 121 lots in District 2). Massey also presented the county transportation plan for fiscal year 2026 and said it would allocate Rebuild Alabama gas-tax funds to identified roads, listing Sweet Springs Road, Piney Chapel Road, Sandifer Road, Ed Ray Road, Blackburn Road, Easter Ferry and Edgewood Road among the planned projects. "This would be to spend the Rebuild Alabama funds," Massey said.

Other routine items approved without objection included removal and transfer of specific inventory items, authorization to sell surplus items on GovDeals, and approval of several smaller administrative matters. Commissioners recessed for 15 minutes near the end of the session; no public hearings, resolution orders or contested bid awards were on the agenda.

Votes at a glance: Commissioners solicited objections to each consent or action item; no objections were raised during the work session and the items were advanced by unanimous consent. The transcript records the commission chair asking for issues or conflicts of interest on each item and receiving none. Specific outcomes recorded in the meeting transcript include: approval of the Heritage Health Solutions MOU extension through July 15, 2026; approval of a corporate partnership with Bridal Wave Auto Spa; approval of the SCSEP host agreements through June 30, 2028; approval of a $142,000 budget revision for a solid-waste baler; approval of the personnel actions listed above; approval of four subdivision plats including Walton Creek Phase 1 (121 lots); and approval of the FY2026 county transportation plan allocating Rebuild Alabama funds to named roads.

What remains unclear from the session: commissioners did not take a formal roll-call vote on the items in the transcript excerpt; the record shows approval by unanimous consent with "no objections" rather than a recorded tally. The Limestone County Church request for $25,000 was heard in public comment; the commission did not vote on that funding request during the work session. Financial statements for Limestone County Church were offered by the speakers and said to be available on request.