Madison County supervisors on Jan. 6 approved a package of land-use and administrative actions, adopted an updated floodplain ordinance to comply with federal changes, and authorized county participation in an opioid settlement while setting multiple public hearings and making several board appointments.

The measures include final or preliminary approval for plats, an updated floodplain ordinance required by FEMA, authorization for the county administrator to sign settlement paperwork in a Target opioid case (expected county share roughly $15,000), and approvals for professional services to support a plan for the historic courthouse. The board also set hearing dates for multiple rezoning appeals and accepted several routine budget and claims items.

Why this matters: The board approved changes to subdivision plats and signaled county participation in a federal settlement that must be used largely for addiction mitigation. Approvals tied to plats and rezoning affect growth, local infrastructure demand and traffic planning; the floodplain ordinance update affects regulation and flood-insurance compliance.

Key items and supporting details

- Floodplain ordinance: The board adopted an updated floodplain ordinance that incorporates federal regulatory changes for FEMA compliance.

- Opioid settlement: The board authorized the administrator to sign documents allowing Madison County to participate in a Target opioid settlement; the county’s expected share is about $15,000 and 85% of settlement funds are restricted for opioid-mitigation purposes.

- Historic courthouse effort: The board approved contracting with the Holloman Group and Lucket Communication to provide professional services for a project to develop the historic courthouse as an attraction/museum and created a small supervisor committee to work with the group.

- Subdivisions and plats: The board approved preliminary and final plats for the Crossroads Subdivision (10 lots on 95 acres) and acknowledged revisions to the larger Woodgate preliminary plat (see separate coverage). It also approved the Woodgate preliminary plat changes as presented by the developer.

- Rezoning, conditional-use and planning actions: The board approved the De Beuchler rezoning (A1 to R1A), approved a conditional-use permit for a tower at the Madison County Parkway site, set the Yandle Shell LLC rezoning hearing for Feb. 3 and set the Sam Hillary Livingston appeal hearing for April 7.

- Appointments and surplus property: The board appointed Levetta Strickland to the Madison County Nursing Home Board, appointed Ernest Odom to the West Madison Utility Board, and approved the sale of a surplus flagpole to Canton Academy (with the sale amended to cover the county’s cost of labor to remove the pole).

- Administration and finance: The board approved budget amendments, interfund cash transfers, the general claims docket and payroll dockets. The board acknowledged a sheriff’s office surplus-auction report and approved a proposed schedule to notify municipalities about an increase in the jail housing rate (municipal rate proposed to move from $22 to $25 per day; outside agencies from $45 to $50 per day, effective Sept. 1).

Votes at a glance (items recorded in the meeting minutes)

- Carry forward of 2024 officers into 2025 (president/vice president): motion made and seconded; board proceeded with the legal guidance provided (see separate article on legal opinion).

- Minutes (Dec. 16, 2024): approved (voice vote).

- Abandonment/minutes correction related to roadway off Barnes Road (Sheriff Tucker request; include additional parcel/section 8.0): motion approved (voice vote).

- Crossroads Subdivision preliminary plat (10 lots, 95 acres): approved (motion, voice vote).

- Crossroads Subdivision final plat: approved (motion, voice vote).

- De Beuchler rezoning (A1 to R1A): approved (motion, voice vote).

- Mega Site / tower conditional use: approved (motion, voice vote).

- Floodplain ordinance adoption (FEMA update): approved (motion, voice vote).

- Woodgate Subdivision preliminary plat revisions (presentation/acknowledgement and approval of changes): approved (motion, voice vote). See separate article for details and discussion on density and traffic.

- Authorize administrator to sign Target opioid settlement participation documents: approved (motion, voice vote).

- Holloman Group / Lucket Communications professional services for historic courthouse work: approved (motion, voice vote).

- Flagpole surplus sale to Canton Academy (amended to include county removal labor cost): approved (motion, voice vote).

- Appointments to boards (Madison County Nursing Home Board; West Madison Utility Board): approved (motions, voice votes).

- Set public hearings for Makita rezoning and other items (Feb. 3 and April 7 dates as recorded): approved (motions, voice votes).

- Budget amendments, interfund transfers, claims and payroll dockets: approved (motions, voice votes).

What the record shows about limits and next steps

- The county attorney advised the board on a statutory point (see governance article) about the presidency and vice presidency being officers of the term selected at the organizational meeting.

- The opioid-settlement funds are expected to be modest in this tranche (about $15,000) and state that 85% must be spent on addiction/mitigation activities; the county has an existing opioid fund balance of roughly $40,000 from earlier settlements.

- For major subdivision approvals, the board directed continued coordination between developers and county engineering staff on road-widening, turn-lane and ingress/egress design, and asked for clearer visual maps and public-facing handouts for forthcoming updates.

No items were continued to closed session during the recorded portion of the meeting. Several items were scheduled for follow-up at the board’s first-February meeting for formal road-plan review and for advertised public hearings.

Ending: The board adjourned with the next regular meeting schedule noted; items approved at this session will proceed to the administrative steps recorded in the minutes and in various staff follow-ups.