Chairman and commissioners outline 'state of the county,' highlighting 9-1-1 call load, EMA upgrades, sheriff grant awards and infrastructure projects

Chairman Williams opened a "state of the county" segment at the Oct. 28 Chilton County Commission meeting, asking each commissioner to report on their liaison areas. Commissioners delivered updates on emergency communications, emergency management, law enforcement grants, animal control, transit, roads and parks.

Commissioner Billingsley summarized 9-1-1 operations and emergency management. He said the dispatch center has 16 employees and handles between 400 and 600 events daily; he also reported that the center averages roughly five new-address requests per day, which he noted as an indicator of county growth. Billingsley said the 9-1-1 operation plans to move into the new courthouse complex, with a planned move in March and full operation in April. He described the county’s planned P25 radio upgrades that would allow interoperability with other counties and jurisdictions on mutual aid channels.

Billingsley also summarized Emergency Management Agency (EMA) accomplishments: the EMA secured multiple grants (including CRI, EMPG and an RC&D grant, as reported), completed technology and classroom upgrades at the EMA building, and received a grant-funded mobile command trailer and other equipment to support field operations. "We were able to manage resources effectively and support local jurisdictions during that time-critical period," he said referring to a tornado response earlier in the year.

On law enforcement, Billingsley reported that the sheriff’s office and grant writers secured multiple awards totaling $1,136,361.16. He listed several grant amounts shown in the meeting record, including a law-enforcement training simulator ($246,486), a vehicle appropriation for recovered/lost motor vehicles ($300,000), a Homeland Security grant for a command trailer ($143,657), a COPS hiring allocation ($250,000), and other allocations for violence-prevention and equipment. He credited deputies, investigators and grant staff for securing those awards.

Commissioner Childress reported on animal control and county finance. He said the commission assumed operations of animal control in January 2025 and that Christina Bollock, the newly hired director, had staffed and refurbished the facility at a reported cost of about $88,000. Childress said the county is planning for a new shelter on property transferred from the humane society. He also described a reworked budget process using a budget committee and summarized county debt and bond obligations, noting approximately $19 million tied to courthouse bonds and other loans serving capital projects.

Commissioner Hall updated the commission on Chilton County Transit. He said interim director Keontae de Jornet has expanded staffing and services, that the system now operates 10 handicap-equipped units, and that a planned relocation to a Tech Division facility would allow the county to park and maintain those units. Hall said the transit program is pursuing grant funding and revenue options such as bus advertising.

Commissioner Headley outlined road department work for FY2025: the county maintains about 937.7 total miles of roadway (562.4 paved and 375.3 gravel), and the department completed about 22.9 miles of reconstruction and resurfacing across multiple county roads. He listed bridge and box-culvert replacements, gravel rehabilitation projects and LRSI and Rebuild Alabama safety projects underway or completed this year.

Commissioner Perkins reported on economic development, parks and volunteer fire support. Perkins said the Chamber of Commerce added 32 new members in 2025, the county consolidated parks operations under a single parks director, and the commission finalized purchase of 161 acres to expand Manuka Park and add trails; Perkins announced a ribbon-cutting for the Manuka Park general store scheduled for Nov. 13 at 10 a.m. He also highlighted volunteer-fire service call volumes and an ongoing recruitment need for volunteers.

The chair concluded by asking administrators to prepare for a courthouse relocation and to obtain quotes to move engraved marble panels to the new building. No formal votes were required for most of these updates; they were presented as informational staff and commissioner reports.

Ending: Commissioners said they will continue follow-up on grant applications, courthouse move planning and staffing matters and will bring formal items back for action where required.