Chilton County Commission approves consent agenda, adds litigation counsel; allows Dollar General to proceed with alcohol licensing

The Chilton County Commission on Oct. 28, 2025, approved a consent agenda that included acceptance of federal and state grants, personnel reclassifications and payment approvals, adopted a resolution to retain outside counsel in pending litigation and voted to allow a Dollar General store to proceed with its alcohol licensing application.

The consent agenda, approved unanimously, included minutes from Oct. 4, 2025; the claims list dated Oct. 28, 2025; sheriff’s department reclassifications; authorization to sell surplus vehicles via GovDeals; acceptance of a School Violence Prevention Program grant and a COPS Hiring Program grant from the U.S. Department of Justice; payment approvals for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) water-improvement project; and other routine financial and personnel actions. The chair said the consent agenda also included a resolution to apply for an ATRIP (Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program) grant for the intersection of AL-191 and County Road 50.

The commission also added, then adopted, a resolution authorizing the retention of outside counsel in a pending lawsuit naming the county and the revenue commissioner as defendants. County Attorney Ben Govett told commissioners, “to make sure that you have representation, I am recommending the adoption of this resolution,” and said the county administrator would check with the insurer about appointment of counsel; a final insurance determination was expected before the next meeting. The resolution was adopted by motion and recorded as passing unanimously.

On a separate agenda item, the commission opened and closed a public hearing for a Dollar General application without any public speakers; both the opening and the close were recorded as unanimous. The body then voted on a motion to allow Dollar General to proceed with the process to obtain its alcohol license. The transcript records that one commissioner stated, “I abstain,” and the tally is recorded in the minutes as “4 4 and 1 abstention.” The motion was recorded as passing. (The transcript shows the numerical tally as entered at the meeting record; the commission minutes should be consulted for an official roll call.)

Staff reports and individual resolutions approved as part of the meeting included: approval to open nominations for the Chilton‑Clanton Public Library Board and the Department of Human Resources board; a nomination of Paula Mitchell for the library board; a nomination of Stanley Varner for the DHR board with nominations to be held open for two more meetings; and a motion approving the disposition of excess funds from a tax sale pursuant to Section 40-10-28 of the Code of Alabama (1975).

Motions and votes recorded in the meeting text are summarized below. Where the transcript listed a numeric tally or a shorthand roll call, the article reproduces that wording and notes it as recorded in the meeting transcript.

Votes at a glance (selected items recorded in the meeting transcript): - Motion to open public hearing for Dollar General: mover — Commissioner Perkins; second — Commissioner Childress; outcome — passed unanimously (transcript). - Motion to close public hearing for Dollar General: mover — Commissioner Childress; second — Commissioner Perkins; outcome — passed unanimously (transcript). - Motion to allow Dollar General to proceed with alcohol licensing process: mover — Commissioner Perkins; second — Commissioner Childress; recorded vote in transcript — “4 4 and 1 abstention”; outcome — recorded as passing (transcript). - Motion to approve consent agenda (minutes, claims, grants, personnel actions, CDBG invoices, COPS and school-violence grants, etc.): mover — Commissioner Childress; second — Commissioner Perkins; outcome — passed unanimously (transcript). - Motion to add and then adopt a resolution authorizing retention of counsel in pending litigation (Jeremy Smith v. state and named county defendants): mover — Commissioner Perkins; second — Commissioner Childress; outcome — passed unanimously (transcript). County Attorney Ben Govett described the case and recommended adoption so the county would be represented while insurance coverage was confirmed. - Motion to approve disposition of excess funds arising from a tax sale under Section 40-10-28, Code of Alabama (1975): mover — Commissioner Childress; second — Commissioner Perkins; outcome — passed unanimously (transcript). - Motions to open nominations and to nominate: Chilton‑Clanton Public Library Board (Paula Mitchell nominated); Department of Human Resources board (Stanley Varner nominated). Both motions to open nominations passed; nominations to be held open for two meetings before final appointment.

The commission also approved routine procurement and payment items on the consent agenda, including an invoice to Thompson Tractor and several wage adjustments and payroll corrections listed in the attachments. The chair said a number of consent items were included in the meeting packet and pointed commissioners and the public to the attachments for the full itemized list.

Ending: The meeting closed after a full slate of staff reports and commissioner updates; administrators were asked to prepare departments for an upcoming move to the new courthouse and to obtain quotes for moving engraved marble panels into the new facility. The county administrator will distribute official minutes and the recorded roll-call vote on the Dollar General alcohol licensing matter for the public record.