Cleburne County Commission approves staffing changes, road projects and new tax-collection contract

Cleburne County commissioners on the evening agenda approved several personnel and budget actions intended to bolster emergency communications, fund road repairs and shift local tax-collection work to a private vendor.

At the meeting, Chair Hendricks moved and the commission approved converting a part-time communications position to a full-time slot and reclassifying an existing full-time communications officer into a supervisory role, increasing the FY2025 salary budget for the emergency communications unit. Communications staff, including administrative staff Sheila, said the office has experienced higher call volumes and retention problems for part-time employees and that the change is intended to improve coverage and create advancement opportunities. Communications staff also reported they applied for a $223,000 equipment grant and are participating in a state-funded GIS project to improve backup-center functionality.

The action on emergency communications was presented as a personnel and budget change; commissioners discussed shift coverage, training requirements and the department's use of temporary slots to cover leave. The motion carried by voice vote.

The commission also approved multiple road projects to be paid from American Rescue Plan Act local and tribal consistency funds (LATCF/LATC funds). A resolution authorizes up to $64,938.59 for County Road 41 work and separate LATCF authorizations were approved for County Roads 33 and 114. Commissioner Robert Hill submitted a motion to use $217,161.25 from his discretionary funds for County Road 41 and the body approved that discretionary allocation; a separate request by Commissioner Laura Cobb to use $22,212.74 of her discretionary funds for County Road 33 received no second and was not carried.

On tax administration, the commission accepted a proposal and authorized the chair to enter a contract with Avenue Insights and Analytics of Birmingham to administer and collect Cleburne County tobacco and fireworks taxes beginning the December 2024 tax period, with first collections expected on or before Jan. 20, 2025. The contract proposal presented to the commission was dated Sept. 18, 2024. Commissioners asked procedural questions about whether this is a renewal of earlier arrangements and about annual fee adjustments; vendor details and contract terms are in the vendor proposal.

Personnel and budget votes included approval of a new law enforcement technician position in the sheriff’s office at pay grade 14 and an estimated FY25 budget increase of $42,238.49 for salary and benefits. The revenue commissioner told the commission she believes she may be owed back pay going back 15 years related to a base-salary adjustment; the commission voted to task the county attorney with researching the legality of paying any back pay.

The county engineering department reported an estimated FY25 shortfall of roughly $265,000. To help address that shortage, commissioners voted to direct 100% of the specified court fee revenue currently flowing into the general account to the public-highway and traffic fund. The commission also approved a one-year moratorium on repayment of approximately $574,000 in engineering-equipment reserve debt to relieve immediate budget pressure.

Commissioners discussed process improvements for outside work orders and required sign-offs before payment, directed staff to prepare/respecify budget lines for a new economic development director position (pay grade 23) and scheduled follow-up budget work. The commission adjourned the business portion of the meeting and continued into an evening session focused on finalizing the FY25 budget.

What happens next: the chair was authorized to execute the vendor contract with Avenue Insights and Analytics consistent with the Sept. 18 proposal; the county attorney will review the revenue commissioner’s back-pay claim; staff will finalize budget line items for the economic development position and return with updated figures in the next budget session.