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Perry County Commission approves Judson College abatement, budget amendments and advertising for Guard armory option
Summary
The Perry County Commission on Jan. 13 approved a 20-year tax abatement for Judson College, an $86,611 construction budget amendment to cover jail expenditures, several equipment purchases and hires, and voted to draft and advertise legislation selecting the New National Guard Armory (Option 1) as the preferred location for advertised voting precinct changes.
The Perry County Commission approved a series of budgetary and administrative measures during its Jan. 13 regular meeting at the Albert Turner, Sr. Courthouse Annex.
Chairman Albert F. Turner presided over the meeting. Commissioners voted to adopt the agenda with the addition of a bill submitted by Attorney Chestnut that provides two location options; the commission directed staff to advertise whichever option the commission approves for four weeks on the voting precincts.
In business from the engineer, the commission approved Resolution 01-13-26, authorized purchase of a gas system at $44,184.70 and approved buying an F-250 pickup truck for use as a fuel truck for the Highway Department not to exceed $45,000. The board also approved purchase of four large truck tires for the Highway Department and a temporary suspension of the nurse’s contract covering October 2025 through February 2026.
On rules and regulations the commission approved a 20-year tax abatement for Judson College after a failed secondary motion to table the item pending a name change. Commissioners Carlton Lewis and Thomas Brett Harrison recorded nays on the final abatement motion; the motion nevertheless carried.
The board approved a $30,000 contract with Diversified to repair the courthouse elevator and voted to amend the construction budget by $86,611 to cover jail expenditures, with the sheriff's approval.
In budget and personnel actions the commission approved paying off a USDA loan of $840,000 related to county roads 53 and 65, tabled an IT contract, and approved temporary hires: Patricia Williams on a temporary contract described in the minutes as "$10 under contract" (rate/units not specified) and DelShante Gillion at $15 under a 12-month contract in the Revenue Commission office. The commission also authorized $100 payments to each of four warming shelters (East Perry Volunteer Fire Dept., West Perry Volunteer Fire Dept., Providence Baptist Church and Eagle Grove Baptist Church), totaling $400.
Chairman Turner moved the commission into executive session at 7:05 p.m.; on reconvening the board recorded no action taken during the closed session but approved subsequent changes to a settlement discussed in executive session.
After executive session the commission voted to draft legislation including Option 1 — the New National Guard Armory location — and to advertise that legislation. The roll-call vote was District 1 (Chairman Albert F. Turner) — Nay; District 2 (Anthony Long) — Yay; District 3 (Thomas Brett Harrison) — Yay; District 4 (Barbara Howze) — Nay; District 5 (Carlton Lewis) — Yay; the motion carried.
Under clerk business the commission approved FMLA requests for LaShonda Brown and Michelle Jackson and approved claims (the minutes record one nay by Commissioner Harrison). The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.
Many motions in the minutes are recorded as "Motion Carried" without detailed roll-call tallies; where the minutes provide roll calls or nays the article notes them explicitly.
