Walker County Commission approves SS4A grant, awards asphalt bid and backs local legislative resolutions

The Walker County Commission on Jan. 5 unanimously accepted a $345,920 SS4A grant, awarded its 2026 emulsified asphalt contract to Vulcan Asphalt Refining Company and approved several resolutions asking the Alabama Legislature to enact local acts to be submitted to Walker County voters, officials said.

County Engineer Glenn Peek and Janet Adams‑Clayton explained the SS4A grant award; Commissioner Steven Aderholt moved to accept the $345,920 SS4A grant and the motion was seconded by Commissioner John Dunagan. The vote was recorded as four ayes and the chairman declared the motion carried.

Why it matters: The SS4A award provides designated funding for transportation safety projects (the transcript identifies the award only as “SS4A”). County staff identified the grant during the meeting and commissioners approved accepting the funds, which will be administered by county engineering and staff.

The commission also approved Bid #865 for emulsified asphalt (RS2 and CRS2) and awarded the contract to Vulcan Asphalt Refining Company on the recommendation of County Engineer Glenn Peek. Commissioner Jim Borden moved to award the bid; the motion passed unanimously.

The commission took three separate votes on local legislative resolutions after presentations by Probate Judge Lee Tucker. The board unanimously approved a resolution supporting submission to the state legislature of a proposed local constitutional amendment to set the maximum qualifying age for county Probate Judge at 75 years. The commission also unanimously approved a separate resolution supporting a proposed local act to permit the Probate Judge to appoint and compensate temporary probate judge(s) in certain circumstances.

Commissioner John Dunagan successfully moved to add and approve a fifth agenda item: a resolution supporting a proposed local bill that would provide an ad valorem tax exemption for Walker County seniors; the commission approved that resolution unanimously as well. Dunagan said the proposed local bill text was attached to the resolution in the meeting record.

Votes at a glance (motion text paraphrased from the meeting record): - Accept $345,920 SS4A grant award — mover: Commissioner Steven Aderholt; second: Commissioner John Dunagan; tally: 4 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain; outcome: approved (chair declared carried). - Award Bid #865 for Emulsified Asphalt (RS2 and CRS2) to Vulcan Asphalt Refining Company — mover: Commissioner Jim Borden; second: Commissioner Steven Aderholt; tally: 4 yes; outcome: approved. - Approve resolution supporting local amendment to set Probate Judge maximum qualifying age at 75 — mover: Commissioner Jim Borden; second: Commissioner Steven Aderholt; tally: 4 yes; outcome: approved. - Approve resolution supporting local act to allow appointment/compensation of temporary Probate Judge(s) — mover: Commissioner John Dunagan; second: Commissioner Steven Aderholt; tally: 4 yes; outcome: approved. - Approve resolution supporting proposed local ad valorem tax exemption for Walker County seniors — mover: Commissioner John Dunagan; second: Commissioner Steven Aderholt; tally: 4 yes; outcome: approved.

The meeting record shows the county attorney, Charles R. Stephens Jr., later requested the meeting be adjourned to executive session; that motion was made and approved unanimously.

What was not decided: The scheduled presentations from legislators and several recovery and advocacy organizations seeking opioid funding were presented and a follow‑up work session was scheduled to review funding requests; no funding decisions for those requests were made at the Jan. 5 meeting.

Next steps: The commission set a work session for Thursday, Jan. 15 at 9:30 a.m. to discuss opioid funding requests and related projects; formal implementation or disbursement of the SS4A grant and contract award details will be handled by county staff and presented in subsequent meetings or records.