Dale County Commission approves lodging‑tax distribution plan, airport and sports‑study funding, SSUT intervention and Clayhatchee policing contract

The Dale County Commission met in regular session Nov. 25, 2025, and unanimously approved a series of administrative and economic‑development measures, including a change in how proceeds from the additional two percent lodging tax will be distributed, small grants from the lodging tax fund for airport work and a sports‑complex feasibility study, a resolution to join litigation over the State’s Simplified Seller Use Tax (SSUT), and a three‑year law‑enforcement services agreement with the Town of Clayhatchee.

Chairman Steve McKinnon called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. Commissioner Chris Carroll moved to approve the meeting agenda with additions; Commissioner Adam Enfinger seconded, and the motion passed with all members voting aye.

The commission approved personnel and travel items, including the promotion of Juan Hernandez to Equipment Operator III in Road & Bridge and staff training and travel requests. Chief administrative approvals included a $22,500 allocation from the Lodging Tax Fund (Fund 110) to cover survey, geotechnical and design work for a developable parcel at Ozark Airport intended to attract aviation‑related businesses. The motion to fund the airport parcel work was made by Commissioner Chris Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Donald O. Grantham.

Commissioners also approved a $20,000 expenditure from the Lodging Tax Fund for a feasibility study on a proposed multi‑sports complex on city‑owned property in Ozark. Commissioner Grantham made the motion and Commissioner Frankie Wilson seconded.

On the lodging tax itself, the commission adopted a resolution implementing Act 2025‑58 (House Bill 135) and directing that proceeds from the additional two percent levy be deposited monthly into a separate lodging‑tax fund and used exclusively for economic and tourism development. Commissioner Adam Enfinger moved the resolution; Commissioner Wilson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The commission approved a 2026 holiday schedule for county employees and set local fees for three new Alabama ABC license types created by the 2025 legislative session: Educational Tourism Distillery, Special Event Storage, and Government Venue licenses. County staff materials referenced the Alabama ABC Board memorandum requesting local fee schedules by Dec. 12, 2025.

Administrative motions included authorizing the surplus and sale of asset #2324 (a 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer), the opening of a new bank account to handle Flexible Spending Accounts with an immediate $10,000 transfer from the General Fund, and the adoption of a resolution directing the county to intervene as a defendant in the SSUT litigation. The SSUT resolution cited concerns that the plaintiffs’ challenge to the SSUT program ‘‘would jeopardize the County's ability to maintain the current level of governmental services’’ if successful; the motion to intervene was made by Commissioner Donald O. Grantham and seconded by Commissioner Frankie Wilson.

The commission also approved a Common Service Contract for Law Enforcement Services between the County (Sheriff Mason Bynum) and the Town of Clayhatchee. The contract, which the meeting packet shows as a three‑year agreement, sets initial municipal reimbursement at $80,000 per year (to be paid monthly beginning Oct. 2026), requires transfer of municipal law‑enforcement equipment/title to the County for the first‑year payment, and includes standard indemnification and termination provisions. Commissioner Grantham moved to approve the contract; Commissioner Wilson seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance: all motions recorded in the minutes were approved unanimously (‘‘all voted aye’’). Specific motions and movers included agenda approval (Carroll/Enfinger); personnel and travel approvals (Wilson/Enfinger); Ozark Airport funding (Carroll/Grantham); sports study (Grantham/Wilson); lodging tax distribution resolution (Enfinger/Wilson); holiday schedule (Grantham/Carroll); ABC license fee adoption (Wilson/Enfinger); surplus of asset #2324 (Grantham/Wilson); SSUT intervention resolution (Grantham/Wilson); new FSA bank account (Wilson/Grantham); and the Clayhatchee law‑enforcement contract (Grantham/Wilson).

The commission announced its next regular meeting for Dec. 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., and adjourned by unanimous motion.

Details and supporting documents provided to the commission include the Ozark‑Dale County Economic Development Corporation’s lodging‑tax funding request for airport site work, the sports‑complex feasibility request, the full text of the lodging‑tax distribution resolution referencing Act 2025‑58 and §45‑23‑243, the county engineer’s surplus‑asset memorandum identifying asset #2324, the Alabama ABC Board memorandum on new license types, and the Clayhatchee common‑services contract signed by the parties.