Autauga County Commission approves personnel moves, extends James Hardie tax exemption and sets alcohol licensing fees

The Autauga County Commission met Feb. 17, 2026, and approved a series of routine personnel actions, a one-year extension of a James Hardie Building Products tax-exemption certificate and a schedule of FY2026 alcohol licensing fees.

Commission Chairman Jay Thompson presided. Commissioners Rusty Jacksland, John L. Thrailkill, Bill Tatum and Terry Tanner were present along with Treasurer/Administrator Scott Kramer, Deputy Treasurer/Administrator Audra Smith, County Attorney Kyle Shirley and County Engineer John Mark Davis.

The commission first approved the minutes of its Feb. 3, 2026 meeting and authorized payment of invoices received through Feb. 17, 2026. It then adopted the consent docket, which included approval for multiple employees to attend training (Engineering ACEA and CIMS conferences, jail management classes, reappraisal training and a sheriff fraud workshop), a six-month probation period for engineering laborer Akivious Motley, and the surplus and destruction of a Sheriff’s Heimann x-ray machine (model HS 6040DS, serial #72776) due to a broken belt.

The body approved facility use by the Autauga County Fire Association for a fundraising event at Old Kingston Park on April 18, 2026. It also approved several hires and personnel changes: Jordan Patrick Henderson was hired as a deputy sheriff (effective Feb. 10, 2026) to replace Jerome Chatman; Ashlie Nickole Rawlinson was hired as a front desk clerk (effective Feb. 10, 2026) to replace Lauren Martin; and the commission accepted the resignation of Marley Jones (front desk clerk, effective Feb. 22, 2026) and authorized hiring a replacement (motion carried 4-0 with Chairman Thompson recorded as abstaining).

Promotions and pay adjustments approved included promoting Steven Geon from Investigator to Sergeant and Corey Smith from Deputy Sheriff to Corporal (both effective Feb. 14, 2026). One-step pay increases were granted to Scarlett McGowin and Marsha Causey for completion of the Spillman/Flex Superuser Certification, and the starting pay for Naomi Rojas (full-time correction officer) was adjusted from step 4 to step 6. The commission also approved hiring Angelique Harris, Joseph Dreher, Travis Capps and Asia Reaves as full-time correction officers (some hires pending background/drug testing), and hired Roberto Jackson as a Laborer I to replace a terminated employee.

The commission approved several personnel separations and terminations, including the resignation of Charlesalyn Smith (part-time driver, effective Jan. 20, 2026) and the termination of Austin Redden (Operator II, effective Feb. 20, 2026).

On administrative policy, the commission approved the FY2026 County Levies for Alcohol Licensing. The commission set maximum county fees as follows: retail beer or table wine (on or off premises) $75; wholesale beer only $275; wholesale table wine only $275; wholesale table wine and beer $375; additional warehouse wine or beer $100; importer $250; brewpub $500; government venue license $375; event storage license $825; and educational tourism distillery $1,500.

Commissioner John L. Thrailkill motioned, seconded by Bill Tatum, to enter executive session at 5:19 p.m. for economic development and pending litigation; the commission exited executive session at 5:45 p.m. on a later unanimous motion.

Following executive session the commission suspended the rules to add two agenda items. It approved a one-year extension of the James Hardie Building Products tax exemption certificate and authorized sending letters of appreciation to counties that contract to house Autauga County inmates. Both motions carried by unanimous vote.

The meeting adjourned at 5:53 p.m.; the next regular meeting is scheduled for March 3, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

Votes at a glance: approve minutes (unanimous); authorize invoice payments (unanimous); consent docket approvals including training and surplus (unanimous); facility use for Autauga County Fire Association (unanimous); hires/promotions and pay adjustments (unanimous except the Marley Jones resignation/hire replacement, 4-0 with Chairman Thompson abstaining); executive session entry/exit (unanimous); James Hardie tax exemption extension (unanimous); letters of appreciation to housing-counties (unanimous); adjourn (unanimous).