Greene County Democrat

Tag: Association of Volunteer Fire Departments

  • Eutaw City Council votes to return staff to a five- day schedule

    Mayor Latasha Johnson presents certificate to Mah’Kenzie Na Khole Jhordan Walker of Branch Heights in Eutaw, for being named Miss Black Alabama Talented Teen

    The Eutaw City Council met on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, for its regular first meeting of the month. All members of the Council and Mayor Latasha Johnson were present.

    The Council voted to extend the time for full time staff to five days and hours of 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Mayor Johnson argued that she was not sure she could do this under the City’s current financial position. Councilman Woodruff said the Council had adopted a budget that eliminated some positions so that the staff could return to full time operations. He also requested a rooster of staff positions and salaries that the city is paying.

    Hodges Smith addressed the City Council on an Automatic Aid Agreement developed by the Association of Volunteer Fire Departments in Greene County. The agreement would allow the dispatch of the closest four fire departments when a fire is reported. The four fire departments that would come to Eutaw’s assistance would be Springfield, Lower Gainesville Road, Clinton and Dollarhide. The Eutaw Fire Department would automatically be dispatched to fires in these four rural communities. The motion for approval did not receive a second and was not considered. The members of the City Council seemed to need more time to study and understand the proposal. It can be considered again at a future meeting.

    Mayor Johnson submitted a proposal that she received from the West Alabama Action Group to rent the Grubbs/E911 building for a period of
    December 1, 2024, to October 1, 2027, in exchange for making repairs to the building to make it usable as an office. The Council voted to table this request until more study could be made to the proposed lease agreement.
    Councilman Woodruff pointed out that $50,000 had been allocated to repairs to this building, for use by the Eutaw Police Department, in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget recently approved. “How will these monies be reallocated in the budget, if this lease proposal is adopted,” asked Woodruff.

    David Ficken, Vice President for Business Development of the Alabama Fiber Network addressed the City Council and asked for an agreement to place a 50 by 50-foot building on land owned by the City of Eutaw. The building would be built on a cement slab, surrounded by a chain-link fence, house equipment to permit local ISP (broadband) providers to
    connect to the national fiber optic network. Alabama Fiber Network has been funded by the State of Alabama to be a “middle mile” provider for broadband. Other middle mile providers have also approached the city to provide similar services.

    The Council voted to allow the Mayor and City Attorney to explore a location for the Alabama Fiber Network building and develop a 20-year renewable easement agreement for their building. The Council favored the Robert H. Young Community Center (former Carver School) as the site for the building. The proposed agreement would have to be presented to the Eutaw City Council for final approval.

    At the beginning of the meeting, Mayor Johnson reported on progress on several infrastructure projects that the city has agreed to work on. These are: 1. Ditch between Edward’s Drive and Roebuck Avenue, 2. Street Repairs on 3rd Avenue,  3. House on O’Neal Street, next to Mollie Rowe’s resident. Work is continuing on all these projects and complying with legal requirements before the city is involved with work on private property.

    In other business, the Eutaw City Council:

    • Approved paying $75.00 membership dues to the Eutaw Area Chamber of Commerce.

    • Approved reimbursement of Assistant Chief William Smith for $196.00 for city expenses.

    • Approved purchase of a half page ad ($300) in the Greene County Democrat Progress Edition.

    • Approved paying entry fee of $20 in Christmas Parade, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.

    • Approved holiday schedule for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.

    • Approved payment of bills for the period.

    At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Johnson awarded a certificate of completion to City Clerk Sha’Kelvia Spencer or her participation in the Municipal Revenue Officers Program provided by the University of Alabama.
    The Mayor also awarded a certificate of commendation to Mah’Kenzie Na Khole Jhordan Walker for being named Miss Black Alabama Talented Teen.
    Walker is a resident of Branch Heights and will represent the State of Alabama in the national completion in the Spring of 2025. The Mayor pledged to raised funds to help pay expenses for Ms. Walker to participate in the national completion. Chief of Police Tommy Johnson presented the ‘Officer of the Month Award’ to Officer J. Powell.

  • Greene County bingo distributes $169,425.05 for March 2020

    Greene County Sheriff Jonathan Benison promoting social distancing presents distribution check to Forkland Clerk Kinya Isaac and Greene County Health System CEO Dr. Marcia Pugh.

    The Greene County Sheriff’s Department reported a total distribution of $169,425.05 (1/2 payment) for the month of March, 2020 from three licensed bingo gaming operations in the county. The bingo distributions were contributed by Frontier, River’s Edge and Palace. The recipients of the March distributions from bingo gaming include the Greene County Commission, Greene County Sheriff’s Department, the cities of Eutaw, Forkland, Union, Boligee, the Greene County Board of Education and the Greene County Hospital (Health System). Sub charities include Children Policy Council, Fire Department, Greene County Golf Course, Branch Heights Housing Authority, Department of Human Resources and the Greene County Library.
    Sheriff Benison’s bingo rules provide that the Association of Volunteer Fire Departments, headed by Hodges Smith, receives between $,3400 and $3,500 each month from bingo operators, however, Mr. Smith refuses to cash the checks and states that he has been advised not to accept the money from the Sheriff’s rules.
    Frontier (Dream, Inc.) gave a total of $33,386.25 to the following: Greene County Commission, $8,875.20; Greene County Sheriff’s Department, $9,798.45; City of Eutaw, $2,685.45; and the Towns of Forkland, Union and Boligee each, $1,125; Greene County Board of Education, $3,048.45; Greene County Health System, $3,629.10. Sub Charities, $329.10.
    River’s Edge (Next Level Leaders and Tishabee Community Center Tutorial Program) gave a total of $55,082.64 to the following: Greene County Commission, $14,643.03; Greene County Sheriff’s 16,166.25; City of Eutaw, $4,430.75; and the Towns of Forkland, Union and Boligee each, $1,856.13; Greene County Board of Education, $5,029.50, and the Greene County Health System, $5,987.50. Sub Charities, $542.87.
    Palace (TS Police Support League) gave a total of $80,956.16 to the following: Greene County Commission, $21,521; Greene County Sheriff’s Department, $23,760; City of Eutaw, $6,512; and the Towns of Forkland, Union and Boligee each, $2,718; Greene County Board of Education, $7,392 and the Greene County Health System, $8,800; Sub Charities, 797.86.
    Sheriff Benison set guides for re-opening bingo facilities
    Due to the COVID-19 virus, March and April 2020 fees under Electronic Bingo amendment 743 were delayed or not received in the electronic bingo office that is regulated by Sheriff Jonathan Benison. The fees are required in the rules and regulations set out in amendment 743 which is regulated by the Sheriff of Greene County.
    Although the electronic bingo halls were closed because of the virus, the electronic bingo licensees and operators saw some of the citizens’ needs in the county. Some of the licensees and operators decided to meet some of these needs by paying some of the required amendment 743 fees to the charities.
    The electronic bingo licensees and operators who met this challenge were Frontier-Dream, Palace (T.S. Police Support League and Rivers Edge – Next Level Leaders and Tishabee Non- Profit Organization.
    In the meantime Sheriff Jonathan Benison has sent a letter to each licensee and operator asking them to submit in writing a safety sanitation plan for employees and patrons that will be returning to the electronic bingo halls to play and work.
    The safety of all future patrons is at stake. Face masks, gloves, plastic face shield may be necessary as a future expense that each operator may have to incur, due to the close proximity of each patron.With face masks, ‘No smoking’ would be a problem to some patrons. Hand wipes/sanitizing each machine after each player quits playing to insure the next player is at a ‘clean’ machine.
    This virus pandemic may require additional employees to make sure that the halls are kept sanitized.
    Submitted by Sheriff Jonathan Benison

  • Greene County bingo distributes $425,814.57 for January 2020, including $24,857.58 to sub charities

    Shown L to R accepting bingo distributions: Kathy Bir, for the City of Eutaw; James Morrow, for the Greene County Golf Course; Dr. Marcia Pugh CEO GC Health System; Jennifer Watkins for the Children’s Policy Council; Marylin Gibson for the Greene County Library; Anita Lewis for the Greene County Housing Authority; Sheriff Benison; Emma Jackson Bingo Clerk; Yolanda Young, for DHR; Lorenzo Thompson for Town of Union, Earnestine Wade for Town of Boligee, LaVonda Blair, Greene County Board of Education CFO; and Joe Tuck for the Town of Forkland. (not shown a representative from the Greene County Commission).

    The Greene County Sheriff’s Department reported a total distribution of $425,814.57 for the month of January 2020 from four licensed bingo gaming operations in the county. The bingo distributions for January are contributed by Greenetrack, Inc., Frontier, River’s Edge and Palace.
    Sheriff Benison announced a new bingo entity, the Raymond Austin Memorial Foundation for Rural Advancement & Development, Inc. will open in April/May.
    The recipients of the monthly distributions from bingo gaming designated by Sheriff Benison in his Bingo Rules and Regulations include the Greene County Commission, the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, the cities of Eutaw, Forkland, Union, Boligee, the Greene County Board of Education and the Greene County Hospital (Health System).
    This distribution report includes the following Bingo Sub- Charities: Association of Volunteer Fire Departments, Greene County Golf Course, Poole Memorial Library, Children’s Policy Council, Greene County Housing Authority and Department of Human Resources.
    Greenetrack, Inc. gave a total of $71,400 to the following: Greene County Commission, (no distribution); Greene County Sheriff’s Department, $9,000 + $24,000 for undesignated recipient); City of Eutaw, $4,500; and the Towns of Forkland, Union and Boligee each, $3,000; Greene County Board of Education, $13,500, the Greene County Health System, $7,500.
    Greenetrack’s total distribution included $3,900 to 13 sub charities at $300 each.
    Frontier (Dream, Inc.) gave a total of $68,997 to the following: Greene County Commission, $18,342; Greene County Sheriff’s Department, $20,250; City of Eutaw, $5,500; and the Towns of Forkland, Union and Boligee each, $2,325; Greene County Board of Education, $6,300, Greene County Health System, $7,500.
    Frontier’s total distribution included $4,080 to six sub charities at $680 each.
    River’s Edge (Next Level Leaders and Tishabee Community Center Tutorial Program) gave a total of $123,504.63 to the following: Greene County Commission $32,832.18; Greene County Sheriff’s Department, $36,247.50; City of Eutaw, $9,934.50; and the Towns of Forkland, Union and Boligee each, $4,161.75; Greene County Board of Education, $11,277.00, and the Greene County Health System, $13,425.
    River’s Edge total distribution included $7,303.20 to six sub charities at $1,217.20 each.
    Palace (TS Police Support League) gave a total of $161,912.94 to the following: Greene County Commission, 43,042.56; Greene County Sheriff’s Department, $47,520; City of Eutaw, $13,024; and the Towns of Forkland, Union and Boligee each, $5,456; Greene County Board of Education, $14,784 and the Greene County Health System, $17,600.
    Palace’s total distribution included $9,574.38 to six sub charities at $1,595.73 each.