The Greene County Commission met on Monday, March 9, 2026, for its regular monthly meeting. Three commissioners were present for the roll call: Garria Spencer, Chair, Tennyson Smith and Allen Turner. The other two commissioners: Latasha Johnson and Roshonda Summerville arrived late and participated in the meeting when they arrived.
The meeting began with a report from Assistant Engineer Culliver, who asked that the Commission approve a resolution designating Noah’s Way as a county road for repair and maintenance purposes. The road is in District 5, and Commissioner Summerville has been trying for some time to get the road designated as a county road. At the earlier Commission work session, the status of Noah’s Way was discussed. The Commissioners decided to send the official decision to the Commission meeting, where the resolution was adopted.
Culliver asked the Commission to approve the agreement with ALDOT to pursue the TAP grant to redo the sidewalks on the interior of the Old Courthouse Square, now named for Sheriff Thomas Gilmore. This project will complement the Street Scape project, which was completed last year by the City of Eutaw on the outside perimeter of the Thomas Gilmore Square.
The TAP grant, which totals over a million dollars with an 80% state grant and 20% matching for engineering and construction, will redo all of the interior sidewalks on the square. This will make it easier for the many people who use this pathway to exercise and stay healthy.
The third item on the agenda, which dealt with approving a contract for a Water Park Administration and Engineering firm to help design a “splash pad for children,” was tabled.
The Commission approved travel for the Engineer and Assistant Engineer to attend a training conference on May 5 and 6 at Perdido Beach.
The next item was added to the agenda at the meeting. Legal Counsel Mark Parnell proposed that the commission could establish an account, under the Commission’s General Fund, where individuals and businesses could contribute to support the ambulance service and have their contribution be tax-deductible, since the Commission and the ambulance service are public corporations – providing a service, not trying to be for-profit. The resolution creating a fund for contributions to the ambulance service was approved.
The Greene County Commission met in regular session, Monday, March11 with all commissioners present. The body approved the previous minutes, agenda, financial report and payment of claims as presented by CSFO Mac Underwood in the work session held Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
The first item of new business, approved by the commission, (with an abstention by Commissioner Tennyson Smith) was a resolution requesting the State Attorney General’s opinion regarding the Coroner’s (Ronald Kent Smith) salary and expenses allowance as indicated in a Local Legislative Act approved and signed by Governor Kay Ivey in March 2020. This Act authorizes the Greene County Commission to provide for the compensation and expense allowance of the coroner including expenses for the operation of the office of coroner and to repeal Section 45-32-60.01 of the Code of Alabama 1975.
The Act passed in 2020 states: “The Greene County Commission may provide the Coroner of Greene County with additional expense allowance and compensation or salary. The county commission may provide for any expense allowance granted to the Coroner by this Act or otherwise to convert to salary effective beginning the next term of office of the coroner.”
Greene County Coroner, Ronald K. Smith, began a new term of office in 2022. Mr. Smith indicated his salary and expenses allowance should have been adjusted at that time. He said he has approached the commission numerous times regarding an adjustment in pay,
In other business the commission acted on the following:
* Approved ABC License for Greene County Entertainment, with four commissioners voting for and Commission Chairperson Corey Cockrell voting against.
* Approved Drug and Alcohol Abuse Policy.
Approved travel for Board of Registrars and Assistant Engineer
The financial report for February 2024 was as follows: Accounts Payable -$725,439.09; Payroll Transfer – $289,883.73; Fiduciary – $721,162.61; Total $1,736,485.43. Electronic Claims paid January, 2024 totaled $52,678.19. Unrestricted Funds in Citizen Trust Bank totaled $3,474,352.09. Restricted Funds in Citizen Trust Bank Totaled $4,760,130.74. Unrestricted Funds in Merchants & Farmers Bank totaled $2,900,862.04. Restricted Funds in Merchants & Farmers Bank totaled $1,467,507.61. Total investments reported as $894,295.60.
The Greene County Commission held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, February 12, 2024. All five commissioners were present, including: Corey Cockrell, Chair and District 3, Garria Spencer, District 1, Tennyson Smith, District 2, Allen Turner, District 4, and Roshonda Summerville, District 5. The Commissioners handled an agenda of routine business, taking a forty-minute Executive Session to discuss personnel and legal matters, without announcing any actions that needed to be approved by vote.
The Commission approved a resolution urging voters to support Amendment No. 1 on the March 5th primary ballot. Amendment No. 1 would allow the Alabama Legislature to consider and approve ‘local legislation” by a majority vote prior to passing a budget in the session.
Currently the legislative rules require a 60% super-majority for votes on legislation prior to the approval of the budget. This change would allow for easier passage of ‘local legislation’ when the Legislature does not approve a budget until the end of the session. In the past, some ‘local legislation’, including some Greene County proposals, have been lost or postponed because they could not be voted on prior to passing the state budget.
In other actions, The Greene County Commission:
• Approved levies for Alcohol Licensing for 2024-2025.
• Approved a contract with M&H Construction for $1,950 to replace ceiling tiles at J. C. Poole Memorial Library, that were damaged in a recent storm. The Commission had already repaired the library roof with insurance funds.
• Approved contract with the State of Alabama for clean-up at dump site on County Road 181; and also accepted state funding for clean-up of up to three other illegal dump sites.
•Approved travel for Assistant Engineer to attend a training class in March in Prattville, Alabama.
•Approved purchase of a full-page ad in the Greene County Democrat’s Black History issue.
•Tabled action on the Greene County Golf Course to gather more information.
The Commission also heard and accepted a financial report from CFO, Mac Underwood, in which he listed $8,610,648 in Citizens Trust Bank of which $4,189,591 is in unrestricted General Funds and $4,421,055 are in restricted funds for designated government purposes, like road and bridge repairs. He also reported $5,542,720 in Merchants and Farmers Bank, including $3,129,181 in unrestricted funds and $1,413,539 in restricted funds. This is a total of $14,153,366 in restricted and unrestricted funds available to the county government. There is also $894,166 in Bond Sinking Funds.
He also reported the expenditure of $1,769,202, in bills and claims paid for January 2024. Another $101,056 in electronic claims were paid during the same period. For the four months of the fiscal
year, October 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024, 68% of the budgeted funds are left to be utilized for expenditures this fiscal year, which is in line with proposed budget, for this point in the fiscal year.
County Commission Work Session
At the Greene County Commission’s monthly work session, held Wednesday, February 7, 2024, County Coroner, Ronald Kent Smith, presented his concern regarding his salary. Smith noted that a local Bill authorizing an increase in salary for the County Coroner was passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2020. The Bill scheduled the salary increase for the next election term. Smith was re-elected in 2022, expecting that his salary increase would go into effect at that time. To date, the Greene County Coroner has not received an increase in salary as designated in the 2020 Legislation. Smith also indicated he receives no travel compensation for transports to Montgomery. The Commission’s response was to take all this under advisement, referring the matter to the Alabama State Attorney General for an opinion on how to proceed.
The County’s Greenes Committee also addressed the Commission at this work session.relative to the Greene County Golf Course. Committee members James E. Morrow, Don Black, and Doug Bell alerted the Commission that the golf Course was in danger of closing within the next three weeks, due to lack of funds to continuing operating.
Morrow noted that the Golf Course was receiving Bingo resources until Sheriff Jonathan Benison cut off community distributions in May, 2023. Morrow indicated that there are no designated funds from the county for the Golf Course. “The county owns the Golf Course. It comes under county sponsored recreational activities, therefore the county should support it,” he stated.
The Greenes Committed stated that there are 22 members, contributing $40 per month, but it takes approximately $4,000 per month for utilities and upkeep.
Yolanda Flowers -GovernorWill Boyd – US SenatorWendell Major- Attorney GeneralPamela J. Laffitte- Secretary of StateCurtis Travis- State RepresentativeAnita L. Kelly- Alabama Supreme CourtYvette M. Richardson State Board of Education District No # 4Bobby Singleton – State Senator
By: John Zippert, Co-Publisher
In Greene County, and many places across the state, the Alabama New South Alliance (ANSA) and the Alabama Democratic Conference (ADC) are urging voters to vote a straight Democratic Party ticket in the November 8th General Election.
The state’s two major Black and progressive voter organizations are encouraging voters to color in the oval next to the Democratic Party, at the top of the ballot, and vote for all the statewide and local candidates on the Democratic Party slate.
Some of the candidates you will be voting for if you follow this advice are pictured in this article. “Many people do not know that we have Black candidates concerned about all the people running for statewide offices in Alabama,” said Lorenzo French, Chair of the Greene County Democratic Executive Committee.
Yolanda Flowers is running for Governor against incumbent Kay Ivey. Flowers, a retired educator, has a platform of more equitable policies in education, criminal justice, and healthcare than the current Governor. “All you need to know is that Flowers supports Medicaid Expansion and will sign for it as soon as she is in office,” said French.
In the U. S. Senate race, Dr Will Boyd is supported over Katie Britt for the seat being vacated by the retirement of Senator Richard Shelby. Boyd supports overturning the filibuster to allow for passage of voting rights, reproductive health care, and progressive economic policies in the Senate. Boyd and other statewide candidates will be in Greene County at the Renaissance Theater on Thursday, November 3rd, to rally for a strong voter turnout next Tuesday.
Other statewide candidates endorsed by ANSA and ADC include: Terri Sewell for U. S. House of Representatives, Wendell Majors for Attorney General, Pamela Laffite for Secretary of State, Anita L. Kelly for Supreme Court Justice, Place 5, Wendell Majors for Attorney General and Yvette M. Richardson for State School Board, District 4.
Also endorsed are Bobby Singleton, State Senate District 24 and Curtis Travis, State Representative District 72.
In Greene County, all local Democratic candidates for local office, chosen in the May primary, are endorsed for the November 8th General Election, including: Joe Benison for Sheriff, Greg Griggers for District Attorney, Ronald Kent Smith for Coroner; Garria Spencer, District 1, Tennyson Smith, District 2, Corey Cockrell District 3, Allen Turner District 4 and Roshanda Sommerville District 5 -Greene County Commission; Robert Davis, District 1 and Brandon Merriweather, District 2 for Greene County Board of Education.
Amendments
Also on the November 8th ballot is one referendum and ten amendments to be voted on by voters statewide. ANSA has given the following recommendations on the Amendments.
First, there is a referendum on the recompilation and removal of racist language from the Alabama Constitution. ANSA suggests voting “YES” on this proposal.
On the Amendments, ANSA suggests voting “NO” on Numbers 1, 3 and 4 and “YES” on the others: 2, 5, 6, 7. 8, 9 and 10.
Amendment 1, is based on Anaiah’s Law and would allow judges in Alabama to restrict bail for persons charged with felony crimes, including: Murder (other than capital murder), kidnapping, rape, sodomy, domestic violence, human trafficking, burglary, arson, and robbery, all in the 1st degree, as well as aggravated child abuse, sexual torture, and terrorism. ANSA feels this would limit the power of judges to use their discretion in setting bail, based on the specific circumstances of the case. ANSA recommends a “NO” vote because too many Back people are in jail now, with high bail requirements they cannot meet. Some have been incarcerated for years, without trail, because they cannot meet bail.
ANSA urges a “NO” vote on Amendments 3, because it requires the Governor to notify the families of victims before commuting the sentences of offenders; and Amendment 4, because it would not allow changes in election Laws within six months of an election, which limits changes required by emergencies like the recent pandemic.
ANSC urges a “YES” vote on Amendment 2 which would allow use of public funds from county and city government toward broadband; Amendment 5, which deals with “orphans’ business”, and I obsolete language; Amendment 6, would allow cities and towns that collect a special property tax to pay bonds or other debt service on public capital improvements.
Amendment 7 would clarify the authority of counties, cities, and towns to use public funds for economic development purposes. Amendments 8 and 9, apply locally to Shelby, Tuscaloosa, and Jefferson Counties for dealing with utility systems; Amendment 10, is a companion to the proposed recompiled Alabama Constitution of 2022. It would allow future amendments to the Alabama Constitution to be properly placed in the Constitution.
On Monday, April 22, 2019, the Town of Forkland received a $7,000 grant from the Tombigbee Resource, Conservation and Development district located in Tuscaloosa. The grant was to support the town’s adult education program. The program is primarily focused on providing seniors with computer training and other useful life skills to keep them involved and active in their community. “We have used these funds to provide laptop computers,training modules and screens and an instructor. We are serving over twenty students aged 63 to 83 who want to learn how to use computers and new technologies,” said Mayor Charlie McCalpine of Forkland.
Mayor McCalpine said that the Town of Forkland appreciated the support and matching funds from Tombigbee RC&D which made the senior learning program possible and successful.
Ms. Scheree Dasher, the class instructor indicated that, “When our seniors go to the doctor or Social Security office they are handed a computer tablet to sign in and many wanted to be able to handle these situations themselves. Others receive emails and other social media from their children, grandchildren, friends and other relatives which they also wanted to be able to read and answer.”
The classes are three days a week with computers and on other days, the group does exercises, puzzles, drawing and some classes with a nutritionist and other specialists.
Presenting the grant award to the Town of Forkland were Don Sherrod, Chair of the Tombigbee RC&D Board, who is also the Mayor of Pickensville and Bailey Sloan and Mckenzie Montgomery from the agency staff. Also attending the check presentation were: Tennyson Smith, Greene County Commission Chair, Probate Judge Rolanda Wedgeworth, Representative A. J. McCampbell, State Senator Bobby Singleton and others. The members of the class are gathered behind a large replica of the grant check.
County personnel view demonstration model of excavator equipment approved by Commission.
The Greene County Commission met in a specially called meeting, Monday, November 26, 2018 to handle some business matters that were not dealt with at the re-organizational meeting the prior week. The commissioners approved a request by County Engineer, Willie Branch, to purchase a mini excavator with mulcher attachment at a cost of approximately $126,000. According to Mr. Branch, this will replace the county’s Boom Mower. Branch indicated that he expects the equipment to arrive by the first of the year. Commission Chairperson, Tennyson Smith, issued committee assignments for each commissioner: Commissioner Lester Brown will chair the Education Committee; Commissioner Corey Cockrell will chair the Highway/Solid Waste Committee; Commissioner Roshanda Summerville will chair the Personnel Committee; Commissioner Allen Turner, Jr. will chair the Industry and Public Health Committee; and Commissioner Smith will chair the Finance/Public Safety Committee. In other business the Commission acted on the following: * Approved letter of support for Greene County Industrial Authority. * Approved Proclamation for World Aids Day, Dec. 1, 2018 for the Greene County * Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. * Approved replacement of HVAC unit at Activity Center ( Extension offices). * Approved ABC License for Tobacco Permit for Dollar General store in Clinton, AL. * Approved Dec. 31, 2018 as an additional county holiday for this year. * Approved 2019 county holiday schedule. * Approved Ratification of Chairman’s actions regarding resolution for Alabama Workers’ Compensation Self Insurers Fund. * Approved following employee travel request: Licensing Clerk to attend Licensing Conference in Prattville, Jan.16-17, 2019; CFO to attend Annual Governmental & Accounting Forum, Dec. 6-7, 2018 in Hoover, AL; CFO to attend Continuing Education in Bessemer, Dec. 11-12, 2018; H.R. Personnel to attend Legislative Conference, Dec. 4-6, 2018 in Montgomery; Board of Registrars to attend Registrar’s Conference Nov. 16 in Montgomery. The meeting was officially adjourned.
Greene County and West Alabama Works are hosting an AIDT Mobile Training Unit at Greene County High School/Greene County Career Center, located at 14223 U.S. Highway 11 South in Eutaw, Alabama.
The mobile unit will be available to community members for the next 3 months for the purposes of holding Ready-to-Work (RTW) job preparation classes, resume building, GED classes, computer classes, and C.N.A. certification.
A kick-off, open to the public, is to be held Tuesday, October 17, 2017 from 6-7:30 PM at the high school. The kick-off is designed to educate the community beyond high school and enable community members to qualify for available career opportunities.
The Region 3 Workforce Development Council, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, formed West Alabama Works to lead workforce development efforts throughout West Alabama. The regional workforce development system facilitates and implements a comprehensive, coordinated, seamless workforce development system for the region and supports workforce training activities
In the development of this mobile training unit, West Alabama Works is partnering with the University of West Alabama, Greene County Industrial Development Authority, Greene County Board of Education, Greene County Commission, Shelton State Community College, and AIDT to meet community needs. As Gary Nichols, Chairman of the West Alabama Works Steering Committee notes, “This will help individuals in the region prepare for new and existing job opportunities. We’re here to generate meaningful results.”
Tennyson Smith, Chair of the Greene County Commission said, “The Commission is pleased to support this workforce effort to provide greater employment opportunities to Greene County residents.”
Danny Cooper, Chair of the Greene County IDA, stated, “ We are very supportive of this West Alabama Works program which will assess the skills and qualifications of Greene County citizens. It will help them to better prepare for employment opportunities to be developed in our communities and for jobs that are currently available in our wider area.”
Area employers are looking to hire individuals who have successfully completed the Ready-to-Work curriculum, as it proves individuals have mastered essential soft skills for workplace success and have a skill level desirable to business and industry.
Donny Jones, Chief Operating Officer for the Chamber and Director of West Alabama Works commented, “Ready to Work programs are part of our efforts in connecting residents with high demand employment opportunities and training that will revitalize local communities. Not only will this assist people in becoming more employable, this project will enable us to fill workforce needs in rapidly advancing sectors.”
To pre-register, call 205-372-9974. Commitment to attend classes is required of participants.
