County Wraps Up Impressive Fiscal Year Despite COVID-19 Challenges
Photo by Al Blanton
Though the year 2020 brought unanticipated changes and challenges, local administrators were proud of the work accomplished in Walker County and the way county employees worked together throughout a worldwide pandemic.
“We were able to meet a lot of our goals this year,” said County Administrator Robbie Dickerson. “And seeing all of our people come together was wonderful.”
At a work session on Tuesday, the Walker County Commission outlined several of the year’s accomplishments and began to look toward fiscal year 2021. Some of these accomplishments include:
New roof installed on the Walker County Courthouse
Mold and water remediation in basement of the Walker County Courthouse
Purchase of 2 new trucks and maintenance of trucks for Walker County Solid Waste Department
Repair of roof on Walker County Probate Judge’s office
At a work session on Tuesday, the Walker County Commission outlined several of the year’s accomplishments and began to look toward fiscal year 2021. Some of these accomplishments include:
New roof installed on the Walker County Courthouse
Mold and water remediation in basement of the Walker County Courthouse
Purchase of 2 new trucks and maintenance of trucks for Walker County Solid Waste Department
Repair of roof on Walker County Probate Judge’s office
Refurbishment of Walker County Jail (3-year project)
1. New locks and cameras installed
2. Recently approval of a body scanner, new software, and 17 new HVAC units.
– COVID-19
1. With use of funds from the CARES Act, safety partitions were installed in county buildings. In addition, the county placed signage, cleaning stations, sanitizer, and social distance markers in county buildings, as well as implemented a fogging system.
2. Expansion of PO System and scanning to 95 percent of county offices.
3. During the closures for the pandemic, the Commission did not have to vote on layoffs or budget cuts. “We kept hearing struggles from other counties, but we did not have to vote on layoffs or budget cuts here in Walker County,” said Dickerson. “Our goal was to keep employment level the same, and we did.”
– Approved Walker County Community Action Agency as lead transportation agency in the county.
– Road Work and Repairs
1. Approved grant for repairing and rerouting water line in Providence Community at Brown’s Bridge (District 3)
2. Nauvoo Road widening and resurfacing (District 2)
3. Asphalt treatment for Fall City Road (District 1)
4. Gardner’s Gin Road (District 3)
5. Surface treatments planned for the following roads: Baughn Road, Lamon Chapel Road, Whittemore Road, Bird Farm Road, Homestead Road, Trinity Road, and Coalbed Road.
6. Re-paving Bryan Road from Hwy 78 to Pineview Landfill (District 4).
The next meeting of the Walker County Commission will be held on Monday, September 21, 2020, when the Commission will vote on a budget for FY2021.