Budget Committee Meeting 25 Jan. 2011
This committee met this morning with the following members and substitutes Commissioners Adams, Howell, Brown, Campbell, Woodard, Jackson and Chairman Flacy.
Also at the table were the County Executive and the Financial Management Director.
The first item of discussion was the problem of dead animal disposal. After Griffin Industries closed the county entered into a contract with a local company to pick up and dispose of large dead animals. This contract was for six months at a cost of over $29,000.00 and was for the most part a means of giving the county some breathing room to decide what to do on a more permanent basis. To purchase an incinerator would cost over a hundred thousand dollars and would then have to be staffed at additional cost. It was reported that through discussions by commissioners in their districts the response has been about 70% opposed and 30% for continuing the service of disposal of dead animals. The Budget Committee without exception voted to recommend to the full commission that the county no longer provide, at taxpayer expense, the service of dead animal removal.
Mr. Sam Collins with the Historical Society made an impassioned plea for the county to pay for half the expense, $3500.00 the other half has already been paid by the city, of a heat/air unit for the area of Library Building where the Historical Society provides their services. He also reminded those present of some benefits provided by the Society and the fact that membership is open to anyone interested in county history and only cost $15.00 a year.
The vote to recommend this to the full commission was 4 to 3.
Mr. Whitt director of the rescue squad reported to the committee that he had $60,000.00 left in his budget but that he currently was experiencing problems with radio equipment being broken, a motor in an important vehicle was down and sub-par construction had resulted in one building's roof sweating and creating damage to the ceiling.
The Courthouse foundation is crumbling in some areas and must have an engineer inspection which will cost in the neighborhood of $2000.00.
One last item was the problem, the long time problem of the traffic light at highway 166. It is not working properly as many have observed. The cost to repair and adjust will be approximately $2500.00.
Also at the table were the County Executive and the Financial Management Director.
The first item of discussion was the problem of dead animal disposal. After Griffin Industries closed the county entered into a contract with a local company to pick up and dispose of large dead animals. This contract was for six months at a cost of over $29,000.00 and was for the most part a means of giving the county some breathing room to decide what to do on a more permanent basis. To purchase an incinerator would cost over a hundred thousand dollars and would then have to be staffed at additional cost. It was reported that through discussions by commissioners in their districts the response has been about 70% opposed and 30% for continuing the service of disposal of dead animals. The Budget Committee without exception voted to recommend to the full commission that the county no longer provide, at taxpayer expense, the service of dead animal removal.
Mr. Sam Collins with the Historical Society made an impassioned plea for the county to pay for half the expense, $3500.00 the other half has already been paid by the city, of a heat/air unit for the area of Library Building where the Historical Society provides their services. He also reminded those present of some benefits provided by the Society and the fact that membership is open to anyone interested in county history and only cost $15.00 a year.
The vote to recommend this to the full commission was 4 to 3.
Mr. Whitt director of the rescue squad reported to the committee that he had $60,000.00 left in his budget but that he currently was experiencing problems with radio equipment being broken, a motor in an important vehicle was down and sub-par construction had resulted in one building's roof sweating and creating damage to the ceiling.
The Courthouse foundation is crumbling in some areas and must have an engineer inspection which will cost in the neighborhood of $2000.00.
One last item was the problem, the long time problem of the traffic light at highway 166. It is not working properly as many have observed. The cost to repair and adjust will be approximately $2500.00.
posted by Allen Barrett | 8:13 PM
104 Comments:
Just one minor error:
Mr. Whitt is not the Ambulance Service Director unless he has moved from the Office of Emergency Management. Mr. Griggs is the AS Director.
I think you need to learn to read. The article says, "Mr. Whitt, the director of the rescue squad." You just had to try and make something wrong out of the topic.
OOOPS! Damn .... I guess I am human and I stand corrected.
Thanks 8:01
Good info Allen. Thank you!
Totally amazed at how fast 7:34 jumped at a chance to dig at WAB. Once again her efforts were "un-enabled" to touch the WABSTER.
Thank you for attending and reporting, Mr. Barrett. I for one am grateful that you're doing this; I wouldn't know where else to find this info, with this much detail. Please keep it up.
3:50 I agree 100%
I have spoken out many times against WAB. I have mentioned on this blog on several occasions that he could be an asset if he left all of the commentary out, and just reported. This is a very good subject, and it allows for open debate and healthy discussion. Nice job!
7:18
Excellent post. This is what I have been trying to say for a long time.
So WAB is supposed to report and not comment? Comment is only for everyone else?
WAB is not 'supposed' to do anything. We should be grateful he takes his own time to attend meetings then report the gist of the meetings on this blog, as we sure dont hear it from anywhere alse. Thanks WAB
2:14
I may sound skeptical, but I question barrett's motives for attending these meetings. Does he claim to be a reporter? Anyhow, that's another issue altogether. The point you were making for which I would agree is that he should simply report the facts (just the facts ma'am) and leave off the name-calling and sarcastic remarks. The sheer facts can be presented without stirring up trouble.
Did Barrett do anymore than report the facts in this thread? Did he call names? Did he make a sarcastic remark?
Just because he didn't make any smart aleck remarks or call names on this particular thread doesn't mean he hasn't done that on others.
Jan.26th 3:50
Ditto, will stated.
4:09 Aren't we suppose to forgive and forget when something changes.
If we can't forgive others, how can we expect God to forgive us?
6:19 You are simply missing the point: Mr Barrett is not 'supposed" to do anything nor should he "simply report the facts" if he chooses to do otherwise. Mr Barrett owns this blog and he can do whatever he pleases with it. If you dont like the way he runs it then just dont log on, but then you are so obsessed with Barrett you cant stop.
7:15 AMEN!!
7:15
You are right that this is barrett's blog and that he can run it any way he chooses. However, that doesn't give him the right to insult people and call names.
You charge that I am obsessed with barrett is a false statement. I have no desire whatsoever to be like him.
Question: If you guys didn't have me to criticize on this blog, what would you do? This so-called free speech forum would wither and die or you guys would start fighting among yourselves and calling each other the names you like to call those who disagree with whatever you are spewing. Laughable.
What's laughable is how you love being the center of attention.
I haven't seen Barrett calling anyone a name in a long time.
I thought you wanted this blog to die.
6:19 There are "no guys" interested in responding to you, however, when you start your usual crap then someone out there wont let you get away with it. If this blog required legitimate ID when posting on a subject then granted there might not be many as many posting but at least there would be sensible dialogue pro and con, posted by adults without the nasty name calling.
6:19 Stop posting and see if it withers and dies.
As long as the name-callers insult and call names I will respond when those attacks are directed at me.
Now, I suppose you must have the last word. When the name-calling stops, I will.
To 9:16 I guess you missed it when Mr. Barrett called commissioners "moral cowards"or how about when he called Mrs.Vansant a "habitual liar" and "Incompetant leader" and then calling someone "a lying brain dead parisite".That is just to name a few,then he flat out lies and says that it is not name calling ,he is just describing their actions.If you believe this Anti Christ you will believe anything
8:17
Well, I am the one he calls enabler, which is a lie. I have fiercely resented that name for quite awhile now.
I largely agree with you when you described wab's behavior, but I wouldn't venture so far as to call him an anti-Christ.
I am absolutely not an Allen Barret fan, but I have to agree with him that JVZ is an incompetent leader!
8:41
But you don't have to go along with this name-calling. Leave that to barrett and the two or three who follow him blindly.
8:54 Did 8:41 do any name calling?
I don't believe in name calling, but your post sounds like a broke record.
Ok some others do name calling also which they shouldn't.
I thought 8:17 was you but i was mistaken. I think you agree 8:17 went overboard.
I have just read this thread. None of my commissioners have said a word to anyone who lives near me about the disposal of dead animals nor whether the county should pay for it. I don't know where the percentages came from, but i would venture to guess that most Giles Countians were not quizzed about their opinion on this matter.
If we don't properly dispose of dead animals (farm animals), they will begin to appear in our creeks and along the roadside with the stench. There has to be a remedy to this situation. Those of us who live on rural farms could always drag the carcass to the back forty and let it rot or the buzzards feast on it.
9:11 I agree 100%. Farmers pay a lot of property tax as well taxes on operating expense.You would think the county would try to help them out on this. By not trying to assist the farmers in this, it puts a great hardship on farmers.
Farmers bring a bunch of revenue into Giles county: sale barn, Co-op, TSC, Giles Farm etc the list goes on and on. County needs to cut out some of these lay around do nothing jobs and get behind the farming industry by continuing to pay for dead animal pick-up.
If they don't do something about the dead animal pick up, I guess we will be known as the stinking county.
4:05
Perish the thought! That would make Giles County even more laughable than it already is thanks to all the belly-aching and griping.
If you heard the 6 o'clock news this evening you may have heard about Frentress county where the county mayor was caught on the community tape cussing a taxpayer then accusing the man of being part of a group always looking for county problems. County mayor is now having to apologise, Guess there are other counties besides Giles where a handful of citizens stand up and question their local government and rightly so. Good for them.
It's perfectly Ok to question government officials, but it's not acceptable to assume an arrogant role of name-calling and attacks. Is it?
Good for them.
If you call a crook a crook and prove it is that name calling are is that acceptable.
8:24 It wasnt the tax payer who called someone an ugly name it was the county mayor.
How do you people who post actually know who "Anonymous" is? I don't get it. Or do you just blame anyone for it if you disagree?
Dead animals on county roads should be picked up by county road department!!! They have the manpower and equipment, already being paid for time by taxpayers, (ie) property owners and farmers. PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!
3:42 Speasking with a farmer who lives in Alabama, he said thats exactly what they do. Call their district commissioner who in turn contacts the highway dept. and they take care of burying on the landowners property. Something so simple but why cant we do the same here.
Having county equipment come onto private property and then do unforeseen damage will cause the county even more. What happens when a gas line is dug up, a water line is broken or the equipment tears down part of the barn as it maneuvers near it? Just a thought.
Don't people check for water or gas lines before digging? Sounds like you think the county people couldn't see a barn.
What happen to the old tankage plant, was the equipment wore out. could the county not buy it and keep it working?
What can you do with dead animals?
What does other places do with dead animals. someone has checked Alabama, how about looking at other places.
8:57 You must not be a farmer. Mostly a cow dont die in a barn but if one did the farmer would drag it out ready for the county to bury.
The farmer always dragged the dead animal out where it could be picked up in years long ago. I'm not a farmer either, but knew that.
Stay on the subject..how hard is that? All you people do is whine about WAB. If you do not have anything to say about the subject at hand..then stop those fingers from typing..
5:29
If his supporters (all two or three of them...maybe less) would stop getting on here insulting and calling names, perhaps the subjects could be addressed. No, wait; insulting and name-calling may be the subject.
Was talking about dead animals part of the subject.
5:29 You just gave 5:35 something to write about, same old thing. I haven't seen any name calling or insults today until you posted,what I think was insults.
5:59 Read the topic. Dead animals are part of it.
Like the dead animals, it's time to bury them and this thread.
And this blog. Behold, it stinketh.
My mistake, I meant dead animals was part of this topic. And 5:35 was the one posting insults.
Signed 5:59
For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), there will be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil and vile practices.
______James 3:16
"I may sound skeptical, but I question barrett's motives for attending these meetings."
Why I'll just bet it's only to be a thorn in the side of those who don't agree with him. That's why he's known as a trouble maker!
So says the Enabler of EVIL.
"If you believe this Anti Christ you will believe anything"
Dear me! I do believe the "Enabler of Evil" is calling WAB her comrade in arms!
I suggest that the ole bag should practice what she preaches. LOL!!
4:55
First of all, there is no enabler of evil OR wrongdoing if you refer to me. That was and still is a lie told by one who ought to be ashamed.
Secondly, you made your post look like I wrote it. That too, is a lie.
Don't you guys ever tire of all this?
An enabler is one who allows such garbage as this to go on. Please stop it.
"Secondly, you made your post look like I wrote it. That too, is a lie.
Don't you guys ever tire of all this?"
See folks... Here is evidence she's crazy. She's posting to herself when no one will post back.
Hey Allen, I believe she's ready for the padded room. You might need to block her, before she hurts herself or someone else.
Now the enabler knows Barrett's motives for attending meetings. Must be that great education she was talking about that lets her see into the hearts of others, I sure hope that ain't judging since that would be a sin.
"I rarely seem to know what's best"
Enabler (Wednesday, February 02, 2011 8:19:00 PM)
11
;36
There is no enabler if you refer to me. The real enabler is the one who allows those like you to keep this stirred up.
Will the "REAL ENABLER" please stand up? Please stand up?
Great big ole LOL!
Stand up wab...take a bow.
How pathetic. You guys don't have anything else to talk about. And THAT is a great big LOL.
6:07 You just make it worse every time you post. They will come back at you everytime you post.
12:24
As will I as long as they keep telling that lie about me.
Now you people stop calling anonymous a liar. Cause everyone here knows who she is, and it's embarrassing for the ole bag!
After all she does have feelings.
For WAB!
9:48
I thought you guys wanted to talk about issues? It seems that all you want to do is stir up needless trouble and worry about my gender, which is, by the way, male.
Don't you have anything else to do? How is the promotion of a falsehood consistent with bettering our county?
"It seems that all you want to do is stir up needless trouble and worry about my gender, which is, by the way, male."
So says the "Church Lady/Stalker of WAB/Drama Queen/attack dog ENABLER.
Yeah "Whitt" we know your a real man.(LOL)
Your post are always drenched in testosterone. LAFF!
5:38
I see you've been over drinking more of the sour grapes wine. Such anger! How can that be healthy?
There is no enabler if you refer to me. That is a troublemaking lie started by one who ought to be condemning the telling of lies.
I thought you guys wanted to talk about issues? Or would you rather talk about my testosterone level?
Do you really have anything else?
5:38
Oh, and don't forget that if you can't answer a man's arguments, all is not lost. You can still call him vile names. Shame on you.
You haven't stated any arguments.
You never do!
You've simply pontificated and sneered at anything anyone says that offends your disingenuous sensibilities, while occasionally providing sweet little quotes from writers you admire in order to look well read, and elevate yourself above others.
Your reason for posting is as transparent as your motives, which are to get to Mr. Barrett. Be honest lady, your smitten with the man, and can't resist him no matter how hard you try to prove otherwise.
Please take your stalking elsewhere, because it's past ridiculous now, and frankly Mam: I'm not impressed with you one bit.
I suggest you seek professional help.
Seriously. Just do it!
8:00
If I appear to be well-read, it's simply because I am.
You keep suggesting that I am a female...WRONG! And the insinuation that I have some emotional attraction to allen barrett is outrageous. Why do you keep taking that cheap shot?
You suggest that I seek professional help? What a joke. YOU are the one who keeps this going, but I'll be your huckleberry as long as you do.
I thought you guys wanted to discuss issues? Do you? Or would you rather talk about my gender, job, testosterone level, and etc? Do you have anything else?
May be male, but post sure read like a woman. More of your post are off topic than on.
I am defending myself from the lie that was told on me. I'd like to see it stop too, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen anytime soon.
When it stops, so will I.
"Do you have anything else?"
Why honey you know I do!
LOL! I just love yankin your chain:
WOMAN!
Oh and PS- Happy Valentines day!
7:15
Well yank right away. I'll be your huckleberry.
Question. I thought you guys wanted to discuss issues. I would think that my gender, presumed place of employment, testosterone level, and etc. would not be very interesting to most readers. Perhaps that's why the biggest part of the dialogue here is between you and me. That speaks volumes about this blog.
It speaks volumes for you.
"I'll be your huckleberry."
Oh dear, isn't she precious?
Why she's just a big ole "huckleberry! How intense!
If this blog is so pointless, why pray tell are you even here sweetie? But then again: we already know the answer to that. In fact everyone knows that your stalking WAB.
7:49
If you're a male, I must confess that your reference to me as sweetie makes me quite nervous.
I thought you guys wanted to talk about issues? Is my gender, where I may work, and my testosterone level what you really want to discuss?
Do you have anything else?
Naw.
That pretty much covers it. Until you blast Barrett, or make another enabling post.
7:58
You just want drama, don't you?
There is no enabler if you refer to me. That is a lie told by one who ought to know better.
Do you have any issues to discuss or would you rather call names and make insults?
Well as long as your posting such mindless dribble and providing excuses for those in your inner circle; I'd just as soon issue you a few well deserved insults.
Apparently you enjoy answering them.
Seeing as to how you come in here and demand such. Such a glut for punishment you are!
12:17
I'll be here with my mindless dribble as long as I have to be. You just don't understand how deeply I am offended by the lie that was told on me by one who, oddly enough, ought to be standing against the spreading of lies.
Inner circle? No. I'm my own man, and I'm not afraid to stand up to all one or two of you. And as long as this goes on, I'll be here, the Lord willing, to call a lie exactly what it is. You see, I don't tolerate insults very well.
Could you tell me what issues you guys want to discuss? Do you have anything?
Well it seems the topic here was the budget maybe you could start there but then we already tried to start there and you hijacked the topic to whine about about "the lie" that you refuse are can not give evidence proving it is a lie. You see that in itself makes you an enabler by preventing discussion of the topic you enable the ignorance to continue.
Do they get bids on repairing the traffic lights?
9:12
No, the real enabler is the one who started that lie on me. When you stop pr0omoting the lie, I will be more than happy to sit quietly on the sidelines. But you don't want the drama to end, do you
Mr. Barrett, would you please delete all of the messages by the enabler. I get so sick and tired of reading her/his mess.
I noticed 9:40 asked a question, but the perfect one can't discuss it.
6:18
There is no enabler if you refer to me. That is a troublemaking lie started on me by one who ought to oppose lying as much as I do. So who is the real enabler? I'm trying to get it stopped.
Those who love "darkness" will always recoil from the light. These are the same people who call good evil and evil good.
6:57
Are you talking about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?
Who do you think?
Exactly!
If the courthouse foundation is crumbling, should this not be address soon to eliminate more expense later?
10:55 what are you talking about, The courthouse foundation is crumbling?
Get it fixed now!! GET IT FIXED NOW! We have the most beautiful old court House and needs to be kept up.
I'll be glad to pay wheel tax for that, but not to give raises, because SS didn't give us old people a raise.
I will pinch a few more pennies and leave off that extra cup of coffee for the courthouse.
Read next to last paragraph of topic.I am not sure I could support a wheel tax. Would much prefer to see county cut some of their spending. We older people have to cut pennies enough. We could have used an increase in SS.
11:22 I had rather see wheel tax than property, but afraid we are going to get both.
I don't want them to let the courthouse fall down. We need to preserve the past.
You are certainly right about us needing a raise in SS. We don't draw enough to get by anyway.
A wheel tax might be alright if there were some provisions added to it. Old farm trucks that never go to town should have an exclusion. Many farmers property tax already look like the national debt,so farmers could use a little slack to help them stay in business. Maybe they could put a wheel tax on 2 or 3 vehicles and exclude all others. There should also be a provision, that they could not be raised. At one time several years ago Bobby Lee proposed a plan I could support, but it failed.
I can see an old truck used around the farm only no wheel tax,but watch for it to come to town and vie a good fine.
If I had an old truck and only used it around the farm, I wouldn't even have a tag on it.
I've looked at the court house foundation, and I don't see any major problems there.
I think it'd be wise to have at least 3 engineering firms look at it, and get they're opinion before we commit to something unnessesary.
I find it strange in England lots of the buildings have been there 200 hundred years or more and still in good condition, but in the United States they just let them fall down.
That's because England watch and do any repairs before they get too bad.
The courthouse and Martin College is is the main attraction for Giles County.
IF any new taxes "HAVE" to be implemented, I'd rather it be a wheel tax. And I don't really care if they raise it every year or not. At least that way, everyone living here will have to pay something.
And if a wheel tax is implemented, then the rate increase should coincide with property rate increases. Also the rate for the wheel tax should have to be twice the rate increase of property taxes, when property taxes are increased.
How foolish 6:23 everyone is already paying something. Do you think those who rent don't have higher property taxes passed on to them in their rent? To approve a new tax that will be here forever and increase continually is just stupid.
Why not just stop the waste and excess spending? No one can afford any more taxes of fee increases,
10:25 I agree 100%.We do not need any tax all you want privileges given to our commissioners. They need to cut their spending of our government money like they would cut personal expenses when economy is bad.
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