Lauren Estes

Hatselle Enquirer

A long time employee of Morgan County turned in his retirement notice to the County Commission after working with the group nearly 28 years.

Morgan County Attorney William “Bill” Shinn Jr. provided the Commission with the letter stating, “He would retire from the practice of law effective Jan. 1, 2017.”

Shinn was a part of Harris, Caddell and Shanks, P.C. where Julian Harris preceded Shinn as the county attorney.

Shinn arranged for other members of Harris, Caddell and Shanks to assume and perform any legal work that would arise in the future. Shinn also recommended David Langston to succeed him as county attorney.

Chairman Ray Long read the letter aloud during the commission meeting and said, “he has been much more than attorney, he has been my friend since I have been here,” Long said.

Long said Langston had been filling in for Shinn over the past two months as county attorney and he feels like that would be the best candidate for the job.

“I’ll be recommending him to take the position of county attorney at the next county commission meeting, he knows the position and has been filling in at the meetings,” Long said. “We will have to vote on the matter, but we should announce be able to announce something during our next meeting.”

In other business the council:

•Adopted a resolution authorizing Johnny Howell, Environmental Services Director, to purchase from Otto Environmental, under the HGAC purchasing cooperative, nine hundred and twelve (912) 95 gallon Edge Carts at the total cost of $40,104.00

•Adopted a resolution authorizing Mark Palmer, Animal Control Director, to purchase three (3) Kenwood Tk5430 radios at the cost of $3,495.00.

•Adopted a resolution authorizing the appropriate Elected official/department head to fill the following positions.: Park superintendent Grade 8 $17.61- 22.97- Parks and Recreation; and Clerk I, grade 3 ($11.41-$14.85.)

•Adopted a resolution authorizing Amanda Scott, Revenue Commissioner to eliminate one Mapper I position and create and fill one mapper II position, grade 7 ($16.37-$21.36.)

•Adopted a resolution amending the job description for parks and recreation superintendent.

•Adopted a resolution authorizing the chairman to execute the District Office Lease Amendment and attachment with the U.S. House of Representatives Mo Brooks to lease office space at the Morgan County Courthouse with no monthly fee, effective Jan. 3, 2017 through Jan. 2, 2019.

•Adopted a resolution authorizing the chairman to execute the amended agreement with Tyler Technologies at the cost of $2,550.

•Adopted a resolution authorizing the Sheriff’s Department to upgrade the Wave Security System at the total cost of $3,247.00 at the Morgan County Courthouse.

•Adopted a resolution authorizing the chairman to purchase one hundred and forty-eight (148) mattresses for the new jail at the total cost of $5,772.

•Adopted a resolution authorizing the appointment of the following Board Members:

NARCOG Board

•Ray Long, Greg Abercrombie, Tab Bowling and Melvin Duran- All Four year terms beginning Jan. 24, 2017.

Decatur–Morgan Hospital Board

•Nicholas Roth- Six year term beginning Jan 25. 2017.

•Adopted a resolution in support of the A-TRIP -2 Bond issue.

•Review and approved invoices totaling $585,304.99 for Morgan County.