By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL / Staff Writer

The Jemison City Council introduced and unanimously approved a resolution on Oct. 16 to the new fiscal year budget for a population-based salary division.

The Chilton County Economic Development Board proposed the population-based salary for each Chilton County municipality.

“As you know, the county is in a growth spurt at this time, and any group that’s willing to work to bring economic development to this county will benefit everybody,” Mayor Eddie Reed said.

Reed said Jemison might be the last municipality “on board” for the resolution.

“I’m glad to see it,” Reed said. “It’s long overdue. It should’ve already been in place.”

“Whereas, based on the 2016 census bureau data, the City of Jemison’s contribution is 6 percent, for a total cost to the City of Jemison of $7,441.46, for a grand total of $125,000 countywide,” the resolution read, according to City Clerk Sylvia Singleton.

The cost includes the city’s participation and hiring of a Chilton County economic developer.

Reed said he and Singleton will determine which budgeted funds can support the resolution.

Van Forrester of the Industrial Development Board said most municipalities include the resolution in the following years’ budgets, but doing so is optional.

Amendments to the resolution can be made each year as city population fluctuates, thereby impacting salary amount.

Councilman George Brasher advised the council to refrain from committing to annual inclusion of the resolution until the end of the fiscal year, when the following fiscal year can be properly assessed for financial feasibility of the resolution.

The council approved the resolution for the current fiscal year.

“We want to be a part of Chilton County’s growth,” Reed said. “We need to be part of being a part for something that’s going to do good for the people of Chilton County, not just Jemison only, but for the entire county.”