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The Chilton County Commission is in the midst of the budgeting process and heard from both the Chilton/Clanton Public Library and Senior Connection about funding requests for the next fiscal year during its Aug. 13 meeting.

Library director Savannah Kitchens provided the commissioners with a report with the highlights that had taken place at the library within the past year to this point.

Some of the highlights that Kitchens focused on were that the library received eight grants and had a circulation increase for the first time in five years. The statistics include the Clanton, Jemison and Maplesville branches.

“We think this shows that we have brought value to our residents,” Kitchens said.

Kitchens asked for an increase of $15,000 to hire another employee in order to extend its hours to accommodate people getting home from work.

If the increase was added, it would raise the library’s budget to $56,455.40.

The library is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. It is closed Saturday and Sunday.

It is located at 100 First Ave. in Clanton.

Commission chairman Allen Caton said that the request will be taken into consideration when devising the next budget.

Senior Connection director Vanessa McKinney also requested funding for the organization which offers opportunities and promotes initiatives for seniors.

McKinney asked for help, but did not present an exact amount.

According to McKinney, Senior Connection has roughly 620 members.

Thorsby FFA’s state champion teams were also recognized by the Commission during the meeting. Members of the meat, nursery/landscape and envirothon were each on hand.

In other news from the meeting:

• County engineer Tony Wearren was granted permission to declare a 1998 Komatsu trackhoe as surplus and sold in auction.
• Wearren was also granted permission to purchase one service truck with a crane off the state bid list due to safety concerns brought about by the age of the current truck. The cost is $48,000 and is in the budget.
• The road department reclassified four employees with two truck drivers becoming operators and two laborers going to an operator position.
• The commission granted permission for Wearren to purchase a 15-foot rotary cutter off the state bid list. The cost is $12,000 and is in the budget.
• The Commission approved to have Quality Acoustical and Drywall to install new ceiling and lights in the probate judge’s office and the record retention room. The cost is $7,127.
• Wearren will begin taking bids on a LED lighting system for the jail.
• The Commission approved the pending renewal of the ES&S voting machine maintenance contract.
• Discussion about moving the property tax sale redemptions from the tax collector’s office back to the probate office was tabled.
• The Sheriff’s Office hired Joseph Smitherman as a part-time deputy.
• The Commission granted allowing Sherriff’s Office employees to donate leave time to Billy Wayne Fulmer.
• The Parks and Recreation department has been approved for a ADECA grant to go with a grant from CAWACO.
• Chilton County Transit was granted permission to hire Jacob Davenport and Kaneria Hudson as full-time drivers and Brandewent Dickerson as a part-time driver.
• A budget work session was scheduled for Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. at the courthouse.
• Terri Connell was named to the hospital board.
• Monica Cooper was named to the Industrial Development Board.
• It was approved that fellow coworkers of Jenny Summerlin in the tax collector’s office could donate their time to her.
• The Commission passed a line item to transfer $44,000 to cover the renovations to the district attorney’s office and 911.
• An executive session was held regarding the pending lawsuit Baugh Ford has filed contesting an appraised property value.
• The commission approved the minutes from the July 23 meeting. Commissioner Jimmie Hardee abstained due to not being at the meeting.
• The commission approved to pay its bills.