Vest Inaugurated President of ACCA Board of Directors
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Morgan county commission September 2020 Volume 8 No. 4 COVID-19 Commission working Safety procedures on 2021 fiscal budget implemented at Chairman pleased with bond savings courthouse appear The Morgan County Commission con- ducted budget hear- ings with elected offi- to be effective cials and department heads last month to By Sheryl Marsh prepare a budget for Communications Director the 2021 fiscal year. County government offices are running The commission ex- efficiently, and steps taken to keep em- pects to have a budget ployees and the public safe during Henry County Probate Judge David Money, right, outgoing president of ready to adopt before COVID-19 have been effective. the end of the current the ACCA Board of Directors, passes the gavel to District 2 Commissioner Long Visitors to the courthouse appear to fiscal year on Sept. 30th. Randy Vest to begin his term as president of the board. have adjusted to a new environment at Meanwhile, Chairman Ray Long reports the facility. a huge savings from a recent financial “We don’t have people waiting in hall- transaction. ways like in the past because they are following instructions of signs we’ve Vest inaugurated Please see Savings, page 5 stationed throughout the building and everyone is wearing a mask,” said Com- mission Chairman Ray Long. The hand president of ACCA sanitizing stations we have throughout inside the building are being used and it’s evi- denced by the number of times we have Election officials prepare for to re-fill them. Our employees are stay- Board of Directors Nov. 3rd ing healthy and therefore those who come to the courthouse don’t have to General worry about contracting COVID-19. By Sheryl Marsh ACCA Convention, which was vir- Election We’re just looking forward to the day Communications Director tual in all 67 counties with only the disease goes away.” District 2 Commissioner Randy one day of in-person activity. Page 5 License Commissioner Sharon Max- Vest gave a moving speech, chal- Before passing the gavel to Vest, well, whose office has consistent traffic lenging his colleagues to join him outgoing president David Money, in doing their best as leaders of who is probate judge in Henry on a daily basis, says her plan to deal Archives to unveil with social distancing is working. the Association of County Com- County and serves as chairman of “Our office seems to be running pretty missions of Alabama Board of the county commission, praised “Morgan County becomes of Age” smooth. We are still holding customers Directors. Vest’s character. Vest became president of the Page 7 Please see Safety, page 2 board during the annual 92nd Please see Vest, page 2 2- The Voice of Morgan County September 2020 cessed after 3:30 p.m. in either of the online at: www.easytagal.com. A $10 mit) removed and Class D added. offices.” fee is charged by the software compa- “This feature became available in our Safety In addition, Maxwell reminds resi- ny for this service. Also, driver’s li- office in January,” said Maxwell. “If dents that they may use online ser- cense renewals for customers who do the student tested and passed in 2019 Continued from page 1 vices in lieu of coming to the office. not have any changes and just need to they will need to go to the state exam- To renew online go to: renew their license can renew online iners office to have the “Y” removed outside when we have reached our limit www.altagrenewals.com/morgan. at: www.alea.gov. Customers who and Class D added.” on numbers inside,” Maxwell said. “They may also sign and mail their want STAR ID driver’s license will All county operations have adjusted “Overall, people are following safety prac- tag renewal notices in the enclosed have to go to the state examiners of- to the new normal. tices set in place. I’d just like to remind envelope and have their tags mailed fice on the first floor of the court- “We have good employees and our customers of our change in hours. The to them. There are no extra fees for house. Our office is not able to pro- residents are great when they come to courthouse and Hartselle offices are open using the services at this time. Cus- cess STAR ID.” the courthouse. Anyone who shows from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through tomers who purchase a vehicle from Students who took and passed the up without a mask, will receive one Friday; and the Lacey’s Spring office is an Alabama automobile dealership, road test at school in 2020 may go to before going through security. We open Monday through Thursday from 6 where the dealer processes a title ap- Maxwell’s office on the second floor to have someone there to pass out a.m. until 4 p.m. Titles will not be pro- plication may register the vehicle have the “Y” restriction (learner’s per- masks,” Long said. Vest Jury trials set Continued from page 1 for September “In all the 72 years of my life I have never met a finer man,” said Money. DA, judges ready for work “He’s a man of integrity and honesty. “ Vest humbly accepted the gavel from By Sheryl Marsh Money and delivered his inaugural ad- Communications Director dress. After a total shutdown due to COVID- 19, Morgan County jury trials are ex- “I pledge to you that to the best of my th ability I will do my part in what I’ve pected to restart Sept 14 with a capital been given to energize and to improve murder case, according to District Attor- the quality of life in Alabama counties,” ney Scott Anderson. Vest told other members of the board. “This is the first day the Alabama Su- “And, I am going to play well the part I preme Court has set for anybody in the am given and I need you to play well the state to conduct jury trials and we intend part you are given whatever that part to start that day,” Anderson said. may be.” A specially set trial for Roger Dale Ste- He reflected on the time when he first vens, accused of the 2015 murder of his entered office in 2010 and how he was ex-wife, is scheduled for the re-opening determined to stop a turnover trend that date. Stevens allegedly killed his former plagued the District 2 commissioner’s wife Kay at Corner Bakery, which she seat. He said he was approached by oth- owned in Southeast Decatur. er officials in the organization to get in- Judicial officials will follow state guide- volved in leadership. He said he told District 2 Commissioner Randy Vest delivers his inauguration speech lines throughout the proceeding. “We will start qualifying jurors, a pro- them of the turnover and he knew he after becoming president of the Association of County Commissions of had to get re-elected. cess that usually takes about half of a Alabama Board of Directors during the organization’s 92nd annual con- He said the voters found him to be fit day, but due to the coronavirus it will to hold office and re-elected him in vention on Aug. 20th. take approximately two days,” Anderson 2014. explained. The reason for the lengthy After re-election Vest said: “I got in the time frame is because we’ll have to bring game.” ball were not held. The number of Board. jurors into the courtroom in panels of Vest said his mother taught him about officials was limited to create room 90. We have summoned 360 potential serving early in life and his goal is to for social distancing in the meeting As president Vest will preside over jurors, although we don’t anticipate that serve the people in the position that’s room. board meetings and perform vari- all will show up, which is always the been entrusted to him. Currently, Vest is serving his third ous administrative duties. He will case.” “There’s much work to do,” he said of term in office. play a major role in legislative bills Circuit Judge Jennifer Howell will pre- the year that he will serve as president “Randy does a great job as com- presented to the state Legislature. side over Stevens’ capital murder case. of the board. missioner of District 2 and he “He’ll do a great job,” Long said. Other specially set cases include one th Due to COVID-19 the convention serves the public with a mind of Vest will pass the gavel to a succes- against Lisa Lesher on Sept. 28 in could not be held at Perdido Beach and service,” said Chairman Ray Long, sor at the 93rd convention in August many activities, including an inaugural who is a past president of the ACCA 2021. Pease see Trials, page 4 September 2020 September 2020 The Voice of Morgan County –3 Senior centers still closed, hot meals served curbside By Sheryl Marsh the number of cases in the Commission on Aging contin- We have hand sanitizer sta- sanitized at all times. Communications Director county and eventually stop the ue to serve meals to them tioned throughout the parks “Sanitization is a key element Due to the impact of COVID- spread,” said County Commis- through curbside and delivery and we sanitize restrooms in helping to fight the corona- 19, Morgan County senior citi- sion Chairman Ray Long. “All to their homes.” every 30 to 45 minutes. Those virus, especially in our senior zen centers’ reopening is am- of our departments in the Re-opening county parks was who work concession stands citizen centers.