Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
The Autauga County Commission held their first regularly scheduled meeting for the month of May Tuesday evening, where commissioner Bill Tatum was absent from the May 7th meeting.
The Commissioners approved the Autauga County Sheriff’s department to go ahead with an application to the Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. While Autauga County Sheriff Mark Harrel was not at Tuesday evening’s meeting, Autauga County Jail Warden Larry Nixon represented Harrel at the meeting.
The Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program reimburses up to 50% of the costs of the bulletproof vests for full time deputies. Nixon confirmed that the vests within the department are due for an upgrade in the near future.
The funding for this program comes from The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). According to their website, since 1999, over 13,000 jurisdictions have participated in the BVP Program, with a total of $573 million in federal funds for the purchase of over 1.5 million body armor vests.
The program reimburses states, units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribes, for up to 50 percent of the cost of body armor vests purchased for law enforcement officers.
The commission approved the appropriation of $5,000 to the Autauga County Sewer Authority for maintenance as well as the approval of amending the county transportation plan to add repairs to Culvert Bridge on County Road 68.
At the beginning of the meeting members of the public addressed the Commission in the public comment portion of the meeting. George Walthall, a member of PALS, People Against a Littered State, addressed the commission and thanked them for their unwavering support. Walthall also stated that at the last PALS event, the group had picked up over 600 lbs. of trash on Old Kingston Road.
Two members of Read Freely Alabama also addressed the Commission regarding the ongoing battle with the Prattville-Autauga Library Board. Christina Garner and Jackie Nix both addressed the Commission, urging them to take action with the alleged lack of transparency that has slowly put Prattville into the national spotlight.
In closing, commissioner Larry Stoudemire asked the public to keep the Jones family in their prayers in light of Frank Jones passing this week. Stoudemire stated services in the form of public visitation to the family will be held Friday, May 10 from 2-7 p.m. at Davis Funeral Home Chapel.
