By Gary Lloyd
JEFFERSON COUNTY — Clay City Manager Ronnie Dixon said he’s “appalled” that the Jefferson County Commission considered and approved reinstating a discretionary fund for commissioners.
The commission voted 3-2 last week in favor of the 2015 fiscal year budget, which included a $250,000 discretionary fund. Each commissioner will get to spend $50,000 in his or her district.
“If they have $250,000 extra lying around, we want our money back for the paving of a county road, Old Springville,” Dixon said in an email.
Dixon applauded Commissioner Joe Knight “for taking a stand against this slush fund.” Knight voted against the budget because of the discretionary fund. Commissioner George Bowman also voted against the budget.
“I guess the western side of the county must be better of than we in the northeastern sections, since Clay and Trussville have to maintain county roads,” Dixon said. “A much better use of 0,000 would be to put some Roads and Transportation employees back to work. Tracy Pate and the administrators of Roads and Transportation are doing what they can with what they’re given but they need at least 50 more employees county wide.”
Knight called the discretionary fund “regressive,” referring to past commissions that had much trouble with the concept, ending up with some commissioners, like Larry Langford, in jail. Knight said the money is in a capital fund called “Community Development.”
“What I told (the commissioners) is it’s going back to the old ways,” Knight said. “I just think it sends the wrong message.”
Knight said his potential plans for the ,000 for District 4 — which includes Clay, Pinson, Trussville, Grayson Valley, Palmerdale, Gardendale, Morris, Kimberly, Warrior, County Line, Trafford, and parts of Center Point, Irondale, Tarrant, and Birmingham — would be to put the money back in the general fund or look into the possibility of investing toward a tornado shelter for a community. Knight didn’t name a specific community, but did say several cities need them and some have expressed interest.
“That’s the only thing I would consider at this point,” Knight said.
Knight said he thinks the county should address its infrastructure first, like taking care of roads that need improvement. He said then, when everything that needs fixing is fixed, should the commission look at the possibility of discretionary money.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.