From Tribune Staff Reports
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala — The Jefferson County Commission met Thursday, Oct. 23, in Judge Reginald J. Hambright Hobdy’s courtroom in Bessemer, approving a series of economic, transportation, and community funding measures. A recording of the meeting will be archived at JCCAL.org for public viewing.
Commissioners voted to approve a 10-year statutory tax abatement for Absorb Tech, a 100-year-old industrial services company establishing its first Alabama location. The project includes construction of a 50,000-square-foot production and processing facility on a 7.5-acre site in the JeffMet McCalla Industrial Park. County officials said the development is expected to create approximately 36 jobs with an average hourly wage of $29.38.
Senior citizens across Jefferson County will also see expanded transportation opportunities in the coming year. The Commission approved a $401,000 agreement with ClasTran to continue transportation services to and from area senior centers, including a bank of 50 group field trips that will be allocated through Jefferson County Senior Services. The agreement additionally allows ClasTran to use $300,137 of the allocation as a local non-federal match under the 5310 Rural Area Public Transportation program.
Commissioners also approved a resolution authorizing the District Attorney for the Bessemer Division to complete and submit a grant application to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) for funding through the Violence Against Women Act. The application will be submitted on behalf of the Jefferson County Commission.
In other business, the Commission renewed its livestreaming agreement with Granicus for both Commission and Planning and Zoning meetings. The renewal will also support the addition of closed captioning to livestreams in the coming year.
District fund grants were awarded in Districts 2 and 4. District 2 Commissioner Sheila Tyson allocated community grant funding to the following: $25,000 to Exposure Community Development Corporation for its musical programs honoring military veterans; $20,000 each to the Exeter-Fairfax Senior Center, Mt. Olive Senior and Community Center, Fairfield Senior Center, and Shepherd Center East.
District 4 Commissioner Joe Knight awarded $75,000 to Crime Stoppers, $150,000 to the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, $50,000 in support of the 2025 Birmingham Bowl, $200,000 to the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority for CCTV network enhancements, and $25,000 to the National Veterans Day Foundation for the 2025 Veterans Day Parade.
