The Walker County Board of Commissioners handled several routine but required items during its first meeting of the new year, including the election of a vice chair, changes to its meeting schedule and setting qualifying fees for the 2026 election cycle.
Commissioners unanimously voted to reappoint District 2 Commissioner Mark Askew as vice chair for 2026. Askew has previously served in the role in 2021, 2024 and 2025. As vice chair, Askew presides over board meetings in the absence of Chairwoman Angie Teems.
The board also approved a revised meeting schedule, shifting the start time of its regular monthly meetings from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., beginning with the March meeting. The change was delayed until March due to previously advertised planning and zoning items scheduled for February.
Board meetings will continue to be held on the first Thursday of each month, with the exception of July, when the meeting date is adjusted because of the Independence Day holiday. Meetings are held at Courthouse Annex IV, located at 201 South Duke Street in LaFayette.
In other required business, commissioners set qualifying fees for county offices that will appear on the ballot during the 2026 general primary and general election. Qualifying fees are set at three percent of the minimum salary for each office.
Seats up for election include Districts 1 and 2 on the Walker County Board of Commissioners, along with Districts 2 and 3 on the Walker County Board of Education. The qualifying fee to run for a Board of Commissioners seat is $592.80, while the fee to run for the Board of Education is $36.00.
Candidate qualifying for county offices will open at 9 a.m. on March 2, 2026, and will close at noon on March 6.
Beyond the required actions, the board also voted to extend the county’s ambulance service contract with CHI Memorial Hospital EMS for one additional year, awarded a contract for interior renovations at Walker County Fire Station 4 in Hinkle, adopted a revised procurement policy, and made several committee appointments.