Stanley Matthews, who first approached Walker County Commissioners In January regarding the Enabling Act and what appeared to be a newly created position in the county, returned to speak to Walker Commissioners for the February 8 meeting. Matthews said he had received documents he had requested from the county regarding the hiring of the Executive Administrative Assistant. Matthews apologized for not having had a lot of time to go through the documents and said that some he was not really understanding, but that from the documents he did understand were telling a different story than the commission’s answers had.
“Everything I asked you appears to be untrue,” Matthews said.
Matthews said he had been assured she completed the orientation process before she began work, that the job had been posted, had been budgeted for, and that Human Resources was involved. Matthews said none of that was true and read from various emails and other documents showing she was already working and attending meetings or events with the County Chair before all of her orientation was completed.
“This concerns me because it doesn’t seem to bother you to misrepresent these facts,” Matthews said.
Commission Chair Shannon Whitfield responded to Matthews by saying Matthews did not have everything and that he would provide Matthews the additional information he needed.
Commissioner Mark Askew asked why, if Matthews did a records request, did Matthews not have everything. It was explained that Matthews asked for specific records which did not include documents Chairman Whitfield had. Askew said he understood that, but wanted to know why there were documents that showed different information.
“….but we shouldn’t have any that are contradictory,” Askew said of the records regarding the hiring and orientation of the county’s Executive Administrative Assistant. “I don’t want to see two sets of paperwork.”
The conditional use variance requested by Jennifer Testa during the January 25 Commission meeting and tabled by Commissioners was approved during February meeting. Testa spoke to Commissioners and said the property, Rock Spring Resort, was only requesting the variance for the three RV’s which had a conditional use variance in place by the former property owner. Testa said their neighbors were fine with the RV’s and natural barriers currently in place. Askew said he had visited the property and spoke with the neighbors and agreed that they were all in agreement for the property to have the variance for the three current RV’s.
Walker Commissioners also approved the purchase of Kalmar Ottawa T-2 truck to replace the current truck in use to haul trailers at the county’s landfill. The current truck is a 1989 model and they are having to manufacture parts as ot breaks down. The 1989 truck will be good to use as a replacement truck when needed, but not for every day use. The new vehicle will be purchased from the lowest bidder of LiftOne, LLC for a cost of $136,670.
A contract for landfill services with Atlantic Coastal Consultants, LLC and a Resolution for Walker to act as the fiduciary agent for Lookout Mountain Judicial Court (LMJC) Circuit with a $1,702,543 grant awarded to LMJC to use in upgrading their audiovisual systems were approved as well.
Watch the full meeting below:
