The Jackson County Commission held its semimonthly meeting and work session on March 23, approving equipment purchases and road funding while also discussing several public works projects affecting local residents.
During the meeting, commissioners approved the purchase of a John Deere Z930M mower from TriGreen Equipment for the Jackson County Parks Department in the amount of $13,669.04.
In conjunction with the purchase, the commission also approved declaring the department’s oldest mower as surplus.
The commission then approved the FY2026 local roads program, which will cover approximately 96 miles of county roadways.
In addition, commissioners passed budget amendments related to the roads program and approved expenditures for both the FY2025 and FY2026 programs using Rebuild Alabama bond funds.
To support the funding structure, the commission approved transferring general fund money to reimburse both the three-cent gas tax fund and the gasoline tax fund for expenses tied to the FY2026 road program.
During the work session, commissioners turned their attention to ongoing and upcoming public works projects.
District 1 Commissioner Chris Gulley shared that he had received multiple calls from residents in the Rash area requesting striping along County Road 53.
After meeting with Public Works Director Jonathan Campbell, Gulley said the project would be relatively low-cost and cover about three miles. The item is expected to appear as new business at the next commission meeting.
The commission also discussed a construction agreement with the state for County Road 452. According to Campbell, the county is set to receive $220,000 in state funding with no local match required.
However, the county will be responsible for engineering, inspection, and construction oversight, including providing a professionally certified plan and material testing documentation.
A vote on that agreement is expected at the next meeting.
The final topic of discussion centered on concerns from residents in the Bridgeport area regarding heavy truck traffic tied to a local rock quarry.
Gulley said citizens have reported damage to County Road 74 and County Road 94.
To address the issue, Campbell proposed installing “No Thru Trucks” signage to limit traffic and reduce further road damage.
The next meeting of the Jackson County Commission is scheduled for April 13 at 5 p.m. at the Jackson County Courthouse.
