Voting technology helpful to visually impaired voters

The Dallas County commission addressed a packed agenda and an editorial regarding the Selma-Dallas County library during Monday's meeting.

The first item of business was a presentation by William Bowman, president of Visually Impaired People (VIP), an organization that works to provide services for the visually impaired. Bowman praised the commission for its support. "I want to thank you on behalf of all visually impaired people for purchasing voting equipment," for the visually impaired.Bowman presented each commission member with a certificate of appreciation.

He also presented a certificate to Brett Howard, Emergency Management Agency director for his work on a program to ensure that visually impaired persons will receive notification from the EMA when inclement weather threatens the area. Lastly, he presented certificates of appreciation to county commission office staff Sarah Freeman and Glenda Collins.

Bowman suggested the city of Selma was not as receptive to VIP as the county has been. "Y'all have done more for VIP than the city ever has," he said.In other philanthropic business, Sarah Harris, March of Dimes organizer, approached the county commission to announce the goals for this year's march. The march will be held on April 8 at 9 a.m. and start at Bloch Park Stadium.

Last year, Harris reported the group met its goal to raise $42,000 for the March of Dimes with 15 teams. This year 20 teams will work toward meeting a fund raising goal of $43,000.Johnny Jones, commission chairman, assured Harris the county would do all it could do to ensure they meet their goals.Commissioners approved a rent increase for the low-income Jim Minor Garden homes of $25 per month to cover an increase in the cost of operations.In other new business, the commission also confirmed and approved its backing of the new Home Rule Bill, which is a new law that will grant additional local authority to county governments to control nuisances in unincorporated areas.

These include junkyards, excessive weed growth, litter and rubbish, noise, pollution, unsanitary sewage and animal control, according to Gov. Bob Riley's press office. The home rule law does not grant authority to counties to levy taxes or establish a planning and zoning program. More information on the self-governance law and how it affects county government can be found by logging on to www.selfgov.net.A recent letter to the editor that ran in The Selma Times-Journal made a surprise appearance on Monday's agenda.

Jones indicted he was distressed by a "gross" misrepresentation of the facts. He said the letter claimed the county commission had voted on granting additional funding to pay for the library utility bill, which has been in arrears for several months. In addition, the letter plays the race card and claims the vote was 3-2, with the two black commissioners, Connell Towns and Curtis Williams, voting for granting funding from county coffers.

Jones stressed that this allegation is not true and that the commission had decided unanimously that it could not provide any additional funding beyond the $115,000 it has already provided for the library."This commission has been very up front with the library and told them what we could do," emphasized Jones.Commissioner Kim Ballard agreed that the accusations were bogus and that race doesn't dictate its votes. He indicated that minutes from meetings over the past eight years would prove the commissioners aren't divided. "I don't ever recall us voting along racial lines," he said.Jones also pointed out that several road projects and other items that have cost the county more than anticipated has caused the county's budget to drift into the red.

While a tightening of the budget, suggested Nancy Wilson, county financial director, is likely in order, the county also needs to recoup some funds that went awry. Wilson indicated that beer taxes to the tune of $51,175.86 were paid to the Town of Valley Grande when it should have gone to county coffers. Wilson asked the commissioners how the county should go about collecting the misdirected funds.Commissioner Roy Moore explained that the county attorney should discuss it with Bama Budweiser, the company that misdirected the funds and that it would be up to them to rectify redirecting the taxes.

"They (Bama Budweiser) need to collect and correct the error that was made," he said.While the county has several road projects in the works, its engineering team is one man down. The county inspector recently had some serious surgery and is expected to be out on extended medical leave while he recovers. George Jones, county engineer, approached the commission to request authorization for him to use "on call" consultants that are currently available through the Alabama Department of Transportation at no cost to the county.

The consultant would fill in for the county inspector. The commission approved his request.