The Chilton County Commission voted Monday to not close a portion of County Road 441 after hearing several residents speak against the road closure.

A public hearing was held after Keith Brooks requested permission from commissioners to advertise for the closure of County Road 441 during the Dec. 22, 2014 meeting.

It is typically the policy of commissioners to not close a road if anyone comes to the meeting and expresses opposition.

Several individuals spoke out against the closure of the road citing problems they would face if the road were to be closed.

One individual said if the road was closed, it would prevent emergency medical crews from being able to easily access his home with his daughter who is bedridden.

“I have been in support of closing some of these roads in our county because we have so many we can’t maintain,” Parnell said. “When we do have a road that has a situation of life and death, then that is a road we should leave open. We have a lot of roads in this county that don’t go anywhere, but when you have someone who has a life and death situation, I am in favor of keeping the road open.”

Commissioners unanimously voted to not close the road.

Resident Nikki Henley addressed commissioners about County Road 185 and County Road 170.

Henley told commissioners about the rough road conditions she faces when she drives to and from work each day.

“I take that road to go to work on a daily basis,” Henley said. “I recently had to spend $1,500 on my car’s suspension and tires since living on this road.”

Henley requested the roads be fixed and asked if weight restrictions might be imposed on the road.

“I pay my taxes, and I don’t want to be putting that kind of money in my vehicle,” Henley said.

Commission Chairman Allen Caton told Henley he would look at the road situation with Wearren and try to come up with a solution.

In other news, the commission:

•Voted to appoint Chilton County Sheriff John Shearon to the E-911 board of directors.

•Voted to appoint Butch Billingsley to the E-911 board. Billingsley is the new chairman of the Chilton County Volunteer Firefighter Association.

•Declared a list of sheriff’s vehicles surplus at the request of Shearon. Shearon told commissioners the vehicles being listed were not worth repairing.

•Voted to move investigator Jeff Cobb to a part-time position with the sheriff’s department from his full-time position. Shearon told commissioners Cobb had resigned from his full-time position.

•Voted to hire Billy Wayne Fulmer as a full-time investigator with the sheriff’s department to fill a position created by Cobb. The appointment of Fulmer would be effective Feb. 2.

•Approved a request by Chilton County Jail Warden Trae Barfield to hire Justin Mims and Brent Ogleton effective Jan. 7.

•Heard from commissioner Shannon Welch that a groundbreaking ceremony for the new hospital will be held on March 1. Welch said a time has not been decided, but the event will draw state and local elected officials.

•Gave Caton the authority to sign an agreement between the county and ALDOT for work on County Road 315 and Alabama Highway 22.

•Approved a re-appointment of Tom Brown to the Mental Health Board of Chilton and Shelby counties, effective April 1.

•Approved a re-appointment of Hollis Jackson to the board of directors of the Mental Health Board of Chilton and Shelby counties, effective April 1.