County cannot fund satellite office
Published 11:49 am Thursday, December 24, 2009
The Chilton County Commission plans to revisit the issue of establishing county satellite offices next year.
Commissioner Allen Caton said that while several commissioners and other elected officials support the idea, the county cannot easily fund another office at the present time.
“It’s not a dead issue by any means,” Caton said.
Jemison Mayor Eddie Reed fully supports a satellite office in Jemison.
A facility might be available at little cost to the county, but equipment and operating costs could come to around $5,000 per office, Caton estimated.
There was also talk of opening a satellite office in the town of Maplesville.
Supporters have said a satellite office might reduce traffic in the courthouse, which has been overcrowded for quite sometime.
The Department of Motor Vehicles, under the umbrella of the Chilton County Tax Collector’s office, moved in a vacant building across the street several years ago.
Also, the county commission office expanded into a former meeting room for more space.
“It’s a great idea. I would love to have it, but if we don’t have the money, we just don’t have the money,” Tax Collector Tim Little said.
Even if an office were open for just one day per week, Caton said the funding just isn’t there.
“With the financial situation the county’s in, even coming up with the $5,000 would be a struggle,” he said.