The Chilton County Commission voted unanimously Monday to allow Engineer Tony Wearren to buy a Caterpillar trackloader for $130,000 from Thompson Tractor.

The bid was the only one the county received.

Wearren said the piece of equipment met the specifications he was looking for, so the commissioners agreed to go ahead and make the purchase.

The commission made another decision regarding a significant sum of money. A work session was held last week about what to do with about $500,000 that is available because of revenue that came in after the previous fiscal year ended.

On Monday, the commission passed a resolution to put the money into a savings account at a local bank based on which one offered the best interest rate.

County Administrator Vanessa Hendrick told The Clanton Advertiser for an earlier report that the money should not be considered a surplus but is available because of revenue that was received later than usual.

In other business, the commission:

•Voted to begin work on repairing the roof and replacing an alarm system in the district attorney’s office. Commissioners voted 5-2 to go ahead with the project. Allen Caton said he voted against the motion because only one price for the project was presented to the commission. The cost of the repairs would be below the amount necessary to require a bid, but Caton and others said more quotes still should be presented.

•Hired an accounts payable clerk for the commission office. All commissioners voted in favor of the hire except Bobby Agee, who abstained. Agee asked Hendrick if she had received any applications from minority candidates, and Hendrick answered that she had not. Agee said he thinks open positions should be advertised based on how many people a particular source would reach, and not let price be a factor.

•Transferred $22,000 from the General Fund to the Gasoline Fund.