Commission adopts resolutions on jail bookingand fee for pistol permits

The Covington County Commission adopted two resolutions by Sheriff Blake Turman and also approved an agreement on broadband services during a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday 28 March.

One of the first decisions to be adopted was the idea of an admission fee to the Jail.

“The cost of booking will be $40 that an inmate pays in cash to Covington County Sheriff’s Office. Covington County Sheriff’s office prior to when the release. The booking fee will be held in escrow until the time of adjudication. If the case is finally decided, if it is you are found guilty, then the money will be put to Sheriff’s use. The $5 portion of the $40 will be given into the District Attorney’s office to be used for the Child Advocacy Center. If the inmate is not found guilty, we’ll refund the money in the same way as we paid it,” Turman said.

The cash collected from the booking fee will be used to fund the Sheriff’s Department.

“We have witnessed a dramatic reduction in the amount of pistol permits and we hope that this will allow us to make up for that decrease. With these funds, we’ll as well be able release funds from the county to be used to fund different projects,” Turman said.

The Chairman Greg White added that the Sheriff and his predecessors used discretionary funds over the years. “These funds are typically used to purchase special equipment for officers, and sometimes a few vehicles every year. The funds are put to an appropriate use, and is auditable through the Examiners of the Public Accounts, just as other public accounts are. .”

Second resolution that was adopted was to increase price of the pistol permit.

“According according to current Covington County legislation, permit for guns cost 20 dollars per applicant. We must reduce the cost of a pistol permit to $25 per year for us to do what is required for veterans’ and lifetime permits. Permits for lifetime use for those aged 19-59 is $300 and $150 for people who are and above. It is necessary to have five years before the date of previous permits to be eligible for the lifetime permit. Veterans can get permits for free if they were discharged honorably. In the new law, which was approved on January. 1st it is required to be 19 in order to obtain permits for pistols regardless of whether you’re currently serving in the military. I’d like to be in line with the requirements of the state,” Turman stated.

Both resolutions are now being submitted by the State Legislature for their approval.

The commission has approved entering into an agreement to provide broadband services in an alliance in conjunction with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

“The Alabama Community Broadband Technical Assistance Program offers services to determine what broadband services are required in every community or county. We have partnered with Alabama’s state-run agency ADECA to help us with an preliminary assessment of broadband requirements. We are extremely fortunate as Buzz Broadband is building out across the entire county, and has reached all its customers. There are a few homes that won’t be covered initially and we are now contemplating ways of providing service to all of those who have no problems in the county,” White said.

In other businesses:

• 
  The commission endorsed purchasing a 4 seat Polaris Ranger 570 UTV with accessories for the Sheriff’s Department at an approximate price in the amount of $16,698.98 that will come out of money available to the department from its discretionary fund.
  
• The commission has approved an order declaring the declaration of two Sheriff’s Department vehicles to be surplus. The two vehicles will be auctioned in the GovDeals auction.
• The commission endorsed that bids were solicited to bid for annual plastic pipe geotextile railway tank cars as well as Conex boxes that will be utilized by the county engineer’s department.
• The commission heard a presentation of Covington County EMA Director Deputy Frank Shaffer about March, April and May being the most severe months for weather. Shaffer suggested that the public reach out to their nearest EMA office for assistance.

This is the next scheduled meeting for Covington County Commission Covington County Commission is scheduled to take place on April 11 at 9 a.m. at Covington County Administration Building. Covington County Administration Building. The public is welcome to attend.

The article Commission takes resolution to reduce the jail’s booking process, fee for pistol permits was originally published at The Andalusia Star-News.