Polk County Commission honors Croker’s legacy
The Polk County Commission took time out during the April meeting to recognize the works and legacy of former Polk County Commissioner Billy Croker.
Croker, who died in February, left behind him decades of work to make Polk County a better place, and commissioners stood to honor their former leader during the reading of the proclamation in his honor.
Commission chair Stefanie Drake Burford read the proclamation into the minutes, giving a copy to Croker’s fam- ily along with a gavel in honor of Croker’s longtime service on the board.
However the biggest thing the commission undertook as part of Croker’s legacy on the board was to ensure that Public Works will have a new facility to use.
Commissioners unanimously approved – after some brief questions for county manager Matt Denton – to send out bid information to the public on a new six-bay facility to meet the needs of the department moving forward.
One question new commissioner Scotty Tillery asked was whether a bond for the project would be required for all bidders. Denton said it would be, and must cover at least five percent of the total cost of the project in case the lowest bidder backed out at the last minute.
“We’ve approved to bid out a six-bay facility, totally redesigned and to be ready to use once it’s completed,” Denton said.
Denton also explained to commissioners that utilities that will be built into the new facility will be covered by the overall bid, but that any sewer line work up to the property will be the responsibility of the county.
One area where commissioners remained concerned was on design and construction of a fuel farm that could function for all county employees using motor vehicles.
Though the idea is far off from the bidding process, commissioners asked whether it would be part of the overall construction project, and how the costs for the project – around $900,000 – would be covered.
Commission vice chair Jason Ward said the finance committee would have to take up discussion on where money for the project might be found as the county gets ready to put together the coming budget.
He also said he didn’t like the idea of a fuel farm accessible by county employees using work vehicles to be so open to public view. His argument was the farm’s slated location near the public works facility in the area around the Highway 27 bypass and Highway 278 wasn’t a good idea.
“I just don’t like the idea of having a fuel farm sitting there in such a high profile place,” Ward said.
Though discussed, no action was taken yet on the proposed fuel farm.
The commission also approved a number of public safety and public works committee items. Those included giving a used police vehicle to the county’s deputy coroner for use in fieldwork, a increase to adoption fees at Polk County Animal Control for dogs and cats, and purchase of equip- ment for new vehicles for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Fees at animal control were raised from $35 to $40 to adopt dogs, and from $15 to $25 for cats. Both the fees were raised to help cover the costs of a re-instituted vaccination program for all dogs coming into the facility under the age of 2.
The sheriff’s office also will be spending $17,591 on new equip- ment from Coosa Valley Communications to outfit a number of new police vehicles.
From the public works committee, the commission approved $6,000 in spending on landfill vent testing to remain in compliance with the state’s environmental protection division rules, and added a porta potty to the Coots Lake Trail Head for public use.