Monday, May 11, 2020: The Bibb County Commission meeting was held in the normal meeting room in the Rock Building – with six foot spacing applied. The previous meeting was held outside on the County Courthouse back lawn because of occupancy number restrictions by the State. Friday, Governor Ivey lifted many of those restrictions.
All County Commissioners were present for a very short regularly scheduled meeting. As County Attorney Anthony Johnson said after adjournment, “That’s the shortest one in years.” Still, without much to handle, there was no need for a long meeting.
Re-Opening the County
After Governor Ivey re-opened the State of Alabama – with restrictions – starting Monday the 11th, many county offices throughout the state followed suit, including Bibb. The Commission voted unanimously to re-open county buildings to the public effective immediately. People entering the buildings are still asked to maintain social distancing standards, wash hands, and wear masks when possible. County employees have been undergoing daily temperature checks through the entire shutdown. Now this will extend to everyone entering a county building. Employees and the general public will be checked for fever at the door by a no-touch thermometer. Doors may be monitored by Sheriff Deputies when necessary, and anyone running a fever will not be allowed inside.
COVID-19 Testing
EMA Director Kirk Smith announced to the Commission that the Bibb County Health Department will be conducting testing on Tuesday mornings from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. for the rest of this month. He had no further update.
Other Items
Commissioners voted unanimously to “pursue to the full extent” a potential grant through the Alabama CARES Act (The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) that could benefit the county airport. There would be no matching funds required and could bring up to $20,000 to the airport. The CARES Act is meant to address the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, and billions of dollars have been paid out nationwide already, with $50 billion allocated for general non-medical-use distribution, such as small business assistance.
With the next County Commission meeting falling on Memorial Day by regular schedule, Commissioners voted unanimously to skip that meeting.
