‘A humbling experience:’ New county services building named after Alex Dudchock
Published 2:18 pm Monday, November 15, 2021
The 47,000-square-foot building houses a new county license office to replace the old Inverness license office that is closing.
The building also houses Shelby County 911 and a storm shelter.
This multipurpose room will accommodate 911 dispatcher and law enforcement officer training.
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By EMILY SPARACINO | Staff Writer
NORTH SHELBY – Numerous local and state officials attended a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony at the new Shelby County Services Building on U.S. 280 on the morning of Monday, Nov. 15.
In addition to marking the building’s opening, the ceremony served as the official unveiling of the facility as the Alex A. Dudchock Shelby County Services Building in honor of Shelby County’s previous county manager.
“As I began to think about today, I couldn’t think of a better building than a services building that would describe Alex Dudchock,” Shelby County Commission Chairman Kevin Morris said. “I think Alex really takes that servant leadership mindset to heart.”
During his tenure as county manager, Dudchock created a management team “that was just as diverse as the county,” Morris said, mentoring, teaching and molding people into the leaders he knew Shelby County needed to provide the services its citizens expect. “Alex put a lot of time and energy into those groups of people.”
Morris presented a dedication plaque to Dudchock and his wife, Natalie, and their sons.
“I have been truly blessed,” Dudchock said. “This is truly a humbling experience, and it’s only possible because of the talent our County Commission allowed us to recruit, select and retain over all these years. This is not about one individual; this is about folks that came to work each day and were doers, and they did not make excuses.”
Dudchock recognized many past and current officials, including Shelby County Manager Chad Scroggins, whose work has moved the county forward.
“Our citizens’ talent, our elected officials’ talent, our staff’s talent make this county what we all are proud of,” Dudchock said. “Our Shelby County family has made it all come together for us.”
Scroggins said the project to build a new county services building at the intersection of U.S. 280 and Dunnavant Valley Road came from an idea of bringing services closer to the county’s population centers.
“We are excited about this opportunity to open up a new facility in unincorporated Shelby County to serve all 808 square miles of the residents of our county,” he said. “Dunnavant Valley is the fastest growing population area for about the last 20 years in Shelby County. The design of this 47,000-square-foot building is to serve various opportunities and areas of the needs of our residents in North Shelby County.”
Situated on the former Sports Blast site, the three-story building houses a county license office, an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency driver testing office, Westover’s water services office, Shelby County 911, a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office substation, Central Alabama Wellness and 58 INC.
The new county license office replaces the 21-year-old Inverness license office at 310 Inverness Corners, which will close, along with the Greystone SCSO substation and Westover water services office.
Residents coming in to renew their car tags can sign in and sit down while they wait for their number to be called, at which time they will proceed to one of the 13 clerk stations.
A drive-thru window will be available for those who need to renew their tag without leaving their vehicle.
ALEA will provide testing services for driver and boat licenses in the building, too.
Down the hall from the license office on the first floor is the SCSO’s window for pistol permits and renewals.
To the right of the front doors is a community room and an area that will serve as a voting precinct during elections.
The community room features three drop-down screens, tables and chairs for as many as 96 people and a warming kitchen for catered meetings.
All Shelby County 911 operations are housed on the second floor of the building, along with a storm shelter.
Down the hall is a multipurpose room that will be used for 911 and law enforcement training.
The SCSO has interview rooms, a deputy work area and shift meeting rooms.
With its floor-to-ceiling windows, the employee breakroom provides a view of the parking lot and the Sports Blast 1996 soccer fields, which will be renamed the “Dunnavant Valley Fields.”
Central Alabama Wellness, a non-profit corporation that provides services for mental illness and substance abuse disorders, occupies offices and clinical meeting spaces on the building’s top floor.
In addition, 58 INC., Shelby County’s economic development agency, is utilizing space for offices, client meetings and other business events.
An unfinished portion of the third floor is designated as expansion space for future needs.
The building is located at 19220 U.S. 280 and will be open to the public starting on Tuesday, Nov. 16.
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