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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County Commission convened on Tuesday, May 27, approving a wide slate of projects and resolutions aimed at enhancing recreation, modernizing government infrastructure and addressing public safety concerns across the county.

The commission awarded a $489,000 bid to FlowMotion Trail Builders LLC for the construction of the Oak Mountain State Park Pump Track and Skills Course. The project, part of the Innovate Alabama initiative, will add a new recreational amenity aimed at outdoor enthusiasts. FlowMotion was the lowest responsive bidder for the project.

In another infrastructure-focused move, the commission approved the purchase of access control hardware from C2 Technology Group. The upgrade includes magnetic door locks, electronic strike plates, power supplies and emergency exit systems designed to enhance security across county facilities.

The probate office will soon benefit from a major technology overhaul, thanks to the commission’s approval of a proposal from Tyler Technologies to implement an Automated Integrated Land Information System. The contract, totaling just over $205,000 for a three-year rollout, will streamline property and land record management.

Tyler Technologies scored highest in overall functionality and implementation strategy, outperforming other vendors in a competitive proposal process.

The commission also awarded a bid to ODP Business Solutions for printed materials used by the Property Tax Commission, including envelopes, door hangers and forms essential to daily operations. Due to a lack of bids for general government letterhead supplies, those purchases will follow state of Alabama procurement guidelines moving forward.

Citing a report from the Department of Development Services, the commission voted to declare a structure at 4804 Winnebago Drive in Birmingham a public nuisance. The abandoned building, last assessed to Beverly S. Taylor, was deemed unsafe and will be demolished in accordance with Act No. 97-576 of the Alabama Legislature.

The commission also heard an address from Billy Rosener during the meeting. Rosener is running for mayor of Helena, with municipal elections for the city taking place on Tuesday, Aug. 26.

“Over the last four or five years, I felt called to run for higher office or elected office in Helena,” Rosener said. “The majority of that four or five years, I thought it was going to be city council until I realized the severity of the financial issues facing our community. I decided with my financial background I could best serve our city as mayor.”

Rosener, a retired certified public accountant and realtor, has managed multi-million dollar projects and led teams through organizational change throughout his career. Rosener and his wife, Allie, have called Helena home for more than 20 years.

“We couldn’t imagine raising our kids anywhere other than Helena,” Rosener said.

The meeting concluded with Chad Scroggins, the county manager of Shelby County, noting the success of both the Regions Tradition golf tournament and the XTERRA North American Championship held at Oak Mountain State Park.

“We had a really good turnout (at) both (events),” Scroggins said. “It was an exciting weekend with a lot of people in Shelby County both from the area and out-of-state.”

The Shelby County Commission’s next scheduled meeting is set for Monday, June 9 at 8:30 a.m. The commission normally meets on the second and fourth Mondays of the month, but the May 27 meeting fell on a Tuesday due to the Memorial Day holiday.

For more information on the Shelby County Commission, visit Shelbyal.com/93/County-Commission.