Hopkins County Commissioners agreed to continue contracting with Williams Air Conditioning And Heating, an easement at the end of County Road 4746, a property purchase and approved the annual audit during a special session Monday, March 21, 2022.
CR 4746 Easement
Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Price requested the county agree to a half acre easement at the end of County Road4746. He explained that was the road the court agreed at the March 14 meeting to abandon, at the request of the individual who owns property on both sides of the dead end road.
“We needed a turn around there at the end so we could turn our maintainers around, and the guy granted us an easement so we could do that,” Price noted, when making the motion to approve the easement as presented.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin seconded the motion, which received full approval of the four members of the court present. Precinct 1 Commissioner Mickey Barker continues to be out due to illness.
Property Purchase
Price also asked the court to approve purchase of property adjacent to the Precinct 4 barn for use by Precinct 4. The property is about half an acre of land located to the north of the county barn, which will give Precinct 4 a little extra room.
“We have no other way to grow nut in that direction. I think the ones [commissioners] before me have always wanted to buy it too, and we are fortunate to buy it this year,” Price said.
The property will cost $20,000 plus losing and about $300 owed in back taxes, Price noted, before making a motion to approve the purchase. Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved by the court.
Preventive Agreement
County Judge Robert Newsom said the hiring of Williams Air Conditioning and Heating for preventive services for county air conditioning/heating units was a big step for the county last year. He said in talking with Tom Glosup who oversees buildings they agreed Williams has done a good job, even discovering things they were unaware of, allowing them to keep an eye on and maintain heating and air conditioning systems better than they’ve ever been tended in the history of the new jail.
“They did show us things we didn’t even know we had,” Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum noted. “Especially, filters and getting all that changed out and helping us do that. I know when our maintenance man has called, they are there very quick. The only problems we are having is ordering parts, but they are always there for us. It’s operating a lot better than it was.”
The contract covers four visits per year, plus the other services they provide for $28,088 per year, which is up a little from the original contract, Newsom noted.
Glosup said he talked with Williams about the proposal last week. The contract is essentially the same amount as last year’s agreement. Last year, the business actually shorted themselves about $2,000, that they did not bill for at that time. What has gone up is the fee for service calls, which has increased from $135 in the last contract to $155 per hour to account for rises and fluctuations in gas prices. Company representatives noted that since problems have been addressed, the Williams does not anticipate the county will have as many service calls this year.
“So, even though it’s gone up, they expect the county to be out less than what they were last year because the status of the equipment they’ve got,” Glosup said. “In everything, they’ve done an excellent job.”
Bartley made the motion, which was seconded by Price, and received unanimous approval of the court.
Audit
Lewis Crain of Rutledge, Crain & Company, PC, presented the audit his firm conducted of the county’s fiscal year 2021 finances. The auditor noted the county finished FY 2021 with a positive balance, despite the frequent changes in federal funding awarded to help offset costs from COVID.
Anglin made a motion, which Bartley seconded, and which received full approval of the court.
