Scottsboro, Alabama - June 15, 2020 - Jackson County Commission Meeting, Agenda Item 1 - Raising of Taxes, Violation of the Open Meetings Act

Jackson county Commission Work Session June 15, 2020 (Excerpt photo by G. Morgan from the County Commissions Facebook video - Fair Use for Non-Profit news reporting and commentary.)

Many thanks for the Jackson county Commissions live Facebook postings, this gives the citizens of Jackson County the ability to watch the meeting video at a later time or date for those citizens who can’t be present. 

Scottsboro, Alabama - June 15, 2020 - Violation of the Alabama Open Meetings Act per admission, agenda item 1. A Quorum of the Jackson County Commission met with the Jackson County Legislative Delegation on or about June 10, 2020 to discuss and plan a scheme to raise taxes in Jackson County Alabama, this issue will be deliberated before the Jackson County Commission at a later date. The citizens nor the press were informed of this secret meeting. This is not the first time this commission has planned such secret meetings to discuss tax increases in violation of Alabama's Open Meetings Laws. In my opinion, the commissions actions reflect a violation of law and political obligations. This video is an excerpt of the Jackson County Commission's Work Session meeting on June 15, 2020, agenda item 1, approximately 44 minutes in length with 3 minutes of my commentary. Commission Video on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/JCCommissionAL/videos/253370405960197/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

June 15, 2020 -DISCUSSION ITEMS FOR COMMISSION –

1) POTENTIAL SPECIAL SESSION

2) LICENSE INSPECTOR / FLOODPLAIN MANAGER

3) COUNTY VEHICLE POLICY

4) MOU WITH BUCK’S POCKET STATE PARK

5) EMA SURPLUS TAHOE

6) CARES ACT RESOLUTION FOR TRANSPORTATION (5311)

7) PARKS DEPARTMENT:

---a. CAMP & BOAT RENT RATE

---b. CABIN LAUNDRY

---c. CABIN CLEANING CONTRACT

---d. RESIDENTIAL CONTRACT FOR NSM PARK

It was by chance last year, after overhearing a discussion that the commission was going to meet with the delegation to discuss this same issue, where a quorum was present, the issue was to come before the commission at a later date, which I videoed that meeting with our delegation, the public nor media were informed of that planned secret meeting. Article with video: https://arklite.blogspot.com/2019/04/jackson-county-commission-work-session.html Failing to involve the citizenry in the meeting with OUR elected delegation members (they are not a political caucus) is a serious and critical error, politically and legally, in my opinion. Please follow the law on this issue: Alabama Act 2015-475: https://openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/downloads/Act2015-475.pdf 

VIDEO EXCERPT Agenda Item 1