new EMA director

By KEVIN PEARCEY

Staff Writer

Dec. 13, 1999 11 PM

Pike County is in search of a new Emergency Management Agency director.

The Pike County Commission voted Monday night to begin accepting applications and resumes for the EMA position. The Commission will be accepting applications up until Jan. 14, 2000, by no later then 5 p.m.

"The commissioners will review the resumes," County Commission Chairman Larry Meeks said. "And at that point, be responsible for the screening and hiring of a new EMA director for Pike County."

The current EMA for Pike County is Ralph Fowee. Fowee submitted his resignation earlier this month and it will go into effect on Dec.31st.

Commissioner Larry Penn of Troy offered his gratitude to Fowee on behalf of the commission and the citizens of Pike County.

"I’d just like to congratulate Ralph Fowee on the job that he’s done," Penn said. "We appreciate his years of service to the county."

Other items on the agenda discussed by the Commission was the renovation of the Pike County Courthouse.

"Just this weekend, we completed the insulation and the new roof for the courthouse," County Administrator Steve Hicks said. "And in a couple of weeks,the architect will be in the process of getting the engineers specifications for a complete renovation of the building."

Hicks said changes to be made inside the courthouse would be: an upgrading of the electrical, heating and air conditioning systems, the installation of an elevator, as well as bringing the bathroom facilities and access areas up to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act.

"We should be taking bids on those things within the next 30 days," He said.

The County Commission also authorized Chairman Meeks, along with Hicks to accept a third bid from outside contractors to make electrical improvements to the County’s Juvenile Probation Office.

"Basically we’ve added computers and copying machines and it’s just overloaded the current system in that building," Hicks said. "It’s going to take between $2000-3000 dollars to replace the current system. We’ve got two bids on the table right now. We’ll get one more, look at all three, and go with the lowest one."

The Commission also voted to allow the Chairman, County Administrator, and County Engineer to negotiate with an outside party for a new articulated boom mower for the county and authorized the County Engineer to accept a bid from the State of Alabama for the purchase of two new rotary cutters as well.