September 26, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
County Mayor Matt Adcock was Re-elected Chairman of the DeKalb County Commission Monday night.
Sixth district commissioner Jeff Barnes, the longest serving member of the commission at 21 years, was returned as Chairman Pro Temp, replacing Fifth district member Larry Green who served in that role this past year. Barnes had previously served as Chairman Pro Temp for several years. Barnes would preside over county commission meetings in the absence of the chairman.
The county commission reorganizes each September naming a chairman and chairman pro temp to serve for the ensuing 12 months.
In other business, the commission approved the county mayor’s committee appointments as follows:
Budget Committee: Jeff Barnes (Committee Chairman), Susannah Cripps Daughtry (Vice Chairman), and Sabrina Farler along with Glynn Merriman replacing Larry Green, Tony (Cully) Culwell replacing Greg Matthews, Tim Reynolds replacing Beth Pafford, and Tom Chandler replacing Daniel Cripps.
Audit Committee: Trevor Glover (citizen member), Justin Adcock, Myron Rhody, and Daniel Cripps. Gone from the committee are Beth Pafford, Tony Luna and citizen member Tom Janey from this past year.
Community Economic Development: Tony Luna (Chairman), Greg Matthews (Vice Chairman), Beth Pafford, Justin Adcock, and Susannah Cripps Daughtry. Gone from the committee are Glynn Merriman, Tom Chandler, and Tony Culwell.
UT Agriculture Extension Committee: Tony Culwell and Tony Luna replacing Myron Rhody, Jeff Barnes, and Daniel Cripps.
Purchasing Committee: Matt Adcock (County Mayor), Danny Hale (Road Supervisor), Patrick Cripps (Director of Schools), Myron Rhody, Larry Green, and Jeff Barnes. Tom Chandler is gone from the committee.
Public Works Committee: Glynn Merriman (Chairman), Tim Reynolds (Vice Chairman), Sabrina Farler, Tom Chandler, Justin Adcock, Jeff Barnes, and Myron Rhody. Gone from the committee are Tony Luna and Tony (Cully) Culwell.
Health, Education, and Public Welfare Committee: Larry Green (Chairman), Tom Chandler (Vice Chairman), Jeff Barnes, Tim Reynolds, Glynn Merriman, Myron Rhody, and Daniel Cripps. Gone from the committee are Greg Matthews, Susannah Cripps Daughtry, Justin Adcock, and Sabrina Farler.
Government Services Committee: Sabrina Farler (Chairman), Daniel Cripps (Vice Chairman), Larry Green, Greg Matthews, and Tom Chandler. Gone from the committee are Janice Fish Stewart (citizen member), Beth Pafford, and Susannah Cripps Daughtry.
Planning Commission: Rick Cantrell (citizen member), Danny Pirtle (citizen member), Harold Bain (citizen member), Alan Webb (citizen member), Jack Barton (citizen member), Beth Pafford, Greg Matthews, Justin Adcock, and Susannah Cripps Daughtry. Gone from the planning commission are Glynn Merriman, Tom Chandler, and Tony (Cully) Culwell.
Ethics Committee: Brandon Cox (General Sessions Court Judge), Greg Matthews, Jack Barton (citizen member), Larry Green, and Tony (Cully) Culwell. Gone from the committee are Debra Malone (Clerk and Master), Timothy Reynolds, and Glynn Merriman.
911 Board: Jeff Barnes and Sabrina Farler
Other appointees also confirmed by the commission are County Attorney Hilton Conger, County Fire Chief Donny Green, County EMS Director Hoyte Hale, County EMA Director Charlie Parker, and Solid Waste Director James Goff.
Membership constituting the DeKalb County Beer Board is changing.
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the County Commission approved County Mayor Matt Adcock’s request to abolish the current citizen member makeup of the beer board and make the county commission itself the beer board.
For years the beer board had consisted of one citizen member from each of the seven districts in the county. The standing members of the board had been Jim Stagi in the 1st District, Myron Rhody in the 2nd District, Bobby Johnson in the 3rd District, Robert Rowe in the 4th District, John Hummer in the 5th District, Leonard Dickens in the 6th District, and Johnny King in the 7th District.
All seven members served as appointees of the county commission and the two-year terms were staggered with the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th district positions being appointed in odd years. The 2nd, 4th, and 6th district seats were filled in even years.
County Mayor Adcock said he believes the beer board would function better if the county commission itself served as the beer board.
The change becomes effective immediately and the next time a beer board action is needed the matter will come before the regular monthly meeting of the county commission for a decision.