Dale commission meeting cancelled

The Dale County Commission meeting set for Tuesday, April 14, has been cancelled.

“The commission meeting is cancelled due to public safety concerns regarding COVID-19,” said a public notice sent from the commission office April 6.

The notice comes on the heels of a state of emergency declared in Dale County nearly three weeks before the Alabama governor’s state at home order April 4.

In a special called meeting of the Dale County Commission March 17, the commissioners passed an emergency resolution in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Whereas the Dale County Commission is concerned for the welfare and safety of the citizens of the county as well as the county employees and public officials, and whereas a federal and state emergency has been declared regarding the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic, the Dale County Commission does also declare that an emergency does exist in Dale County as a result of the virus.”

The state of emergency was declared as a proactive measure, according to Dale County Commission Chairman Mark Blankenship. “Its purpose was to acknowledge that the current pandemic emergency may prevent regularly scheduled meetings of the commission called to conduct ordinary business.”

In the emergency resolution, it is stated that the county commission chairman is “hereby delegated with the authority—during the duration of this COVID-19 emergency—to act on behalf of the commission when it cannot safely meeting in carrying on the ordinary and regular business of the commission which shall include, but not be limited to, the collection of funds, the payment of invoices and salaries, personnel matters, maintenance, county operations, county services and emergency management.”

The resolution makes provisions for a chain of command should the commission chairman be unavailable, which includes the duly authorized Dale County Commissioner Chris Carroll as acting chairman and Dale County Administrator Cheryl Ganey.