County hires new safety director

Published 9:01 am Thursday, January 14, 2016

The Cullman County Commission has hired a new safety director to replace the late Gordon Dunagan who died in September.

Johnny Tucker of Good Hope started January 4 and was formally introduced during the commission meeting Tuesday. Commission Chairman Kenneth Walker said Tucker brings 30 years of loss prevention experience to the position.

“I’m still getting acclimating to the needs so anyone who has any suggestions or input, please come see me,” Tucker said.

Prior to taking the director position, he worked at Cullman Casting Corporation.

The safety department is responsible for safety training for employees as well as keeping up with accident reports and inspections among other duties.

Dunagan, former Good Hope mayor and city councilman, served in the position for 17 years and died in September 26, 2015.

In other business, the Cullman County Commission:

* Approved minutes from the December 22 meeting and December 26 emergency-called meeting. Walker estimated the county spent $900,000 to repair roads and bridges damaged from the Christmas flooding. Both he and Watson praised the Road Department for taking time away from their family and Christmas plans, beginning Christmas morning through the subsequent weekend, to make necessary repairs to reopen roads and bridges. The county is seeking disaster funds through the state EMA and FEMA to reimburse its expenses.

* Approved appropriations, expenditures, payroll, requisitions and journal entries to be posted.

* Proclaimed January 2016 Human Trafficking Awareness Month for Cullman County. Human trafficking is reportedly only second to the illegal drug trade in its speed of growth and how lucrative it is for those profiting from it. Officials estimate $32 billion is generated annually from the commercial sexual exploitation of individuals, including children, in U.S. Since Alabama passed legislation making human trafficking illegal, roughly 100 reports are filed annually. Officials said the average age of a victim is 13.

* Confirmed $1.7M tax abatement by the Town of Holly Pond for Holly Industrial, LLC for land and building.

* Approved annual catastrophic inmate medical insurance premium of $57,000. The policy covers any medical expenses exceeding $10,000 per inmate held at the Cullman County Detention Center.

* Approved maintenance agreement with City of Cullman for the maintenance of five traffic signals in unincorporated areas of the county. The city has been maintaining the traffic signals, but the contract puts in writing the agreement between the county and city, said County Engineer John Lang.

* Approved rental agreement with Warrior Tractor & Equipment Company for track hoe at $5,582 per month.

* Approved long-term lease with Warrior Tractor & Equipment for track hoe at $1,513.19 per month.

* Set speed limit on County Road 114 at 25 mph after residents reported safety concerns.

The Cullman County Commission will hold a work session at 8:30 a.m. January 26, followed by its meeting at 10 a.m.

* Tiffeny Owens can be reached by email at towens@cullmantimes.com or by phone at 256-734-2131.