The Cullman County Commission signed off on a water bond refinancing and approved contracts with its County Attorney Chad Floyd and County Engineer John Lang Tuesday. 

The county is bringing Floyd in-house to be the full-time county attorney, a job he has been handling as outside counsel and paid hourly since October. The contract the commission approved for Lang is for five years. He has served as county engineer since early 2015 after being promoted from assistant county engineer.

Becoming the in-house attorney means Floyd will have to leave private practice where he has 10 years experience in criminal defense and civil litigation. He also represents the Cullman County Department of Human Resources (DHR), and the agency will have to decide how to reassign those cases, he said.

“With the county, there’s no getting stuck in a rut. There’s something new every day,” Floyd said. “There’s such a vast number of agencies, with each one having their own set of regulations and issues.”

Walker said having a county attorney across the hall from the commission office has been beneficial for employees, department heads and elected officials. Floyd was hired in October after the departure of former county attorney Heath Meherg who went into private practice in Cullman.

Floyd will be paid $120,000 annually and Lang $96,820. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) pays 70 percent of the county engineer’s salary, with the county picking up the remaining 30 percent. Lang said his pay is below the state average for county engineers.

In an unrelated vote, the commission authorized Walker to sign off on the refinancing of $6.6 million in water warrants with underwriter Piper Jaffray and Co. The county refinanced its 2010 water bonds for a lower interest rate of 2.85 percent, saving $562,000, said Walter Lewis, managing director of public finance investment banking at Piper Jaffray.

Last year, the county refinanced water warrants from 2005 and 2007, netting another $800,000 in savings. Together, the county expects to save up to $1.4 million in debt service payments over the life of the bonds.

“You’re taking your debt service from $1.5 million to $1.29 million so you’re freeing up cash flow with the timing of the Duck River Dam project,” Lewis told the commission.

In other business, the Cullman County Commission:

* Approved minutes from February 23 meeting, appropriations, expenditures, payroll, requisitions and all journal entries to be posted.

* Proclaimed March 15 National Ag Day with the Cullman Farm-City Committee which includes co-chairs Doris Patterson and Denise Schuman, Amber Adams, Leah Sapp, Daniel White and Ashley Graves.

* Authorized Walker to sign fees associated with 2015 water warrants payable to BNY Melon. There are one-time fees of $500 and $1,000 and an annual trustee fee of $2,500.

* Approved $325,000 tax abatement for Brad and Seth Hadley with QHAMetal Products for building and construction. The county previously approved a $200,000 tax abatement for equipment for the company which is starting up in Baileyton. The company will manufacture sheet metal for HVAC ducts.

* Approved proposed changes to the county personnel handbook effective March 8.

* Authorized Walker to sign a contract with American Behavioral for a new required Employee Assistance Program which will provide employees and their dependents confidential counseling and services. Commissioner Garry Marchman said the program would have a long-term impact on the county and its employees.

* Authorized Walker to sign an agreement with SRRSL, LLC (Southern Rock Racing Series) for an event to be held at Stony Lonesome OHV Park March 11-12.

* Authorized Walker to sign an agreement with Dustin Robbins (Full Throttle Power Sports) to conduct a race event at the OHV Park May 21.

* Approved payments of $12,550 and $11,150 to Government Service & Associates for personal property audits for the Revenue Department under the contract dated Sept. 9, 2014. Revenue Commissioner Barry Willingham said a preliminary review has discovered around $50,000 in additional revenue.

* Authorized Walker to sign an agreement with Online Collections to collect outstanding balances on old accounts with Cullman County Water Department customers.

* Approved resolution for project to resurface and stripe County Road 1339 (Childhaven Road) and 1354 from Alabama Highway 157 to CR-1343.

* Approved new plat with lots 5 and 17 in Lake in the Hills subdivision on CR-203.

The Cullman County Commission will hold a work session 8:30 a.m. March 22, followed by its meeting at 10 a.m.