HALEYVILLE - Problems with the county’s sanitation service and the need for a county lodging tax were topics brought to light by Winston County Commission Chairman-Elect David Cummings recently.
Cummings addressed the Haleyville Area Chamber of Commerce meeting at Haleyville City Hall Friday, Sept. 6, discussing several issues of concern for Winston County, he said.
Cummings said the county is facing a “big problem” concerning the sanitation department.
“You can’t get people to work,” he explained.
“The landfill we have been going to for 20 years is closing in June,” Cummings further noted. He was referring to the landfill in Dora.
They went up nearly double the tonnage on accepting (garbage),” Cumming said.
Cummings is talking with three different landfills to try to negotiate a contract.
“We’ve got to make preparations to get another landfill. There’s just a lot of problems in the county,” Cummings continued.
Cummings wants county lodging
tax on ballot for 2026
Cummings said the state has a lodging tax, but Winston County does not.
While out campaigning, Cummings said came across a person who owns dozens of Air B&Bs on Smith Lake, which are not benefit ing the county at all through lodging tax, Cummings told Chamber members.
“I feel like we could get $125,000 the first year on lodging taxes,” Cummings noted. “This would be three years away or four years away because it has to pass and go into effect, then it has to start being collected.”
If the county lodging tax goes into effect, Cummings wants the public to know how the money from it will be spent, he said.
“It is going to be voted on by the citizens of the county,” Cummings noted. “If they vote no, it stops. If they vote yes, I think they would need to know where the money would go.”
Cummings suggested the funds be spent to help local fire departments, the sheriff’s office and the road department.
New county accounting system
goes into effect October 1
Winston County will begin operating a new accounting system October 1, which will be a major change for the county offices and will take adjustment, he said.
“We’re practicing on it now, getting everything installed. We’re planning on going online with it October 1, so bear with all of our departments in the county. It’s going to be a process. We haven’t had a change like this in several years,” Cummings informed.
“We hope to be updated on everything, but I’m sure there are going to be a few glitches we are going to have to work through,” he added.
County website to go online January
The county’s new website, which will go live in January, 2025, will be winstoncountyal.gov, Cummings stated.
What Cummings described as a “user-friendly” website will not only have information on each of the county offices, but also list other useful information, such as licensed workers to call during emergencies and other situations, he said.
“I want the public to be educated on everything that is going on in the commission office and throughout the county,” Cummings said.
Idea for cleaning trash from roadsides
Another issue addressed by Cummings is the trash along roadsides, with plans to work with Sheriff Caleb Snoddy and have at least four county inmates work when brush is cleared out during the winter months, to pick up roadside trash, he said.
“It’s going to cost us a little money, but we have money in the road department budget to cover this,” Cummings said. “This is just a trial. We’ll see how it’s going to go.”
Cummings informed those at the meeting that he had purchased a trailer to use in the clean up.
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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