By Fred Woods
For the Opelika
Observer
The Lee County Commission discussed the loss of the Auburn National Guard Armory as a polling place and the possible move of the former voters at the armory to the Boykin Community Center in Auburn. The Auburn City Council has agreed with an apparent majority of the Lee County Commission on this move. Final approval must be made by early March, as Alabama law prevents a polling place from being changed within three months before an election. The 2018 party primaries are June 5.
The combination of the two boxes will still leave the precinct the second smallest in Auburn with 9,133 voters as of December 2017. The largest, Box 4, which votes at Lexington Inn on South College Street, had 15,092 voters as of the same date.
The Beulah Senior Center will be completed within the next few weeks, and will begin being used for senior events. Commissioner Ham, however, asked that a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony be delayed until early spring in order for a number of people who were instrumental in bringing about the center to be officially recognized.
In other action, the commission named Chris Hodges to replace long-time board member Linda Hilyer on the Lee County Recreation Board. The commission recognized and thanked Mrs. Hilyer for her 12 years of service.
The commission also made several other board nominations and announced two up-coming vacancies on the Beulah Utilities District board.
Action on granting a lounge retail liquor (on-premise) license to the Speed Zone Package store in Smiths Station was deferred until the next commission meeting to allow Sheriff Jay Jones to gather additional information requested by the commission.