BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER
HGOLDFINGER@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
LEE COUNTY — During Monday nights Lee County Commission meeting, the commissioners took a vote on litigation regarding the potential Creekwood Quarry.
The quarry, which has been a subject of contention in the county since 2020, will proceed in Beulah after Monday night.
The commission voted to enter a settlement with Creekwood Monday. The decision did not rest on the Lee County Commission alone, however, but also on the Lee County Planning Commission. The planning commission also took a vote Monday night and agreed to accept the settlement.
This settlement will allow the county to ensure that environmental protections are in place for Halawakee creek, according to Probate Judge Bill English.
“The county commission, [roughly 2.5 years ago] filed a civil lawsuit in circuit court in Lee County against Creekwood, the quarry operator and other owners of the property out there,” English said. “Not long after that, within a year, those same parties filed a federal court action against Lee County Commission in the federal court in Montgomery.”
This settlement will settle the civil and federal suits.
“The benefit to the county is they are agreeing to allow monitoring of various things, specifically water in the creek, that we otherwise would not have a right to insist on,” English said. “No future claims are inhibited in any way. Some of the things the citizens have been bothered about we don’t have the real tools to manage anyway such as … traffic and noise.”
The vote passed 3-2-1, with English serving as the tiebreaker vote.
“The primary motivation for the suit was to protect the creek and we’re getting the creek protections,” English said.
Disposal Days:
The commission also discussed a measure to allow for more free disposal days within the county.
The newest elected commissioner, Jeff Drury for District 3, proposed having one Saturday a month for free disposal days until the bulk pickup routes are in place.
“I think you’ll be able to monitor if the bulk routes are working based on the amount of trash that’s now being taken to the dump and when we see that diminishing, then I would not having a problem with simply going back to the bulk routes,” Drury said.
Other Business:
- The commission discussed RFP for improvements to the Lee County Health Department Building
- The commission voted to cancel the second meeting in December.
- The commission approved the Alabama Interoperable Radio System Expansion Contract.
- The commission approved an educational reimbursement request for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
- The commission approved the results of Bid No. 2025-03 for 19 or more Chevrolet Tahoes for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
- The commission approved the Valorem Abatement Application for Clear Springs Properties LLC.
- The commission postponed a vote on a resolution of support for local legislation for the Lee County Coroner’s Office
- The commission approved a request for use of space at the Old Highway Department Building on Orr Avenue for the Lee County Coroners Office.
- The commission approved an Extension of Inmate Toxicology Agreement with ADOC.
- The commission approved the final plat for Broken Rock Subdivision, Phase IV.
- The commission approved the final plat approval for Lot 6 Division, East Stream Subdivision.
- The commission approved the demolition of the Magazine Avenue Building.
- The commission approved a request for use of the former Shop Facility on Magazine Avenue for EMA Director Rita Smith.
- The commission voted to extend a Loachapoka water agreement.
