BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY — During the Monday, June 29, Lee County Commission meeting, the commission voted to change the polling place at the Beulah Fire Station No 3 to the Rocky Mount Baptist Church. John “Red” Millander has been running elections from the Beulah Fire Station for three years and came to speak to the commission about some of the hardships of the location.
“The BFD’s good to us, but if you’ve never been there … imagine a 30 by 30 cinder block building with a metal roof,” he said. “We do have heat now, which is good. There’s no HVAC, there’s no air conditioning, there’s no running water, there’s no toilets and there’s not enough parking. I’ve seen hundreds of cars lined up.”
There have already been three elections in that building this year.
“On the May primary, we topped out at about 94 degrees inside the fire station,” Millander said. “We tried to bring in extra air conditioners — couldn’t because it kept tripping the single circuit … I had three workers for the June runoff who told me they would not come to work at the fire department.”
Rocky Mount Baptist Church has enough parking, air conditioning and toilets.
“It’s less than a mile and a half from the current location, so I don’t think it’s going to be a hardship for anybody,” he said.
The church, on Lee County Road 158, is in support. Probate Judge Jere Colley has been working with Millander to find a new location.
“Finding poll workers is difficult, finding poll workers that have to sit in a cinder block building without air conditioning is one step from impossible,” Colley said. “If it wasn’t for Red’s jovial personality, we probably would have no one that was there for that.”
The commission voted to approve the change from 8266 Lee Road 379 to 9117 Lee Road 158.
“It would be a really, really good location,” Millander said. “And I think it would be certainly what my poll workers desire but more importantly, it’s what the voters of our district deserve, is a safe place to come and vote.”
Other Business:
– The commission heard an update on the the Health Department MOU.
– The commission heard from Kevin Robinson on the collaboration between the Lee County EMA and Auburn University.
– Colley read a proclamation from the Daughter’s of the America Revolution for America’s 250th Year.
– The commission announced three openings on the East Alabama Health Care Authority Board. District 5 Commissioner Richard LaGrand recommended Dr. Buddy Bruce.
– The commission heard the first reading of two openings on the E-911 Communications District Board.
– The commission heard the second reading of one opening on E-911 Communications District Board and approved Blake Green for that position.
– The commission approved an ABC License for Spanky’s Stack House.
– The commission approved the Bridge Investment Program Grant application.
– The commission approved the division of 10.08 acres on Lee Road 199 (D3).
– The commission approved the Probate Judge to sign the Hazard Mitigation Plan Resolution.
– The commission announced an event on July 2 — a liberty tree dedication at the Justice Center War Memorial at 9 a.m.
