CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman County Commission met for their monthly meeting on Thursday evening to cover a robust agenda.

During the preceding work session, the commissioners and all in attendance heard from retired Cullman County teacher Sharon Ferguson, now employed by Sevita, a national agency dedicated to health care in both homes and community. Until recently, the company was known as The MENTOR Network.

Ferguson aired her grievances on the lack of community transportation available for the clients in the Cullman County homes she oversees, while noting that each of the homes she oversees has a van available. The single van per home is not adequate to meet the residents’ needs, Ferguson shared.

When asked by Commissioner Garry Marchman if the lack of availability was solely the result of a lack of resources, CARTS Director Joyce Echols responded that they are currently down eight drivers for the community transportation service and working diligently to fill the void.

“We need to hire about eight drivers and, as of right now, the last busses that we ordered in 2021, we’ve got seven of the 14. They said it will be at least two years out before we get the others. We just need drivers,” explained Echols.

During the regular meeting, Echols showed a video of the CARTS service and the positive impact it has made on people in the community.

The possibility of purchasing an automated train track switch for Sportsman Lake Park was also discussed during the work session.

In the regular session, the commission heard from Judy Snead of Snead’s Farmhouse, a 501c3 educational farm in the West Point area. Snead offered her services to provide care for injured ducks from Sportsman Lake Park.

Snead asked the commission for permission to raise the rest of the funds needed to provide her services by putting up a booth at the lake and to advertise the fundraising efforts on the lake’s Facebook page. Snead assured the commission that she would take on all responsibilities with the ducks’ care.

The commission thanked its newest members, Kelly Duke and Corey Freeman, for attending and recognized the Road Department’s Phillip Batemon who is retiring after 18 years of service with the county.

In other business, the commission approved and/or opened the following:

The next meetings will be held on Tuesday, July 19 in the Commission Meeting Room at the Cullman County Courthouse. The work session begins at 4:00 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.

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