The St. Clair County Area Transportation (SCAT) department has teamed up with the county’s Community Action Agency (CAA) to help those in need better obtain services.

The CAA is a low-income energy assistance program that helps those in need up to twice a year with their utility bills.

Community Action got in touch with SCAT and told its director, Terry Rowe, that it was willing to do whatever it takes to assist in helping people get needed transportation to public services. The CAA even went as far as writing a grant that was able to secure an ARRA grant for $6,903 dollars for their public transportation campaign.

Both Commissioners and Mr. Rowe thanked the CAA for its efforts to help those in the county who might not be able to afford public transportation to get to appointments with community programs. The CAA chairwoman, Nina Barnes, told the commission at Tuesday’s meeting, “We are glad to be able to assist the transportation program at this time.”

The SCAT also agreed last Tuesday to extend its contract with the Middle Alabama Area Agency on Aging to further its public transportation contract for senior citizens through the end of September of 2010. SCAT was also given the go-ahead from the commission to acquire a $56,750 PC dispatch system that will be paid for through federal stimulus dollars.

Tax dollars at work

At last week’s commission work session it was revealed that St. Clair County was $7.9 million in the black at the end of October. County Chief Financial Officer Donna Wood told commissioners that ad valorum money is beginning to roll in and the general fund budget is looking well, despite the down economy.

Wood said that the first numbers available from the November General Fund showed about $681,000 on hand and that October’s sales tax intake reached $450,525.

The students racing around the track at Ashville High School will have new asphalt beneath their feet thanks to the county and St. Clair’s Board of Education entering into a 50-50 resurfacing contract. The total cost will be about $30,000.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the county agreed to allow the Emergency Management Agency to sell 25 radio modems. That action would then help fund the purchase of 48 mobile data terminals for use by county offices that will cost $16,200.

The county has also entered into a grant agreement with the Alabama Department of Public Health for a $9,370 grant for the EMA and the services it provides during emergency situations.

Other items approved by the county included:

• honoring the late Kenneth Crowe for his dedicated service to the county.

• approving two orders to be added to the Ashville Courthouse renovation that will reflect a $58,650 change in the original budget

• approving to allow the Coosa Valley Water Authority to write grants

• entering into a case management contract with the Jefferson-Blount-St. Clair Mental Health Retardation Authority at the cost of $15,000