It’s not too late to voice concerns on local issues like the library, Hutcheson Medical Center or the possibility of adding liquor by the drink and Sunday alcohol sales to the ballot in November.
Walker County Sole Commissioner Bebe Heiskell is approximately halfway through the annual community meetings she holds throughout the county to engage with her constituents.
“Everything up until this point has been very good,” said Walker County Economic Development and Resource Coordinator Larry Brooks. “We feel like attendance is up somewhat and we think it’s because of some of the topics.”
At this year’s meetings, Brooks said attendance has ranged anywhere from seven to 20 people.
One of the major topics of discussion has been the issue of adding a $5-$10 fee to county residents’ property taxes to help fund the library, according to him. County administration is unclear as to whether or not it will actually be able to put that on the ballot this fall, Brooks added.
“It was our understanding that we had until August to determine whether or not it would go on the ballot, but we’ve heard that might not be the case,” he said. “What the commissioner would like to do at this point is go ahead and get some kind of binding decision on the ballot.”
The alternative, Brooks said, is putting a straw poll on the ballot.
The two alcohol measures Heiskell is considering putting on the ballot, the Sunday sale of packaged alcohol and liquor by the drink, are not facing the same roadblocks the library fee might face because they do not relate to additional taxation, he said. If Heiskell chooses to move forward with putting these items on the ballot, there will be no problem with the county voting on those issues in November.
“So far the feedback for it has been mostly positive,” said Brooks of the possibility of the two alcohol referendums. “I think the thing most people are interested in is the possibility of bringing in some of the more well-known restaurants to the area like O’Charley’s.”
He said there is also growing concern throughout the community about the fate of Hutcheson Medical Center.
“There are just still a lot of unknowns right now being negotiated between the county leaders,” he said. “There are just a lot of ongoing discussions. The hospital has been operating to the good the last few months, but there are some things that aren’t settled about the financing of debt.”