County Commission | The Magazine April 2017 | Page 7

– new revenue for roads and bridges, a stronger voice on the Retirement Systems of Alabama Board of Control and the never-ending prison crisis – must stay in our cross-hairs for the moment. Before we know it, however, this session will conclude and then it will be time to turn our focus and expertise to a new set of priorities. There will be new problems; with solutions that can only be identified through the leadership of an organization which has demonstrated, over and over again, that it can effect real change. The 2014 effort at establishing a dam safety program was derailed for a variety of reasons; none of which should be strong enough to keep Alabama and its citizens in such a disadvantaged position for much longer. There will be money to be made on the passage of this bill. Clearly a group, or groups, will be responsible for paying the invoice when the inspections take place, and someone will be on the receiving end of those The Corps estimates that Alabama has more than 2,200 dams and that only 2 percent – or less than 50 of them – are inspected. payments. Those facts will make passage more difficult. Some state agency must assume the responsibility for coordinating and administering the program. There will be costs associated with that effort as well, along with administrative duties. Those facts will make the passage more difficult. There will be some who will be interested in looking for new ways to assign blame – and financial responsibility – if required inspections are not conducted or if identified repairs are not made. Those facts will make the passage more difficult. And there will be those who will work to ensure that, somehow, one group or another gains or loses power in this new process. Those facts will also make the passage more difficult. None of those facts change the most important “take away” from the evacuation a few weeks ago. It might be a long way from Oroville to Montgomery, but bad news travels very, very quickly. n The attorneys and staff of Webb & Eley, P. C. support and appreciate all of the county commissioners and their staff. P.O. Box 240909, Montgomery, AL 36124 [phone] Website: www.webbeley.com E-mail: [email protected] COUNTY COMMISSION | 7