County Commission | The Magazine November 2019 | Page 16

FROM THE COVER
ACCA honors Shelby County’s Dudchock
D
uring his three
decades of service,
Alex Dudchock has
helped Shelby County
move from the brink of
bankruptcy to pioneer
innovative programs,
all while coping with
a nonstop population
boom.
“The scope
and impact of his
accomplishments are
impossible to measure,”
said Jay Thompson, chair
of the ACCA Awards
Committee, before
presenting Dudchock
with the Outstanding
Contribution to County
ACCA President David Money joined a happy delegation
Government award at
from Shelby County to congratulate Alex Dudchock for his
ACCA’s 2019 Annual
recognition. Pictured, from left to right: Hub Harvey, Chad
Convention. “He has
Scroggins, Money, Kim Reynolds, Dudchock, Cheryl Naugher
displayed steadfast
and Randy Cole.
leadership through
seasons of tremendous growth and
tough fiscal liabilities for more than
• Wrote the civil service act
30 years in county government.”
passed by the Alabama
Each year, the Association
Legislature;
bestows the Outstanding
• Led five major public water
Contribution to County
system projects;
Government Award as a way of
• Assisted with more than 300
honoring individuals who have
new public facility investments
exceeded expectations to the
or upgrades and 11 major
significant benefit of all 67 counties.
highway, bridge and intersection
More than merely doing their jobs
improvements;
well, recipients have made a lasting
• Successfully advocated to reform
and transformative impact on
state budget procedures so that
county government.
dollars generated by the state
Dudchock began his career at
parks stay in the park system;
Shelby County in 1988 as personnel • Served as a founding board
director, and he has shouldered the
member for Shelby County
responsibilities of county manager
Community Corrections.
since 1993.
About 30 years ago, Shelby
During the awards ceremony,
County was in a tenuous financial
Thompson listed a few of
position with bankruptcy on the
Dudchock’s accomplishments:
horizon. Dudchock was a key
16 | NOVEMBER 2019
Outstanding
Contribution to
County Government
2019
presented to
Alex Dudchock
County Manager, Shelby County
player in the campaign to establish
a temporary penny sales tax to
stabilize finances. When the debt
was repaid in less than 10 years,
there was pressure to continue the
sales tax, but Dudchock insisted that
stopping the tax was necessary to
build and maintain public trust.
Over the years, he has also
established a track record of working
collaboratively with municipalities,
state agencies and local leaders.
Dudchock’s community involvement
is also exemplary, perhaps best
demonstrated by his role in creating
a special day to honor senior citizens
that has been observed for more
than 15 years. n