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LaFAYETTE — The Chambers County Commission on Monday held its second in-person meeting since the coronavirus stay-at-home recommendations began in March. They’d been having online meetings since that time.

Monday’s meeting took place inside the large courtroom inside the county courthouse. The ample space allowed for plenty of social distancing, and everyone in the room wore a mask.

In new business conducted at the meeting, an alcohol license was approved, the fire and rescue contract was amended due to the pandemic, and two board appointments were made.

The on-premise alcohol license was approved for Drive-by Tacos Food Truck and Catering, a business owned by John and Kelly Poe of Lee County. County Attorney Skip McCoy said the food truck is located at a farmer’s market in rural Chambers County. He said the on-premise license would be good at that one location, a popular gathering spot where live music is often performed.

“They will have beer and wine on-premises with the tacos,” McCoy said. “People come there to sit in their lawn chairs and enjoy the music. There needs to be an understanding that the beer and wine sales are limited to that one location and not when the food truck goes somewhere else. We don’t want them going someplace else and saying they have a license from the county that will cover alcohol sales. I just don’t want us having problems down the road with this.”

McCoy said the new addition to the Chambers County Detention Facility should be open by the end of the month.

“Everything is moving at a good pace, but there’s still a few things to be worked out,” he said. “We are waiting on a certificate of occupancy from the City of LaFayette. (County Engineer) Josh Harvill is trying to craft an agreement with the city on parking near the old railroad bed. We may have to limit some of the spaces.”

Harvill said that his department had been running behind on a few projects and thanked the public for their patience.

“County Roads 51, 142 and 158 will be finished soon,” he said. “We will start (Tuesday) on CR 166 and CR 224 in Five Points.”

Harvill asked the public to keep one of his employees in their prayers. Assistant Superintendent John Holderfield is having surgery this week.

47th Avenue in the Huguley community will be closed early next week for road work.

“These roads aren’t completely closed,” Harvill said. “We are limiting it to local traffic only. The roads will be much better to drive on when we complete the work.”

The new contract with the fire and rescue units allows them to move their certification dates due to the COVID-19 shutdown.

County Manager Regina Chambers announced that Jerome Bailey had been reappointed to a four-year term on the Chambers County Human Resources Board of Directors. The new term becomes effective June 18.

Commissioner Sam Bradford announced the appointment of Ladonna Latham Moore to complete the unexpired term of the late Bobby Williams. Mrs. Moore is a pharmacist for EAMC and EAMC-Lanier. She’s the daughter of Donnie and Linda Latham, who formerly ran a pharmacy in Lanett.

Bradford said that the Census in Chambers County is approximately 55 percent complete. He said that he’d recently talked with John Eldridge, who supervises the door-to-door portion of the Census and had been told that they are waiting for permission from the federal government to start that part of the job.

“He’s waiting for the green light to get started,” he said.

It’s urgent for Alabama to have a good count this year. The state is on the verge of losing a congressional seat. Also, federal funds are distributed across the country according to population counts.

Speaking of traffic lights, Bradford said he had gotten lots of compliments on the new ones at the intersection of Highway 50 and Phillips Road in Huguley.

Commissioner Charlie Williams referenced the peaceful protesting that’s taking place across the country.

“We hope the citizens of Chambers County can continue to work together,” he said. “We are all children of God. Let’s keep working together for the benefit of everyone. Let’s continue to be safe and to practice social distancing. Let’s keep praying for each other.”