Crenshaw County Sheriff Charles West told the County Commission that he’s concerned about future audits due to the lack of law enforcement software for his department.

“It’s getting to the point where we won’t be able to go back and enter data, and it’s going to be a mess for the next audit,” he said.

The Sheriff’s Department has been without software since mid-June, when Johnny Brunson removed his proprietary software after the Commission didn’t enter into a contract for services.

West said that the auditors have been satisfied with the the results from Brunson’s program.

The Commission has heard proposals from several law enforcement software companies, and is planning to hear a proposal from Stuart Thomas, a local software specialist.

West has said that Brunson is willing to enter into a contract that will expire after West leaves office, and that the software will then belong to the county.

“I don’t want to do this with someone who is going to leave in a year and a half and leave us where we started,” said Commissioner Merrill Sport.

No action was taken on the matter.

County Engineer Benji Sanders spoke to the Commission and said that the county’s bridge projects under the state ATRIP grant program have been pushed back several months.

“It’s getting a little bottlenecked at the Department of Transportation, and the first project isn’t scheduled to be let until March,” he said.

Sanders said that the county is looking at getting surveys done for future projects in future rounds of funding.

Sanders also suggested that the Commission not tackle new logging legislation until after the budget is finished.

In other business, with one open seat on the E-911 board and a number of reappointments due on the horizon, Sport asked if a board seat can be filled by a commissioner.

Sport also pointed out that by February, the E-911 board will be short two members if no reappointments are made by then, and he asked if the board had a minimum number of required members.

County attorney Levi Nichols said he would have to check the Code of Alabama to see if a commissioner could serve on the board, and other sections that address the issue of a quorum.

The county also approved a grant application for a new air conditioning unit at the Tom Harbin Ag Center.

Terry Mears brought the grant proposal before the Commission.

“The state will give us around $12,000, and we’d have to match about $3,750,” Mears said.

The total cost of the unit will be around $15,000, but Mears said he was open to suggestions about which unit to purchase.

“I’ll have to send in a quote with the paperwork for the grant,” he said. Mears also said he would do what he could to help with the grant.