SB223 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Clyde ChamblissSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Elmore Co., county engineer or chief engineer, duties, surpervison of employees, Sec. 45-36-130 am'd.

Summary

SB 223 expands Elmore County's control over its county engineer, allowing appointment of a qualified engineer, defined duties, and authority to hire and supervise staff.

What This Bill Does

The bill requires the Elmore County Commission to appoint and employ a qualified county engineer or chief engineer responsible for maintaining and constructing county roads, bridges, and ferries. It lets the engineer take on additional duties as assigned by the commission and to hire, supervise, and direct deputies and assistants. It sets rules for budgeting, bonding, office support, inventory, and accountability, and allows the commission to suspend or replace staff as needed. In emergencies, the commission can hire a temporary road supervisor who can perform engineer duties until a qualified engineer is hired.

Who It Affects

• Elmore County Commission and the county engineer: gain authority to appoint the engineer, define duties, manage staffing, set budgets and wage scales, and oversee procurement and office resources.
• Residents of Elmore County and road users: may experience more consistent maintenance and construction of roads, bridges, and ferries due to dedicated professional oversight and explicit performance responsibilities.

Key Provisions

• Applies only in Elmore County and requires the county commission to appoint and employ a qualified county engineer or chief engineer.
• The engineer must devote full time to maintenance and construction of county roads, bridges, and ferries and may be assigned additional duties by the county commission.
• Empowers the engineer to employ, supervise, and direct deputies and assistants, set their duties, and discharge them as needed.
• Requires the engineer to perform engineering and surveying work, maintain maps and records, and keep accounting records of road costs.
• Allows the engineer to build or alter roads only when ordered by proper county commission action, and to manage all county roads on a county-wide basis.
• The county commission fixes wage scales for labor and sets the engineer's salary, which is paid from road and bridge funds.
• Before starting, the engineer must post a surety bond guaranteeing faithful performance and accounting of county monies/properties.
• The county must provide an office, supplies, equipment, and transportation; the engineer is custodian of road machinery and equipment, with an inventory kept.
• The county commission controls funding for engineering functions and sets annual spending limits, with possible increases as allowed by law.
• In emergencies, the commission can hire a temporary competent road supervisor with the same duties until a qualified engineer is hired.
• County commissioners must inspect district roads and bridges and assist with right-of-way and public relations.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elmore County