Commission Chairman gives update in State of County address

News

Thursday, 24 April 2025 07:59

The Annual State of the County address was held last week at the Goose Pond Civic Center. The event, sponsored by Highlands Medical Center, CFD Research, Redstone Federal Credit Union, HTPG and the Jackson County Commission began with a wonderful breakfast catered by The Glass House. Pastor Dustin Henshaw from Happy Home Missionary Baptist Church began with invocation. Jim Barclay led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. Scottsboro High School student Sawyer McWilliams performed the National Anthem.

Highlands Medical Center President Ashley Pool introduced Jackson County Commission Chairman Bill Nance.

Pool stated, “Good morning. It’s my pleasure to present today’s speaker, Major General Willie B. Nance, Jr., retired of the United States Army and our Jackson County Commission chairman. Bill and his wife, Johnny, live in Jackson County and attend the First Baptist Church in Scottsboro. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in business administration and a master’s degree from the Florida Institute of Technology. He is a member of the Northeast Alabama Community College Advisory Board and a member of Scottsboro’s Lions Club. In 1968, Bill entered the United States Army as a private and retired after more than 34 years as a major general. His army career included assignments such as platoon leader, company commander, professor of acquisition management at the Defense Systems Management College, Program Executive Officer for Army Tactical Missile Systems. Deputy Commanding General of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command program director and program executive officer of the National Missile Defense Program and program executive officer of ballistic missile defense systems.
In 2002, Bill joined Cyprus International as chief executive officer and retired in 2013 as president and chief operations officer.

In May 2021, Governor Ivy appointed Bill as chairman of the Jackson County Commission to fill an unexpired term and in November of 2022, Bill was elected to start a four-year term as chairman of the county commission. He and Johnny are the proud parents of four children; Sherry, Stacey, Christie and Eric, and proud grandparents of 10 grandchildren. Please join me and welcoming, Chairman Nance.”

Nance began, “I want to say, welcome, good morning, and thank you to each one of you for being here this morning and giving us the opportunity to present this 2025 State of the County address. I really want to say thank you to every one of you for your great service to our county. Every one of you play a role in what we see is happening in our county and taking care of the residents and citizens of our county. So thank you very much for what you do and your service to the people of our county. Thank you.

It’s been a little over a year since we’ve last presented the state of the county. And since then, we’ve continued to see growth across our county. Our population is growing and our economy is growing. I want to update you on the growth, provide a status of our county budget and the work of our county departments and update you in the progress with the renovation of our county courthouse and the new Jackson County Courthouse Annex.

Jackson County offers features people look for when choosing a place to live. Affordability, good schools, the same place to live, a strong sense of community, and access to the great outdoors. Those attributes have significant and positive effects on the growth that we are seeing in our country. Our county’s population has grown since the 2020 census. In that census our population was 52,548, in the July 2023 census our estimated population was 53,467. That is an increase of nearly 900 since the 2020 Census report.

The 2024 revenue data shows that appraised value of Jackson County real and personal property values continues to grow. The values were $550 million in 2022 and in 2024 rose to $620 million. Jackson County workforce data shows that the County unemployment rate was 3.3%, as of November 2024, equal to the state average and better than the national average of 4%.

Those attributes have significant and positive effects on the growth that we are seeing in our county. Our county’s population has grown since the 2020 census. In that census our population was 52,548, in the July 2023 census our estimated population was 53,467. That is an increase of nearly 900 since the 2020 Census report.

The 2024 revenue data shows that appraised value of Jackson County real and personal property values continues to grow. The values were $550 million in 2022 and in 2024 rose to $620 million. Jackson County workforce data shows that the county unemployment rate was 3.3%, as of November 2024, equal to the state average and better than the national average of 4%.

Manufacturing contributed at $78 million to Jackson County’s economy in 2023. And since 2021, local industries have invested over $41 million in capital improvements. We’re seeing an expansion of existing and new retail across the county that is adding jobs and increasing county revenue. The retail sector contributed $90 million to Jackson County’s economy in 2023.

Agriculture continues to be a very important part of Jackson County’s economy. From 2017 to 2022 farming acreage increased to 252,976 acres. Tourism continuous to grow in Jackson County and contributed $91 million to our economy in 2023. That was an increase of $5 million from 2022.

The 2025 Jackson County budgets allow for funding of all county services, and departments including public works, solid waste, Jackson County Park, the Council on Aging and the Emergency Management Office. And the projected expenditure budget is $31.5 leaving a positive margin of $625,139.

The Alabama Department of Environmental management has agreed to renew their grants to us for this year. So the clean-up programs will continue in 2025. Also, I want to let you know that scrap tires and large items can be disposed of on Fridays at the solid waste office, and this is a free service to all residents of Jackson County.”

Chairman Nance ended by stating, “Today the Commission wants to recognize an individual who has served our county with decades of volunteer service. Captain Cecil Wells began volunteering as a reserve deputy in January 1971 working alongside and assisting certified deputies in the everyday duties associated with law enforcement, helping the citizens of Jackson County by providing security for county events, and volunteering his time and expertise in electronics by installing and maintaining all Jackson County deputy and sheriff’s office radios, saving the citizens of Jackson County thousands of dollars each year. Reserve Captain Wells is a valued member of the Scottsboro Tree Commission. He has served over the last eight years as an inmate road crew supervisor, volunteering thousands of hours supervising inmate workers doing community service, such as roadway trash clean up, planting trees, and other tasks benefiting the citizens of Jackson County. The Jackson County Commission hereby proclaims reserve Captain Cecil Wells the Jackson County Volunteer of the Year.”