Dallas County Commission gets $160K DOT for road safety plan, OKs new tornado sirens

The Dallas County Commission began its first regular meeting of 2026 on Monday with a full agenda that included community concerns, board appointments, infrastructure planning and emergency preparedness.

Dallas County received a $160,000 U.S. Department of Transportation planning grant to develop a comprehensive roadway safety plan. The grant requires a 20% county match and positions Dallas County to pursue larger implementation grants in the future. 

County Engineer Anthony Creer emphasized the importance of following federal steps precisely to avoid jeopardizing future funding.

On the third anniversary of the EF-2 tornado that tore through Dallas County, EMA Director Toya Crusoe secured approval for a resolution awarding Collins Communications of Demopolis the contract to install two new Whelen storm sirens at Selma High School and the Sportsplex. The project is FEMA funded, with the county responsible for 10% of the cost. The Commission also approved a resolution authorizing the purchase of 150 additional weather radios, doubling the total to 300 after Crusoe secured a $6,000 grant from International Paper. 

Crusoe also briefed commissioners on storm damage from the previous weekend, noting roof damage on County Road 925 and Royce Street. She urged residents to report damage through 911 so EMA can respond promptly.

She reminded the public that the Home Recovery Office is still accepting applications for unmet needs from the Jan.12, 2023, tornado. Many residents, she noted, remain unable to qualify because property deeds are not in their names.

County Attorney John Kelly recommended payment of a $5,021.30 claim filed by the Hampton Inn on US 80 after a county-owned pumping station overflowed during the Thanksgiving holiday, sending wastewater onto the hotel property. The commission approved the reimbursement unanimously.

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County Engineer Creer presented several items, including approval of aggregate bids for limestone used in road maintenance and submission of the Rebuild Alabama FY 2025 Annual Report, which includes 22 project sites across the county.

Commissioners Towns and Lumpkin addressed residents from District 4 who have repeatedly raised concerns about impassable roads.

Towns acknowledged decades of frustration and said the county continues working with engineers to find a viable solution.

Lumpkin added that the needed fix, a new bridge on County Road 808, would cost more than $2 million, far beyond the county’s current budget. “If we can’t get a grant, there ain’t no way to fix it,” he said, emphasizing the county’s responsibility to avoid overspending. “We’re doing all we can with what we have.”

During public comment, longtime photographer and community advocate Queen E. Jackson urged county leaders to be more present at Selma’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Stop the Violence” march. Jackson, who has documented the event for decades, invited commissioners to attend the Jan. 19 observance and “bring your voice so we can hear you and know what we need for Selma.”

Youth mentor Erice Williams followed with a request for financial support for the Rolling Youth Foundation’s flag football league. Williams said the program served more than 60 children last year but struggled with costs for equipment, jerseys and field rentals. His goal, he said, is to make the program “as close to free as possible” for families across a 50-mile radius.

Commissioner Connel Towns later assured Williams that funding for his program had already been included in the county’s budget cycle, but he must now submit a formal proposal to County Administrator Barbara Harrell.