Limestone County will pitch in to help the Horton Family Home to be relocated to its future location in Old Town Decatur. The Limestone County Commission voted 3-1 Monday to allocate $56,000 to Celebrating Early Old Town with Art (CEOTA) nonprofit to assist in the relocation. District 2 Commissioner Danny Barksdale voted against the allocation.

The home belonged to Judge James Edwin Horton Jr., who is famous for being the presiding judge over the retrials of the Scottsboro Boys. The home was donated to CEOTA by the Horton Family.

The home is currently located in the Greenbrier Community next to the Mazda-Toyota complex and the Amazon Fulfillment Center. CEOTA plans to move the home to Decatur at an estimated cost of $1.2 million. The relocation is listed as Phase 3 of the Scottsboro Boys Civil Rights Museum Project.

Barksdale was the lone vote in opposition of Limestone County allocating money for the move.

“I am all for the recognition and Limestone County has a statue of Judge Horton in front of the courthouse. That was raised entirely with private funds. They didn’t ask for any government money to fund it. I have two objections to it. That’s going to be a Morgan County museum so Morgan County can pay for it. I believe that private funds are used for something like that and whatever the end result is, it’s more meaningful to people that had to put sweat and equity into it than just the government funding it,” Barksdale said.

The Limestone County Commission also approved a resolution to display the national motto “In God We Trust” in the Limestone County Chambers and in the conjunction with the Limestone County seal.

At a recent NACo Conference Daly attended, a push was under way for local governments to adopt these resolution.

“Seventeen counties in the state have already done this. If it’s on our money, “In God We Trust,” and that’s who we put our faith in anyway (why not),” Daly said.

Resolutions and orders

• A resolution to move the Aug. 21, 2023, work session and meeting to Frida, Aug. 18, 2023, beginning at 9 a.m.

Contracts, agreements and grants

• A service agreement between TriHaz Solutions and the Limestone County Jail for medical waster disposal.

• Limestone County Community Corrections to apply for a grant from the Administrative Office Courts, to implement a Veteran’s Treatment Court.

• Enter in a 24 month lease agreement with John Deere Financial for a government lease of a 60G compact excavator utilizing Sourcewell Cooperative bid.

• Long-term Detention Subsidy contract between Limestone County and the Alabama Department of Youth Services.

• A MOU with Athens State University to allow employees, employees’ parents, spouses, and children to receive 10 percent tuition discount on all classes and waiver of the application fee.

• Enter into a service contract with Schindler Elevator for three years for maintenance on elevators.

• Apply for a $5,000 grant through Walmart Community Grant Program for the Limestone County Sheriff to purchase a K-9. There is no county match.

Engineer’s report

• Preliminary and final approval for Thomas-Highway 251 Subdivision creating three lots in District 1 on the east side of Hwy 251 just north of Sweet Springs Road.

• Preliminary approval for Autumn Woods Phase 1 creating 42 lots in District 2 on the north d=side of Huntsville Brownsferry just west of the intersection with Bowers Road.

• Final approval for Southern Gayles Estates creating 38 lots in District 1 on the south side of Bain Road just east of the intersection with Mooresville Road.

• Final approval for Briarpatch Subdivision Addition No. 2 creating 11 lots in District 2 on the east side of Wells Road just south of Ed Ray Road.

• Final approval for Craft Springs creating 130 lots in District 2 on the north side of Craft Road and east of Mooresville Road.

• Final approval for Brownsferry Village Subdivision Phase 1 creating 70 lots in District 2 just off Gray Road at the end of Henry Clay Drive.

• Final approval for Legacy Grove creating 59 lots in district 2 on the east side of Mooresville Road.

Other business

• Cemetery trustees for Ripley Cemetery, 12144 Friend Road, Athens, to expand said cemetery at the recommendation of the Limestone County health Department. County shall not be responsible for expansion or maintenance costs.