Oops! Letters alleging county businesses delinquent in fees sent in error
Etowah County Chief Administrative Officer Shane Ellison says an apology letter should be in the mail soon, to any county businesses that received letters in error alleging they were behind on paying business fees to the county.
The county contracts with Avenue Insights and Analytics to send such notifications. Some 500 businesses received letters in error, he said. "At least all the ones we've heard from so far were not delinquent," Ellison said. The company is supposed to send letters to any business that wrongly received them, at explain and apologize.
Ellison said Probate Judge Scott Hassell had received calls and he expected some commissioners might be getting them as well about the letters.
Christmas for the county?
Commissioner Jeffery Washington said some time ago he floated a "crazy idea" that he wanted to bring up again to his fellow commissioners. He suggested getting a big Christmas tree to be placed at the courthouse, and to have a tree lighting event that would bring in people from throughout Etowah County.
He said bands and students from all area high schools could be invited. He envisioned placing a seal from the county and each of its municipalities around the tree as a way to bring municipal leaders and people from across the county together.
Washington said he wants to see the county move forward, and work to tear down some some of the differences that have come between governing bodies in the past, "to do something to bring Etowah County together."
Renew our Rivers
Etowah County Chief of Corrections Keith Peek said work is underway in the Renew Our Rivers program, in conjunction with Keep Etowah Beautiful. Selected inmates from the detention center will assist in the clean-up program through Thursday, Peek said.
It's been a couple of years since the river clean-up took place, he said, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditionally, the effort removes many bags of garbage and debris from the Coosa River and its banks.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Etowah businesses wrongly accused of being delinquent in fees
