By By JOHN DILMORE JR. Publisher
Escambia County Sheriff Grover Smith informed the county commission Monday that Project Lifesaver is now operational in Escambia County. The project's purpose is to outfit people suffering from various types of dementia with radio transmitters. The transmitters, which are worn in the form of a wristband, allow law enforcement to track patients who wander away from home.
Smith told the commission that one alzheimer's patient in the county has already been fitted with a transmitter wristband. "Our goal is to give one to every alzheimer's patients in the county," Smith said.
Also at Monday's commission meeting, commissioners voted to place $1 million in a Colonial Bank government agency investment bond. The deal they got from Colonial was a for a three year investment at an interest rate of 4.05 percent. That beat offers from other banks in the county, all of which were called and asked to submit proposals for how the county could invest its million.
In other action, the commission appointed Kay Bracken and Carol Ellington to represent the count on the board of Southwest Alabama Community Mental Health. Commissioner David Jennings said that he knew both of the appointees, and that they were excellent choices.
The commission also voted to have three companies work on a series of HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) lighting and storm window projects at the county facilities. The companies were Coley Air Conditioning of Atmore, Automotive Glass Specialists of Hattiesburg, Miss. and Southern Energy Technologies of Jackson, Miss. All were the lowest responsible bidder for the work in question.
State Representative Greg Albritton attended Monday's Commission meeting as an observer. Commission chairman Larry White told Albritton, "We appreciate the job that you've done."