By Barnett Wright
The Birmingham Times
Jimmie Stephens was re-elected President of the Jefferson Commission on Wednesday as the five members of the panel were sworn-in at the downtown Courthouse to mark the start of the 2022-2026 term.
Stephens received “yes” votes from Commissioners Steve Ammons, Joe Knight, and Sheila Tyson. Commissioner Lashunda Scales cast the lone no vote as she nominated and voted for Knight.
Stephens, elected in 2010, becomes the first commissioner chosen by colleagues to serve as president for three consecutive terms since the commission expanded to five members in 1986. Stephens was also elected commission president in 2014 and 2018.
On Wednesday, Ammons nominated Knight to be pro tempore and Sheila Tyson nominated Scales, who served as pro-tem during the 2018-2022 term. Knight was elected on a 3-0 vote with Scales and Tyson abstaining.
Here are committee assignments for each commissioner over the next four years.
Lashunda Scales, District 1 – Chairman of the Public Works, Community Services & Inter-Governmental Relations Committee; Member of the other four commission committees; Environmental Services; Coordinate Environmental impact activities between BWWB and the City of Birmingham, work with area 501c3 organizations to enhance quality of life for Jefferson County citizens, Human Resources, the Board of Equalization and primary liaison to Historical Black Colleges and Universities, all area community-based non-profit organizations, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), the Birmingham Water Works, the City of Birmingham and City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Personnel Board, the Pension Board, the SBA, the Birmingham Retail Association, all Jefferson County Schools in District 1, all Fire Districts in District 1 and County Representative to the National Association of Counties (NACo).
Sheila Tyson, District 2 – Chairman of the Community Development & Health Services Committee; Member of the other four Commission Committees; Senior Services, Animal Control; Jefferson County Coroner; Jefferson County Family Court; Youth Detention; Sheriff, District Attorney’s Office (Birmingham and Bessemer), Workforce Development and primary liaison to all governmental health related agencies other than the Jefferson County Department of Health, all Fire Districts in District 2, all Jefferson County Schools in District 2, the Jefferson County Housing Authority, Alabama Association of County Commissioners (ACCA); the Library Co-Op, CAPTE Representative, and issues related to Veteran Addairs and County Representative to the National Association of Counties (NACo).
Jimmie Stephens, PRESIDENT, District 3 — Chairman of the Administrative & Infrastructure Committee; Member of the four Commission Committees, Roads and Transportation Department, Represent county interests ALDOT, BBA, BJCC, JCDOH, Member of the Board of the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPC) and primary liaison to all Jefferson County Schools in District 3, all First Districts in District 3, the Bessemer Airport Authority, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and all governmental transportation agencies.
Joe Knight, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, District 4 – Chairman of the Finance, Judicial, Emergency Management & Development and General Services Committee; Member of the other four Commission Committees; Board of Regstrars; Development Services; Emergency Management Agency; General Services; Budget Management Office (BMO), Finance, Purchasing, Revenue and primary liaison to all Jefferson County elected judges, Probate Court, the Circuit Clerks, the Law Library, Probate Court, County Treasurer, Jefferson County Mayors Association, Jefferson County Racing Commission, Greater Birmingham Visitors & Convention Bureau, Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Regional Planning Commission of Greater (RPC), all Fire Districts in District 4, all Jefferson County Schools in District 4, Emergency Management (EMA) and the Jefferson County Office of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES).
Steve Ammons, District 5 – Chairman of the Committee of Information Technology and Economic Development; Member of the other four Commission Committees; Member of the Birmingham Zoo Oversight; General Obligation Debt and Enterprise Funds Oversight, Information Technology (IT), and primary liaison to the Alabama Department of Commerce, the Birmingham Business Alliance’s Economic Development Division, Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA), the Jefferson County Economic and Industrial Development Authority (JCEIDA), and all other economic development organizations, the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPC), E911 Emergency Communications District (ECD), the Birmingham Airport Authority, Birmingham Port Authority, REV Birmingham, Innovation Depot, all Fire Districts in District 5, all Jefferson County Schools in District 5, and oversight over all General Obligation Debt, Enterprise Funds, County Capital Planning and Strategic Investments.
