Lee Co. considers cell phone policies

Lee County Commissioners are being asked to review a new cell phone use policy for county employees as part of revised personnel policies to be considered for approval at their Monday, Oct. 27, meeting.

With the exception of sheriff service positions, the new section in the county’s personnel policy “applies to the use of county-provided, personal cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) while acting in the scope of an individual’s employment with Lee County.”

“Use” in the policy includes “receiving or placing calls, text messaging and the reading of, Internet usage, receiving or responding to e-mail, and checking phone messages.”

The “usage while driving” section prohibits using cell phone or PDA when operating a county vehicle; operating any vehicle in performance of their duties; and operating any vehicle while engaging in any business related to county operations.

Lee County Administrator Roger Rendleman asked members to consider the cell phone policy to help reduce risk and liability to the county.

In old business, commissioners voted to approve a motion by Commissioner John Andrew Harris, District 5, to consider a feasibility study for securing funding and deploying a broadband network across Lee County, but only if their legal ability to be in the broadband network business is clarified by the county attorney and when the cities of Auburn and Opelika and Macon, Chambers and Russell counties are in agreement with the county commission.

The county would apply for funding under the terms and conditions set forth by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

In other old business, members:

- Reappointed Jan Dempsey to the Lee County Dept. of Human Resources Board;

- Approved the Highway Maintenance Bid No. 19 for Maintenance Stone from APAC, Mid South Inc.; and

- Adopted purchasing policies and procedures for the county.

In new business, members:

- Heard about the condition of Lee Road 338 from county resident Henry Fraind and turned those maintenance issues over to the county highway
department to handle;

- Approved travel for commissioners wishing to attend ACCA legislative conference in early December.

- Considering the two satellite offices and courthouse, approved advertising expenditures of $4,000 to promote all the county’s services available to citizens at all the locations with those advertisements being done by the commission office and paid out of the contingency fund.

- Approved a low bid of $380,700 by Core Roofing for the Lee County Jail reroofing project which includes the bid’s alternate section along with the work being done in 80 days.

- Approved the renewal of an off-premise retail beer and wine license for Springvilla Grocery, 45 Lee Road 166, Opelika: the issuance of a restaurant retail liquor license for Legends Bar and Grill, 14000 Lee Road 379, Valley; and the transfer of a lounge retail liquor — class 1 license for Cock and Bull Tavern Inc., 2102 Al Highway 169, Opelika. All three establishments are in District 4.