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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

PELHAM – County Manager Chad Scroggins shared an optimistic view of the county and provided updates on a variety of projects within the county during the Shelby County Chamber’s annual State of the County community luncheon.

Scroggins provided a comprehensive overview of Shelby County’s finances, growth, employment, roads and projects during the luncheon which was held on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena.

“We’re extremely blessed in this county to have the residents that we do, that invest into the public offerings that we have,” Scroggins said.

Scroggins began the update by highlighting that Shelby County is one of the few counties in the state that utilize a county manager system. Scroggins also emphasized the county leadership is focus on reinvesting its resources back into the community.

“We take the resources of the people of this community, and some of our visitors, and we reinvest,” Scroggins said. “We put them together and reinvest them back into different offerings to serve you. We are a serviced-based organization.”

According to Scroggins’ presentation, Shelby County’s unemployment rate is currently at 2.3 percent, which is the lowest in Alabama but still higher than last year’s rate of 1.7 percent. Additionally, Scroggins reported that Shelby County has the highest employee participation rate in the state.

“If you want to work, we have a job for you here in Shelby County,” Scroggins said.

Shelby County’s total property values have increased by 809,469,040, according to work done by Property Tax Commissioner Don Armstrong.

According to Scroggins’ presentation, Shelby County is also the leader in the state in the following categories:

• Per capita income – $42,106
• Household median income – $90,618
• Education rate (first college degree plus) – 45.6 percent
• Home median price – $276,500
• Health outcomes

Scroggins expressed his appreciation for Shelby County’s ranking in the state, however, he also emphasized that the county is still behind when it is compared to national metrics.

Shelby County’s budget for fiscal year 2025 features $197,709,958 in revenues—which is inflated due to the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds. The county’s budget for fiscal year 2025 also features $197,506,038 in expenditures.

One major project the county is utilizing APRA funds for is an estimated $32 million project that will connect the duct line between the water systems in Talladega County and the south plant in Wilsonville.

“Nobody sees that, but it’s vitally important to the growth of this county for the next 30 to 50 years,” Scroggins said. “We’re doing things with these funds that have a 30 to 50 year investment line.”

Scroggins said the county is looking to make quality investments instead of quantity investments and that they want to offer a good quality of life rather than become the fastest growing county.

“We’re wanting to make sure that you have a good quality of life,” Scroggins said. “How can we get you the best public safety , the best education, have jobs here in the county that you can actually grow into and have the best outdoor recreation?”

For the next year, in addition to improvements to public services, the county also has a variety of road improvements in mind, including the following:

• The Interstate 65 expansion project which will go out to bid in December 2024
• Valleydale Road widening
• Caldwell Mill Road widening
• State Route 261/County Road 17 widening
• Alabama 25 Camp Branch bridge replacement
• County Road 43 bridge painting
• County Road 61 bridge replacement

“(That’s) just showing you a little bit about the projects that we have going on just with the county engineer’s office,” Scroggins said.

Shelby County has several large projects ongoing and on the horizon across the county, including the following:

• Expansion to the Shelby County Landfill on Highway 70 with a new access point
• Mass Hanger T project at the Shelby County Airport
• Independence Hall Phase I and II at the American Village
• Expansion to the Shelby County Jail with updated cameras and controls, segregation units and mental healthcare services

In addition to the large scale projects the county is working on, it has found success with its newly formed grants management department and the creation of a Community Services Grant to help local municipalities.

The grant program was created by the Shelby County Commission to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations and public entities within the county and to better serve and enhance the quality of life of residents. The initial version of the program featured a budget of $250,000 but the county then received 28 applicants with $1.1 million in requests.

“That shows you that we have a demand in our county for more programs to serve the public,” Scroggins said.

Scroggins concluded his address on the state of the county by discussing the county’s growth in mental health initiatives. He shared that the county has put together a team of law enforcement, judges and public defenders to solve some of the gaps where mental health services are lacking in the county.

“This is a pillar of which we’ve got to build upon,” Scroggins said.