Wants to stay in line with state's schedule
The Escambia County (Ala.) Commission passed its 2024-2025 holiday schedule that adds Good Friday as a holiday since the county voted several years ago to align its holiday schedule with the state schedule which follows the federal holiday schedule.
The problem over the past few years is that Good Friday was not on the state holiday schedule, but Gov. Kay Ivey has declared that day a holiday a week or so before Good Friday and it wasn't on the county schedule.
Commission Chairman Raymond Wiggins the county and state used to have different holiday schedules but several years ago voted to adopt the state schedule because there were times when state offices in the courthouse were closed but county offices were open.
The confusion was most people didn't know which offices were open and which were closed and the commission voted to either open or close the courthouse.
The circuit clerk's office, the district attorney's office and the judges are on the state holiday schedule and the tax assessor, tax collector and probate judge are on the county schedule.
"It caused a lot of confusion with some offices open and some closed, so we adopted the state holiday schedule so the courthouse will either be opened or closed," Wiggins said.
He added that while the state hasn't designated Good Friday as a state holiday, the state has been adding it as a holiday at the last minute, which causes confusion on what courthouse offices will be open and which will be closed.
Good Friday was the only addition to the holiday schedule at the courthouse that includes: Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 for Columbus Day; Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 for Veterans Day; Thursday and Friday, Nov. 28 and 29, 2024mfor Thanksgiving; Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 24 and 25, 2024 for Christmas; Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025 for New Year's; (the rest are 2025) Monday, Jan. 20 for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday; Monday, Feb. 17 for Presidents Day; Friday, April 18 for Good Friday; Monday, April 28 for Confederate Memorial Day; Monday, June 2 for Jefferson Davis' birthday; Thursday, June 19 for Juneteenth Independence Day; Friday, July 4 for Independence Day; and Monday, Sept. 1 for Labor Day.
Tax holiday
The commission also approved a resolution Monday for the severe weather preparedness tax holiday for Feb. 21 through Feb. 23, 2025, where sales taxes will not be charged on certain items. More details on what items qualify will be announced later.
In other business the commission:
- Approved the Mill Creek Subdivision plat.
- Awarded a bid of $446,098.41 to S&C Materials for a triple layer bituminous surface treatment for Dixie Highway. The commission noted the funds would come from the Rebuild Alabama Fund and the District 2 resurfacing fund. County Engineer Parker Ross explained that the bituminous treatment is an alternative, less expensive cover that helps preserve the asphalt.
