Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum went before the Dallas County Commission at Monday night’s meeting and asked the commission to consider the approval of new lighting at the Dallas County Jail.

According to Granthum the current lighting at the jail is around 20-30 years old.

Granthum also stated that the new LED lighting would not only be far superior in quality to the current, outdated lighting but also be more cost effective.

Alabama Power representative Terry Johnson spoke to the commission to reaffirm Granthum claims that new LED lighting would be a good choice.

“Our new LED lighting, which we’ve installed several of in Selma, is really a great product, it’s what everyone is going to,” said Johnson. “We can save you some money, about $430 per month…you’ll get a better product, better lights and a safer more secure facility.”

After the information was presented to the Board, Dallas County Attorney John Kelly advised that the commission not yet approve the motion to purchase new lighting for the jail.

According to Kelly, the renovations would like fall under Alabama Bid Law which states that purchases exceeding $15,000 be put out to a fair and open bid.

Later in the Meeting Kelly stated that there were exceptions to the bid law, one of which is security.

“If Sheriff Granthum were to tell me that the lighting was a matter of security, then it wouldn’t have to be placed on bid,” said Kelley.

The commission approved that if, upon further investigation by Kelly, the lighting will not require a bid than the lighting will be approved.

Elsewhere in the meeting, Dallas County Engineer Coosa Jones advised the commissioner to each put together a list of roads within their districts that they believe needs priority improvement from the money collected by the recently passed gas tax.

According to Jones the deadline to submit roads to the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is August 31. The County will not receive funds collected from the new tax until January 2020.