Jefferson County Alabama: Podcast for the People

Applications are now being accepted for the 2022 Water Reclamation Facility Operator Apprentice Program at Jefferson County. You can apply online at www.jobsquest.org , call for more information at 205-325-5249, or email careers@jccal.org. Program benefits include: paid on the job training; advanced pay structure based on certification completion; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; paid book...

It's been almost a year since Jefferson County launched its COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program. We talk with Nathan Salter in Workforce Development about what assistance has been provided, what funding is still available and about ERAP 2, which is coming down the road. As a reminder, details can be found on our website at: erap.jccal.org  and if you have questions, you can contact o...

This is a quick 5 minute listen on a new STEM internship program the County is starting. Applications will open on March 21 on jobsquest.org . If you are a college student and interested in a career in IT or Civil Engineering, this maybe for you. These are paid internship positions that will start this June.  Have an idea for a County podcast? Contact the Director of Public Information, Helen Hays...

Why can't the county fix my drainage issue? Why hasn't the County paved my road? Why doesn't the county pave the Interstate?  Here is a look at what the County can and can't do vs. cities with the Confidential Assistant to the County Manager Justin Smith. Justin has been with the County for more than 10 years. We break down some of the common questions we get, what departments...

Today we talk with Sharon Gadbois, public affairs specialist, with the SBA Disaster Loan assistance program. If you experienced damaged in the Oct. 6-7 storms/flooding the deadline is approaching for you to apply for help. They have an office open in the Boardroom at the Hoover Rec center (open Mon-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.) or you can call 1-800-659-2955 to get help and more information. You can als...

Quick interview with Melissa Sizemore from the Jefferson County EMA on what the recent FEMA declaration means for individuals and households who live in Jefferson and Shelby counties and were affected by the severe storms and flooding that occurred Oct. 6-7.  FEMA may be able to help with temporary housing expenses, basic home repairs, or other essential disaster-related needs that are not covered...

The Jefferson County Revenue Dept. handles car tags, houses driver's license offices for the state, boat registrations and more. We talked with Tracie Swanson, the business office supervisor for the department and walked through their frequently asked questions including how to get a Star ID. We cover a lot in about 15 minutes and the PIO learned a thing or two. Helpful links in this podcast:...

Three different offices are involved in Property Taxes. We brought them all together to explain the process.  Board of Equalization: Evaluates property according to state laws and sends notices to residents about changes in property valuation. Contact: BOE@jccal.org or call, Bham office at 205-325-5566 or Bessemer office at 205-481-4120. Tax Collector: Send tax notices and collects property tax pa...

Quick interview with Alan Sconiers, Equity and Inclusion Business Parter with Jefferson County and Michael Matthews, Purchasing Agent with Jefferson County about the benefits of being a Veteran and working for the County. During this month, and in honor of Veteran's Day, Jefferson County has displayed the pictures of County Veterans and family members of employees that are Veteran's for...

On Oct. 6, 2021 Jefferson County and neighboring communities experienced an unprecedented flooding event with approximately 10 inches of rain falling within a matter of hours. This resulted in flash flooding in many areas. The Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency has established a damage assessment portal, where homeowners and businesses can report sustained damages by Oct. 18, 2021.  The...

We are now live-streaming all planning and zoning meetings, but we wanted to take a deeper dive into the process, how long it can take, and tips for those coming before the planning and zoning commission. If you ever need to reach the staff of planning and zoning you can call Development Services at 205-325-5321 or email contact_zoning@jccal.org and someone will answer your question.  Have an idea...

If you are an employee of Jefferson County this podcast is for you! Nakia Bucker Benefits Advisor for Jefferson County joins us. If you are not an employee, but have applied for a job with the County, you may be interested in hearing more details about our benefits and how great they are. Open enrollment is Sept. 1 - Sept. 14. Even if you don't think you have changes log-in and check for: cha...

In this episode we talk to Hana Berres, education training coordinator for Jefferson County Development Services and Debbie Blackburn, a volunteer clean-up coordinator. Hana (who is still battling upper and lower respiratory issues from COVID-19) explains why Jefferson County supports community clean-ups and Debbie talks about what it has done for her community. If you are interested in scheduling...

We spent about 30 minutes talking to Dr. Mark Wilson, Chief Medical Officer of the Jefferson County Dept. Health. He explains its organizational structure, who he reports too, and provides a lot of details on our vaccination rates, why Jefferson County is red right now, and addresses common concerns people may have about getting the vaccine. If you are on the fence, we hope you will give it a list...

In this episode we talk with Loren Warren, HR Division Manager, about how to apply for a job with Jefferson County. Links and numbers mentioned in the podcast include: To see and apply for jobs visit www.jobsquest.org If you have questions about a job email recruiters anytime at careers@jccal.org or call, 205.325.5249 option 1.  Have an idea for a County podcast? Contact the Director of Public Inf...

Want to know how elections work in Jefferson County? This podcast is for you. We talk to the Chair of the Election Commission, the Chair of the Board of Registrars, the Sheriff's office and both Circuit Clerks who handle absentee voting. It's a unique group that works together to make elections happen. Jefferson County is even contracted to execute elections for other cities like the upc...

Jefferson County is accepting application for the Water Reclamation Apprenticeship program through June 13. Listen for details on the program, which includes on the job training and education while getting paid! To apply visit www.jobsquest.org. Have questions? Contact Marc Crenshaw in our HR Dept. at 205-325-5249 or email him at crenshawm@jccal.org. Have an idea for a County podcast? Contact the...

In this episode we talk to our partners that are helping administer Jefferson County's Emergency Rental Assistance Program. For details visit erap.jccal.org for details and an online application. Can't do it online -- no problem you can call our partners for an appointment to walk through the process. Those numbers are Neighborhood Housing Services, 205-328-4292; Birmingham Urban League,...

Interviewing for a job at Jefferson County is done a little differently. Joining us are Matt Luetjen and Jamie Koladish from our Human Resources Department with a few tips on how to prepare. Want to find out what jobs are open in Jefferson County visit: https://www.jccal.org/Find+A+Job.  Have an idea for a County podcast? Contact the Director of Public Information, Helen Hays at haysh@jccal.org

This episode is different. It's audio from Thursday's Commission meeting and guest Liliana Tschanett, from the SBA Office of Disaster Assistance. She and her team will be at the Fultondale Public Library, 500 Byrd Lane, Fultondale, AL 35068, Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and this Saturday, April 10 (only) helping people secure loans to help them with recovery. This is for victims of t...

We are talking trash today! We've had a lot of questions about this transition so we thought we would talk to the Director of Environmental Services, David Denard, and the Vice President of Operations for Amwaste, Rick Sweeney  (the new vendor) to answer some questions. If you have questions about service, your account transition to Amwaste, or anything else call 205-788-1400, or email them a...

April is national Child Abuse Awareness Month. We talk with Deb Schnider, director of the Children's of Alabama CHIPS Center ( Children's Hospital Intervention and Prevention Services). We discuss what they do, and how to open the door for dialogue on this topic with children. Important: if you believe a child is in immediate danger call 911, if you suspect child abuse call the Jefferson...

In this episode we talk to Marc Crenshaw and Lakeasha Hargrove from our HR group about the paid Water Reclamation High School Internship Program. It's specifically for high school seniors in the Jefferson County area. The application deadline is April 9, 2021 for this summer. For more information and to submit an application email careers@jccal.org or contact Marc at 205.214.3997, crenshawm@j...

March 13 marks the official 'anniversary' of the COVID-19 pandemic in Jefferson County. At this time a year ago the Joint Command was formed. We talked with the heads of the Joint Command, EMA Director Jim Coker, and Director of the Jefferson County Dept. of Health, Dr.  Mark Wilson about the past year. There are personal reflections, surprising moments and discussion about the vaccine a...

We interview Melissa Sizemore with the Jefferson County EMA to talk about what you can do to prepare for severe weather.  Includes are tips on apps to download, multiple ways to get warnings, and how to sign up for notifications. Please visit their website at jeffcoema.org for a wealth of information on how to protect you and your family.  Have an idea for a County podcast? Contact the Director of...