Mary Robinson, wife of deceased Commissioner Daniel Robinson (Dist. 4) joined the Butler County Commission as acting commissioner for its September meeting on Tuesday.

Mrs. Robinson was appointed to succeed her husband by Gov. Bob Riley in late August. She was sworn in by Probate Judge Steve Norman. She will continue to serve the remainder of Robinson’s term until November.

“Thanks to everyone for welcoming me to sit in Dan’s seat until his term his over,” said Mrs. Robinson.

Robinson died in July after having secured another four-year term, which is scheduled to run until 2012.

Local Democrats have selected Jimmy Crum as the Democratic nominee in the Nov. 4 General Election.

In other business the commission:

Approved a change order to the Butler County Jail project to add three food pass doors at the cost of $3,200. A walk-thru/open house is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 5. Acting Commission Chairman Frank Hickman said the new jail is approximately 95 percent complete.

Approved a request from Norman to contract with MEDIR Government Services for the purpose of electronically scanning deeds and other public records in the Probate Office. Estimated cost based on the number of documents is $12,000.

Approved housing/prisoner contracts with the Cities of Greenville and Georgiana, and the Town of McKenzie.

Amended the budget to include an additional $150,000 to the gasoline fund.

Jail Administrator Al McKee reported there were 50 total inmates incarcerated in the Butler County Jail.

County Engineer Dennis McCall updated commissioners on the recent storm damage from Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gustav. McCall said Gustav caused little damage, although there was an influx of people from Mississippi, Louisiana and southern Alabama from the storm. McCall said there was some slight flooding problems from Fay, including some dirt roads washed away but those had been repaired.

He said the county received anywhere from 8-inches to 12-inches of rain from the two storms.

Hickman asked for prayers for Commission Chairman Jesse McWilliams, who missed Tuesday’s meeting because of illness.

The commission will meet later this month to approve the upcoming fiscal year budget.