Commission honors late security officer, proclaims Women in Construction Week and recognizes Bessemer Middle School robotics champions

The Jefferson County Commission opened Feb. 19 with a resolution honoring the life and 19 years of service of Stanley Carnell Lee, a security officer and court bailiff remembered for his steady presence and professionalism. Deputy county manager Darren read the resolution and commissioners invited family and colleagues forward for a photo and brief remarks.

The commission also adopted a proclamation from District 4 declaring March 1–7, 2026, Women in Construction Week; the proclamation will be included in the meeting minutes. Commissioners congratulated honorees and said the recognition would appear in the official record.

Separately, the commission recognized three Bessemer City Middle School robotics teams that placed at the 2025 Coder Z League national competition. Principal Dominic Moore and teacher Aljanette Krigs spoke briefly. Seventh-grader Jeremiah Freeman described the team's work: "So what we did with the robot was we had to program it with the app called Spike... we only had 2 and a half minutes," explaining roles for builders and programmers and how missions and scoring worked.

Commissioners announced a $1,000 contribution each to help the teams acquire tools and continue their STEM projects. The commission presented a written resolution congratulating the Bessemer Warriors, Bessemer Bad Witches and the Techno Tigers and directing a copy be provided to school leadership.

The recognitions underscored both remembrance for a longtime county employee and the county’s support for STEM education and workforce development.