Henry County experienced many changes this year. Due to storm damages, the Henry County Courthouse has seen many renovations including a new roof, new flooring on the second floor, and they are currently in the process of renovating the main floor bathroom as well as various others areas coming soon. The Annex building also received a much needed paint job.
Due to the generosity of David and Mary Beth Herndon, the county received a new building across the street from the courthouse. As a result, the county has moved the Commission and Probate offices over. This provided much needed growing room for all departments. Courthouse department overflow that was located in the basement has now been moved to the main floor. Sanitation is now located in the old Probate spot. The Recording office is the only part of the Probate office that did now move solely because of the millions of records stored in the vault. It is still located in the same place.
The new County building is still called "The Herndon Building". The Probate office was able to expand its department this year, as well as, get an upgraded computer and Kiosk system. Wait times have never shorter. Another change this county has seen this year is the discontinuation of tag renewal cards. The main purpose of the cards was to provide a web code so that residents could renew their tags online. The new computer system the Probate office is using does not require a web code only your driver's license and tag number. With the web codes rendered useless and the fact that the 3rd party the county used to make and send them was costing the county sixty thousand dollars per year, it was voted to to discontinue them.
Another change the county has seen this year is former Abbeville Police Chief Eric Blankenship becoming the new Henry County Sheriff following the retirement of Former Sheriff Will Maddox. The Sheriff's department also retired its two K9s this year. A new law was passed making in Alabama allowing open carry without a permit to those over the age of 19. However, many states that are not declared "open carry states" still recognize an Alabama gun permit and those are still available through the Henry County Sheriff's department.