CENTRE — The Cherokee County Commission approved an environmental monitoring agreement during its regular meeting Monday, June 8, at the Cherokee County Administrative Building.

Commissioners first gathered for a planning session at 9 a.m. before convening the regular public meeting at 10 a.m. There were no comments from citizens or public officials during the meeting.

A roll call established a quorum with Commissioners Jones, Nichols, Shaw and Teague in attendance. Chairman Burgess was absent due to an out-of-town meeting. Commissioner Teague presided over the meeting in Burgess’ absence.

The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, which was dedicated to Union Navy Seaman Edward J. Houghton, a Medal of Honor recipient. Houghton, a Mobile native who moved to Massachusetts as a child, earned the nation’s highest military honor for his actions during a naval operation on the Roanoke River near Plymouth, North Carolina, on Oct. 27, 1864. According to information presented during the meeting, Houghton was part of a small boat crew that used an explosive charge mounted on an underwater spar to disable a Confederate ironclad vessel. The mission succeeded, but the boat was destroyed by Confederate gunfire. Houghton was later killed in a stabbing incident while on leave in Norfolk, Virginia, one day before he was scheduled to receive the Medal of Honor. He was 22 years old.

Commissioner Jones delivered the invocation.

There were no awards, presentations, staff agency reports, public hearings or items of old business on the agenda.

Commissioners approved the meeting agenda, consent agenda, previous meeting minutes and payment of county bills.

The only item of new business was consideration of an agreement with WSP USA Environment & Infrastructure Inc. for mandatory groundwater monitoring at the former Leesburg Landfill. The commission approved the agreement in the amount of $17,600 and authorized the chairman to execute the necessary documents.

Following the vote, the commission entered executive session to discuss matters involving commerce and trade. The county attorney confirmed the discussion qualified as a valid reason for executive session under Alabama law.

No further public action was reported before the commission entered executive session.