Greene County Alabama Government: Structure, Services, and Officials

Greene County occupies the west-central region of Alabama, bordered by Hale County to the east and Tuscaloosa County to the north, and ranks among the state's smallest counties by population. Its government operates under Alabama's standard county commission framework, with elected officials responsible for road maintenance, property assessment, judicial administration, and a range of resident services. This page covers the structural composition of Greene County's government, the services it delivers, and the boundaries of its authority within Alabama's 67-county system.

Definition and Scope

Greene County was established in 1819, making it one of Alabama's original counties, and its seat is the city of Eutaw. The county government functions under Alabama Code Title 11, which governs counties and municipalities throughout the state. Authority is vested in a Board of County Commissioners, an elected body that sets fiscal policy, approves the county budget, and oversees public infrastructure within the county's approximately 648 square miles.

Greene County operates 1 probate court, 1 circuit court division, and a sheriff's department. The Probate Judge serves a dual administrative and judicial function: recording deeds, issuing marriage licenses, administering estates, and presiding over mental health commitment hearings under Alabama statute. The Circuit Court for Greene County falls within Alabama's 17th Judicial Circuit, which also encompasses Bibb County.

The county's geographic and jurisdictional scope is entirely contained within the State of Alabama. Federal law supersedes county ordinances where applicable, and state agencies — including the Alabama Department of Transportation for road classification and the Alabama Department of Revenue for property tax administration frameworks — set standards that constrain local rulemaking.

Scope limitations: This page covers Greene County's government structure and services only. It does not address the municipal governments of Eutaw, Union, or Forkland, which maintain separate elected bodies and service jurisdictions. Federal programs administered locally (such as USDA rural development grants) are outside the county government's direct authority and are not covered here.

How It Works

Greene County government operates through five primary elected offices:

  1. Board of County Commissioners — A multi-member commission responsible for adopting the annual budget, setting the county millage rate for property taxation, maintaining county roads and bridges, and contracting for county services. Commissioners are elected by district.
  2. Probate Judge — Administers the Probate Court, records land records, issues licenses, and serves as the chief election official for the county.
  3. Sheriff — Operates the Greene County Jail, enforces state law within unincorporated areas, and serves civil process.
  4. Tax Assessor — Establishes assessed values for real and personal property in accordance with Alabama Department of Revenue guidelines. Alabama assesses residential property at 10% of fair market value under Alabama Code § 40-8-1.
  5. Tax Collector — Collects ad valorem taxes based on assessments certified by the Tax Assessor; issues tax delinquency notices and manages tax lien sales under state procedures.

The county budget process follows the fiscal year established by Alabama law, with the commission required to adopt a balanced budget. Greene County, like comparable rural counties such as Sumter County and Perry County, depends heavily on state revenue-sharing allocations and federal pass-through funds given its limited local tax base. Greene County's population was recorded at approximately 7,900 residents in the 2020 U.S. Census (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census), placing it among Alabama's least populous counties and constraining its independent fiscal capacity.

Common Scenarios

Residents and professionals interacting with Greene County government encounter four primary service categories:

Decision Boundaries

Distinguishing county authority from state and municipal authority determines which office or agency handles a given matter.

County jurisdiction applies to:
- Unincorporated land use and building permits (where a county zoning ordinance exists)
- County road maintenance
- Ad valorem tax assessment and collection
- Probate and estate administration within Greene County
- Jail operations and law enforcement in unincorporated areas

State jurisdiction applies to:
- Environmental permitting (administered by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management)
- Driver licensing and vehicle registration (administered by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency)
- Medicaid eligibility (administered by the Alabama Medicaid Agency)
- Public school oversight beyond local board functions (governed by the Alabama State Board of Education)

Municipal jurisdiction applies to:
- Zoning, code enforcement, and utilities within the incorporated limits of Eutaw, Union, and Forkland

Where a matter spans both county and state authority — such as a road improvement project requiring state funding — coordination is required between the County Commission and the relevant state agency. The Alabama county government framework, as documented across the Alabama government reference index, consistently assigns residual local authority to the county commission for matters not expressly reserved to the state or a municipality.

Neighboring counties with comparable rural administrative structures include Hale County to the east and Pickens County to the north, both of which operate under identical statutory frameworks but maintain independent elected offices, budgets, and service schedules.

References