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Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 August 17, 2016 Vol. 124, No. 165 www.alexcityoutlook.com
Mayor sends Machen home again Documents claim finance director is ‘incompetent in her duties’ By MITCH SNEED Editor
Alexander City Mayor Charles Shaw has dismissed the city’s Finance Director Sandra Machen again. Shaw came downstairs to Machen’s first-floor office at city hall at about 8
a.m. with a police officer and dismissed the embattled Machen for the third time in about 11 months. Tuesday’s dismissal comes a day after Council President Jim Spann asked Shaw a series of pointed questions at Monday night’s council meeting. He asked Shaw about the city’s budget and when he would have it ready for review. He also questioned the mayor on the status of the Auburn University pay study, the use of two auditing firms that were
numbers works for you. People who work for you generate the numbers. … You are the boss you wanted the job, you got it. Handle it.” Shaw fired back. “I will handle it,” Shaw said. So today, Shaw terminated Machen. The document presented to Machen at the time they sent home includes: • “Sandra has been incompetent in
making little progress and the city being “$1.5 million out” in its books. An indication that another termination may be coming came Monday night came when Jim Spann questioned Shaw on his progress with the budget and Shaw claimed that he couldn’t get numbers because the auditors were not finished. “We don’t have numbers?” Spann questioned Shaw. “Don’t say we. You are the boss. Everybody who works with
See DISMISSED • Page 6
Meeting set on BRHS’s principal’s comments
Chamber board gets update on incubator and new businesses
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
A public meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Cooper Recreation Center to discuss comments Benjamin Russell High School Principal Anthony Wilkinson made last Tuesday that some individuals alleged were racist. Alexander City Schools Superintendent Darrell Cooper said prior to the Alexander City Board of Education meeting that Wednesday’s meeting was scheduled after he had met with individuals who had expressed concerns about the comments. At least one of the meetings included Wilkinson. The individuals also visited See MEETING • Page 6
Today’s
Weather
91 73 High
Low
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
488.96 Reported on 8/16/16 @ 9 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
6
54708 90050
8
USPS Permit # 013-080
By MITCH SNEED Editor
of injuries and missing persons. If that happens it’s not as easy as driving to the river to check on someone with limited access points. “We have more than doubled the kayak and canoe traffic on the river in the last year,” County Commissioner John McKelvey said.
The board of directors of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce heard some good news Tuesday as there is movement on the planned business incubator as well as some developments of new businesses coming to town. Chamber President Ed Collari told the board that they have received a lease from USAmeriBank and lawyers have looked over the documents. He said with a few minor things, he hopes to have it to the board for their inspection by the next meeting. The plan is to move the Chamber offices into the former Aliant Bank processing center on Highway 280, dedicate office space for budding businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurial opportunities and use the common area as a place for people who need space on a temporary basis to come and work there
See RESCUE • Page 5
See CHAMBER • Page 5
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Members of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Aviation Unit prepare a ‘victim’ to be lifted by the unit’s helicopter at a training exercize for area first responders in New Site Tuesday.
River rescue team receives helicopter training By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Everyone is happy that the Harold Banks Canoe Trail along the Tallapoosa River is bringing more visitors. With that increased traffic comes the risks
Seniors learn to be leery of financial scams
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Make no mistake about it. Some people want money and want it so badly they are willing to do anything to get yours. That was the message Richard Searson had for the approximately 50 seniors who gathered Tuesday at USAmeriBank’s main office for a seminar called “Safe Banking for Seniors.” The people Searson was referring to are called scammers.
“It does not matter your age or your station in life,” Searson, the director of training for USAmeriBank, told the group. “We all can become a victim.” Searson then outlined for the group what constitutes a scam, why they work, different types of scams, warning signs for them and how to build defenses against scams. “A scam is a trick a criminal plays on a victim to extort money,” Searson said. “When it’s over, the scammer is gone See SENIORS • Page 5
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
House damaged in Tuesday fire Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at Summer Drive home of Sabrina Kemp. Fire Chief Kem Jones said the fire appears to have started on a sofa in the front of the home, but the exact cause is still under investigation. No one was at home at the time the fire started and there were no injuries reported.
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