OPINION, PAGE A4
PAGE B4
Line dancing class and more!
SPORTS B1 Lake Martin Slam Fest
A lot can happen in a year
Page B1.
THE RECO CORD RD Serving the h Dadeville d & Lake Martin area since 1897
WWW.THEDADEVILLERECORD.COM
VOL. 119, NO. 52
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016
Council discusses water tax payments By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The Dadeville City Council got some answers to questions it asked about sales tax payments to the utility board and about including paving as part of the courthouse square renovation project Tuesday night. “There was a question as to why up to $175,000 (a year) of sales tax are paid to the water and sewer board,” Mayor Wayne Smith said. “This is to take care of the
city’s indebtedness that was taken over by the water board.” The Dadeville Water and Sewer Board’s Mike Ingram was also at the council meeting to help explain the matter. “It (sales tax transfer) is based on the monthly sales tax taken in.” Ingram said. “This is a formula that figures the amount…that gives the amount of sales tax that is transferred over to water and sewer to help make those bond payments. That was the figure that was done when Joe
Smith was mayor. It was used then and has continued to today.” Council Member Dick Harrelson questioned how long it will take to pay the bonds and how the city could function with this debt. Ingram said that they would be paid off but probably not before more regulations forced the board to do more work. “Mr. Dick to be honest with you, when those bonds were renewed, they were on like a 35 year repayment plan, a series
2012 A and 2012 B,” Ingram said. “The bonds had been refunded several times. The last time they were refunded, there was a portion that could not be paid off early. The big bond was over about a 35 year time frame. “To be honest, at some point they will be paid off but at some point before they are paid off the board will have to go back in and with the regulations from ADEM and others for lead, zincs and phosphorus,
Water suit UP THE COURT! filed over lake level retention STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Lake Martin Resource Association (LMRA) and Russell Lands On Lake Martin have taken court action in the ongoing ‘Water Wars’ matter over water retention in the Alabama Coosa Tallapoosa river watershed. LMRA legal officer Steve Forehand this week released a statement indicating that LMRA and Russell Lands filed a Motion to Intervene in the U.S. District Court case against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) over the corps’ new water control manual. The suit was filed last year by the State of Alabama and Alabama Power Company. The suit centers around the COE operations of Lake Allatoona on the Coosa River system in Georgia, Forehand said. The recently issued water control manual provides absolute authority to the COE to limit or stop discharges from Lake Allatoona to preserve recreational pool levels there until midNovember, which could adversely affect water levels at Lake Martin. “Due to Alabama Power Company’s agreement with the Corps of Engineers to provide navigation flow in the Alabama River, less water coming down the Coosa River means that more water has to be released from the Tallapoosa River system – and Lake Martin – to satisfy the flow requirements,” See WATER • Page A3
Cliff Williams / The Record
Dadeville falls to Reeltown in Lake Martin Slam Fest Above Dadeville’s #34, Devin Johnson-Moss, drives against Reeltown and takes it to the net. Right, Tiger’s Donquavious Tucker drives to the basket. Both teams will be back in action today. For more photos and stats from the tournament see page B1.
Deer hunting is the most popular game sport in Alabama, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. But due to the drought and temperatures that continue to be unseasonably warm, experts say that the number of hunters See HUNTER • Page A3
High
Low
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
While the holidays are often a busy time for law enforcement due to the high volume of holiday travelers and people leaving homes unattended, this year it appears that trouble also took a holiday here in Tallapoosa County. Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett Monday reported that it was a relatively quiet holiday period for his department. “No major events – it has been a safe holiday weekend so far,” Abbett said Monday afternoon. The official holiday travel period was scheduled to end Monday at midnight. Local law enforcement agencies reported just six arrests since midnight Dec. 23, with two of those resulting from domestic incidents. The same was not true in neighboring Lee County. Lee County Coroner Bill Harris reported three motor vehicle deaths on Christmas See HOLIDAY • Page A3
2018-19 Alabama Waterfowl Stamp, which is required along with the Federal Waterfowl Stamp when hunting migratory Alabama artists are invited waterfowl in Alabama. Like to enter the 2017 Alabama the federal waterfowl stamp, Waterfowl Stamp art contest, revenues from the sale of which opens Jan. 1. Alabama stamps are used to Alexander City’s Jim purchase, establish or improve Denney has won the contest migratory waterfowl habitat. three times and is sitting out “After you win, the stamps this year again after winning come out about a year later,” in 2015. Not be out done Jim’s Jim explained. “The stamps brother John has won the from my most recent win came contest in the past also. out in October.” “You have to sit out three Entries will be accepted years after winning,” Jim said. from Jan. 1 to Feb. 15. The “I won year before last.” competition is open to resident The winning artwork will be Alabama artists only. Only featured as the design of the See ART • Page A5
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
By MITCH SNEED and CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
61 33
Quiet holiday weekend reported by local law enforcement
2017 Waterfowl Art Contest kicks off Jan. 1
Drought, warm temps keeping hunters at home
Weather
See COUNCIL • Page A5
Submitted / The Record
J Denney, inset above, won the Alabama Waterfowl Art Contest with this paintJim ing in 2015. Entries can be submitted for 2017 beginning Jan. 1. in
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
483.53 Reported on 12/28/16 @ 4 p.m.
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