COMMUNITY COLUMNISTS INSIDE TODAY.
THE
WEDNESDAY
NEW YEAR, NEW COACH
Reeltown Basketball starts season under new leadership
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 December 2, 2015 Vol. 123, No. 240 www.alexcityoutlook.com
GROW OUR LOCAL ECONOMY
City council poised to OK $44 million budget By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
The Alexander City City Council appears poised to pass a new $44 million operating budget, with $3.2 million in capital spending at its regular meeting Monday night. The council met Tuesday in a budget work session to review the numbers and answer lingering questions.
Alexander City City Council President Jim Spann listens to concerns over items in the proposed new city budget during Tuesday’s budget work session. The council is expected to vote on the budget next Monday.
The budget includes funding for an increase in salaries and benefits for several employees who had been overlooked in step increases over the years. That added about $450,000 to the budget. Other information was aired that said while the move doesn’t fix all the salaries, it does get them close until a pay study by Auburn University can be completed. See BUDGET, Page A5 Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Camp Hill police warn of possible rip-off
Spend local effort set for Saturday Chamber designates Dec. 5 as Shop Local Saturday
By Cliff Williams Outlook Staff Writer
By Corey Arwood
Area residents, especially the elderly, need to be aware of what could be a new scam. “We have a report of someone claiming to be a nurse with Medicaid or Home Health knocking on a door,” Camp Hill Police Chief Johnny Potts said. “This individual, a black female, stole a purse from an elderly lady on North Main Street in Camp Hill Monday afternoon about 3 p.m.” See SCAM, Page A5
Outlook Staff Writer
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
All sorts of items created by local artists and craftsmen are available at Alabama Street Makers Market. The new store is now open in the old Little Black Dress Location.
Today’s
Salvation Army brings joy to Christmas with utility, medical, food assistance all year
Weather
57 39 High
Low
By David Granger Outlook Staff Writer
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
481.69 Reported on 12/1/15 @ 5 p.m.
Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
6
54708 90050
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Who needs Ms. Piggy and American Express telling them when to shop local? The Alexander City Chamber of Commerce wants residents to shop local all year long, or at least think local first when considering where to spend their money. That’s why they designated Dec. 5 as Shop Local Saturday. It wasn’t in defiance of Ms. Piggy that the Chamber chose the Saturday following the nationwide effort otherwise known as Small Business Saturday. It was all about the pigskin. Regardless of who thought what See SHOPPING, Page A5
You probably know them best by their bell-ringers and red kettles that have become as much a part of Christmas as candy canes and reindeer. But, while aid to those in need in this holiday time of year is among the many ministries of the Salvation Army, the reach of the organization is year-round and international. Still, for Tabatha Glassburn and the Salvation Army’s Alexander City Service Center, the emphasis remains local. “All of our programs are local,” said Glassburn, direc-
tor of the Alexander City service center. “Right now, our main emphasis is our Angel Tree program. We have 190 children in the area that people can ‘adopt’ and provide Christmas for. Each angel on the tree has the child’s name, gender, age, clothing sizes and wishes. The wishes are intended, more than anything, to give you an idea of the personality of the child. For example, one child may like ‘Frozen’ and another may like Batman.”
The red Salvation Army kettles are another emphasis for the organization during this time of year, Glassburn said. “We’re always looking for volunteer bell-ringers,” Glassburn said. “The kettles are our only fundraiser for the year, so we exist largely on what we get through them and what we get from United Way. “Last year, we raised $28,000 from the kettles we had at Walmart, WinnDixie and Piggly Wiggly and Foodland in Dadeville.” Mitch Sneed / The Outlook Glassburn said the kettles Tabatha Glassburn of the Salvation Army’s are out from Black Friday Alexander City Service Center places a card on See UNITED WAY, Page A5 the Angel Tree.
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