COMING WEDNESDAY: CITY MANAGER ISSUE AGAIN RAISED
THE
TUESDAY
EVERYONE DIG IN
Locals help plant new trees in the area. See page 11.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 February 2, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 23
www.alexcityoutlook.com
WILDCATS GET WINS OVER TIGERS. SPORTS, PAGE 12.
City council leaves in raises, freezes salaries By MITCH SNEED Editor
Raises that were included in the budget, those for employees who weren’t being paid in accordance with their years of service, as well as some that were not being paid at the proper grade in the recreation department will remain in place. But the salaries of all other employees will be frozen until the Auburn University Pay Study is complete and a more accurate and fair pay structure can be set. Those were two of the highlights from Monday’s
meeting of the Alexander City City Council. The news set well with workers from the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex. Some workers had been receiving the increased compensation for three weeks and faced the possibility of being rolled back to the original salary level. “All I’m asking for is what’s fair,” Sportplex employee Robert Graham said before the council voted. “I didn’t ask for a raise. I didn’t know Mitch Sneed / The Outlook about it until it was done. We get it for three weeks and now it’s snatched out from under us. Recreation Department employee Robert Graham addresses the council, saying taking raises back would be unfair to employees. The council voted to leave the See COUNCIL • Page 9 raises in place moments later.
Wind Creek, river cleanup cited in Green Progress Report
Weather may get ugly, but not as bad as thought earlier
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Thunderstorms possible, but nothing more violent likely By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Representatives of several area first-responders, Alexander City and Tallapoosa County schools and The Outlook gathered Monday morning in the office of county Emergency Management Agency Director Jason Moran to hear what turned out to be some good news. Tallapoosa County has likely dodged a bullet weather-wise. Last week, the National Weather Service was predicting, based on its models, a widespread severe weather outbreak in Alabama, which was said to portend severe thunderstorms and a significant potential for tornadoes. On Monday, the NWS had dialed that potential back, particularly for areas east of I-65. “We could still see some thunderstorms, but we believe the potential for anything beyond that has largely diminished,” said Mark Rose, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, who
Special / The Outlook
A Auburn University head basketball Coach Bruce Pearl, his wife Brandy, Children’s Harbor CEO Myrle Grate aand Children’s Harbor founders Luanne and Ben Russell pose at an Auburn basketball game with a check for more than $250,000 raised at Pearl’s 2015 Fore the Children charity golf tournament. fo
PEARL COMPETES TO WIN AAuburn basketball coach competing to win $100,000 for Children’s Harbor
See WEATHER • Page 3
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Auburn University head basketball coach Bruce Pearl needs your vote. c Pearl is one of 24 coaches currently competing in the Infiniti Coaches’ Charity c Challenge, vying to win a grand prize of C $100,000 for the charity of the winning $ coach’s choice. c Pearl’s chosen charity is Children’s Harbor, founded in 1990 by Ben and H Luanne Russell to serve long-term seriL ously ill children and their families. o
“My wife Brandy and I are very excited about starting a new partnership with Children’s Harbor,” Pearl said. “Helping children and their families with serious illnesses is something very near and dear to our hearts and something that we have a great passion for. It is my hope that we can help ease the burdens of many families in need.” Pearl, who is in his third season as leader of Auburn’s men’s basketball program, is one of 48 coaches who have participated in the challenge. Twenty-four See PEARL • Page 9
Wind Creek State Park and the annual Renew Our Rivers cleanups both earned mention in the state’s 2015 Green Progress Report, published annually by The Green Resource Center for Alabama. The annual report provides an in-depth look at close to 100 green-related projects and sustainability initiatives that collectively make a lasting impact for the state of Alabama. The mission of the Green Progress Report is to feature the important developments that make Alabama a greener place to live, work, and play. Contributors aim to share and promote the many different ways Alabama continues to make advances in green efforts and sustainable progress on multiple levels. Chris Williams, President of the Board of Directors for the GRCA, says the eighth annual Green Progress Report continues to track a wide range of important sustainability mileSee GREEN • Page 3
Teams begin practice for upcoming college bass tournament
Today’s
Weather
73 63
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Trailers are lined up at Wind Creek State Parkas teams begin practice for the Bassmaster College Series Southern Conference Regional later this week.
High
Its already getting busy on Lake Martin with the Bassmaster College Series Southern Conference Regional and the competition does not start until Thursday. Official practice started Monday and boat trailers from Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and of course Alabama could already be seen at local boat ramps. “We got in Saturday night,” Troy University’s A.J. Etheredge said. “We got in an extra day of practice Sunday.” That extra day practice was needed for Etheredge and his teammate Colton Granger. “We are shallow water guys fishing Eufaula mostly,” Etheredge said. “We are used to fishing grass and lily pads and stuff like that. Today (Monday) we didn’t have as much of an issue as yesterday finding fish,” Etheredge said. “We are just trying to figure out where they are.” The Trojans are still having fun, despite a See FISH • Page 3
Low
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
483.33 Reported on 02/1/16 @ 3 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
8
USPS Permit # 013-080
+
+ Buy
Here + Pay Here + + CLEAN USED CARS No Credit Checks
Cars• Vans• Trucks • SUV’s
Midway Auto,Inc.
Off Hwy. 280 • Alexander City, AL (On Right Past the River Bridge)
256.825.9830
Bill’s Electric ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
P.O. Box 673 1814 Airpor t Blvd • Alexander Cit y, AL
Now thru Mar. 31, Receive a 10 year parts & compressor warranty on all York residential system replacements & new installations. Also includes a factory 10-year labor warranty. Buy NEW with Williams and you will have no repair cost for the next 10 years. Excluding maintenance and maintenance related problems i.e. stopped up drain, dirty coil, etc.
Williams Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning Inc
(256) 234-4555
Mike Coker 3875 Dadeville Road, Alexander City, AL 35010
“PROVIDING QUAALITYY ELEECTRRICALL CONSSTRUUCTIION SINCE 196 61”
256-329-8488 • 256-267-5021 mobile