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January 11, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 7 www.alexcityoutlook.com
City to name interim police & fire chiefs Leaders look to move forward while others raise new questions By MITCH SNEED Editor
A special called meeting of the Alexander City City Council will be held today at 5 p.m. to appoint interim leaders for the police and fire departments. In the wake of the council’s Monday night vote not to reappoint ACPD Chief Willie George Robinson and ACFD Chief
Jones
Kem Jones, the meeting will help fulfill legal requirements associated with a police agency’s affiliation with the Criminal Justice Information Services Network agency accreditation. Mayor Jim Nabors said on Tuesday despite what appeared to be sudden changes, he feels confident that there will be no gaps in making sure the people of Alexander City remain safe.
“We have command staff in place and Tuesday at both departments the people who had been the No. 2 in command served as No. 1,” Nabors said. “We have been researching and working to make sure that we are meeting all requirements and take the steps required. “We have good people in both departments who will act to make sure that public See COUNCIL • Page 11
Aprinta cited by OSHA, dealing with seasonal force reduction
Officials give update on School Cast, gun incident By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
With the gun discharge at Alexander City Middle School just before 1 p.m. Monday, some parents are concerned about what is happening to the alleged offenders while others complained of how they learned of the incident. Alexander City Schools Superintendent Dr. Darrell Cooper explained what is happening with the two students. “They were arrested,” Cooper said. “So they have a legal process that they have to go through.” Alexander City Police Department Capt. James Easterwood said Tuesday that the two students were booked on charges of discharging a firearm on inside a school and taken to the Lee County Juvenile Detention Center for processing. The crime is classified as a Class C felony, under Alabama code. A conviction could carry a sentence of between one and ten years in prison. See UPDATE • Page 7
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69 52 High
Low
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Lake Levels
483.92 Reported on 1/10 /16 @ 8 p.m.
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Owner says company is committed to Alex City By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Norfolk Southern and RoadSafe Rail and Utilities work on rail crossings and tracks along Lee Street Tuesday. Officials expect to complete the work in the city on Thursday.
WORKING ON THE RAILROAD
Crews addressing area rail crossings , slated to finish Thursday By MITCH SNEED Editor
Drivers making their way through Alexander City may have experienced some difficulties Tuesday as work began on several rail crossings. Norfolk Southern and its contractor RoadSafe Rail and Utilities set the stage Monday and began work Tuesday. Lisa McCauley, project coordinator with RoadSafe Rail and Utilities, said while work wasn’t complete, theye were able to reopen all of the Alexander City cross-
ings for traffic Tuesday evening. “We have run into some issues with the asphalt portion of the work, so we were unable to reopen the Third Street crossing,” McCauley said. “The folks at the city have been great and understanding. But they will be working at it again Wednesday morning.” In addition to Third Street near Comer Road, crews were also working at the crossing between Lee Street and Washington Streets along Highway 22, Commerce Drive, Elkahatchee Street and South Central at See RAILS • Page 7
County Board of Education looking to vote on ad valorem tax
MLK Celebration to also honor veterans By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The Martin Luther King Celebration Committee is going in a little bit different direction for the 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Alexander City Monday by recognizing veterans. “It is the first time we have specifically honored veterans,” MLK Celebration Committee Chairperson Ouida
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Maxwell said. “A lot of veterans are also like Dr. King and have been on the battlefield fighting. The veterans never get enough recognition, so we decided we would show them some support.” The committee has selected Dr. Randy B. Kelley Sr. to the be the speaker at Monday’s celebration. “He is a veteran, a minister and an educator,” Maxwell said. “We
A local screen-printing company was cited and fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and reached settlement after issues were found at the company’s Alexander City facility. In addition to the OSHA action, The Aprinta Group LLC, located at 694 First Way in Alexander City, has also reduced its labor force and currently has a number of employees on seasonal layoff and other positions that are being eliminated permanently. OSHA issued Aprinta four citations, two of which were classified as serious, on Nov. 1 related to a site visit on Sept. 6, 2016. The company was initially fined $13,031 before OSHA and the company reached a settlement amount of $8,000 on Nov. 29, 2016. OSHA officials said that the file on the cited infractions is listed as closed currently. Aprinta officials said they took the issues with OSHA seriously and met them head-on. See APRINTA • Page 11
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Kelley have heard a lot of good things about him.” Kelley is currently the pastor of Goodsell United Methodist Church in Lanett and Powell Chapel United Methodist See MLK • Page 11
The Tallapoosa County Board of Education is looking to put an ad valorem tax up to vote in a special election in Feb. or March of 2018. Superintendent Joe Windle asked for the board’s permission to start working with board attorney Mark Allen Treadwell to start preparing to put a 3 mil ad valorem tax on the ballot in a special election next year. “As we proceed forward, our last requirement (new one-cent sales tax) is to allow the citizens to vote on an ad valorem to replace it,” Windle explained to the board. Windle explained he spoke with tax attorney See SCHOOL • Page 7
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