OPINION: REGISTER TO VOTE NOW! PAGE 4.
TUESDAY
THE DEALS D EALS G GALORE ALORE See Classifieds inside today! Page 6-7.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 January 12, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 8
www.alexcityoutlook.com
THE SEARCH CONTINUES. . . REELTOWN DOWN TO 5 CANDIDATES
4 dead, 1 arrested in Camp Hill crash By MITCH SNEED and CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writers
Camp Hill Police are investigating a Sunday morning crash that is one of the most deadly the county has seen in decades. Four Camp Hill residents were killed in a two-vehicle crash near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Holley Avenue that officials say occurred shortly after 1 a.m. Even though the investigation is ongoing, details including the names of the victims have been released along with word that one person has been
arrested. Camp Hill Police Chief John Potts confirmed that three men and one woman were killed and three others were taken to area hospitals for treatment by private vehicles. Tallapoosa County Deputy Coroner Ken Cowart identified the victims as James Moss, 47, of Camp Hill, Eric Moore, 40, of Camp Hill, Willie Ballard, 44, of Camp Hill and 48-yearold Angela Barnett of Camp Hill. Cowart said that the three male victims were pronounced dead at the
Bowens Skid marks adjacent to the scene of a multiple fatality crash in Camp Hill remained present early Sunday morning. Four people were killed in the crash.
See CRASH • Page 3
Commissioners receptive to dumpster idea
Council work session to address salaries, other items
Request for traffic study OK’d, Severe Weather Tax Holiday fails By MITCH SNEED Editor
By MITCH SNEED Editor
The Alexander City City Council will hold a work session this afternoon to address some lingering budget concerns as well as some other issues. Items expected to be discussed include finalizing the city’s employee authorization list, details on proposed new phone service to the city’s automotive shop and salaries for the mayor and council members for the 2016 to 2020 term in advance in upcoming elections. At the last regular meeting of the council, Council President Jim Spann said that a work session was needed to put the recently passed budget to bed. “We’ve been working on this budget for more than four months and we’ve still got questions on the personnel authorization list and some other items,” Spann said. “I think we need to meet and get all the questions answered once and for all so that we can See COUNCIL • Page 9
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Jackson’s Gap resident and Jackson’s Gap Planning Committee member Jim Wilbanks speaks at a meeting of the committee where it voted to approve a zoning change despite not having a quorum. After the meeting, Jackson’s Gap Mayor Jeff Walker explained that the meeting would have a to be rescheduled and another vote taken.
MEETING DO-OVER Jackson’s Gap trailer zoning must be heard again By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Despite approving the rezoning of property in Jackson’s Gap by an unusual vote, the Jackson’s Gap Planning Committee will have to have another meeting to take up the measure. “We will have to reschedule the meeting,” committee member Patricia Berry said. “We will schedule it when we can have a quorum of members present.” The meeting was rescheduled after
Berry and the town clerk spoke with Mayor Jeff Walker. “There will have to be a quorum for them to meet and to vote,” Walker said. “They cannot do it by proxy. The town clerk will have to get with them to see when they can meet.” Alabama Code on Open Meetings supports Walker’s stance. Section 2 of the Open Meeting Act states that advisory committees like planning committees fall under the same laws as the full council including notice and See JACKSON’S GAP • Page 9
Lovett retires after 25 years as dispatcher
See COMMISSIONER • Page 9
Dollar General in Camp Hill targeted in burglaries
Today’s
Weather
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By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The Alexander City Police has lost dispatcher Michelle Lovett to retirement after 25 years of service. “We hate to see her go,” Alexander City Police Chief Willie Robinson said. “But we hope you enjoy retirement.” Lovett started without the intention of being there forever. “I started in December 90,” Lovett said. “I jus decided to try it. I did not intend to make it career, but I did.”
Commissioners said they are interested in helping an effort to cut down on illegal dumping, but they are not in favor of participating in the Alabama 2016 Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday. The Tallapoosa County Board of Commissioners heard a presentation by Lake Martin Resource Association President John Thompson. He highlighted the issue of illegal dumping and how hard it is to keep them cleaned up. “I can’t tell you the number of times that we have found these as we are doing our other cleanups,” Thompson said. “You all have always been gracious enough to help us clean them up. But we think that this may help curb some of those issues before they happen.” Thompson asked the commissioners to help publicize and consider funding the placement and pickup of dumpsters at several sites across the county two times per year. Thompson said the areas that have been chosen are places that have often become illegal dump sites in the past. Some of the sites identified
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Chief Willie Robinson poses with Michelle Lovett and other ACPD dispatchers at Lovett’s retirement ceremony.
Lovett explained that she had several memorable calls but a recent one stands out. “It was April of last year,” Lovett said. “A gentleman called in with an allergic reaction and could not tell us where he was at. My coworker and I were able to figure out where he worked and called them to find out where he lived. We were able to get police
and paramedics there to help him.” Lovett met her husband, Tommy Lovett on the job. Lovett said even though she is looking forward to retirement she will miss some things. “I will miss my coworkers,” Lovett said. “I will also miss helping people.”
Twice this past week the Dollar General in Camp Hill has been burglarized. “First time they broke in was Tuesday about 1:48 a.m.” Camp Hill Police Chief Johnny Potts said. “Then they broke in again Saturday night.” Potts said that in both cases the suspects were in and out quickly. “Both times, they just smashed the door and went right in and were gone in just a couple minutes,” Potts said. Potts said that both incidents could have involved See BURGLARIES • Page 9
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
485.11 Reported on 01/11/16 @ 6 p.m.
Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
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