OPINION: IT’S TIME TO FOLLOW PAY STUDY TO THE LETTER.
TUESDAY
THE IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Relive the pageant and polar plunge inside! Page 10-11.
BENJAMIN RUSSELL LADY WILDCATS READY FOR 2016. SPORTS, PAGE 12.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 January 26, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 18
www.alexcityoutlook.com
Legislators talk session agenda By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
The 2016 session of the Alabama Legislature could bode well for teachers, if one of the Alexander City areas two legislators is to be believed. Sen. Tom Whatley, who represents state Senate District 27, and Mark Tuggle, who represents state House District 81 (both districts include Alexander City) said they expect state lawmakers will try hard to find the funds to increase teacher salaries and
benefits in the upcoming session, which gavels in on Feb. 2. “I think we’ll see some additional discretionary spending for 2017,” said Tuggle. “And I think you’re going to see us try to steer that money toward salaries and benefits for teachers and to lower the divisors (in effect, making classes smaller) in the middle school grade levels.” “I think we’ll see an increase in education budget revenue,” Whatley said. “With that, we’ll look at some different things for K-12 teachers in the classroom. But we need to
properly fund the research institutions, too. Companies locate in Tallapoosa and Macon counties because of the research they can benefit from at Auburn University.” Tuggle said he expected discretionary money to go toward Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan, or PEEHIP, Retirement Systems of Alabama and to increase teacher salaries. “I don’t have any numbers, no specifics, no guarantees,” Tuggle said. “But I think See SESSION • Page 3
Whatley
Indicators show lake home sales stay strong
$120,000 in checks to city could be missing Resident claims checks to golf course are not being processed at city hall
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
By MITCH SNEED Outlook Editor
The director of one city department said that as much as $120,000 that was taken in doesn’t appear to be showing up in the Alexander City accounting system. Responding to concerns from Alexander City resident Wendell Scroggins about checks written to Lakewinds Golf Course that have never cleared the bank at Monday’s meeting of the Alexander City City Council, Parks and Recreation Department Director Sonny Wilson said he noticed the discrepancy during the recently completed budget process. Scroggins said if his estimates are correct, as many as 364 checks have not made it through the system. He said an audit found that the golf course lost $150,000 last year, but he thinks he has a good idea why that may be the case. “My concern is about money that has been turned into city hall that has never been deposited into the bank,” Scroggins said. “Specifically, checks we have written to the golf course that have never gone through the bank.” Scroggins said that 70 percent of See COUNCIL • Page 3
Tuggle
Kenneth Boone / The Outlook
Amanda Lee Hall was crowned Miss Outlook 2016 at Benjamin Russell High School’s auditorium.
HERE SHE COMES Amanda Lee Hall crowned 2016 Miss Outlook By MITCH SNEED Outlook Editor
More than 300 people were on hand at the Benjamin Russell High School Auditorium to see the crowning of the winners in the 43th Annual Miss Outlook Pageant Saturday night. Amanda Lee Hall was crowned Miss Outlook and will receive the Billy McGhee Memorial Scholarship to Central Alabama Community College. MacKenzie Willoughby was crowned the winner of the Junior Miss Outlook division. Petite Miss Outlook was won by Kayden Morgan.
Raylee Moore was crowned Little Miss Outlook. “We want to thank all the contestants, our sponsors and all the people who worked so hard to make this year’s pageant a success,” Tallapoosa Publishers Kenneth Boone said. “In particular or director Susanne Hays, our Master of Ceremonies David Burkhalter of Kowaliga Country, Linda Ewing who did a great job with the decorations, Paige Bentley who provided entertainment and Angela Mullins who did a fantastic job with the sound. “An event like this couldn’t happen without the work of a lot of people and See PAGEANT • Page 11
Key indicators show that the market for Lake Martin area homes, both waterfront and nonwaterfront, is strong, according to a report by a state real estate group as well as a local expert. Lake Martin area residential sales totaled 43 units during December, an increase of 16.2 percent from the same period last year, according to a report issued Monday by the Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE). In addition, the average sales price for Lake Martin area homes in December was $370,522, down 1.6 percent from the November average of $376,553, but up by 18.8 percent over the December 2014 average price of $311,888. Steve Arnberg, director of real estate sales for Russell Lands, said the first good news is the increase in real estate transactions. “Normally, December sales would dip from November,” Arnberg said. “To see them go up is a real positive for the market.” See SALES • Page 3
Today’s
Young Professionals’ Polar Plunge a chilling success story efited the Lake Martin Resource Association. “Every dollar we collected If you missed the Lake Martin at the door is going to LMRA,” Young Professionals Polar Plunge Meacham said. “If you paid to at Kowaliga Beach this past week- watch, to jump or get a t-shirt it is end, you will have another chance all going to LMRA.” to redeem yourself and take on the The event held on Kowaliga cold next year. Beach was the place to be Saturday “It was awesome,” Lake Martin morning. Young Professionals’ Jacob “We had over 250 people there Meacham said. “We are looking just to watch,” Meacham said. at doing it again next year. It blew “It was great for us. It was great away our expectations.” for LMRA and it was great for The below freezing temperaKowaliga. The place was packed.” tures did not scare away the jumpWith a successful inaugural ers as over 50 people took the polar plunge this year the Young plunge into the chilly waters of Professionals are already looking Lake Martin with temperatures to improve it for next year. hovering below freezing at the time “We had a lot of fun,” Meacham and winds gusting over 20 mph. said. “We are already talking about The cold did not slow down ways of doing things better next fundraising efforts as over $3,200 year.” in proceeds from the event ben-
Weather
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By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
More than 50 people took part in the Lake Martin Young Professionals’ Polar Plunge Saturday. The event attracted more than 250 onlookers and raised more than $3,200 for Lake Martin Resource Association. For more pictures see page 10 inside.
High
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Lake Martin
Lake Levels
484.93 Reported on 01/25/16 @ 4 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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54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
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