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Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 June 30, 2015
Vol. 123, No. 129
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Council to continue pay discussion By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
Tonight’s Alexander City City Council work session on wages and salaries has been moved to the council chambers on the third floor of the Criminal Justice Building. The meeting is still scheduled for 5 p.m. The council voted to freeze pay increases and new hires after learning that at least two dozen city employees received pay increases, totaling more than $111,000, that weren’t approved by the city council.
The city’s personnel handbook calls for pay increases to be “submitted through the mayor to the city council for approval.” After one work session where many of the questions were addressed, more information has been provided so that the pay and increases of all employees can be examined to make sure there aren’t more inconsistencies. Council President Bob Howard said Monday that he hopes that they can reach an understanding on all the issues at hand and move forward in a positive direction.
Boat captain spots object in sky that ‘looked like a 747 on fire’
“We left the meeting with three areas that we felt needed to be addressed, but at this point I think we just need to work and talk about everything that is on the council’s mind and get an understanding on it all,” Howard said. “It may mean that we are in for a marathon, but the bottom line is we need to get some things settled and get this behind us. “There’s no question that we need to look at these and make sure they are handled correctly from now on. We have a lot of good things going on in this city See COUNCIL, Page 5
Moore says no to the Supreme Court again
Big fun at Lake Fest
Tallapoosa County’s Archer says it is now of law of land By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
This time of year being on the waters of Lake Martin after midnight are a normal occurrence for Alexander City Guide Service’s David Hare as he takes fishermen in search of some of the massive striped bass that the lake has to offer. But in the wee hours of Monday morning, that routine turned anything but normal. Hare said that he and his group spotted something in the night sky as they crossed under the Kowaliga Bridge at 12:32 a.m. that was unlike anything he has ever seen. “You may see a shooting star or a small ball of fire when you are out there at night,” Hare said. “This wasn’t that. I’m telling you that it was so big that it was like nothing I had ever seen in my life. It looked like a 747 on fire in the sky. It was that big.” Hare said that there were four people on the boat and all of them were convinced that they were about to see a plane crash. He said that as it moved across the sky on a slight downward path, two smaller objects emerged, with Hare speculating that something may have broken off. “It first appeared in the sky like it was back towards Eclectic, across Anchor Bay,” Hare said. “It continued on and the closer it got, the bigger it got. I reached down to get my cellphone and turn on the video and it was moving towards Liberty Lodge or possibly Our Town when it just disappeared, See FLAMES, Page 5
10-year-old Wesley Suggs lets fly with a bean bag in a game of cornhole at Lake Fest Saturday at DARE Park.
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Chamber calls 2015 Lake Fest a success By Cliff Williams Outlook Staff Writer
Despite the threat of weather that kept some away, The Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Lake Fest was still a success. “The weather held off and it was a great day,” chamber executive administrator Linda Andrews said. “The sun was
shining most of the day.” In its second year, Lake Fest attracted over 400 people. Andrews sees room to grow. “We have plenty of room to grow,” Andrews said. “ We would like to get more vendors. Next year we hope to have some live music. We have already set the date for next year, June 25 at See CHAMBER, Page 5
As far as Tallapoosa County Probate Court Judge Leon Archer is concerned, Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling means that same-sex marriage “is now the law of the land.” So when Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore announced Monday that the Alabama Supreme Court had issued an “Judge Moore order that kept is like a playprobate court ground bully judges from issuing samewho will keep sex marriage picking at you licenses for and picking at only 25 days, you and just only to later say that they won’t let it go.” could, but — Tallapoosa didn’t have County Probate to issue them, Judge Leon Archer stayed the course. Archer “Judge Moore is like a playground bully who will keep picking at you and picking at you and just won’t let it go,” Archer said. “He needs to let it go or the Supreme Court is going to stop him once and for all. See MARRIAGE, Page 5
Circuit Clerk Craddock makes switch to Republican Party By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
Tallapoosa County Circuit Clerk Patrick Craddock has switched to the Republican Party, less than three full years after being elected to the position as a Democrat. The announcement was made Friday by the Tallapoosa County Republican Party Executive Committee and Alabama Republican Executive Committee Chairman Terry Lathan. Craddock is a lifelong Alexander City resident and had a dozen years in private legal practice before he ran for office in 2012. Tallapoosa County Republican Party Chair
Denise Bates welcomed Craddock to the party. “After following the processes of the Alabama Republican Party, the Alabama Republican Party and the Tallapoosa County Republican Party will recognize Circuit Court Clerk Patrick Craddock as a Republican,” said Bates. “We welcome Patrick to the Republican Party.” Craddock deferred to the party for comment, but said that the work performed in his office is not political in nature and is there “to serve the citizens of Tallapoosa County.” Lathan praised the job that Craddock has done and said See CRADDOCK, Page 5
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
489.57 Reported on 6/29/15 @ 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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Alabama Republican Party Executive Chairman Terry Lathan, Circuit Clerk Patrick Craddock and Tallapoosa County Republican Party Chair Denise Bates pose for a photo after Craddock’s switch of parties was made official.
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