Nov 28, 2015 Alex City Outlook

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OPINION: SHOPPING LOCAL HAS MANY BENEFITS

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November 28-29, 2015 • Vol. 123 • No. 238 • www.alexcityoutlook.com

WILDCATS’ TITLE RUN COMES TO AN END, PAGE 12

Council aims to finalize budget Monday By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor

Members of the Alexander City City Council will meet Monday afternoon to review the final draft of the fiscal year 2016 city budget. After more than three months of debate, cuts and discussion that has been heated at times, the council asked that final numbers be prepared that included the use of about $2.5 million from the city’s estimated $11 million in reserves to balance the budget. The reserves will also create a

$500,000 cushion for unexpected items that arise during the budget year. “I hate to use reserves, but in this case, I think it is the only way to fix some issues that exist,” Council member Bobby Tapley said. “By adding enough for emergency needs or unexpected expenses, this will allow us the flexibility without constantly being asked to amend the budget.” The use of reserves will also allow the council to fix a long existing issue with step increases in pay for some of the city’s longest tenured employees.

It was pointed out that many employees had not been paid at the step that coincides with their years of service since 2008. To correct the issue, the cost was estimated to be more than $325,000, plus benefits. In all the cost to correct the issues was estimated to be about $475,000. While most every council member was hesitant to pull from reserves, the circumstances dictated that it needed to be done in this case, with the need Mitch Sneed / The Outlook to return the funds being a common Councilman Bobby Tapley and the rest of the council request. See BUDGET, Page 3 will review a final draft of the city’s budget Monday night.

Arrests made in series of lake area burglaries Abbett says incidents again tied to Montgomery area groups By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor

Local Auburn and Bama Club presidents share their thoughts on today’s Iron Bowl By David Granger Outlook Staff Writer

If you’re a football fan who lives within the state of Alabama, chances are this is the day you wait for all year. Tonight, you will begin to enjoy your year’s supply of bragging rights or start longing for next November. It’s Iron Bowl Day. Today, our state will come to a near standstill at 2:30 p.m. when the Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide kick off in Auburn’s Jordan-Hare

Stadium. Alabama enters today’s game 10-1 and ranked second nationally in the college football playoff rankings behind only Clemson. A win would move the Crimson Tide into the SEC Championship game versus Florida and a step closer to its goal of a national title. Auburn enters the game at 6-5, playing largely for a slightly better bowl bid and to spoil its cross-state rival’s aspirations. A win over Alabama would be devastating to the Crimson

IRON BOWL AT A GLANCE  The game is being played at Jordan Hare Stadium for the 13th time at 2:30 p.m. today.  The game will be on television on CBS.  The Alabama Radio Network broadcast with Eli Gold can heard on WXFX 95.1.  The Auburn Network broadcast with Rod Bramblett can be heard on WKGA 97.5.

Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department investigators believe that they have arrested three men who were involved a series of residential burglaries in the Lake Martin area. Roderick Leonard Brown, Grenden James Brown Jordan and Michael Lawrence Lassiter, all 17 and residents of Montgomery area, have been arrested and charged with first-degree burglary and other charges after an investigation that spanned several Jordan months. Sheriff Jimmy Abbett said the break in the case came when the department received a call of a suspicious vehicle in the area of Windy Trail in Jacksons Gap Tuesday. Patrol units respondLassiter ed to the area and

See IRON BOWL, Page 3

See BURGLARIES, Page 3

‘Cold Case’ capital murder expected in court next week

Black Friday shoppers hunt for the good deal

By Mitch Sneed

By Cliff Williams

Outlook Editor

Outlook Staff Writer

With all the big box retailers having their sales before Black Friday, it made things a little easier for everyone else. “People go home after visiting all of the big box retailers,” Caldwell Electronics owner Cam Caldwell said. “They see what all they got and what they need, then they come around to see the rest.” But that has not slowed down the sales at local stores and Caldwell says that smaller and locally owned businesses see sales pick up as the day goes on. “It usually picks up as the day goes on,” Caldwell Cliff Williams / The Outlook said. “Once it picks up will stay steady.” Shoppers fill Little Black Dress Friday to take advantage of sales. Shoppers See SHOPPING, Page 5 could be found all over town looking for bargains and must-have gifts.

Lake Martin

Lake Levels

483.26 Reported on 11/20/15 @ 3 p.m.

Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL

A 2005 Camp Hill murder case that garnered national attention when it appeared on the TNT Network show Cold Justice could see action in court next week. Court records show that Markis Heard, 35, has a hearing on the docket for Monday at 9 a.m., but the actual hearing could happen anytime next week. Heard was arrested on Oct. 13, 2013 and has been indicted by a Tallapoosa County Grand Jury on See MURDER, Page 5

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