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Wetumpka stares down high-stakes region game.
Superintendent debate was a clean affair
Sports, Page B1
Opinion, Page A4
THE WETUMPKA HERALD Elmore County’s Oldest Newspaper - Established 1898
Wetumpka, AL 36092
50¢
WEDNESDAY • OCTOBER 19, 2016
THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM
VOL. 118, NO.39
Council moves to rent out downtown property
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
The city council voted on a resolution to approve a land swap between the city and the county for a downtown property previously bid
on by a local children’s home, and one council member plus charity employees protested the move. The daughter of the founders of Wetumpka-based Adullam House was at the meeting to speak about the building’s intended and sole
deeded purpose to be used as a charitable facility to help the poor. Hannah Powell had deed in hand and attempted to rationalize with the city, but was shut down twice by Mayor Jerry Willis late in the See COUNCIL • Page A2
Corey Arwood / The Herald
Hannah Powell spoke to the council about the efforts of her families organization to acquire a building that the city also wants.
Local NAACP accuses city of retaliation
MainStreet Wetumpka meets for basic training By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
The newly formed Main Street Wetumpka organization has scheduled two-days worth of “basic training” this week for its members who want to be part of one its various committees operating under what is called the “Four Point Approach.” The president of the downtown revitalization group, Dennis Fain, said a lot was going on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Fain explained the “Four Point Approach.” It consisted of four areas of the Main Street Alabama Program used when developing a main street area in one of its new locations. They were broken down See MAIN STREET • Page A3
A local NAACP chapter president accused the city of retaliation in demanding pay for the use of the MLK Center after he said attempts were made to speak at a council meeting over issues with the recent formation of a downtown development group. Elmore County NAACP President Bobby Mays said the chapter wanted to use the historic, segregated-school-turned recreation center to organize a supply drive for victims of Hurricane Matthew, and to aide ongoing efforts for flood victims in Louisiana. Typically Mays said he encountered no problem in requesting the keys to the city-owned property free-of-charge; even outside of their traditional two-Tuesday-a-month arrangement, where the NAACP used the location for its county meetings, he said. But this time Mays said he was told by City Administration personnel there was a fee for using the center. He said he believed the issue stemmed from See NAACP • Page A3
William Carroll / The Herald
Elmore County Superintendent candidates Richard Dennis (seated left) and Dr. Andre Harrison (standing) spoke during the debate between the two candidates Monday evening.
Superintendent candidates duel in forum By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
The candidate debate between current Elmore County Schools Superintendent Dr. Andre Harrison and his opponent Richard Dennis was a very civil affair Monday night, with both candidates discussing their qualifications and neither attacking their opponent. Both candidates were asked seven questions and given varying amounts of time to answer depending on the ques-
New development in Millbrook tailored to senior citizens By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
A residential complex in Millbrook dedicated to the needs of citizens over the age of 55 broke ground last week and work is well underway on the project, one of many in the community. The Village at Mill Creek officially broke
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ground on October 11, but work began on October 1 according to City Engineer Stuart Peters with Landmark Engineering and Construction. The new complex is located at Hwy 14 across the highway from the entrance to New Life Christian Academy. See DEVELOPMENT • Page A8
tion. Times allotted ranged from two to five minutes per question. After a brief opening statement by both candidates they were asked the first of a series of questions aimed to test their knowledge and skills. The first question pertained to whether the candidates supported or opposed legislative efforts to repeal Common Core and how they thought Common Core as it currently exists should be See DEBATE • Page A5
Probate office cleared in jury probe By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
The Elmore County Probate Office was recently cleared by the grand jury of conduct alleged in a report on the office issued by the state’s Examiner of Public Accounts. The report, originally filed on June 10, 2016, asserts three “charges” with respect to the office. The first is against the office manager at the Millbrook satellite office in the amount of $523.99. The charge asserts: “On April 23, 2013, cash and checks totaling $10,317.59 were collected at the Millbrook Satellite Office, but were not deposited. The failure to deposit the moneys collected was not
discovered until June 2013. Subsequently, replacement checks from taxpayers and a surety company totaling $9,793.60 were received and deposited. The remaining $523.99 was not deposited into the official bank account.” The second charge asserts that during the period of examination by the Examiner (Oct 1, 2010 to September 30, 2015) numerous clerical errors were made by probate office staff which resulted in failure to collect title fees in an amount sufficient to cover title fees which were drafted by the Alabama Department of Revenue resulted in a shortage in the bank account of $705. See JURY • Page A8
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