OPINION: THE POWER OF THE PRESS, PAGE 4.
ROAD TRIP
Dadeville looks to rebound with tough journey to Leeds. Page 10.
THURSDAY
THE
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 October 8, 2015 Vol. 123, No. 201 www.alexcityoutlook.com
Council hears request for code officer By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
For a little more than two years, Alexander City has been without an officer to ride herd on code violations across the city. Instead, the responsibility has been bounced between any police officer who is available and the City Building Department like a super ball in a phone booth. With a list of ordinances and codes that more than fills five three-ring binders, it was hard to have any consistency without one person dedicated to the task.
That’s why Alexander City Police Department officials are hopeful that the city council will provide funding in the new budget year for a uniformed code enforcement officer, housed in city hall, to assure a smooth working relationship with building officials. The idea was presented at a recent budget work session and seemed to get favorable feedback from members of the city council. “There is so much that goes into that job that it really takes someone who knows the code and how to approach those situations to do it well,” Alexander City Deputy Police Chief Jay Turner said.
“Each call and issue requires a lot of follow-up and time,” Turner said. “From the initial contact to resolution, it may take as many as four or five visits depending on the situation. It takes someone who is very organized to do it well.” Turner said that without a true code enforcement officer, the process had become complaint driven rather than heading off potential problems before they became bigger issues. “It became just putting out fires,” Turner said. “There wasn’t really an opportunity to do anything proactive. The council seemed
JACKSONS GAP
Local guard unit to be deployed to Guantanamo Bay
Glenn named to city council position
Deployment ceremony for 214th Military Police Unit set for Saturday By David Granger Outlook Staff Writer
One week after finding out its home at Mac W. Speaks Armory would be closed, the Alabama Army National Guard’s 214th Military Police Company has been called to active duty. The company will deploy approximately 140 Alabama National Guard soldiers to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 214th will perform external security of detainees and force protection for personnel located on the base. The soldiers of the 214th will continue to undergo extensive training at a mobilization station See GUARD, Page 9
By Cliff Williams Outlook Staff Writer
Jackson’s Gap has a new councilperson for district one, Heather Glenn. Glenn was selected Tuesday night to serve out the term of Felicia Edwards who resigned last month. “She (Glenn) seems highly interested,” Council member Janice Glaze said while the council was discussing the position. “She has been at every meeting. She is fine with me.” “She is the only one that I have seen at every meeting,” Mayor Jeff Walker said. With a motion by Glaze, a second by Brody Crocker and a unanimous vote of the council, Glenn was selected. Glenn joked before she was sworn in by town clerk and magistrate Kathleen Thomas. “I am off to great start,” Glenn said while laughing after
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Jackson’s Gap resident Heather Glenn laughs as she is about to be sworn in by town magistrate Kathleen Thomas Tuesday.
Lake Levels
487.79 Reported on 9/23/15 @ 5 p.m.
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43 apply to be CACC’s permanent president By David Granger Outlook Staff Writer
“This is my hometown and I look forward to trying to bring some new ideas and help make our town all it can be.” — Heather Glenn
See GLENN, Page 5
Lake Martin
to be encouraging and seemed to understand the need. So we are hopeful that’s something that we can do in the new budget year.” The Alexander City City Council voted Monday to continue under the existing budget until a new one can be approved. The process is moving from operational concerns to the capital budget. The council will hold budget work sessions Monday and Wednesday of next week at 4:30 p.m. in the upstairs conference room of City Hall. “We won’t be working on the budget See CODE, Page 9
Second Tutu Run doubly successful By Corey Arwood Outlook Staff Writer
The 2015 Tutu 2.2 Fun Run nearly doubled last year’s turnout with hundreds of runners raising both awareness for breast cancer and thousands of dollars for the Russell Medical Center Foundation. There were about 518 participants registered at this year’s event compared to the roughly 300 of 2014. Last Thursday’s Fun Run was in honor of the first day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and there was around $7 thousand raised from the event, which, according to Susan Foy, RMC director of Cliff Williams / The Outlook marketing, will be directed for Anabelle Gordon, Wylandis Clark and Carolina Gale use in services for the Cancer Tidwell spend time with two retrievers at the Tutu Run. See TUTU, Page 5
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The Alabama Community College System has received 43 applications for the presidency of Alexander City’s Central Alabama Community College, according to a system spokeswoman. “Three of the (System’s presidencies) were posted and closed at the same time,” said Janet Martin, spokeswoman for the ACCS. “We had 43 applications for the CACC presidency and more than 100 applications total come in for the three positions. “Currently, our human resources office is going through all of those application packets to make sure they’re complete. When they’ve done that, we’ll schedule interviews with the chancellor.” The other ACCS presidencies that closed in September are at Bishop State Community College in Mobile and at Gadsden State Community College. Martin said she would not estimate when interviews might take place. “I honestly wouldn’t even begin to guess at a time frame,” Martin said. “There are a lot of applications for HR to go through. “I would say soon, but keep in mind ‘soon’ is relative.” Martin said that Chancellor Mark Heinrich will conduct the candidate interviews. Once Heinrich has settled on a selection for the CACC presidency – which will pay the successful candidate between $119,062 and $153,634 annually – he will make a recommendation to the ACCS Board of Trustees, which must approve it. ACCS is governed by a 10-member board which the governor serves as president. The board also includes one member for each of Alabama’s congressional districts, an at-large member and an exofficio member from the State Board of Education. Susan Foy, director of marketing at Russell Medical Center, serves as the board’s representative from District 3, which includes Alexander See CACC, Page 9
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