COUGARS PREPARE FOR MIDFIELD, PAGE 8.
FRIDAY
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Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 September 11, 2015 Vol. 123, No. 182 www.alexcityoutlook.com
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Despite odor, city’s water OK By David Granger Outlook Staff Writer
An unusual amount of algae in the water taken from Lake Martin into Alexander City’s Adams Water Treatment Plant is the likely cause of what some Alexander City residents say is “moldy” smelling or tasting water, but the water remains safe to drink, according to John Meadows, superintendent of the Adams Water Treatment Plant. Meadows said the City is actively working to mitigate the problem. “We had this same problem about two
years ago,” Meadows said. “Sometimes the algae is heavier than it is at others and it’s unpredictable. We treat for algae with copper sulfate, but when the algae got heavy this time, we didn’t have enough in the water. We’re adding more and flushing our lines and, hopefully, the odd taste and smell will pass in a day or so.” Meadows said the City has received numerous calls about the smell and taste of the water. “What (Alex City water officials) are doing is what you do,” said Dennis Harrison, chief of the Drinking Water Branch of the Alabama Department of Environmental
Management’s Water Division. “You add copper sulfate and you flush the lines. “We had not heard from Alexander City or any of its customers, but, after talking to folks there, it appears it’s either green algae or turnover. Either way, you treat it the same.” Turnover, Harris said, is when the strata in a body of water temporarily turn upside down with the colder water, normally at the bottom, coming to the top and the warmest water, normally at the top, sinking to the bottom. He said turnover is usually caused
See WATER, Page 3
School employee facing sex charge has court date
Alex City schools pass 2016 budget Budget includes $1.4 million from new county wide sales tax By David Granger
By Cliff Williams
Outlook Staff Writer
Outlook Staff Writer
The Alexander City Board of Education Thursday adopted a $31.2 million budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct.1 that includes an anticipated $1.4 million collected through the 1-cent additional county sales tax. The additional sales tax was adopted with the strong backing of the Tallapoosa County Schools and was adopted by a 3-2 vote of the county commission in May. The tax took effect Sept. 1. The allocation from the state is based on the school’s enrollment two fiscal years previous and requires a 10-mil local match. According to Rhonda Blythe, the chief financial officer for Alexander City Schools, the required local match for its FY 2016 allocation of $16.69 million from the state was $2.28 million. “What they do is they give you the difference between your match and your enrollment-based allocation,” Blythe said. “But you are required to spend the entire amount, including the local match.” Alexander City’s 2016 allocation is based on an enrollment of 3,088 for the 2014 school year. Enrollment – referred to often as the ADM or average daily See BUDGET, Page 3
Tallapoosa County School System employee Jerel Crayton’s charges involving inappropriate acts with a student were bound over to the Grand Jury Thursday morning. Judge Kim Taylor presided over the short hearing and allowed Crayton, who has retained Dadeville attorney Chad Harrison, to remain free on $30,000 bond. Crayton was placed on paid administrative leave July 16 by the Tallapoosa County Board of Education following his July 13 arrest and was required by the Board to turn in his keys, keep off Tallapoosa County Schools property and not contact any staff, students or parents of students within the system. The charges against Crayton stem from an investigation that began in the spring after it was reported See CRAYTON, Page 3
Today’s
Weather
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David Granger / The Outlook
Above, workers refinish the floor in the chapel at the Sheriff’s Girls Ranch in Tallapoosa County. Below, Ranch Director Jimmy Harmon poses for a photograph in a kitchen in one of the ranch’s homes. Harmon has been around the ranches all his life as his parents were directors also.
Labor of life Girl’s Ranch director brings life of experience to group By David Granger Outlook Staff Writer
Jimmy Harmon was born to be the director of a group home. In fact, Harmon, director of the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Girls Ranch in Camp Hill since April 2014, has been in a group home the great majority of his life. “I’ve been on a ranch since I was 18 months old,” said Harmon. “My parents were house parents, so I lived in a house just like this one. Grew up in a Boys Ranch. My parents started at a Boys Ranch in Dallas County and, after See RANCH, Page 3
Entries sought for Lake Martin Living Art Contest
Low
By Betsy Iler TPI Magazine Editor
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
488.33 Reported on 9/10/15 @ 3 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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Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Algae is the likely cause of the smelly water but it is safe according to officials
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
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This year’s Lake Martin Living Art and Photography Contest judges will be looking for creative use of materials and subject matter when they choose the cover art for October’s edition of the magazine, but you only have a few more weeks to let those creative juices run wild. Submission for this year’s contest are due Sept. 23. A tradition of many years, the annual Lake Martin Living contest showcases local art and artists. The winner each year is featured on the cover of the October edition. Artists’ works also are featured in a special inside section of the magazine, and all entries are displayed at Alexander City’s Wine Emporium and Gallery 128 from the end of September until Oct. 25. Those visiting the exhibit at Wine Emporium/Gallery 128 are invited to vote for the People’s Choice winner Sept. 29 through Oct. 3.
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Submissions in acrylics, oil, watercolor, pastels, pen and ink, pencil and photography are welcome. All entries must reflect life in East Central Alabama, highlighting lifestyle, landscape and loveliness of the local area. Entrants can submit up to three works of art. Only ready-to-hang works will be accepted. The contest is open to artists of any age, and there is no fee to enter. No prizes or monetary awards will be given. This contest is just for fun! A panel of local artists will judge the entries. To submit an entry, bring artwork to the Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., office by or before 5 p.m. on Sept. 23. The office is located at 548 Cherokee Road in Alexander City. Be sure each entry is clearly marked Kenneth Boone / The Record with the artist’s name, address and teleDadeville’s Nancy Duchene took both First phone number before submitting it. View the entries and cast your votes Place and People’s Choice honors in last year’s annual Lake Martin Living Art & Photography See CONTEST, Page 3 Contest. Now Playing:
Sinister 2 – R War Room – PG Transporter Refueled – PG-13