Scottsboro, Alabama UPDATE: MAY 26, 2018 Council Member Jessica Butler Resigns Effective June 4, 2018 - May 21, 2018 Scottsboro City Council, Dual Session, Dock Street Issue and Intersection of U.S. Hwy 72 and County Park Rd.

Scottsboro City Hall, photo by G. Morgan

Council Member Jessica Butler receives certificate of election from Council President Patrick Stewart September 12, 2016.  (Photo by G.Morgan)

Council Member Jessica Butler resigns from Place 1 on the Scottsboro City Council; Ms. Butler's resignation is effective June 4, 2018. Jackson County Sentinel's article.  

http://jcsentinel.com/news/article_1f79c1e2-605a-11e8-93a6-e7b14db51283.html

On March 14, 2018 Ms. Butler was on the agenda of the Pike County Georgia Board of Commissioners regarding her introduction as the Chief Executive Officer of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. Info and photograph available from the meeting minutes at the link listed:   http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BOC3.14.18.html#.WwmRD-4vzIV 

State law requires council members to live within the city limits of the entity in which they serve.   http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/alison/codeofalabama/1975/11-43-1.htm

LETTER OF RESIGNATION

May 25th, 2018

Scottsboro City Hall
316 S Broad Street 
Scottsboro, AL 35768

Dear Mayor Shelton, Council President Wallingsford and Members of the City Council,

It is with great difficulty and a heavy heart that I make this decision. 
Due to life changes and recent job changes I will be spending more time out of town. I feel it is fair to the community at this time that I resign from my place 1 position effective June 4th.
It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Scottsboro and to serve with this council. I appreciate the respect and character you have shown me as a fellow member. I love this community and consider it home and family. I sincerely thank the community for allowing me the opportunity to serve.

Sincerely,

Jessica Butler

AGENDAS

Dock Street, Regular Session, Agenda Item 3 - 6 citizens were in attendance from the River Ridge Subdivision area. 

Dock St. to be closed temporarily. Improvements to the area seriously needed, this is serious money making property, potential for private restaurant, hotel and dock area on the river is fantastic. Remember the B.B. Comer Bridge Project, this project is much simpler, much less expensive with more potential for growth and expansion of tourism.

DOCK STREET VIDEO

Mr. Smith discusses city debt and upcoming projects, debt picture as reported by Mr. Smith is $17,821,177. This is not counting the debt carried by the City of Scottsboro for Goose Pond Colony and the school system debt, both separate corporate entities of the city. The U.S. Hwy 72, John T. Reid Parkway, so called improvement project, was met with opposition from Mr. Smith and Mr. Stewart, just call it "Stop Light City."

STOP LIGHT CITY VIDEO

Jackson County Sentinel article by Will Whaley about project. http://m.thedailysentinel.com/news/article_fc3fb22e-5ad0-11e8-b696-ab74c680e20e.html?mode=jqm

VIDEO OF  COUNCIL MEETINGS

Scottsboro City Council Meeting August 14, 2017

Scottsboro City Hall, photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

VIDEO

Scottsboro City Council Work Session and 1st Public Hearing on B.B. Comer Bridge Sculpture at the Scottsboro High School August 7, 2017

Scottsboro City Hall photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

VIDEO PART 1

Public Hearing and Items 1 and 2 on Agenda

VIDEO for PART 2 AGENDA Items 3 - 11 

Scottsboro City Council, Work Session July 17, 2017

Scottsboro City Hall, photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

Mayors Report - 1) County has provided check to city for the business tax reimbursement. 2) Willow Basin Drainage program bid was rejected as it was $250K over budget. 3) One time Retirement pay raise for retired city employees. All items to be placed on Regular Session agenda.

VIDEO

Scottsboro City Council Meeting, Regular Session Plans Are Being Made to Save a Section of the Bridge as a Memorial - June 13, 2016

BREAKING NEWS - B.B. COMER BRIDGE MEMORIAL
It was announced at last night's city council meeting that plans are under way to save a portion of the north entrance of the bridge, pictures below.

Wiki photo of B.B. Comer Bridge. Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary. The north entrance, visible with its yellow sign is the portion that may be saved as a memorial. 

Close-up of north entrance supplied by Abbey Gentry Benson; Fair Use for non-profit news and commentary.

Mrs. Benson stated she had approached several officials including managers with the Alabama Department of Transportation and City Council members. She related that she hopped a large section of the bridge would be saved. Mrs Benson's plans were to preserve a large section of the southeastern entrance. However, she was told it was to late in the process for that to happen. At the end of the City Council Regular Meeting in the reports section, Mr. Stewart spoke up about his efforts, photos below.

B. B. Comer North Entrance Way after demolition, still on site. Photo supplied by Abbey Gentry Benson; Fair Use for non-profit news and commentary.

B. B. Comer North Entrance Way after demolition at scrap holding yard. Mr. Patrick Stewart, Scottsboro City Council President stated he has had discussions with the bridge demolition managers as a concerned private citizen.  Stewart stated it was possible to preserve this section of the bridge for a memorial and that he had arranged for free transportation to move this section of the bridge to a city storage area. Photos above and below by Patrick Stewart; Fair Use Rights for non-profit news reporting and commentary 

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA 

VIDEO

Jackson County Commission, Regular Session and Work Session, Discussion on Preservation of Part of B.B. Comer Bridge as a Memorial - June 7,2016

The Jackson County Commission discusses preserving part of B.B. Comer Bridge for a memorial. (Photo segment by G. Morgan)

AGENDA

VIDEO

Remembering B.B. Comer Bridge - The End of an Era, But Not Forgotten June 3, 2016

B.B. Comer Bridge in Videos - All things B.B Comer
http://arklite.blogspot.com/search/label/B.B.%20Comer%20Bridge  (Fair Use Rights for non-profit news reporting and commentary for You Tube videos.)

Drone Flight over B.B. Comer Bridge


End of an Era















Uncle Goat Tells His Story
 

Jackson County Commission Work Session May 16, 2016 - End of Time for the B.B. Comer Bridge

South Side Jackson county Courthouse, Scottsboro, Al. photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

Click on image for an expanded view.

VIDEO

Ebenezer Baptist Church spokesperson asks the Jackson County Commission to straighten the road, claiming safety concerns. Google Map image, (Fair Use for non-profit news reporting.)

B.B. Comer Bridge - End of Time (You Tube public video by David Kennamer, Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary.)

Piece by piece the historic icon and engineering marvel is taken apart, like vultures picking the bones of a dead animal, sad.

Jackson County Commission Meeting, Regular Session - B.B.Comer Bridge Issue

B.B. Comer Bridge under construction. Fair Use Rights for non-profit news reporting; M.H Lynch Family photo from the CBF Face Book site. 

B.B. Comer Bridge issue was agenda item #9 - The issue died due to a lack of a motion being brought forward. Video interviews with Comer Bridge Foundation President Charles Holderfield and Board member Clyde Broadway regarding their thoughts on the county commissions decision, after the commission video below.

AGENDA

Click on image for an expanded view.

COMMISSION MEETING VIDEO

COMER BRIDGE FOUNDATION, CBF, VIDEO - MR. HOLDERFIELD, MR. BROADWAY

Jackson County Commission work Session September 21, 2015 - B.B. Comer Bridge Economic Impact Summary

Jackson County Commission, from Left to Right - Jason Venable, District 2 (R); Stacy Ledwell, District 4 (D); Matthew Hodges, Chair (D); Tim Guffey, District 1 (R); Dennis Miller, District 3 (D) photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

(click on image for an expanded view)

Note change in budget as reflected on my notes from the commission  meeting. It is expected that next years available funds will be below $7 million dollars.

VIDEO

                          B.B Comer Bridge

Osprey Nest on B.B. Comer Bridge 

(Fair Use for non-profit news reporting - photo from Face Book, B.B. Comer Bridge Foundation - photo by Hank Allen)

It is getting down to the wire regarding the B.B. Comer Bridge Foundation's request to save the bridge or demolish it. Contracts are to be let regarding demolition very soon according to the representative from the Working Bridges group. Money is needed, considerable money to be placed in escrow ( $5 million according to John Cooper of ALADOT ) to cover future demolition, maintenance and risk management in case of failure of the project. Maintenance is another issue regarding the bridge. A former state engineer familiar with the bridge has stated, annual  maintenance will cost from $180 - $250 thousand per annum.

Chattanooga Times Free Press article - http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/sep/20/study-predicts-1-milli3-milliimpact-if-comer/326117/

(click on image for an expanded view)

Executive Summary of Economic Impact Associated with the B.B. Comer Bridge Project

by Dixon Strategies

(Click on image for an expanded view)

More Info

(click on image for an expanded view)

2014 Jackson County Demographic Study Comparing Dekalb and Marshall Counties.

Population, sales, manufacturing shipments and Building permits were compared - Jackson County was last in all categories; reason - lack of industrial growth. 

Jackson County Commission Regular Session February 9, 2015 - Remembering B.B. Comer - The Bridge, A Legacy of Success or Failed Vision?

THINKING ABOUT B.B. COMER

Fair Use rights for all photographs usage - not for profit news reporting. Photographer listed where known.

"Photo by Hank Allen - Fair use for non-profit news reporting.)

B.B. Comer Bridge by John Warr Fair Use for non-profit news reporting.

(photo by G. Morgan)

Now we move to visions of what could be on the river - how does the area's business and political leadership bring vision and planning for our future? There is considerable valuable public land in the area. Running along the river bank north and south of the river's western bank; Scottsboro owns the "Public Purpose Property" on Dock Street extending to the Tennessee River. What a nice place to be developed into a park with a restaurant. This would coincide with the National Trust for Historic Places planning a trail from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Huntsville, Alabama.

A river side restaurant built like an old steamboat.

All sorts of possibilities exist.

Other possibilities for a park

The end, no vision, no planning, continuing depopulation of Jackson County. Ecological Tourism via a sound business plan and program of development will net jobs and additional tax revenue.

Back to the business of government?

AGENDA Jackson County Commission

VIDEO