Allegations/Complaints from Scottsboro Street Department Employees--2009 Storm Damage

Letter from the Alabama Attorney Generals Office. (Click on image for an expanded view.)

Original complaint document to the Alabama Attorney General, Alabama Emergency Management Agency, the Mayor of Scottsboro and City Council President based on allegations made by employees of the Scottsboro Street Department.

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Troubles within the Scottsboro Street Department have been occuring for some period of time. Communications and management dilemmas have been a historical problem within this department. The following report does not place blame but is an expose that describes issues that the citizens of Scottsboro should be aware.

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This summer allegations of wrongful conduct and/or alleged criminal activity were brought forth by the City of Scottsboro Street Department employees allegedly involving Street Department Supervisory employee(s).

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Street Department employees brought forward allegations to me in person that alleged criminal activity had occurred within the department, the employees stated they felt they could not come forward as they were afraid of retaliation that could include termination. Since governmental employees were making allegations to me of wrongful conduct, I informed the employees I would turn over the allegations made by them to the Alabama Attorney Generals Office and the Mayor of Scottsboro. I also informed the employees I would not disclose their names unless ordered to do so by law enforcement in an official investigation or as ordered by a judge.

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The Alabama AG has refused to investigate the complaints unless the Street Department employees make formal complaints directly to the State Attorney General, per letter shown above. The employees making the initial complaint were informed of the reply from the State Attorney General.

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The allegations involved practices and FEMA reimbursement related to the April 2009 storm damage and cleanup. An investigation was initiated by the Scottsboro Police Department per request from the Mayor's Office to insure there were no abusive practices or malfeasance.

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An outcome of the investigation was requested from Mayor Potter on Monday November 8, 2010. I inquired if the employee allegations were founded or unfounded and offered an opportunity for the Mayor to make a comment concerning this alleged incident? Mayor Potter had no reply but deferred comment to the City Attorney, Mr. Steve Kennamer for a reply. Mr Kennamer replied in the Mayor's presence-- "We [City of Scottsboro] have forwarded the case to the Alabama Attorney General for investigation ." Neither the Mayor nor the City Attorney had any further comment concerning the allegations by Street Department employees.

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The Attorney Generals Office has informed me, via the letter displayed, they will not investigate unless the Street Department employees file an official complaint. The Mayor has been provided a copy of the letter displayed above from the Alabama Attorney Generals office.

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UPDATE--Nov. 12, 2010-Information was received that several Street Department employees and at least one previous Scottsboro Police Department employee were interviewed in the course of the investigation. Further disclosures revealed during the initial interview process the street department supervisor was present during the initial interviews. This could be interpreted as a very questionable and negative step in the investigation as the presence of the department supervisor would serve as intimidation and cause a reluctance of employees to disclose information. In subsequent days the interview process was conducted without the presence of the department supervisor. The Scottsboro Mayor will not disclose if the allegations by employees were founded or unfounded. A Scottsboro City Official has informed me the city has not been reimbursed for the 2009 storm cleanup operation.

National Weather Service Huntsville says Gravity Wave, Maybe-Maybe Not

Extra-tropical cyclone produced strong winds Monday April 13, 2009 in North Alabama. The storm produced strong winds from the west in Birmingham. They were on the southern edge of the storm. Scottsboro was on the northern edge of the storm. Our winds came out of the east as a result of being on the northern edge of the storm.

A sketch of the gravity wave that is claimed to cause the damage Monday morning April 13, 2009.
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Meteorologist Mike Coyne of the National Weather Service office in Huntsville states a "Gravity Wave struck our area in the early hours of Monday morning on April 13, 2009. "It's a once in every 5 year phenomena..." Mr. Coyne stated refering to the so called "gravity wave" event. The Daily Sentinel article: http://thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=1ecbb44372814803

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We have never had high sustained winds of this magnitude. If you live within 2 miles of the base of Sand Mountain you realize that easterly and southeasterly flow of strong winds occur much more frequently than once every 5 years, particularly when strong thunderstorms are to our east. However, these thunderstorms do not last for 3 hours with 50-60 mph sustained winds and 80 mph gusts reported. We all hope and prey that Monday mornings event is not a once in a 5 year event.
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About "gravity waves:" http://www.theweatherprediction.com/habyhints/64/
This is an excellent You-Tube video demonstrating the undulating motion of a gravity wave. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXnkzeCU3bE
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I think the "gravity wave" labeling of the Monday morning event is an excuse by the Huntsville National Weather Service for failing to issue a warning as a result of an extra-tropical cyclone slightly to our south. An extra tropical cyclone is a strong low pressure cell. (We experianced an inland Hurricane.) Birmingham experianced the same storm except their winds were from the west. Our winds were from the east and southeast since we were on the northern edge of the counter clockwise rotating cyclonic storm.
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About extra-tropical cyclones: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wstorm.htm This is the weather event we experianced. We also experianced the failure of a bureaucratic national weather service who will make excuses rather than resolve problems of a scientific nature. Their reliance on set bureaucratic protocols does not facilitate scientific discovery and scientific forecasting for unusual weather events.