Poll Results

The following poll results are posted. Question: Do you favor the U.S. Government bail out of the failed insurance and financial institutions such as AIG and Lehman Bros.? 72%-No; 28%-yes ( 3 day poll). Question: Do you favor rezoning of the old aluminum plant site from R1, Residential to M1, Light Manufacturing? 78%-yes; 22%-no (158 votes, long term poll)

County Commission Meeting

1) Met with Commission, Garry Morgan gave invitation to Commissioners and the public to attend an informational session on Sustainable Energy Solutions presented by Dr. Arjun Makhijani on the Jackson County Courthouse Square by the Bandstand on Wednesday, Sep. 22, 2008 at 2PM. (link: http://arklite.blogspot.com/2008/09/dr-arjun-makhijani-to-visit-scottsboro.html ) 2) 4 items approved on the consent agenda. 3) Old Business: a) Minutes of previous meetings approved. b) Motion to fill 1 vacancies on North Sand Mountain Park Board, 2 vacancies on the Board, 1 filled by Frank Yates. b)$10,000 approved for the Sheriffs Dept. fuel budget. c) Approval of 2008-2009 Budget. 4) New Business: a) Approval of County Engineer contract extension for 3 years. b) Approval given to advertise vacant Highway Maintenance Technician 1 position for Public Works Department. c) Approval of return of bid bond check of Mr. M.F. Gardner. d) Contract with Alabama Department of Youth Services approved for juvenile detention services. e) Approval of transfer of Ms. Anna Lewis from Sheriffs Dept. to Commission Office to fill position of Commission Clerk. f) Discussion of county financial accounts and disclosure. Balance in General Fund is $7,518,928. A motion was made and approved to pay off all county obligations to include establishing a bond escrow account to pay off County Bonds outstanding. The total to be payed on all debt is $4,709,490. This will leave approximately $2.8 million in the commission accounts after all debt is paid. It was noted that this reserve was built in 8 years time.

Scottsboro City Council Meeting

Old Business: 1) City Audit Report by the auditing firm of Borland and Benefield. The final audit report will be presented to the City council on Sep. 23, 2008. The main concern expressed was the financial condition of Goose Pond Colony and their $6.5 million in debt. It was further recommended that Goose Pond Colony sell Plantation Point and that the City Parks and Recreation Board, GPC Board, be disbanded and the management of the complex be handled as a department of the city. 2) Clark St. appropriation approved for $7500.00; Street Dept to begin work very soon on the project.

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New Business: 1) Alcohol Beverage License public hearing, on site sale and off site sale, for City Billiards on Broad St., the "old pool hall;" approved. 2) Property appraisal concerning airport property, tabled. 3) Change Order on Police Station renovation project for $20,178, approved. Reported that the expense thus far on the renovation project is $2,945,222.18. 4) Municipal Judge appointment, Mr. Don Word. 5) Assistant Municipal Judge appointment, Mr. Charles Dawson. 6) City Prosecutors appointed, Ms Patricia Stewart, Mr Brian Rice. 7) Consultant Agreement for lowering city employee insurance costs. Consulting firm to be paid 20% of total cost savings. 8) Bid openings for cleaning Rec-Com rejected. Bids not opened, error in bid specifications. 9) Charity Road blocks approved for Knights of Columbus on October 11, 2008. 10) Vacancies on Museum Commission, 6 vacancies, requests for placement on the Museum Commission must be turned into Mrs. Gail Duffey, City Clerk by 12 noon on Oct. 2, 2008. 11) The Historic Preservation Commission and the Library Board each have one vacancy. Interested applicants for these positions must have applications turned into Mrs Gail Duffey, City Clerk, by 12 noon on Oct. 2, 2008. 12) Caution light for Moody Ridge Rd. and Al Hwy 279 Resolution for maintenance on light approved. 13) It was announced by the Council President that Mrs. Gail Duffey will be retiring on Nov. 3, 2008. Mrs. Duffey has 32 years of Distinguished Service to the City of Scottsboro. Mrs. Duffey is the Director of the City Clerks Association of Alabama. A Resolution was also passed that the City Council Chambers auditorium will be named "Gail Duffey Auditorium."

Dr. Arjun Makhijani to Visit Scottsboro

"A technological revolution has been brewing in the last few years, so it won't cost an arm and a leg to eliminate both CO2 emissions and nuclear power. We can solve the problems of oil imports, nuclear proliferation as it is linked to nuclearpower, and carbon dioxide emissions simultaneously if we are bold enough."--Arjun Makhijani, Ph.D.
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Dr. Arjun Makhijani, http://www.ieer.org/ , will visit Scottsboro and make a presentation on the Courthouse Square in Scottsboro on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 2PM by the bandstand. The following Press release was issued by the Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team a local Chapter of the Blue Ridge Enviromental Defense League, http://www.bredl.org/nuclear/index.htm

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PRESS ADVISORY
SEPTEMBER 19, 2008

EXPERT ADVISES NON-NUCLEAR ENERGY MIX
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The Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team (BEST), a local Chapter of the
Blue Ridge Enviromental Defense League, invites all to appear on the north side of
the Courthouse Square by the Bandstand in Scottsboro, Alabama at 2PM on September the
24, 2008. There, Dr. Arjun Makhijani, a recognized authority on energy issues, will share his
knowledge regarding nuclear energy and our energy future. He is president of the Institute
for Energy and Environmental Research in Tacoma Park, Maryland.
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"A technological revolution has been brewing in the last few years, so
it won't cost an arm and a leg to eliminate both CO2 emissions and nuclear power. We can
solve the problems of oil imports, nuclear proliferation as it is linked to nuclear power, and
carbon dioxide emissions simultaneously if we are bold enough," states Dr. Makhijani.
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“Those in attendance will learn about an alternative clean energy plan that will allow
our children and grandchildren a healthier and less risky future while ending our dependence
on foreign oil,” said BEST member Garry Morgan.
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Dr. Makhijani is the author and co-author of numerous reports and books on energy and environment related issues. He was the principal author of the first study of the energy
efficiency potential of the US economy published in 1971. He is the author of Carbon-Free
and Nuclear-Free: A Road map for U.S. Energy Policy (2007). He earned his Ph.D. from the
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California,
Berkeley in 1972, specializing in nuclear fusion.
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Winner of numerous awards, Dr. Makhijani has testified before Congress, and has
appeared on ABC World News Tonight, the CBS Evening News, CBS 60 Minutes, NPR,
CNN, and BBC, among others. He has served as a consultant on energy issues to utilities,
including the Tennessee Valley Authority.
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In case of rain, the session will be held at the Scottsboro Rec-Com, 701 South Broad
St., Rm 103, Scottsboro.

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For those who are interested in joining BREDL, http://www.bredl.org/membership.htm or joining with other citizens of the area surrounding Bellefonte who are concerned about the negative environmental and economic impact a nuclear facility may have on our area may contact Garry Morgan at email: arklite2go@yahoo.com If you prefer you may list a message within, I will not post email addresses.

Scottsboro City Council Work Session

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>South Broad Street, circa 1949

Agenda: 1) Landfill fee discussion concerning the $1.00 per ton fee placed on landfills to assist in funding ADEM, Alabama Department of Enviromental Management. Mr. Eddie Blizzard, City Waste Management Director, stated the landfill intake was approximately 46,000 tons last year. Fuel price increases also have resulted in increased costs. It was estimated that a $1.00 per month per household increase in garbage collection fees should cover the costs. 2) Street Superintendent Ronnie Dolberry presentation concerning appropriation request for Clark St. improvement. Part of the street is privately owned by Mr. Billy Jack Kirby. Drainage was performed on the private property portion of the street several years ago. The property owner requested several months ago that his property be returned to its original state along his road. This is funding for that project. 3) Airport land acquisition appraisal. Apparently property surrounding the airport is available for purchase. There was a discussion concerning a property appraisal for this property. 4) Sign ordinance discussion. 5)Municipal Judge Appointment discussion, Mr. Don Word requested reappointment. 6) City Prosecutor Appointment discussion, Ms. Patricia Stewart and Mr. Brian Rice has applied for reappointment. Mr. Darryl Eustace has also applied for the position of City Prosecutor. 7) Assistant Municipal Judge Appointment, Mr. Charles Dawson has requested reappointment. 8) Consulting Agreement with Community Insurance, LLC discussion. This company is an insurance consulting agency which works to save its client's rate payments and receives their pay, 20%, based on the money saved for its client.

Wall Street Failures Continue

Will the Fed bail out Lehman Brothers? It appears the large investment banking firm will fail. This has warranted an Emergency Meeting of the Federal Reserve.

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The house of "Credit Cards" comes tumbling down. More failures of our fiat economy and placing national worth in credit, a big mistake. Unfortunately our financial situation is so bleak that many families are not able to survive and buy necessities without credit. Families that become slaves to the credit banker. Now the credit bankers are failing due to failed political policy of NAFTA, CAFTA and other policies which have resulted in shipping our wealth to other nations. Our leaders have been traitorous to working Americans for many years. National leadership moves our country into further debt, into further foreign ownership of our assets.

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What effect will these economically stressful times have on further home development on Goose Pond? I have been informed there are many, many pending local foreclosures.

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Links concerning this financial crisis, http://blogs.financialcontent.com/financial_market_news/2008/09/possible-lehman-brothers-failu.html a cascading meltdown may be possible. http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/market-movers/2008/09/11/could-lehmans-failure-cause-a-systemic-meltdown