City of Florence Owes England Auto Salvage an Apology

Last night the Florence City Council voted to purchase a 157 acre tract west of Florence. The land is currently in use as a country club and 18 hole golf course; if the council has its way, in six or seven years at least part of this land will become the new landfill.

Councilman Barry Morris, who previously voted against tearing down a dilapidated trailer park in order to erect patio homes, recused himself from the vote. Had his father-in-law not owned part of the Florence Golf and Country Club property, he would have voted in favor of the purchase.

All this from a mayor and city council who cannot make enough derogatory comments about the two England brothers salvage businesses that lie outside the city limits. Now we will have an expanded landfill, razed golf course, and polluted Cypress Creek, all adjacent to a major state highway (part of it just christened the Stewart Cink Parkway), because the Florence City Council wants an easy way out to dispose of future garbage? Or is that the only reason?

We hear other rumors, but at present they are just that--rumors. Like Mike Curtis' and Tammy Irons' votes/non-votes on a substantial raise in the Alabama Legislature, we won't forget what happened last night. All of North Alabama will be watching.


Finding humor where you may: One wag in the TimesDaily Forum this morning suggested Florence rename the Stewart Cink Parkway to the "Stinkway." It does have a nice ring to it.

Shoalanda