Cherokee: Bigger Than You Thought/Remembering Florence Book

As promised, we have J.J.'s latest take on Cherokee, but first we want all our readers, especially those with Lauderdale County ties, to be aware of the new book Remembering Florence. This beautifully done treasure will be available March 1st. Contact: Link

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Cherokee and the City Council

By J.J. Ray

You have to give credit when it is due and the city council aka the Burger King four get a real Atta boy for the tough decisions they made at last weeks meeting. Unfortunately, this gave Señor De La Viagra a soapbox forum from which to allege a list of problems.

One is the $1029.00 bill for fuel at the fire department. This started me to thinking, which is always dangerous but when you divide out that bill that equates to 343 gallons of fuel per month. Then when you figure about 6 miles per gallon you get 2058 miles driven. Some of those vehicles will do better. How do you drive 2058 miles in an area the size of Cherokee?

How many fires do they have on a monthly basis? What is their patrol area? My goodness it must go all the way to Florence. Does the fire department purchase fuel for everyone on the staff? What happened to conservation?

When you make a statement like that there has to be some kind of explanation. No one in their right or left mind would want a fire department to do without fuel or the equipment needed to accomplish their mission. Give me a break Mayor Señor De La Viagra how about some justification here. Is there no coordination on the number of vehicles used or do they just drive up and down the roads extinguishing cigarettes?

Really, Mr. Mayor how long have you known about the financial condition of the city. Did you just find out last week? I do not think so. No chief executive would wake up one morning and say we are broke. In this tough economic climate, revenues have fallen off for most cities and I am sure Cherokee is no exception. According to the record Mr. Mayor, you have been aware of the financial condition of the city since January 10 and 12, 2010. That was the time of the brawl, lest you forget.

When you make a statement like that on TV and in print there must to be some answerability. How about disclosure in the form of an audit for the fire department and rescue squad? That should settle any disputes. Mr. Mayor, do you really want to settle the controversy?

Have you decided to become the Alcalde Masculino the sufferer for a cause and perchance rest in the pillory that you and your faithful cohort wanted for Ms. Malone? I really do not think sainthood is in the offing for you. I can give the address for the Vatican though, if you choose to apply.



Shoalanda