A Few More Words About Muscle Shoals

Shoalanda Speaks hit it on the nail when speaking about the lack of reporting of Times Daily. The following article appeared in Times Daily:

MUSCLE SHOALS — Since the beginning of April, city code enforcement officers have written more than 50 citations for violations of the city’s strengthened ordinance policing grass growth and junk, according to Tandy Crosswhite, city building official.

It’s the first real “grass season” since August when the City Council added teeth to the city’s ordinance.

Crosswhite said the Building Department has been more successful at getting offenders to respond to citations because they know the city means business when it comes to overgrown lots and junk.

“I wouldn’t want it beside me,” Crosswhite said. “If my next-door neighbor has grass over a foot tall, I’m going to be upset about it, so I understand.”

The city has two code enforcement officers who respond to complaints from residents and issue citations if someone is in violation.

If a citation is issued, the offender has seven days to bring the property into compliance before getting a summons to court.

Previously, the offender got two notices before the city would get court permission to cut the lot. Now the offender gets just one notice.

Violators are subject to a $100 fine for the first offense, a $300 fine if a second violation occurs within 12 months and $500 and/or up to six months in jail for a third violation during any time period.

The new ordinance also gives a more comprehensive definition of junk, which according to the ordinance includes metal, machinery, plumbing fixtures, vehicle parts, building materials, tires and other items that are “rusted, wrecked, disabled, discarded, dismantled” or inoperable.

Muscle Shoals Mayor David Bradford said grass and junk calls do put a lot of work on the code enforcement officers, but the payoff is a cleaner city.

“We aren’t able to get out and drive around a lot looking for violations,” he said. “We have to work mostly off complaints from neighbors or if the code officer happens to see something when they are out working. We probably won’t ever be able to get everybody.”

NOW - the real story:

Well isn’t this article very politically correct…………however, political correctness isn’t always equated with honesty. As you will notice in the words of the article, a violator of this ordinance is “subject” to various penalties. Why would a violator be “subject” to being penalized for a wrong doing? Well, that’s an easy one to answer. If a violator was strictly penalized for an offense then Mayor Bradford and his 5 disciples (councilmen) couldn’t pick and choose who would and would not be penalized. 

Would Mayor Bradford please explain to the Muscle Shoals taxpayers why he ordered a dilapidated building on Woodward Avenue to be torn down at taxpayer expense when the owner had a contractor lined up to tear the building down, not to mention this property is probably worth close to $1,000,000 dollars (that’s one million dollars for you Muscle Shoals math scholars). Did Mayor Bradford and his Disciples place a lien on the property so the taxpayers could be reimbursed when the property sells? Of course they didn’t. Mayor Bradford says it was a training exercise for his Public Works Department. Really????? 

Since when does a Public Works Department need training on tearing a building down? If anyone believes that I have a great deal on a piece of oceanfront property located on Wilson Dam Road that I’ll sell you. Next, why does Mayor Bradford and his Disciples order various City Departments to perform work on the“Private Property” of certain individuals at taxpayer expense? There is documented evidence for proof but the dear Mayor always has a reason why the ordinance violation had to be performed. If you believe him, then I still have the oceanfront property on Wilson Dam Road for sale at a really good price. Since Mr. Crosswhite was quoted in the article, maybe you should ask him if all citizens in Muscle Shoals are treated fair and equal. He can’t lie because someone (can’t tell you who at this time) recorded a conversation they had with Mr. Crosswhite where he admitted the Mayor and the Disciples definitely play favorites in the fair city. 

This all takes us back to the debacle involving Officer Greg Scoggins and the deer killing incident. Mr. Scoggins was fired while the Mayor and the Disciples had complete disclosure about another officer (won’t mention his name now but he has now transferred to another City Department) committing the same offense. Obviously this individual received no disciplinary action because I saw him working at one of the ball fields just the other day. The list is basically endless noting the many sins of the MSPD that the good Mayor has covered for years (isn’t that right Donatello). One would assume Officer Scoggins would still be employed if he had just shot a hole in his patrol car and covered it up until he got it fixed (bring back memories Mr. Mayor). 

Let’s just be biblical for a moment Mr. Mayor and Disciples,“YOUR SINS WILL ONE DAY FIND YOU OUT”, maybe not today but there’s always tomorrow. Think about all your deeds and what you’ll tell the voters who placed their trust in you. They may not be concerned now but just wait until something happens that does affect them. Of course everyone knows the Muscle Shoals citizen’s motto, “BLESS ME AND MINE AND THE HECK WITH YOU AND YOURS”. Mmmm, that’s kind of how the Mayor and Disciples operate, isn’t it. Guess all the Muscle Shoals residents have good role models in City Hall. Glad to say I wised up several years ago and moved to a sister city where the residents don’t spend every waking minute of the day telling each other how great they are.

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The above is a guest editorial. It certainly has some very interesting and extremely valid points. Comments?

Shoalanda