Sticky Mickey?/Back to the Basics?

One of our regular readers recently commented on Mayor Haddock, referring to him as “Sticky Mickey.” We hope to hear the origin of that name at some point.

So is the mayor doing a good job or not? Everything is relative, but if we have any nits to pick with the good Mayor Haddock, the most obvious one is a lack of communication with the citizens of Florence. Projects are announced, then never carried out or referred to again.

Is an entertainment district still in the works…or maybe two, since studies have been commissioned for both the Sweetwater District and downtown Florence? How about the College Street Plaza? This was a pet project of Mayor Haddock; an architect was commissioned to draw up plans (read: paid for with tax dollars)…then nothing. Surely something put the kibosh on these plans, but what? It seemed like a doable and needed project, so what happened? The mayor publishes a monthly newsletter about events he wants showcased; why not a monthly report on the status of ongoing projects?

We will say that the mayor has kept the public informed recently on the new animal shelter, the College Street bridge project, and the Tennessee Street landscaping projects. While on that subject, let’s hope the revamp of East Tennessee Street includes the removal of the rusting Knight-Humphries donut.

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On the subject of downtown beautification, we realize weather and other factors often delay upkeep and repairs; no schedule can ever be written in stone. Yet one of the most unattractive features about the residential section of downtown (East Tuscaloosa, East Tombigbee, East Mobile) is the trash that is often left on the street waiting days and even weeks for pickup. Many of these older homes have been turned into apartments, with a constant flux of residents who place discarded items out for pickup on an almost daily basis—it doesn’t make for an attractive drive entering or exiting the downtown area.

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Back to the basics? A reader has asked us to examine Rodney Pettus’ campaign slogan “Back to the Basics.” Pettus is in the runoff for the Republican slot on the November ballot for Lauderdale County License Commissioner. The reader interpreted the slogan to mean that the drive-thru would be removed from service and that any functioning satellite offices/kiosks would be closed.

We have asked Mr. Pettus to clear that up for us. We sincerely doubt that is the intention of his slogan, but we have no idea what it does mean. One of Lauderdale County’s most attractive qualities is that government offers more than just the basics; while we believe in cost cutting when needed, it’s the extra mile that makes the difference in enhancing the lives of its citizenry. More on this later…

Shoalanda