Shoalanda: The Midnight Rider Rebuts the Tuscumbian

Thursday, June 21, 2018

The Midnight Rider Rebuts the Tuscumbian

The Rider Sets the Record Straight on Tuscumbia

By: The Midnight Rider

It’s summer time here at the ranch. That means that there is hay to be baled, cows to be fed and other things that have to be done on a daily basis. I haven’t been reading Shoalanda Speaks because I have been busy at the ranch. However, last night I was reading the site to get caught up in the world.

I came across an article that was published by a “Concerned Tuscumbian.” The article was negative toward the City, Mayor and City Council. I read the article several times before I realized there are somethings published that is not true. While there are some items listed or questioned I don’t have an answer for, I have an idea on how to get an answer. I will explain that shortly.

First let’s talk about this quote/question:

The mayor and council just voted to purchase 11 vehicles for the police department from State Troopers. Last time I checked we only have 3 or 4 officers and that number can change depending on whether a sister city is hiring. So what are we going to do with 11 police cars? Does each officer get 3 vehicles to interchange so the mileage is kept low.

I am going to have to call BS on this one. I didn’t know the answer to how many Officers the Tuscumbia Police Department had so I figured I would find out. I picked up the phone and called. I was told there are 21 Officers including the Chief. It is amazing what you can find out if you just ask. It’s called Public Information.

So this blows the theory of 3-4 Officers working at Tuscumbia Police Department out of the water. So if you have 21 Officers working at the Police Department, that means that that 2 officers will be sharing a car. I even went further and looked up some information on the internet. I found out that most Police Departments want a single car per person. They have found that with that program, the single Officer takes better care of the vehicle and there is less maintenance.

Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan

Okay, let’s go with the next quote/question:

We still have some of the lowest paid city employees in the area.

I don’t believe that. However I can be proved or disproved by making a few phone calls, because you not what? It’s Public Information. I didn’t have time to call around to the various Cities to check on the pay scale. But what I did do, is call two people I know. One works for the Tuscumbia Police Department and one for Sheffield Fire Department. The Fireman had 2 years of Service more than the Police man. Guess what I found out. Tuscumbia makes more. Don’t get me started on the City of Sheffield.

Yes Tuscumbia used to be the lowest paying City but not anymore. One thing people don’t seem to understand is a City can only pay or give raises according to the tax base. If the tax base is down, then raises are not there.

No streets have been paved!

Let’s talk about the street paving issue. There was a recent article in the Times Daily and the Quad Cities Daily outlining the situation of the street paving. If you didn’t read them, let me summarizes them. Basically, the City of Tuscumbia has received a Grant for paving of the streets. The City matched a portion of the grant. There were meetings to determine which streets need to be paved. Now there is a bid process on who will get to do it. You want to get the most for your buck.

So that kills the theory of the street paving. The Mayor cannot just say “go pave a street” There has to be State approval as well as tests on these roads. The paving is coming, the money has been promised. It just takes time.

Tuscumbia Mayor Kerry Underwood

There are other things in the article that I do not have an answer for. But I have an idea. Why don’t you attend a City Council meeting and ask these questions. From my understanding and watching on Facebook, very few people attend the meetings. Let your voice be heard

I don’t live in the City of Tuscumbia. I live in the County. I don’t know anyone on the Council, the Mayor or Chief of Police. But from what I hear from talking to my friends that do live in the City of Tuscumbia, they are glad the current Council is doing something. The last Council didn’t seem to want to do anything. Is the new Council doing everything correct, probably not but at least they are trying.