Attention Muscle Shoals Citizens: Time for School!

 

If you are a Muscle Shoals Citizen, you will want to pay close attention to today's lesson. If you're buying multiple 60,000 dollar vehicles, you are excused from this class. If you are struggling to make your house payment, feed your family, and buy gas for your old car, you may want to move to the front of the class.

CLASS, you will be tested on how well you understand this lesson in August 2025. 

Muscle Shoals Mayor Lockhard had a fairly new Chevrolet Tahoe bought and maintained by the taxpayers that he and his wife have traveled in comfort in for many trips.

The previous Parks & Recreation director had a fairly new pickup truck for the purpose of the job before Mayor Lockhard fired/pushed out/run off/whatever he did to him.

Then Mayor Lockhard immediately appointed a new director and awarded her his $60,000 Chevrolet Tahoe, which meant the taxpayers  bought him a brand new Chevrolet Tahoe.

Within a short time, Mr. Lockhard (read: you the taxpayer) bought another $60,000 Chevrolet Tahoe for the City Clerk Brittney Walters. 

Why did Mr. Lockhard not give his slightly used Tahoe to Ms. Walters if she was in such dire need of another vehicle. Consider carefully the use of vehicles in the Park & Rec department, considering the director already had a fairly new department pickup truck. 

Now class, let's look at this a little deeper.

Muscle Shoals is a relatively small city. On a daily basis, Mr. Lockhard may drive 20 miles in his official duties. That's 100 miles per week.

The Park & Rec director may drive the same in the luxury vehicle between the parks to make sure they are in immaculate shape for recruiting visitors and new families to the city.

The City Clerk may go to the bank and post office, which are across the parking lot from City Hall. Another piece of this particular baffling logic is the fact that Ms. Walters has 2 other city vehicles at her disposal as shown in the slides on the screen. Granted, these other 2 vehicles were used by the 2 previous City Clerks and have low mileage, but they are not new and quite as fancy. 

The Quiz today is multiple choice:

How many vehicles does it take for one person to walk to the post office and bank next door?    3      2     1    0

Should potholes and damaged city property that pose a safety violation or threat to children be repaired before new vehicles are added to the growing fleets of city employees?    Y    N

Are you over taxed because of extravagant spending by Mayor Lockhard and Clerk Walters?     Y    N

Would you like your taxes to be lowered because of less spending by Mayor Lockhard and Clerk Walters?    Y    N

Talk among yourselves. Prepare for the big test. It will be in August 2025.

I will give you a 24 hr notice of the next class. If you think this lecture was informative just wait till the next lecture in this series.

It will not be cancelled, employees are encouraged to attend, and the press is welcome. You will not want to miss it.

Class dismissed for now. 

#FACTSMATTER #EDUCATE #VOTE #GETRIDOFTHERASCALS #VOTEAUGUST2025