Cherokee Chuckles but No Duckles

Cherokee's Big Fix

A Guest Commentary By

State Sen. Horatio Leander Smooter IV 

Miss Shoalanda has asked me once more to clarify some extremely complicated political goings-on, and I'm happy to oblige, since as you know only we state senators are qualified to make laws, interpret them, and explain them. I'm speaking specifically of the Cherokee city council race, but it's not unlike several we've had in my hometown of U-Turn, Alabama.

The first question seems to be "Can a dead person vote?" Well, I'm living proof that dead people can and do elect representatives. After all, suppose your 98 year-old granddaddy dies three days before the election. You knew how he was going to vote, now didn't you? Don't you think he would have wanted you to carry on in his name?  Besides, dead people in Cherokee probably know as much as the living ones anyway.

That brings us to the second point of voting outside of one's district. A district, like age, is just a state of mind. Suppose your brother-in-law is running in District One, but you live just a few blocks away in District Two, or maybe outside the city limits. Do you think a little thing like that should deprive you of your God-given right to vote for a family member? No, didn't think so.

So now we have a sore loser wanting a recount because she lost by two votes. Why even if the one out of district vote is thrown out, she'll still lose by one vote. That's unless there were some other shady goings on. I'm here to tell you that there are no more under the table or questionable deals going on in Cherokee than there are in U-Turn or Chicago or...

Well, harumph, you get the idea.

*****

Mr. Elbert Davis was murdered this week during a home invasion. Some may say that at 88 his life was winding down. Obviously that's true, but whoever killed him still committed capital murder. Whoever attacked Mr. Davis and stole his wallet deserves life in prison. Let's hope Chief Tony Logan and the Tuscumbia CID soon have the murderer in custody.



Shoalanda

"They're Trying to Destroy..."

"They're trying to destroy us." - Richard Nixon (No he did a pretty good job of destroying himself.)

"They're trying to destroy Michael Jackson." - Fans who disliked Martin Bashir's documentary about the troubled star. (Again, here's someone who destroyed himself.)

"They're trying to destroy Sweetwater Mansion." - Various members of the Sweetwater Historical Tour committee. (No, the current owner let Mother Nature and vandals do that long before anyone reported on the scam to "restore" the old house.)

"They're trying to destroy Cherokee" - Chuck Lansdell commenting on reports in the Internet magazine The Connection.

At one time, the appropriate response from someone who didn't wish to discuss a problem was, "No comment." Now it seems the favored response is to accuse the accuser. Of what, we're not sure. We're also not sure if anyone has officially filed any ethics or other complaints concerning the misuse of fuel in Cherokee. If not, they should. This brief account is quite telling:

Watch What You Say, Mayor Lansdell

*****

Sources with Lauderdale County say the toddler found walking along Highway 101 last Tuesday has been returned to his mother. We understand that DHR's goal is to keep families together if at all possible. We hope this young mother will now get some help with her parenting skills.

*****

You may have noticed our comics section vanished some weeks ago. As far as we can tell, the site had gone to cyber heaven, so we need to replace it. Not being able to find a comparable widget for the funnies, we're about to launch a music player. Send us the names of your favorite songs...they may just show up here.



Shoalanda

Alabama Supreme Court: Only Your Mayor Can Hire & Fire

Apparently Cherokee isn't the only Alabama municipality suffering from Mayor-Council Clashitis; the towns of Daphne and Fairhope have also experienced a war of the egos. Their cases were recently heard by the Alabama Supreme Court, and on May 27th the Court ruled that only mayors have the authority to hire and fire in Alabama.

How this will exacerbate Cherokee's ongoing feud remains to be seen, but tomorrow night's council meeting holds the promise of, shall we say, interesting events. Stay tuned...

*****

Under the heading of "We Certainly Get Some Interesting Mail," a reader commented on our link to the blog Women of a Certain Age. The reader was disappointed--thinking it had referred to all the Pretty Young Things currently being hired by the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office. We hear the latest is only 19--it's good to know our sheriff has a plan to keep our youth busy this summer.

From another letter, are we attempting to embarrass Rita Montesi into selling her property by commenting on her brother's conviction for sexual assault and his attorney's legal problems? No, dear reader, when Ms. Montesi called the 2005 news conference that was covered in the TimesDaily, her comments on both Colbert County and her brother's defense attorney became both common knowledge and public record.

What do we think of Rita Montesi siding with her brother, a felon with a laundry list of crimes including the killing of their father? We think Ms. Montesi is defending the man who sexually assaulted her nieces. Do not expect any sympathy here for either pedophiles or their supporters.

Related posts:

Noah Monroe Tidwell

Who is Rita Montesi?



Shoalanda

The Mignon Has Returned & Other Oddities

From C.R.:

The Mignon Has Returned

I believe the alliance between the former Cherokee City Mayor Mignon Willis and current Cherokee City Councilmembers referred to as the Burger King Four (Councilmembers Malone, Glover, Mason, and Franks) is well documented. The power was so great that a former councilmember voted to put Mignon Willis on the water board and then resigned after the vote.

Well, it appears over the last few months a fracture has occurred. During the city's bitter budget battle, sources close to the Cherokee City council reveal that the cutbacks were orchestrated by Mignon Willis. Being the good lap dogs the Burger King Four are they voted to slash money and save the city from the supposed brink of disaster. But after cutting the budget the council voted to spend over $15,000.00 on a broken down abandoned senior citizens building.

Stress Crack

The recent flip flop on the hiring of the two police officers is where the fracture started. After the huge cut back in benefits to the city employees and the cutoff of gas to the rescue squad and fire departments, one Cherokee Police Officer resigned and went to work at another Police Dept. The Cherokee City Council voted to hire one full time and one part time police officer. Mignon Willis was outraged by the hirings and demanded that the vote be rescinded. Shortly after the demand, a special called meeting was held and the city council voted to reverse their vote on the hiring of the police officers.

No Sewer for You

When Mayor Chuck Lansdell left the mayor’s seat in 2004, he had lined up a sewer grant for the city. When Mignon Willis took office she decided the grant was too expensive and decided not to pursue the sewer grant. Well, that decision has cost the City of Cherokee and the citizens that have to pay the sewer rates about $800,000.00. The sewer has fallen apart and ADEM is on the city's back to correct the problem or face fines or imprisonment. The City Council having no other recourse voted to approve a sewer grant that Mayor Lansdell secured. The new grant is about $800,000.00 more than the grant in 2004.

The Alliance Has Fallen?

Leading up to the sewer vote, Mignon Willis voiced her displeasure with the grant and told the Burger King Four to vote against the grant. Facing fines or imprisonment the council voted to approve the sewer grant. Being the vindictive person that everyone but the Burger King Four can see, Cherokee Water Board Member Mignon Willis proposed an increase of the transaction fee that the city pays the water department to collect the sewer fees. The city currently pays the water department $250.00 a month to collect the sewer fees.

The proposal that Mignon Willis got passed will increase the fee to $1500.00 a month. Who will pay this increase? The city will have to pass on the extra cost and the citizens of Cherokee will. When the sewer rates increase everyone should thank Mignon Willis for it. The Cherokee Water Board Members that voted for the increase are Mignon Willis, Chairman Puckett, and Mr. Bozeman. All eyes will be on Councilmembers Malone, Glover, Mason, and Franks. Will the Burger King Four stay in the alliance with their puppet master or will they fight this increase and try to save the Cherokee Citizens some money?

*****

Debbie Wilson has asked us to announce the second phase of the "America's Favorite Fishing City" contest has begun. Florence is among 20 towns vying for the first prize of 25K. The contest will end in three weeks--you may vote four times a day.

VOTE

Shoalanda

Santa Comes to Cherokee

*****

There was no warning when he came to town;
Chuck was at the ER, and the 3G was down.
The Council was at BK, and the line was long;
Thelma was at home, hanging up her thong.

Santa looked around and shook his head;
Even People's Drugs was empty--the town was dead.
He knew they'd been naughty, knew all their ways;
How could he make it better? He'd give them Rhea Tays!

Shoalanda

Rogersville: Wet or Dry?/New Cherokee Site

So...does Rogersville remain dry or go wet? Just when you thought it was all over, not one, but two votes may make the difference. The two votes in question were apparently cast by those not living inside the Rogersville town limits. Hmmm, now how does this work? Can anyone identify the two ballots in some manner? It's not supposed to work that way. Will those who voted illegally answer truthfully how they voted? Perhaps they will, but how would that hold up in court? Will there be a new election? That seems the most logical premise.

This scenario doesn't mention the supposedly lost vote referenced by the ShoalsInsider. We've heard no more about that since election night. We can see the new campaign now...perhaps one side will even bring in John Travolta and Tom Cruise.

*****

If you live in Cherokee and care about that city, you need to be aware of a new Facebook site. Public Meetings of Cherokee, Alabama has just launched; it will offer times, dates, and locations for all Cherokee public meetings, as well as video of the proceedings. Be sure to visit this site and become a fan:

Public Meetings of Cherokee, Alabama

*****

While on Facebook, don't forget to visit and fan The Connection site. This new Internet magazine has made great progress in the six weeks it's been up; be sure to check it out.

The Connection

*****

A beautiful image of the original Coffee High/Appleby Junior High building: Link

Shoalanda

A Cherokee Trilogy

Today we're publishing three views of the current situation in Cherokee, with comments as needed.

CHEROKEE TOWN MEETING, LEGAL OR ILLEGAL

A Guest Commentary By

A Concerned Citizen

It seems that there is need of some serious investigation as whether or not the Cherokee town meeting Saturday was an emergency and whether or not the Thursday meeting was legal. Were the citizens properly represented? The Government over the Municipalities should be looking into it.

Was the meeting on Thursday properly called? Are the Citizens in Thelma Lambert's District properly represented? I think not, since she refused to participate. Did the Mayor, Chuck Lansdell resign? He did get up from the council table and stated that he was going to sit with the citizens. Could the council legally proceed with voting on any issue at that point? There are many questions that need to be answered. It seems that if the council wanted to continue with the voting on any and all issues then to be fair to all the citizens all issues would have to be brought to a vote of the people. All of this immature nonsense and vindictiveness needs to stop.

It has also been brought to my attention that Ms. Willis refused to take a drug test. My understanding is that she cannot legally give anyone any instructions nor have anything to do with the gas if something arises which occasionally it does. So why has she not been let go from her position over the water board due to her criminal record and insubordination? Where are the officials on this and what are are they going to do? Something needs to be done for the town of Cherokee.

As for the legality of the meeting, Mr. Rosser, the town's attorney, stated that everything was kosher. That could possibly be overruled by the appropriate court if other concerned citizens decided to take issue with his opinion.

As for Ms. Willis, her conviction was in civil court--not criminal. We do not see how a civil ruling would keep her from serving. Her refusal to take a drug test is another matter. All natural gas departments fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The FERC usually requires mandatory initial and periodic drug testing of all employees of natural gas companies. Whether the board would fall under this umbrella or not should not be hard to ascertain.

Here is a link to the FERC website: Link The number is toll free and if anyone is seriously concerned over Ms. Willis' refusal to be drug tested, I would suggest they contact them.

*****

YET ANOTHER FAILED TOWN MEETING

A Guest Commentary By

L.P. - Resident of Cherokee

Well another meeting was held in the little town of Cherokee. The article in the TimesDaily stated that on Friday before the close of business, the Mayor, Chuck Lansdell sent an e-mail to the City Clerk, Melinda Malone, all council members and even the City Attorney with only minutes to spare trying to get some things in to put on the Agenda for this months meeting on Tuesday. It seems he was upset that Melinda Malone did not get her e-mail. Well, Melinda Malone was upset that he accused her of not following orders and/or not opening the e-mail. Melinda Malone stated that they could look at her computer to see if she actually did receive the e-mail in the first place. We do not know if that was actually done.

There are many questions on this one. Cherokee might be behind the times a bit, but there is such thing as a telephone and fax machine. If the clerk’ s office doesn't have one, perhaps we could hold a yard sale to raise the money to purchase one or better yet maybe some will donate one to city hall. All of this miss communication problems could have been avoided if the Mayor would have picked up the phone to make sure his employee, Melinda received it or maybe he could have just faxed it or better yet not waited till the last minute and just took it their in person. It was it meant to get to her at all it sure does seem that it may have been planned to not even get to her at all. Another thing that could have made it easier is that Melinda could have phone the Mayor and asked if he had anything for her to put on the agenda since she had not heard from him all day. Hummm .... Questions, Questions. What kind of answer or comment do the Mayor and Clerk have on this?

And what is this about a law that the town council wants to write about taking away the Mayors authority? Can they do that? If they take away the Mayors authority then would we even need the council as well? The town could just become unincorporated and that would solve that problem all together. Would that be right for this little town. Ask Iron City to see if they like it.

The citizens of Cherokee think that this kind of miscommunication is unacceptable. In other places of business, the employees and bosses communicate much better that this. It is clearly seen that no one wants to communicate in a more appropriate, courteous manner here to properly do their job without all of the chaos. It seems they want to keep all the madness going. Are the citizens going to have to hire a unbiased babysitter to make sure they communicate and act accordingly?

Maybe the citizens need to send a list of people to the higher ups that would gladly take the place of the Mayor and Council and ask the Mayor and council members to be replaced immediately.

This has gone on long enough with the childish vindictive people.


The above letter was sent to us in September; we apologize that it has taken some time to publish it. The main thrust of the commentary is still valid a month later...

*****

Cherokee, City of Brotherly Love?

By J.J. Ray

Where else in North Alabama could you find a city council where a mayor had such an aversion for everyone on that council except for Thelma Lambert. Where else could he be overheard listening to Thelma Lambert trying to get the city clerk Melinda Malone fired? Where else could a sitting mayor openly threaten the City Attorney Daniel Rosser with the loss of his bar license for disagreeing with him? Where else could a mayor try to pick a fight with one of the council members, Councilman Glover? Only in Cherokee Alabama the home of the Hatfields, McCoys and the city council circus.

Just to make things worse I understand that the mayor is going to set up the pillory with its first resident to be Melinda Malone, if the new ordinances are passed by the city council on Thursday. If that is not enough, I understand that Thelma Lambert is an employee of a restaurant. Guess where the rotten vegetables will come from? Look out, Melinda, incoming.

If this sounds ridiculous, that's because it is. A city council is supposed to represent the citizens, as is the mayor. The question is whom does Mayor Lansdell represent? The way he conducts himself reminds me of a spoiled adolescent who does not get his way. He constantly complains about the council trying to usurp his authority. Bless his heart he is having delusions of grandeur. Maybe he thinks that Cherokee is a fiefdom and he is the feudal lord, like Lewd Lawayne in Leighton. What ever he believes he is in fact the elected mayor of Cherokee and he should act that way with some dignity and decorum. Not like a spoiled adolescent. This does not exempt the city council. It takes more than one to pick a fight.

Mr. Mayor I have a news flash for you, “ Respect is something earned, not given.” In order to receive you must earn the respect of the council and citizens. True, the title does deserve respect but the holder still has to earn it. There is nothing wrong with articulating your displeasure with the new ordinances that is the democratic way. To act as you have in the past only diminishes you. You and the council have a responsibility to the citizens of Cherokee. You were sworn in and took that oath of office. Did you have your fingers crossed when you did? That is not a part-time oath and neither is the job or the responsibility that goes with it. The same holds true for the city council whether elected or appointed. Acting like the Hatfields and McCoys bickering amongst yourselves in public does not enhance confidence, rather it breeds contempt.

Being the laughing stock of Alabama is not a great title to have for any city council. That is what it has become “ The Cirque du Cherokee” not to be confused with the “ Cirque du Soleil” of Las Vegas. Moreover, you Mr. Mayor are the ringmaster. Tickets are going fast, avoid the scalpers. Call and reserve your seat for the next performance.

*****

Enjoy a good read? We highly recommend two older novels: The Caine Mutiny and The Toy Sword. These two books couldn't have more diverse settings, but they do have one thing in common. Each of these novels boasts a character that could easily be taken from Lauderdale County politics. If you think these statements comprise a teaser for future blogs...you couldn't be more right.

Shoalanda

Cherokee Nation...Will Return?

Indian Reservation - Words and Music by John D. Loudermilk

They took the whole Cherokee nation
Put us on this reservation
Took away our ways of life
The tomahawk and the bow and knife
Took away our native tongue
And taught their English to our young
And all the beads we made by hand
Are nowadays made in Japan

Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe
So proud to live, so proud to die

They took the whole Indian nation
Locked us on this reservation
Though I wear a shirt and tie
I’m still part red man deep inside

Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe
So proud to live, so proud to die

But maybe someday when they learn
Cherokee nation will return, will return, will return, will return, will return


Yes, the town of Cherokee has returned to the news. J. J. Ray was at the called 9:00 a.m. meeting yesterday morning, as well as representatives from other local media. A short synopsis of the meeting in J. J.'s own words:

This is the ordinance (see below) the Mayor is crying about. As you see it does not usurp his power. It only gives the board the authority to confirm or deny on hires. No difference than any other legislative body.

The mayor refused to call the meeting to order--that had to be done by two members. He then threatened counsel with the loss of his license over a point of order. Then he tried to pick a fight with councilman Glover saying "come on big boy let's git it on." It became a real shouting match.

The mayor read a statement about how the citizens had been mistreated by the board. After the meeting Thelma Lambert begged the mayor to fire Melinda Malone in front of Mike Goens stating "She would do anything if he would just fire her."

*****

AN ORDINANCE REGARDING THE EMPLOYMENT OR REMOVAL OF ALL EMPLOYEES IN THE TOWN OF CHEROKEE, ALABAMA

___________

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CHEROKEE, ALABAMA, AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1.
The Mayor of the Town of Cherokee, Alabama, (hereinafter called “Mayor”) shall have the power and authority to employ persons as employees of the Town of Cherokee, Alabama (hereinafter called “Town”) only on a temporary basis and only after a vacancy and salary or wage for said vacancy has been established by a majority vote of the Town Council at a previous regular or special meeting. This temporary employment shall be in effect only until the next regular or special meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Cherokee, Alabama,(hereinafter called “Council”) at which time the Mayor shall report in writing to the Council, and cause said report to be attached to or incorporated into its minutes, stating the name, position and salary or wage of the person or persons so employed.

Section 2.
No person shall be employed permanently or indefinitely as an employee of the Town without the consent of a majority of the members of the Council present and voting at the meeting at which said employment is considered by the Council.

Section 3.
If the Council shall fail to act in consenting or not consenting on the permanent or indefinite employment of a person temporarily employed by the Mayor as provided in Section 1 hereof at its’ regular or special meeting at which the temporary employment is reported by the Mayor, such person or persons may remain employees of the Town until such action is taken by the Council to consent or not consent to permanent or indefinite employment.

Section 4.
No person temporarily hired under Section 1 hereof, whose employment has been voted upon by the Council and the required consent not obtained, shall be re-employed on any basis until the consent of the Council shall be obtained as hereinabove provided.

Section 5.
The Council may, by majority vote of those present and voting, employ any person or persons as employees of the Town at such salaries or wages as may be set by them on a permanent or indefinite basis without such person or persons having first been temporarily appointed by the Mayor.

Section 6.
The Council may, by majority vote of the whole number of elected members to the Council, appoint any person as an officer of the Town whose appointment is not otherwise provided for by law, at such salaries or wages as may be set by them on a permanent or temporary basis.

Section 7.
The Mayor may remove any employee for good cause but only on a temporary basis and by at the latest the next regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Cherokee, Alabama at which time he shall report in writing to the Council, stating the name of the employee, the position, and the specific reasons for the removal.

Section 8.
No person shall be removed from employment permanently or indefinitely without the consent of a majority of the members of those elected to the Council at the meeting at which said removal is considered by the Council.

Section 9.
If the Council shall sustain the removal of the employee as provided in Section 7, the terminated employee may request a hearing before the Council for the reconsideration of the termination. This hearing shall be held by at the latest the next regular meeting. At the conclusion of the said hearing or by at the latest the next regular meeting, the Council shall by vote of a majority of those elected to the Council to either uphold or overturn the termination.

Section 10.
The Council may, by majority vote of those present and voting, terminate any employee or employees of the Town without such person or persons having first been temporarily removed by the Mayor. The terminated employee or employees reserve the right to request a hearing before the Council for the reconsideration of the termination as provided in Section 9.

Section 11.
No section of this ordinance shall be interpreted as interfering with the Mayor’s duty as otherwise provided by law and said ordinance shall be subordinate to the same.

Section 12.
All ordinances or parts thereof in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed.

Section 13.
Each and every provision of this ordinance is hereby declared to be an independent provision and the holding of any provision to be unconstitutional or invalid shall not affect any other provisions of this ordinance.

Section 14.
This ordinance shall become effective upon its adoption and publication as required by law.

*****

An Ordinance establishing the rules of
procedure for the Town of Cherokee, Alabama

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF CHEROKEE, ALABAMA, that the order of procedure in all instances for meetings of the council shall be as follows:

Section 1. That the rules or order of procedure herein contained shall govern deliberations and meetings of the council of Cherokee, Alabama.

Section 2. Regular meetings of the council shall be held on the following dates: The First Tuesday of each month with an alternate meeting day on the Third Tuesday of the month

Section 3. Special meetings may be held at the call of the presiding officer by serving notice on each member of the council not less than 24 hours before the time set for such special meetings; or special meetings may be held as provided by Section 11-43-50, Code of Alabama, 1975, whenever two council members (or the mayor) making the request shall have the right to call such meeting. Notice of all special meetings shall be posted on a bulletin board accessible to the public at least 24 hours prior to such meeting.

Section 4. A quorum shall be determined as provided by Section 11-43-48, Code of Alabama.

Section 5. All regular meetings shall convene at 6 o’clock p.m. at the Town Hall and all meetings, regular and special, shall be open to the public. A work session will be held at 5 o’clock p.m. prior to the regular meetings.

Section 6. The order of business shall be as follows:

1 . A call to order
2 . Roll call (visual by the clerk)
3 . Reading and approval of the minutes of the previous meeting
4 . Reports of standing committees (as required)
5 . Report of special committees (as required)
6 . Reports of officers (as required)
7 . Reading of petitions, applications, complaints, appeals, communications, etc.
8 . Auditing accounts (as required)
9 . Resolutions, ordinances, orders and other business
1 0 .Public comments (No action shall be taken on any public comment until the next
regular or called meeting of the town council)

Section 7. No person other than the Mayor, Council, Town Attorney, Town Clerk, Police Officer(s), and Sheriff’s Deputy shall be permitted to be within 10 feet of the Council table while the Council is in work session or meeting without the consent of the majority of the Council present and voting.

Section 8. No member shall speak more that twice on the same subject without permission of the presiding officer.

Section 9. No person, not a member of the council, shall be allowed to address the same while in session without permission of the presiding officer.

Section 10. Every officer, whose duty it is to report at the regular meetings of the council, who shall be in default thereof, may be fined at the discretion of the council.

Section 11. Motions shall be reduced to writing when required by the presiding officer of the council or any member of the council. All resolutions and ordinances and any amendments thereto shall be in writing at the time of introduction.

Section 12. Motions to reconsider must be made by a member who voted with the prevailing side and at the same or next succeeding meeting of the council.

Section 13. Whenever it shall be required by one or more members, the “yeas” and “nays” shall be recorded and any member may call for a division on any question.

Section 14. All questions of order shall be decided by the presiding officer of the council with the right of appeal to the council by any member.

Section 15. The presiding officer of the council may at his or her discretion, call any member to take the chair, to allow him or her to address the council, make a motion or discuss any other matter at issue.

Section 16. Motions to lay any matter on the table shall be first in order. On all questions, the last amendment, the most distant day and the largest sum shall be first put.

Section 17. All meetings of the council shall be open to the public except when the council meets in executive session as authorized by state law.

Section 18. The council may meet in executive session only for those purposes authorized by state law. When a council member makes a motion to go into executive session for an enumerated purpose, the presiding officer shall put the motion to a vote. If the majority of the council shall vote in favor of the motion to go into executive session, the body shall then move into executive session to discuss the matter for which the executive session was called. No action may be taken in an executive session. When the discussion has been completed, the council shall resume its deliberations in public.

Section 19. A motion for adjournment shall always be in order.

Section 20. The rules of the council may be amended in the same manner as any other ordinance of general and permanent operation.

Section 21. The rules of the council may be temporarily suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present.

Section 22. The chairman of each respective committee, or the council member acting for him of her, shall submit or make all reports to the council when so requested by the presiding officer or any member of the council.

Section 23. All ordinances, resolutions or propositions submitted to the council which require the expenditure of money shall lie over until the next meeting; provided, that such ordinances, resolutions or propositions may be considered earlier by unanimous consent of the council; and provided further, that this rule shall not apply to the current expense of, or contracts previously made with regular salaries of officers of wages of employees of the town.

Section 24. The clerk, engineer, attorney and chief of police, and such other officers or employees of the town of Cherokee, Alabama, shall, when requested, attend all meetings of the council and shall remain in the council room for such length of time as the council may direct.

Section 25. No ordinance or resolution of a permanent nature shall be adopted at the meeting at which it is introduced unless unanimous consent be obtained for the immediate consideration of such ordinance or resolution, such consent shall be by roll call and the vote thereon spread on the minutes.

Section 26. Robert’s Rules of Order is hereby adopted as the rules of procedure for this council in those situations which cannot be resolved by the rules set out in this ordinance.

Section 27. The time limit to have an item placed on the agenda shall be at 4:30 p.m. the last business day preceding the day of the regular meeting. The agenda shall be available as soon as practicable after completion but before the meeting. Only the Council may set the proposed agenda. The Council by majority vote may delegate the assembly of the proposed agenda to the Town Clerk. The Clerk must follow all adopted procedures in the assembly of the proposed agenda. In addition, items should be placed on the proposed agenda in the order in which they are received.

Section 28. This ordinance shall go into effect upon the passage and publication as required by law.

Section 29. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed.

*****

Cam Newton for the Heisman? Sounds good to us. We're just disappointed Auburn didn't score as many points as Deshler did Friday night...





Shoalanda

The Word is Repulsive

Cherokee Turning Again: The Word is Repulsive

A Guest Commentary By

J. J. Ray

Today I had the misfortune of reading the venomous blog regarding the Town of Cherokee and some of its council members. It is one thing to criticize the town council for their nonsensical ways of governing but quite another to level unsubstantiated charges against a person's fidelity regarding their marriage. I cannot imagine the emotions Melinda Malone feels seeing such allegations in print on the World Wide Web for all to read. The other council member in question is accused of committing a felony of robbery at some point in his life and yet another person is accused of being gay. There are no appropriate words to describe this person although despicable or repugnant does come to mind.

Given their fervor for spreading non-supported rumors and untruths, he/she quite possibly must have a form of fertilizer in his/her cranial cavity instead of a brain. If I were the parties in question, I would consider finding competent legal advice regarding this matter. The constitution protects our freedom of speech but this is downright libel and slander.

Where is the proof positive to support these slanderous allegations? Do you have certified criminal records plus witness accounts and pictures supporting the adultery charge? On the other hand, are you just a frustrated voyeur that is so miserable you have nothing else better to do than tell partial truths or downright fabrications?

Surely, the person that hides behind that Blog cannot understand the meaning of the words used in this short piece. However, most do know what repulsive means. Some, I am sure know this person and should tell him/her exactly what most feel about this Blog. Rude, crude and socially unacceptable behavior, Mr. Phantom blogger, is not an appropriate way to live. You have reached the pinnacle of infamy for penning this piece of yellow journalism and true character assassination. Perhaps a vacation would help. How about six months all expenses paid at “The Bryce Resort” in Tuscaloosa?

*****

How do they keep their costs down?

*****

The Sherwin-Williams Police have again raided a Shoals business. The SK Package Store on Huntsville Road has been charged with illegally using Traffic Cone Yellow for off-road purposes, creating a traffic hazard, and frightening small children.

*****

Did you miss the Human Bat when he was in Sheffield in 1936? Well, here's your second chance at a souvenir: Link




Shoalanda



Get Connected in September!

The Tale of Two Train Wrecks

We don't want to look at train wrecks; we know we shouldn't look at train wrecks; yet we invariably do look at train wrecks. Colbert County seems to have two train wrecks--one at each end, veritable bookends you might say.

Neither Cherokee nor Leighton can have a town council meeting without harsh words and strong language--and sometimes fisticuffs. The mayor has been sued in Leighton, as has the mayor's wife in Cherokee. Both towns have female town council members who have been in the news this past week--neither for any meritorious actions. Leighton is being investigated by the Federal Department of Justice, while Cherokee is the subject several State ethics complaints.

Is there a cure for these two towns and their anti-social behavior? Nanny McPhee Part III coming soon...

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Our mail is running five to one against our removing the Cherokee town council member pics; however, there was the slight chance her accounts were actually hacked. We think it was probably an instance of someone providing the password to the wrong person and look to hear more about this in the immediate future. As we publish, the council member's Yahoo status of "needing some action and satisfaction" is still up...

For the few who felt the pics shouldn't be republished, remember this person is an elected official, one who makes decisions that affect the entire community. We understand she also makes medical decisions in her role as a rescue squad volunteer. Hacked accounts or not, there were some very bad decisions made here.

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Words from Mother Dear: Three things that don't mix...Oil & Water, Ammonia & Chlorine Bleach, a Thong and a Man with a Camera. Mother Dear was always right.

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Now, let's return to the train wreck. From C. R.:

Keeper of the Keys

It seems there is a battle of the keys in Cherokee. The city council voted to change the locks on the door to the city clerk’s office. The only person that would have the key would be the city clerk. The mayor of the city would not be allowed to have access. The council wanted to make sure the mayor was really insulted and let the city clerk keep a key to the mayor’s office.

It appears that the mayor has had enough of the council. Friday when the city clerk was off for training he changed the locks to the city clerk’s office and his own. Sunday night after 9:00 p.m. the city clerk Melinda Malone went to city hall and found the locks changed. Melinda Malone called the police officer on duty and the officer called his dad the chief of police and the chief called the mayor. The mayor came to city hall and gave a copy of the key to the city clerk office to Melinda Malone and made her sign for receiving a copy of the key. This should make for an interesting council meeting Sept 7.

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Shoalanda



Prepare to Get Connected!

222 Votes to Make Rogersville Wet?

According to the calculations of one of our readers, Rogersville could go wet with as few as 222 voters checking yes on the special ballot. Pushing for the referendum is Joe Warren, identified in a recent TimesDaily article only as the owner of "a convenience store...in Rogersville." Warren is in fact the owner of Warren's BP, a business that may be hurting do to the recent half-hearted attempts at boycotting the BP Oil Company.

In future days, we'll be publishing some pro and con columns on the eternal liquor debate. In the mean time, we'll leave you with a local wag's view on the positive side of the issue:

For those who say alcohol never benefits society, let me mention three points.

1. It always came in handy in those WWII movies when the ship's cook had to take out some poor sailor's appendix.

2. It really does make the opposite sex look better by closing time.

3. Well...I thought there was a third one, but I never could count after a few drinks anyway.

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The City of Florence may be in trouble trying to enforce a ban on cell phones, while allowing the use of CB radios. We can see the proliferation of those extra long, bobbing antennae now...

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Our Cherokee Update from C. R.:

Cherokee Water Board Turmoil

Anyone who has attended a Cherokee Water Board meeting will tell you that most of the meetings are quick and efficient. There is an occasional citizen complaining of a high water bill and the normal ranting of Mignon Willis' twin sister Betty McKinney; outside of that things are normally peaceful.

Over the last few meetings things have started to become very tense. What has changed the mood and the efficiency of the meetings? I believe everything changed when Mignon Willis joined the water board. The first meeting that Mignon Willis attended went fairly good. Mignon Willis made a few motions and a couple of them passed. After that meeting things have changed. It appears that Mignon Willis has an agenda that is based on grandstanding. At Monday night’s meeting the other water board members had enough of the grandstanding. The water board agreed to request an Attorney General’s Opinion in reference to Mignon Willis refusal to take a drug test.

During the meeting, Mignon Willis stated she had a problem with water board members getting paid when they do not attend a board meeting. One board member informed Mignon Willis that the only time anyone misses a meeting is when they are at work. Someone stated “Mignon Willis, you did not have a problem taking money for being an accountant for the family business in Mississippi”. The Cherokee Water Board Attorney told Mignon Willis “you should resign”. One water board member told Mignon Willis to “shut up”. The water board members were trying to discuss an agenda item that Mignon Willis had put on the agenda. An argument broke out and the meeting was quickly adjourned.

Cherokee City Council Meeting

The Cherokee City Council will hold a city council meeting on Tuesday August 3^rd starting at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The work session will be held at 5:00 p.m. and the regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. Most of the discussions occur during the work session. A person close to the situation promises this meeting could go down in Cherokee history. This meeting could end up replacing the story about the shoot out on Main Street.

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Shoalanda



Ssssh. It's coming to the Shoals soon...

Brandon Shane Mundy--Cowboy Cop?

According to a former co-worker of Brandon Shane Mundy, the North Courtland police officer always wanted to be a cop. Unfortunately the career Mundy so desired probably came to an end at 10:45 Saturday morning when he ran a stop sign at a rural Lawrence County intersection.

Munday, who lives with his wife Tina in Sommerville in Morgan County, has previously worked for the towns of Southside in Etowah County and Town Creek in Morgan County. While on his initial probationary period with Town Creek, Mundy was terminated after only 12 days.

After joining the North Courtland force, Munday received previous media attention for his traffic stop arrest of two Huntsville drug dealers returning form the Rose Bowl. Officer Munday is pictured above with the large quantity of confiscated drugs.

On Saturday, Munday was traveling on County Road 217; according to one witness, the North Courtland officer had stopped two miles from the intersection to caution a homeowner parked in the road while collecting his mail. Whether late for his destination or not, a second witness relates that the unmarked Crown Victoria was traveling at a high rate of speed when its driver ran a stop sign at the intersection of County Road 460.

Now, Gary and Sandra Cox are dead. They leave behind three sons and nine grandchildren. According to family members, these are the second and third deaths in their family in less than 10 days.

Brandon Shane Munday was treated at Decatur Hospital where he was also tested for alcohol and other drugs. The Alabama Department of Public Safety will turn over the results of its investigation to the Lawrence County District Attorney's office. At that time, the district attorney will decide whether or not to request a grand jury indictment of Munday.

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From C. R.:

Investigation Has Begun

Several people filed an ethics complaint against Cherokee Councilman Steve Glover for votes that occurred during the July 14 city council meeting. The complainants have now heard from the Alabama Ethics Commission. The commission believes the complaints have proven that probable cause exists to warrant a full investigation into the matter.

If a Ford Crown Vic patrol car shows up to Glover’s house, he should just pretend he was taking Ambien. That line seems to work for the Leighton PD. I guess the devil made Glover do it. Which devil? The one called Satan or the one called Mignon. Sorry, I had to do it.

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Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan won't be headed to court to appeal his Florence DUI guilty verdict until October 4th. Sources at the Lauderdale County Court House say both attorneys for Logan and the City of Florence agreed to the delay in order to further prepare their cases.

A guilty verdict in Lauderdale Circuit Court would mean 90 days in jail and a two-year driver license suspension for Logan--almost assuring his dismissal as Tuscumbia's chief. Logan's salary with the small Colbert County municipality is not huge; we have to wonder why Logan feels this high dollar appeal is worth it...


Shoalanda


Ssssh. It's coming to the Shoals soon...

Sex Offender at Chuck E Cheese

An alert customer informed Sheffield Police that a convicted sex offender was seen Friday at Chuck E Cheese on Hatch Boulevard. Authorities arrived within minutes of the complaint, questioned the suspect, and released him. Since the offender's listed victim was over the age of 12, he is allowed to attend functions where young children are present.

Our contact at the Sheffield Police Department identified the subject, and while the offender's specific charge is indeed listed as abuse of a 13 year-old girl, he was also accused of sexual contact with a child as young as 11. Like many others, he was an authority figure, from a well-known family, and not one fitting the mold of a "dirty old man."

Is it any worse when those who abuse our children are those to whom we have entrusted their care? Perhaps not, but it should certainly be a wake-up call to all parents. Kudos to the customer who informed the authorites.

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C. R. reports from Cherokee on another ethics violation:

Friday Cherokee Councilpersons Glover and Mason found out that an ethics complaint was filed against them. The complaint stated both councilpersons voted on matters related to their family members. Monday morning Councilman Mike Malone will learn the same thing. The complaint against Malone has to do with voting on matters related to a family member. Rumors around town state a fourth city councilperson will have an ethics complaint filed against them; which will add another charge against three other councilpersons.


Shoalanda

Cherokee: Fiction...or Fact?

The Dark Town

A Guest Commentary By

Bailey Quarters

The grey woman walked eastward across Colbert County and the fireman followed. Riding on a golf cart, a fire hose on each hip, Chuck arrived at City Dance Hall. Turning the knob to the weathered door, he found the office locked. Those who were perceptive enough thought they saw a tear in Chuck’s eye.

Mad Melinda had once been the finest clerk the Dark Town ever had, but now she deserted her office to attend sports functions that were foreign to Alabama and notarized documents without reading them. After all, this wasn’t the grey woman’s first visit.

Remounting the golf cart, Chuck headed toward Thelma’s Tea Room. If he had a friend in the Dark Town, it was Thunderin’ Thelma. She had taught him how to ride a golf cart all those years ago, and he had fond memories of the first woman he ever shared a Whopper with.

Thelma never hesitated as she accepted Chuck’s request for an ally, and the newly minted twosome rode stealthily toward the railroad tracks. They sensed the grey woman before they saw her, a magical accountant’s cloak pulled around her broad shoulders and a moth-eaten fur hat loosely draped across her cropped hair. Her magic seemed palpable at this close a distance.

Behind her stood four members of the council, their eyes glassy and blank. Chuck wasn’t sure if they were armed, but none of the four seemed afraid of him. Indeed, they didn’t seem to acknowledge him. If they even noticed the great seal of an EMT on his shoulder, they felt no respect for it.

This was it—the battle between evil and even worse evil had begun…

Want to know which side is which? No? You couldn’t care less? Well, if you change your mind, stay tuned for the next council meeting, brought to you by Cherokee Citizens for a Crazy City.

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Cherokee’s Newest Religion: Chuckism

A Guest Commentary By

T. R.

To be a good Chuckist, your regard for truth should be very low. You must be a blind follower. Agreeing with Mayor Lansdell only 9 out of 10 times is strictly forbidden. Total devotion and followership is a requirement. Such an egregious mistake of having the nerve to ever have a differing opinion will have you reduced to the level of a Non-Chuckist. Do not under any circumstance suggest that the great one might be wrong.

Another requirement is the ability to ignore any Lansdell wrong-doing. For instance, you must ignore that in the history of Cherokee, at least the last 40 years, we have always had a placard to let citizens know when the Town Clerk would return if they were out of the office for ANY reason. The fact that Melinda Malone follows this time honored practice, and that the Mayor is always manufacturing a flaw against her must never be mentioned. The FACT that this is merely a witch hunt to slander someone hired by the previous Mayor should never cross your lips. Never consider that the Town Clerk applied for vacation over a month in advance and was told to wait until the following month to apply, to only be turned down for insufficient notice. Another employee was able to take vacation the previous Friday with no approval. You can see the benefit of being a loyal Chuckist.

If you are a devoted Chuckist, never, never expose that one of the mandatory characteristics of a good leader is embracing opposing ideas and opinions. You must also not be cognizant of the fact that Rebecca Narmore becoming his personal adviser is no deviation from what has been happening for the past year. Mentioning that her unprofessional and personal bias that has manifested itself in all town council meetings is strictly forbidden. The Mayor now has the least professional attorney in the Shoals on a Pro Bono basis, but this is taboo to discuss.

If you are one of the 20 or so Chuckists, you must attend every Town Council meeting so that you appear as a majority. Never mind that it isn’t true (refer to paragraph one). You must be willing to sacrifice yourself, skip normal order of any meeting, and blurt out in a manner that would make Jethro Bodine look like Prince Edward. You could mention that the Mayor calls himself a minister yet spews hatred at anyone that has the nerve to think that he is not perfect, however, if one does, they will become the enemy. At this point, your access to any public services this township offers will be terminated immediately. Major problems will be ignored. Time sensitive matters are of no consequence. You will effectively be ousted from any consideration by the Mayor no matter what.

Now a word to the truly wise, the hundreds of Non Chuckists. If you have any issue that needs immediate attention, you may have to fight fire with fire. Leak the information that you think the Town Clerk may have misspelled a word. Then wait outside Town Hall, and you will have the Lansdell/Lambert posse complete with cronies appear within 15 minutes ready for action!

P.S. - If you are truly blind and do not realize that all the controversy in Cherokee only started after Mayor Lansdell decided to run for mayor again 2 years ago, you could challenge C.R. to be the right hand when the Great One comes to gather his flock.

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All Calm in Cherokee

A Guest Commentary By

C. R.

While bad weather threatened the small town of Cherokee, all appeared calm at city hall. The day began Friday with Mayor Lansdell, city clerk Melinda Malone, and recently fired part time city clerk Marsha Allen at city hall. Marsha Allen's status is unknown but we do know that the mayor and Allen have been working on a grant proposal that could bring the town over a million dollars. If this is true, the city council are huge idiots for firing someone with the knowledge and drive to bring in needed revenue to the town. Not all is lost, the new part time city clerk Becky Watkins can read the National Enquirer at Olympic speeds.

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There you have it--three interesting views of the train wreck that is Cherokee...


Shoalanda

Local Heroes/The Sherwin-Williams Police

Since we're finally able to take a breather from the onerous election season, we're taking the opportunity to initiate two new segments. The first is "Local Heroes" and should be self-explanatory. This award will offer no monetary prize or resume' fillers, but we hope it will bring these hard-working individuals some well-deserved thanks.

Local Heroes know that, while the economy may trickle down, social or political success pushes upward--the major reason our blog focuses on local events rather than the often misguided efforts of the Washington scene.

Our first Local Hero is Steve Wiggins of Sheffield. Steve knows that President Obama is not planning on visiting Sheffield, on viewing Second Street or the railroad tracks and properly tut-tutting, on offering millions of dollars in stimulus funds just to revitalize the town many Colbert Countians call home. No, Steve is working in all areas of Sheffield to make his hometown a better place. Think you can do better than Steve? We're pretty sure he's not egotistical; give him a call and join him on his quest to make Sheffield all it can be.

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The Sherwin-Williams Police? Maybe that one's not as self-explanatory, but we think reporting such arrests is necessary. Our first report is a bust at the Green Life Package Store in Littleville. The Sherwin-Williams SWAT team was seen wearing haz-mat suits as they entered the bile green building. Officials speaking on the promise of anonymity said the structure wasn't difficult to track down--it glows in the dark. Known cohorts of Green Life are various title-pawn shops scattered throughout the Shoals. Let's hope this Littleville emporium will reform after its first arrest.

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Sources at Helen Keller Hospital have identified the toddler who drowned earlier today as the daughter of Jerry and Teresa Cagle. Jerilyn Grace Cagle was pronounced dead at the hospital in which she was born. She would have been two years old on July 26th.

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For those who just can't get enough of Cherokee, we should have a special report sometime after Noon today. Thanks to C. R. and others for keeping our readers up to date on all sides of this conflict--now threatening to take on the mantle previously enjoyed only by England's One Hundred Year War.


Shoalanda

Let's Get More People on Public Assistance?

Anyone who is a citizen and has paid taxes deserves public assistance when they can, for whatever reason, no longer provide for themselves and their families. Most individuals realize when this time comes and take advantage of the state programs that offer electronic benefits, formerly called food stamps, as well as other opportunities to improve their lives.

Are there those out there who don't? We certainly believe there are some who are either too proud to ask for assistance or whose income is so borderline that they may not be aware they could receive a few extra dollars each month. We do not believe that there are many in this area who are oblivious to these state programs.

Yet according to today's TimesDaily, the Alabama Department of Human Resources is contracting with the Shoals Family Success Center to employ three workers to help get the word out to those who may not be aware of the state's largesse. For the next 14.5 months, the Shoals Family Success Center will be employing a full time worker and two part time individuals to, shall we say, beat the bushes for those whom the state is not already subsidizing.

What's even more perplexing is the 200K budget for this project. We're not sure if this figure includes any printing or related costs, but if not, that would mean the payroll for these three employees is almost $13,800.00 a month. We'll be sure to keep track of this project and report whom are hired for these "prestigious" positions.

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Cherokee Feedback:

ANOTHER MISTAKE TO GO ON BOB RILEY'S RECORD!! IN NO WAY IS PATRICIA MASON THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL TO BE PUT INTO A PUBLIC/POLITIC POSITION! I ONLY FEEL DEEP SYMPATHY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF CHEROKEE THAT WILL BE FORCED TO RY AND GET RID OF THIS 'VIRUS' THAT HAS BEEN PUT UPON THEM! MASON IS NO PERSON THAT ANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT THAT SHE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED NOR ANY OTHER IN CHEROKEE, WANTS TO BE ASSOCIATING WITH! MASON IS VERY LOUD AND ABNOXIOUS AND SHE CAN'T EVEN BE A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH SHE HAS BELONGED TO WITHOUT ARGUING AND DISRESPECTING THE CURRENT PASTOR! MASON, HAS ALREADY BEEN NICKNAMED, BY VARIOUS MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AS 'BLACK BETTY', IN REFERENCE TO BETTY MCKINNLEY, A WHITE WOMAN WITH LONG-STANDING PROBLEMS IN CHEROKEE AND THE AUTHORITIES. I AM CERTAIN, BEYOND ANY RESONABLE DOUBT, THAT MASON HAS WORRIED THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO THE POINT OF NOMINATION, I AM SURE NOBODY DESIRES TO WORK ALONG SIDE SUCH A LOUD, UNKNOWING PERSON WHO CAN AND DEFINATELY WILL BRING NOTHING BUT MORE CHAOS AND CONFUSSION TO AN ALREADY SINKING CITY! RILEY SHOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE VOTERS TO CHOOSE THEIR NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS WAS A MINORITY SEAT! I AM AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND I KNOW PATRICIA MASON VERY, VERY WELL AND I WOULD NOT LET HER BE A PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR A DOG SHOW! THAT'S JUST HOW BAD SHE IS! I ADVISE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT TO CONTACT RILEY'S OFFICE AND LET HIM KNOW HOW RIDICULOUS HE HAS TREATED THE PEOPLE OF CHEROKEE AND THERE IS ALREADY ENOUGH HORSE PLAYING GOING ON IN THE CITY CLERKS OFFICE WITH MELINDA MALONE! CHEROKEE RESIDENTS SHOULD NEVER EXPECT, NOR CAN THEY, THEIR CITY REVENUE OR ANYTHING ELSE TO IMPROVE WITHOUT UNITY! MASON DOESN'T EXEMPLIFY UNITY INSIDE HER OWN CHURCH, YET SHE CLAIMS SHE IS A CHRISTIAN! I FEEL SO SORRY FOR THEM!

Again, whoever is writing this, hit the nail on the head! We had hoped that Mason might be able to think for herself, but obviously she can't. It was very apparent that she had been talking to the others when she just sat back & didn't question paying the bills/payroll...why wouldn't a new council person question this? And she made a fool of herself accusing the Attorney of calling her stupid & telling the Attorney she couldn't tell the Mayor to pay the bills... I just wish there were some way to get that bunch out of office - Mayor Lansdell isn't perfect, but he tries & he could get a lot of stuff accomplished for the Town, if they would let him... keep writing these articles - the more all this comes out, the better!

I do not know who you are, but as a fellow conservative I would think you would want to know how the environment here in Cherokee is not anything like what is portrayed in your blog. While the most outburst in the meeting in the Town Hall meetings are in favor of the Mayor, they are not indicative of majority support. Outburst such is these are not allowed and the mayors supporters are just displaying the lack of respect, grace, and regard for rules that they witness in their leader. Many persons are not in favor of the mayors policies or the lack thereof, however these folks posses the decorum necessary to follow the rules of order for the meeting.

The only member of the Cherokee Board that has anything to do with Burger King is Councilperson Lambert leaving your description of the 4 of our councilpersons inaccurate. As far as voting in lock step, I have witnessed every councilperson vote against one another in the past with the exception of Councilperson Lambert and Mayor Lansdell.

Mayor Landsdell said that he hired Marsha Allen in a position created by the Town Council, however until his illegal dismissal of Ms Wadkins last night no such position was open, yet Marsha has been employed for a few weeks now. Again his disregard for following proper procedure and lack of sense of fair play was reflected in his followers illicit outbursts.

Now to the Alabama Sunshine Law, Ms Mason was only sworn in last night. This fact means that a illegal quorum meeting would have had to include either Mayor Landsdell or Councilperson Lambert. Reading your blog, I think you may be of the opinion the neither of these folks are capable of wrong doing. A fact I find strange since as far as I can see they rarely deviate from it.

Lastly, last nights meeting ended with a citizen calling for the mayors resignation. I think your source should probably save the cough medicine until after the meeting. Again I do not know you, but could probably name your untruthful source. I will forward this letter to as many people as I can. You can fact check the voting records and other content in this email easily. I challenge you to get your facts straight and reflect the truth in your blog. If not I am going to figure you as another Landsdell/Lambert crony whose attitude reflects their lack of sense of truth.

There you have it--something for everyone! (The above quotes are not necessarily endorsed by this blog, but published to present the varying viewpoints found in the town of Cherokee.)


Shoalanda