Cherokee's Mignon Willis & Family Problems

As of Tuesday night, former Cherokee Mayor L. Mignon Willis is again associated with the small Colbert County town--this time as water board member. Followers of current mayor Chuck Lansdall have objected to Willis' appointment, stating she lacks credibility in financial matters due to a pending civil suit brought by Rehab Solutions of Tupelo, Mississippi. Before working at Rehab Solutions, Willis was employed as a senior staff accountant in the Orlando, Florida, area.

From 2003 until 2008, Willis was the Chief Financial Officer for Rehab Solutions, a company owned by her cousin Chad Willis and his wife Renee'. We've heard it said it's best never to work for a family owned business, and certainly never one owned by one's own family. Apparently Mignon Willis failed to heed this old adage when she accepted the position with the Mississippi company. Many more in Cherokee fault Willis for toiling outside the State of Alabama than blame her for any intentional misconduct.

The civil suit itself has taken two years to reach the Lee County, Mississippi, circuit court docket. Chad Willis alleges that his cousin Mignon purchased unneeded supplies as well as failing to pay taxes in a timely manner, resulting in a tax lien which ultimately brought embarrassment to his company. The suit also adds that Mignon Willis cashed at least two payroll checks she had failed to deposit before her termination. To the last charge, we say "huh?"

Mignon Willis herself has said little concerning the suit, only stating that it was the result of an ongoing family quarrel. Assuming the suit is not further delayed, it will be tried next month. Perhaps at that time, Willis will be allowed to perform her duties on the water board unfettered by idle and unfounded gossip.

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Panty waste redux...again. Several readers have written to theorize that Steve Thompson of Woodmont Baptist Church was actually calling Senator Bobby Denton a "pantiwaist," defined as an effeminate man or homosexual. Understandably, words written in anger are often misspelled, but we have to wonder if Thompson considers pantiwaist less insulting than panty waste...


Shoalanda

The West Colbert Mafia?

The West Colbert Mafia? It seems that A. N. Weaver’s mordant name for Cherokee Mayor Chuck Lansdell and his supporters has stuck. We see no actual physical resemblance to Ben Gazarra in Road House, but are there more subtle ones? We’ll save that question for further contemplation.

However, it’s hard not to notice that Lansdell is always pictured in his black Fire Chief’s uniform. If Lansdell supporters openly admit the lack of official business in the mayor’s office from 9 to 5, we have to wonder how many emergencies the fire department is called to each day--or each week for that matter.

Psychologists have long realized that uniforms are used not only for identification but also for intimidation…

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It seems former Muscle Shoals police officer Charles Richard Michael has dropped his employment appeal. According to Tom Smith in Monday’s TimesDaily, the city is currently carrying on an "international" investigation into Michael’s conduct while on duty. We’re not sure if Police Chief Robert Evans actually said international or internal, but our reports of the infraction indicate the offense was definitely internal.

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After our special report on Woodmont Baptist Church associate minister Steve Thompson, a reader referred us to an urban dictionary. It seems that “Panty Waste” does not refer to feces, but to a combination of bodily fluids found in women’s underwear after sexual intercourse. Hmmm, quite an insult from a conservative Southern Baptist, wasn’t it?

In fairness to Thompson, he has apologized to Senator Denton for the language used in his scathing e-mail. We hope Denton is cleared of all wrong-doing just as quickly.


Shoalanda

Special Report: Who is Steve Thompson?

Before we address the topic of our special report, we wish to make two things perfectly clear:

1. It's our personal belief that gambling is a blot on society; in other words, gambling does more harm than good to a nation, state, family, or individual.

2. It's our personal preference that Alabama State Senator Bobby Denton had not voted to hold a special election on the bingo issue.

Those things being said, neither of them casts any shadow on Senator Denton's probity. One man who has attempted to paint Denton as a blackguard, twice referring to him or his oratory as feces, is Steve Thompson, Associate Minister of Woodmont Baptist Church in Florence.

Here, from Woodmont's own website is Thompson's bio:

Steve Thompson Associate Pastor in Education / Administration Steve Thompson- Steve has been at Woodmont since 1993. He holds a Religious Education degree from Samford University and a Theology degree from Southwestern Seminary. He is married to Cinda and they have a son, Seth, and two daughters, Rebekah and Hannah. sthompson@woodmontbaptist.org

For Thompson, a man who has no scruples about wearing the title "Reverend," to call Denton slimy and dishonest, is beneath contempt. Thompson in no way exemplifies Christianity in any shape or form. Yes, we can understand that Thompson was disappointed in Denton's decision to change his vote. We were also. We did manage to handle the situation without using gross vulgarities and dishonoring the names of God, Woodmont Baptist Church, or any other church.

If Senator Bobby Denton should be guilty of what Steve Thompson and others have accused him, we hope Denton will receive the harshest penalties. If he is innocent, as we believe him to be, we hope Steve Thompson will be held accountable, along with others who have attempted to set up this North Alabama icon.


By request: Don't forget the regular monthly Cherokee town council meeting tonight. Important issues are to be discussed and voted on--don't let a select few tell the majority how to run the town.

Shoalanda