The Word of the Day is "Integrity"

This article is about Tuscumbia, Alabama Mayor Kerry Underwood. I was sitting at the restaurant here in Town Creek the other morning. I was reading the Times Daily while I was eating. I came upon the article concerning the City of Tuscumbia passing an amendment to their 2019 budget due to a mistake by Mayor Underwood. 

Tuscumbia Mayor Kerry Underwood

So that we are on the same page, here is the article from the Times Daily:

“TUSCUMBIA — City Council members have voted to amend the fiscal 2019 budget after an accounting error placed the budget $100,000 into the red.

Mayor Kerry Underwood, a certified public accountant, said he made a typographical error in his spreadsheet for the 2019 budget.

The council adopted a general fund budget of $7,874,518 in anticipated expenses.

Underwood said he made some moves in the budget to make up the $100,000 loss.

"I think I underestimated our sale of surplus property," Underwood said. "I think I overestimated the cost of repairs and equipment."

He said there are also some openings in the Police Department that may take some time to fill, which should provide some additional revenue.

"I think we can make it work," Underwood said. "I took the blame for it."

Councilwoman Katie Logan said she's being optimistic the city can make up the additional revenue.

"It's one of those things that's got to be fixed," Logan said. "We can't let that slide."

She agreed with the mayor that there will be savings in maintenance and equipment since the city will be replacing numerous pieces of equipment with the proceeds of a $2.5 million bond issue the council approved last year.

"Hopefully, maintenance will be down this year," she said. "The department heads are doing really well keeping costs down."

She said the council continues to reach out to business owners to lure them to Tuscumbia to help increase the sales tax base.

The last thing she would want to do is make cuts in services, Logan said.

"We have that bond money, so we're not in the hole like we have been in the past," Logan said.

Council member Mike Isom said he voted to approve the amendment.

"He sent us an email on it a night or two before the meeting," Isom said of the mayor's quick action to announce the error.

He said the mayor discussed the error with council members during the meeting.

"I don't know if it was brought to his attention of if he caught it," Isom said.

Isom said he wants to discuss it further with the mayor.

"I will talk to him in the next few days," he said.”

I sat back and thought about what I had read. Mayor Underwood took the blame for something that he had done, even though it was an accident. That is something new in this day and time. In further thought, I decided I like this Underwood guy. Never met him, but I have to respect him. This boy has Ethics and Integrity. Don’t see much of that in today’s politics.

So let’s define those two terms. Going to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, we found the following definitions:

Definition of Ethic -

ethics plural in form but singular or plural in construction : the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation

ethics plural : a set of moral issues or aspects (such as rightness)

Definition of Integrity

1: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : INCORRUPTIBILITY

2: an unimpaired condition : SOUNDNESS

3: the quality or state of being complete or undivided : COMPLETENESS


Mayor Underwood made a mistake. He contacted the Council and told them about the mistake. He furthermore took full responsibility for the mistake and then the Council voted for an amendment to solve the problem. That is Government working as it should. With the dirty politics that is seen on TV, read about in newspapers or on Social Media, it is refreshing to see a group of ELECTED people work for what is best for their City.

This is how America is supposed to work. We elect people to represent us. These people make decisions to help us as well as the City, Town or State that we live in. To see a small town do this, gives me hope that this country has a chance on bouncing back or getting back on track.

So in conclusion, I must say to Mayor Underwood, well done. You messed up but you were man enough to stand up and take the blame or repercussions for it. I applaud you. Everyone, let’s give Mayor Underwood a golf clap. Festus the dog just gave you a “woof” of support.


That’s it for now. But remember that the Midnight Rider will always be around to voice his/her/their (?) opinion.

I am and always will be...

The Midnight Rider