Gary Williamson Denies Room at the Table a Business Permit

Drive north on Wood Avenue through the Seven Points intersection in Florence District I and immediately look to your right. What do you see? An empty building that is home to two store fronts. How long have these two locations been empty? We have no exact dates, but quite a while.

Enter a charity which wants to occupy one of these empty storefronts to provide a daily meal to anyone who asks. Wow! How lucky can Florence, North Florence, and District I get? Apparently not very lucky if Gary Williamson has his way.

Williamson is the head of the Florence Building Department and he has denied a license to Room at the Table, a local charity that we can't say enough good about. So much for Williamson (and the City of Florence by default) wanting to help uplift the city and its citizens. 

Comparing Two Charitable Organizations

SAC calls Virginia its U.S. home, but the ultimate headquarters is in London, England.

RATT is locally based in Florence, Alabama.

SAC does God only knows what with your donations.

RATT uses all donations to feed anyone who needs a meal.

SAC has received more negative local, national, and international publicity than almost any known "charity."

RATT is highly spoken of in Florence. 

SAC is currently run by two temporary residents, one not even a native U.S. citizen. 

RATT is run by locals who know and understand the Shoals dynamic.

SAC doesn't always feed women as much as men, whether by intent or poor planning.

RATT feeds a complete nourishing mean to all.

SAC has reported sexual abuse and criminal activity at its shelter.

RATT has no reports of abuse or crime at its meal program. 

SAC gets $38,000.00 from the City of Florence.

RATT gets the shaft from the City of Florence.

Does any of this sound right to you? 

We're asking that Mayor Steve Holt and District I councilwoman Kaytrina Simmons step into this situation, as is their prerogative, and at least give the public some believable answers!