Lauderdale Commission Plays Blame Game Again

 

Your neighbor's lawn is over 12" high; the green lights of the building inspector's truck are seen more and more frequently as other neighbors complain. This neighbor then comes to you and asks you to take on his lawn care duties for a reasonable fee. Unfortunaely, you have to reply that you don't have the time or resources. When the inspector makes his anticipated visit the next day, your neighbor then blames you for the problem.

Does the above scenario seem fair? It's extremely similar to the situation involving the Lauderdale County Commission and the City of Florence. For years, citizens have complained of anything from a total lack of animal control/welfare to blundering deputies involved in animal cruelty cases in Lauderdale. We count five years that the pressure has been on, and nothing has been done.

Now the Commission wants to pay the City to take on these duties. We like this solution, but Mayor Andy Betterton has claimed a lack of resources to do so. We've previously chided him for his stance in refusing to negotiate with the county on this issue, but how much is actually the City's fault?

Commissioners, after all these years, it shouldn't take a second half-decade to do something on this issue. Now is the time to take action. The citizens are watching...