Muscle Shoals Church Mafia?/Another Colbert Murder

HIGHLAND PARK BAPTIST CHURCH FRATERNITY

Want to know why everything is in chaos in Muscle Shoals? Look no further than the HPBC fraternal organization located on Wilson Dam Road. Seemingly staff members and employees come and go like a revolving door at HPBC but there is one common denominator to this situation in Muscle Shoals = Brian Lindsey is the personnel chairman….and you wonder why Jeff Eddy was allowed to molest children for all those years without any notice.

Let’s look at the hierarchy at HPBC as is related to Muscle Shoals City politics:


Members of HPBC are as follows:


Mayor David Bradford

Councilman Allen Noles

Councilman Neil Willis

Councilman Mike Lockhart

Councilman Ken Sockwell

Superintendent Brian Lindsey

Assistant Supt. Denise Woods

Principal Alan Willingham


Any further questions why our city and school system is deteriorating at such a rapid pace?

A Parent

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Unfortunately, murders come with much more regularity than Christmas. We understand that forensics are still being completed in the Rogersville murder of Connie Ridgeway that Mayor Richard Herston has refused to address recently. Let's hope an arrest will soon be made.

Also unfortunately, there was a murder near Nitrate City yesterday:

Stabbing Death in Colbert County

No matter how little you may know, don't fail to report it!

Update on HPBC/City of Muscle Shoals

Joe Pampinto, Neal Willis, Jim Holland, Mike Lockhart, Allen Noles, Mayor David Bradford

The reader (a citizen of Muscle Shoals) who originally broached this subject with us has sent an update. We have edited to remove any possible libelous comments:

Forgot to mention that Mayor “Donnatello” Bradford is also a member of HPBC - the Highly Political Baptist Church. According to a member at HPBC, the following statement was made from the pulpit on the opening Sunday by the Pastor Bret Pitman,

“We’d like to offer special thanks to Councilman Joe Pampinto for his help in handling all the city affairs related to the construction of this new building. Since the other 4 councilmen and Mayor are members here, they felt in order to avoid any perception of a conflict of interest, that Mr. Pampinto, who is not a member here, would be the City representative for this project. Joe couldn’t be with us today because he had a previous engagement out of town”.

The HPBC Security, aka MSC citizen paid police, are in full uniform and taxpayer vehicles on any given day as they direct traffic for the mayor, city councilmen, family and friends as they leave the political rally at HPBC.

Maybe Grace Life Church is no longer favored now that HPBC has a large arena for use (once again, school superintendent and anyone wanting to climb the ladder attends HPBC as well).

Note: HPBC "rented" MS high school auditorium for special occasions and during the final stages of construction of their new concert hall. In addition to the agreement to "Pay Rent", there was to be a new sound system installed at the H.S. Auditorium at HPBC expense. Sources inside MSCS question if the good church fulfilled all - OR ANY - of the Board approved contract. (we highly doubt it, given the Rubber Stamping Board)

Another fine example of separation of church and state? Or, in MSC, a fine example of separation of government jobs and family?

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Only one comment here: The church has a concert hall? Really, a concert hall? We Googled this phenomenon, but couldn't seem to pin down anything relevant to a new building hosting concerts. We're going to refrain from any more comments here, but would like to hear a rationale for this. Also any updates on the gift to Muscle Shoals High School? Surely the HPBC would keep its word...

Shoalanda

Is Highly Political Baptist Church Highly Favored?

Old Highland Park Church Building

Today we bring you two or three tidbits about the City of Muscle Shoals and its ongoing affiliation with Highland Park Baptist Church. Some months ago, when the Highland Park congregation moved to its new home, a reader sent us photos of the Muscle Shoals Fire Department hosing the mud off the recently completed parking lot. We chose not to address it since we felt fairly sure the city would claim that it was a fire-fighting exercise.

However, this week we've been asked about a zoning hearing that is about to take place. The Muscle Shoals City Council is voting on changing the planning designation of the former building from R-3 to B-2. Obviously, much business has sprung up around the building since its construction and rezoning may be indicated. It would certainly make the site easier to market...and bring in much more revenue.

The problem pointed out to us by a reader is that of the five council members who will be voting, all but one are members of the Highland Park congregation--hence, its often being referred to as the "Highly Political Baptist Church." How can the church members abstain? Joe Pampinto does not in himself constitute a quorum.

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A second message from a reader has asked us:

Have you ever tried to go north on Wilson Dam Road on Sunday morning when the MSC Police are stopping traffic to let the councilmen and their families, Praise and Worship performers, and fellow bench warmers are leaving church? Do they provide police traffic control for all the other churches?

That's certainly an interesting question. Perhaps the church pays for off-duty officers? We know that Woodmont Baptist in Florence uses members to direct traffic, and the practice has been criticized as being unofficial and possibly the grounds for a lawsuit if anyone is injured due to this practice.

Could Woodmont build an overhead walkway ala Park Place? We have no idea of the legalities involved.

In other words, welcome to the clash of small town politics and big town traffic.



Shoalanda

Special Post: Theft at Highland Park Baptist Church?

We have just received this; we have no more information, except that a second source has corroborated these basic facts. Comments welcome!:

It has been presented to the HPBC membership that the 8th commandment - "Thou Shalt Not Steal" has been violated by a staff member.

Taking "tens of thousands of dollars" and have not seen an arrest or has there been an arrest and the media and police are covering this up.

There is a fundamental problem in that sins appeard to viewed as different degrees that Brother Jeff was arrested and ultimately serves a long sentence. While there is enough guilt on his part, a normal person would have to ask, how many people in authority and responsible for hiring those that care for other people's children were guilty of praising Bro. Jeff and depositing their children in his care on a regular basis. Would these good people not question their judgement of who they are hiring in their workplace after subjecting their children to someone they deemed as wonderful and spiritual when it was to their benefit to do so.

Every person in that church with anything to do with that situation have dirt on their hands too.

Back to the stealing. Is there an arrest warrant for someone taking the member's tithes and offerings meant for something other than lining the pockets of one individual - or maybe it should have gone to mission trips - that in itself has rumored to have compromised commandment 7 & 10.

Politics and Religion do lend themselves to much controversy and seems like these two go hand in hand at HPBC.

Brother Jeff - you committed a grave act - and you are being punished justifiably. You should have committed #8 and you might still be at home with your family.

Another view from the outside as I try not to violate commandment 9.

Fund for Jeff Eddie's Victims?

Highland Park Baptist Church has established a fund for victims of their former youth minister Jeff Eddie. The fund is to cover counseling for not only Eddie's actual victims, but also family of the victims. The location of these accounts was made public in a TimesDaily article. In other words, you the readers now know how to donate.

Perhaps the important question is should you donate? We firmly believe any individual has the right to donate to any legal entity they choose. Do you give to the United Way to help those in need locally or do you give to Deep Fat to help the Minnesota orphans? Tough decision sometimes.

We're not going to tell any readers whether they should donate or not. We do have reservations about this church even suggesting a donation. What if Muscle Shoals Utilities had an employee who sexually abused young people while on the payroll? Should the city utility ask for donations to help with counseling of their employee's targets?

Is Shoalanda personally going to give any funds to this cause? No. Whether any readers do or not is up to them.



Shoalanda

What the Janitor Saw...

There usually isn't much that goes on in dark, dank basements that janitors don't know about, and it would seem that's true for the Highland Park Baptist Church. Sources say when the official Alabama Bureau of Investigation report is made public at Jeffrey Eddie's trial (or before), there will be some interesting testimony from a former janitor at the Muscle Shoals church. Yes, that's former janitor since he was fired shortly after making the accusations against Bro. Jeff.

Eddie has admitted his abuse of the young underage male occurred in the electrical room in the basement of the church building. Scripture concerning hiding one's sins comes to mind.

Jeff Eddie Timeline

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Tomorrow we'll look at Bro. Jeff's possible future down south.



Shoalanda