BY GENA HUFF, Editor

At the Reform City Council meeting Sept. 18, councilmembers discussed the upcoming budget for the new 2019 fiscal year. One of the main topics was a raise for all city employees. Although all members were in favor of a raise, there was some contention as to the percentage of the raise.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The 2019 budget for the Pickens County Board of Education was passed at its second mandatory budget meeting the evening of Sept. 10. Before the budget was passed, Chief School Financial Officer Jennifer Shirley presented the finalized budget and informed the board of any changes made since the first budget meeting, held three weeks prior.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

For the past two weeks, I have written a series of articles concerning an interview done with the Director of the Aliceville Chamber of Commerce, Edgar Pruitt. Much was discussed during this interview with the outcome a hope for a change in the conversation concerning our communities here in Pickens County and throughout West Alabama. To change the face of tomorrow, we must, as residents, change our conversation from negative to positive, from finger-pointing to stepping up and contributing.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

The Pickens County Commissioners’ meeting on Sept. 11 went smoothly as items on the agenda were announced, motioned, seconded, and approved. At the end of every meeting, each Commissioner is asked if they have any discussion items. District 4 Commissioner Jerry Fitch asked County Engineer, Clint Terry, if the bid for a project on County Road 75 would still be coming in Friday, Sept. 14.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

At the Gordo City Council meeting, September 10, the mayor read into the minutes a proclamation stating September 24 as Family Day in Gordo, and the week of September 23 – September 29 as Family Week. Citizens are encouraged to join together in observing this day/week by spending time with their families and by engaging in appropriate ceremonies and activities to honor and strengthen both our city’s and state’s families.

The proclamation reads as follows:

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

In last week’s issue, the Part One article of “Changing the Face of Tomorrow,” focused more specifically on the local school system and how it is affecting our community as a whole. Part Two of the series focuses on the housing issues within our communities.

After speaking at length with Aliceville Chamber of Commerce Director, Edgar Pruitt, it was quite clear the housing market within our county cannot support the employees for the jobs created or the ones waiting to be created in the county.

Applications for absentee ballots must be filed in the office of Keith “Booty” Cox, Absentee Election Manager/Circuit Clerk not less than five (5) days prior to the election. The deadline to apply is the close of business day, Thursday Nov. 1, 2018.

A traffic stop in Gordo, on September 2, at about 8:30 p.m., resulted in the confiscation of a large amount of marijuana, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and two hand guns.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

Budgets are the topic of this month as local towns, cities, and boards prepare for the new fiscal year. Carrollton is no exception.

After some deliberation, members of the Carrollton Town Council voted to give a five percent raise to the town’s department heads and authorized Mayor Mickey Walker to handle other raises as he sees fit. “You earn it, I’ll give it to you,” said Walker.

BY GENA HUFF, Editor

In an interview with the director of Aliceville’s Chamber of Commerce, Edgar Pruitt, our mutual love of our county and how we can improve it, how we can promote it, how we can change the downward spiral we seem to be on, is the number one concern. The closure and reconfigurations of our county schools and the issues that seem to face the community in the face of new social concepts and the occurrence of new business but no economic boost, is troubling.

Aliceville Manor Nursing Home is one of 15 Alabama Nursing Home Association members to win the Customer Satisfaction Excellence in Action Award from NRC Health.

This honor, awarded exclusively to NRC Health post-acute clients, recognizes organizations that achieve the highest overall resident or employee satisfaction scores in the NRC Health database–the largest source of long-term care and senior-living satisfaction metrics in the nation.”

BY GENA HUFF, Editor