Renaming Alabama bridge for John Lewis opposed in Selma
Some say renaming the Edmund Pettus Bridge for John Lewis, who died Friday, would dishonor local activists who spent years advocating for civil rights before Lewis arrived in town in the 1960s.
More Alabama cities consider or implement face mask requirements
Many of Alabama’s larger cities either have or are considering a mask ordinance.
Supreme Court rules for Selma Council in dispute with mayor
The Alabama Supreme Court has sided with the Selma City Council in a power struggle with the mayor over who can appoint department heads. Justices on Friday upheld a judge’s decision dismissing the lawsuit filed by Selma Mayor Darrio Melton that challenged the city ordinance approved by council members. The Selma City Council in 2018 passed an ordinance removing Melton’s authority to appoint a police chief, fire chief and tax collector. The council then overrode Melton’s veto, leading him to file a lawsuit saying the ordinance improperly transfers executive powers to the city council. Justices wrote that the trial judge was correct to dismiss Melton’s lawsuit. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Judge dismisses Selma Mayor Darrio Melton’s lawsuit against city council
A judge has dismissed an Alabama mayor’s lawsuit against his city’s council, the latest development in a power struggle over who can appoint department heads and control spending. The Selma City Council passed an ordinance removing Mayor Darrio Melton’s authority to appoint a police chief, fire chief and tax collector. The council then overrode Melton’s veto, leading him to sue in October. The disagreement stems from two potentially conflicting sections of state code. The Montgomery Advertiser reports Mayor Darrio Melton and his attorney said Monday that they plan to appeal the decision, which Melton says transfers executive powers to the city council. City Council President Corey Bowie said the judge’s decision substantiates the ordinance. Melton also gave a state of the city address Monday, criticizing the council and media. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Treasurer sues as Selma government power struggle continues
The treasurer of a city in Alabama’s Black Belt is suing to be reinstated to her position, even as city officials continue to wrangle with a budget crisis that sparked 68 layoffs. News outlets report Selma Treasurer Ronita Wade, placed on leave three times since 2017 by Mayor Darrio Melton, sued Melton and the Selma City Council on Tuesday in Dallas County Circuit Court demanding reinstatement. Melton placed Wade on leave for the third time on Sept. 26, the same day the city’s budget was supposed to be passed. He said it was because she was under investigation for criminal misconduct, but Wade said she knew of no such investigation. The Selma City Council has twice reinstated Wade, part of a power struggle over who will appoint department heads and control city spending. Earlier this month, Wade asked the council to reinstate her a third time, but the lawsuit says council members deferred the matter to an attorney citing the repeated suspensions. Wade wants a judge to reinstate her and block Melton from suspending her again. Melton has said Selma is broke and must cut spending or raise new revenue. On Wednesday, he attacked a City Council proposal to divert $400,000 earmarked for schools to reinstate laid-off employees. “If laying off over 60 city employees and reducing public service in their unbalanced budget wasn’t enough, they have stooped to an all-time low, targeting our children,” Melton said in a Wednesday news release. “They cannot balance the budget on the back of our children.” A share of a city sales tax, now about $400,000, was earmarked for education spending in 1982. Selma City Schools Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams said Wednesday that no one has contacted her about the subsidy. She said she hopes to meet with city officials next week. In an email sent to council members, Wade’s attorney Julian McPhillips claimed three city employees whose positions were eliminated by the council are still being paid by the city. McPhillips said the payments are illegal and must be stopped immediately. Kenneth Mendelsohn, Melton’s lawyer, said the council can’t legally eliminate positions appointed by the mayor, and that’s why those employees are still being paid. The council earlier voted to remove Melton’s ability to appoint Selma’s police chief, fire chief and tax collector. Melton sued, claiming the council can’t strip that power from him. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Selma City Council passes $17.4 million budget for 2019
During a special meeting called Wednesday, the Selma City Council passed a $17.4 million budget for Fiscal Year 2019. The budget passed with the support of Council President Corey Bowie, Councilmen Sam Randolph and Carl Bowline, Councilwomen Susan Youngblood, Miah Jackson, Angela Benjamin and Jannie Thomas. Meanwhile, Councilmen John Leashore and Michael Johnson abstained from the vote. Wednesday marked the first time since 2016 that a budget has been passed in Selma, according to the Selma-Times Journal, as the city functioned on an amended 2016-2017 budget last year. Last month, Mayor Darrio Melton presented a $22 million dollar budget to the council that they rejected. According to Bowie, Wednesday’s passed budget is a scaled down version of Melton’s.
Selma Police Chief John Brock to retire after mayor asks him to step down
After 31 years with the Selma Police Department, Selma Police Chief John Brock has announced his plans to retire. Citing issues with the city’s new mayor, former state representative Darrio Melton, Brock has decided to move on, after Melton asked him to step down. Brock started working with the department as a teen as a part-time dispatcher, where he worked his way through the ranks and served as a lieutenant before being promoted to chief in September 2015. “That commitment to the city speaks volumes in regards to what he gave to this city,” Melton told the Selma Times Journal. “Being in law enforcement is a service that takes special people to do, and we have been blessed in Selma to have Chief John Brock to be a part of our law enforcement over these 30 plus years.” The City of Selma also extended their well wishes to the departing chief. “His example is cherished, his legacy is preserved and his commitment is admired,” the city said in a news release. “The City wishes him every happiness and success as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.” Brock will retire from the department effective Jan. 1, 2017. Longtime police lieutenant Johnny King has been named interim chief until a permanent replacement can be found.
State Rep. Darrio Melton elected Selma’s next mayor
Six-year Alabama State Rep. Darrio Melton will be leaving the Alabama Legislature behind to take the helm in the city of Selma. Melton defeated former Selma mayor James Perkins Jr., the city’s first black mayor, in the city’s mayoral runoff election Tuesday. Melton received 4,054 votes to 2,558 for Perkins, will take office as mayor Nov. 1. A special election will be held to fill his House seat. Watch Melton’s victory speech below:
Selma mayoral race heads to a runoff
Selma voters winnowed the crowded field of five mayoral candidates down to two at the ballot box Tuesday. State Rep. the Rev. Darrio Melton and former Selma mayor Rev. James Perkins, Jr. will face off Oct. 4 in a runoff election. While the official results are not in, the unofficial results have Melton with 35 percent of the vote and Perkins with 30 percent. Incumbent Mayor George Evans, who is nearing the end of his second term, will definitively finish in third place with 18 percent of the vote, writing the end of his mayoral career. Eight years ago, Evans defeated Perkins for the position.
Selma’s 5 mayoral candidates participate in weekend political forum
It’s a crowded field of candidates vying for the position of Selma mayor. Five candidates are in the running — Ward 3 Selma City Councilman Greg Bjelke, incumbent Mayor George Evans, Baptist minister Jerria Martin, State Rep. Darrio Melton and former Selma mayor James Perkins Jr. — and Selma residents had the opportunity to hear from each of them at a political forum Sunday afternoon at Selma High School. There, all five candidates shared their platforms and took turns answering questions for 90 minutes. “We’ve got a lot of work to do,” said incumbent Mayor George Evans. “We need some infrastructure changes and street paving, and stuff like that doesn’t come overnight. And so, it’s just going to take a bonafide effort from the citizens of Selma along with city government, education-wise along with industry to build our city. And it can be done.” First elected in 2008, Evans defeated then-incumbent James Perkins Jr., who is making another go for the post. Since his time in office, Perkins became the pastor of a Selma church. “This is just an opportunity for me to share experience, knowledge about what’s going on in our community to help build Selma,” Perkins says. Another mayoral hopeful at the forum was State Rep. Darrio Melton. “Our city is crumbling at its foundation,” Melton told the crowd. “I have experience, I have relationships both in the federal and state level that I think I can use in regards to building our city and moving our city into the 21st century.” Despite her lack of political experience, Jerria Martin, 28, brought youthful energy to the forum. “Even our motto is, ‘From Civil War to Civil Rights and Beyond,’” Martin said. “But my question is, when are we going to get to the beyond? I think it’s time for this younger generation to rise up and be that beyond, and lead us to that beyond.” Selma City Councilman Greg Bjelke said he wants to do more for the city. “I felt as if I was sitting on my hands, and show up to the meetings and yay and nay and go to ribbon cuttings, and that’s all very nice and all, but I wanted to more,” Bjelke, who’s been sitting on the city council to 2011, said. Sponsored by “One Selma,” the event was moderated by WAKA news anchor Darryl Hood and was followed by a city council forum as voters in the Black Belt’s largest city prepare to cast their ballots in the state’s municipal elections Aug. 23.
Despite Democrats’ opposition, General Fund budget has its day before the House
Taking a strategy from last week’s playbook, Alabama House Democrats began a filibuster as the Special Order Calendar was brought up for discussion. The calendar includes the General Fund budget, which raised the ire of Dems because of its lack of adequate Medicaid funding. The current budget leaves in place an about $100 million shortfall in the Medicaid budget and will obliterate plans announced by Gov. Robert Bentley to institute a Regional Care Organization (RCO) program in the state. Both Bentley and House Speaker Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) have signaled that there will likely be a special session called to address the shortfall in Medicaid. According to statements made by Hubbard, Republicans are slow to fully fund the Medicaid program because it puts a strain on all other state agencies. Along with prisons, Medicaid takes up about 62 percent of the state’s budget. “I stand here today because I am concerned about where we are on the Medicaid budget,” said Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham). “Yet again, we will have failed the people who need it the most. We find money here in this state for everything in this state that we need to find it for. I still cannot fathom why we need to have a special session, yet again, to fix a problem here in this state that we should be addressing right now.” Givan noted that more than a million Alabamians receive Medicaid benefits and lawmakers should be looking at ways to raise revenue to fund the program. Rep. William Buskey (D-Mobile) referred to constituent concerns over a “bare-bones budget.” “I don’t think it’s bare bones,” Buskey said. “I think it cuts through the flesh, almost to the marrow.” “I believe healthcare is paramount to everything we do,” said Rep. Darrio Melton (D-Dallas). “Healthcare drives so much of our economic development. Let’s make health care strong.” Democrats stalled for more than two hours, but eventually a vote was taken and the Special Order Calendar was approved.
Alabama reactions to President Obama’s Clean Energy plan
President Barack Obama‘s effort to combat climate change by cutting greenhouse gases from U.S. power plants is drawing sharp criticism from across Alabama. Obama unveiled the final version of the controversial Clean Power Plan earlier today, which seeks to cut the nation’s carbon emissions by 32 percent, compared to 2005 levels, by 2030 — nine percent more ambitious than the original proposal. Each state will have to make specific targeted reductions by that time. According to the EPA, Alabama would be required to cut its carbon emissions by 27 percent below its 2012 levels. Below are some of the reactions from politicians and groups across the state: U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03) (via a press release): “This Administration and the EPA continue their pattern of overreach into our lives and pockets with President Obama’s clean power plan announcement. In June, the Supreme Court ruled against parts of President Obama’s radical agenda, yet he continues to push forward with his faulty environmental plans. This clean power plan will do nothing more than pass on additional costs to consumers and raise energy prices for hard-working families across East Alabama already struggling to make it paycheck to paycheck. I will continue to fight against this very flawed proposal.” U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06) (via press release): The EPA’s release of its final rule to regulate emissions from power plants continues the overreaching, agenda-driven policy that we have seen frequently from the EPA under this administration. American workers and their families, particularly the most economically vulnerable, can ill afford the real-life costs of this rule, which will result in significant utility rate increases and lost jobs with little to no measurable environmental impact. With my support, the House has already taken action by passing a bill to delay this costly rule, which faces serious legal challenges. I will continue to work to fight this rule and protect the American people from this costly agenda. Attorney General Luther Strange (via email): After years of propaganda efforts aimed at convincing Americans that they must sacrifice lower energy bills and jobs in order to meet arbitrary carbon emission goals, the Obama administration has finally unveiled its new energy mandate,” said Attorney General Strange. The Environmental Protection Agency’s new Clean Power Plan continues the Obama administration’s theme of ignoring the legal limits on its executive authority in order to satisfy a political agenda that places the lowest priority on the rights of coal industry workers and American consumers. Under the EPA rule, Alabamians’ average annual household energy bills could rise by more than $800 a year by the time the plan is fully implemented. This places an undue burden on those who can least afford it, including the poor, the elderly and others on fixed incomes. What’s more, it punishes as many as 16,000 Alabamians whose jobs are dependent upon the coal industry. As Attorney General, I testified before Congress in opposition to the illegal EPA rule and I have joined with other states in opposing the Obama administration’s unwarranted anti-coal policy in federal court. The same administration that once complained that people don’t pay enough for gasoline is now forcing Americans to endure higher energy costs and further blows to our economy. It’s time for common sense to prevail. Rep. Darrio Melton, Alabama House Democratic Caucus Chairman (via PACE email): EPA’s final version of the Clean Power Plan raises a number of important questions for many families in my district and for low-income people across this country. It remains unclear what steps will be necessary for states to comply with these aggressive carbon dioxide emission goals, but my fear is that the cost of electricity for families and businesses will rise, placing even more economic pressure on those who can least afford it. My hope is that EPA and the administration will give those concerns the attention they deserve and help ensure that this new rule doesn’t unduly burden the most vulnerable Americans. Sen. Greg Reed, Chairman of Alabama Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Energy (via PACE email): Utilities across America and here in Alabama are already moving toward lower-carbon, cleaner energy due to other EPA regulations and a host of improved technologies. Incentivizing more clean energy options is the right path forward. This rule does the exact opposite. It is another massive tax on energy at a time when the American economy needs more affordable energy to help get our economy growing again. Alabama Coal Association, George Barber (via email): President Obama continues to wage his war on coal as Alabama’s coal industry fights to keep workers employed and energy prices low. Today’s announcement in which President Obama did not even hide his intent to kill coal jobs, saying instead that he supports training coal workers for other jobs, is another example of costly and unnecessary regulation meant to force the closure of all mines throughout the nation. I am grateful that Alabama has our Attorney General, Luther Strange, standing up for our miners, their families and the many others depending on coal throughout the state. The Alabama Coal Association will continue to fight for miners throughout the state. Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy (via email): A year ago in Atlanta, we told EPA officials that while the agency’s new carbon mandate would not change the earth’s temperature, it would change power bills. Now, with the final rule made public, we can be even more certain that EPA has presented the American public with a lousy bargain. While this rule will do nothing to affect the agency’s climate change indicators, it holds the strong potential to raise electricity prices, cost American jobs, endanger reliability, and make our nation less competitive. It is critical that our nation’s leaders, particularly the President and the Congress, intervene to limit the damage from this bad rule. Manufacture Alabama (via PACE email): Last year, voices from coast to coast stood up to tell EPA that its plan to regulate carbon dioxide would hurt our nation’s competitiveness, cost jobs, raise power prices, and endanger the reliability of the power sector. This message, particularly from America’s manufacturers, was overwhelmingly
