James McGill announces run for Alabama State House
Former Russell County engineer James McGill officially announced his candidacy to run for the Alabama State House of Representatives in House District 80 Tuesday morning in a press release. McGill is seeking the nomination on the Republican ticket, which is vacant due to the passing of Representative Lesley Vance earlier this month. The seat will be filled during a Special Election that has been called by Governor Robert Bentley, scheduled for a Jan. 19 primary followed by the general election scheduled for April 12. “We need a strong, experienced conservative leader to represent us in the State House. I have a heart for this part of our state. This is my home and the people here are my friends and neighbors,” McGill stated. “I know how much we have to offer and I believe that I can provide the type of leadership that District 80 deserves.” Mcgill is an engineer and has served as the Director of Economic Development for the Russell County Chamber of Commerce for more than a decade where he had a track record of helping the area to grow. McGill points to Fort Mitchell’s commercial expansion and safer access to Fort Benning’s West Gate as examples of what he has helped to achieve. “It is critical that we continue the growth between lower Lee County, upper Phenix City and west Russell County. We need proven representation that can pull these three areas together and if we can do that, we can outgrow any region of the state,” McGill explained. “I know that I can make that happen.” Qualifying for the special election closes Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. EST. At the time of publishing, McGill’s only challenger is current Phenix City council member Chris Blackshear. Currently no Democrat had qualified, but Russell County Commissioner Tillman Pugh, who ran unsuccessfully against Vance in 2014, is considering it.
Angi Stalnaker: Your elected officials aren’t psychics. Talk to them.
Our elected officials often claim to be a lot of things but they don’t claim to be psychics. They don’t inherently know what their constituents think about any given issue and they rely on contact from citizens to tell them what they think about the issues before them and to give them reasons to cast a vote one way or another. If you do not reach out to your elected representatives to tell them what you think, they will never know and they will never have the opportunity to take your stance into consideration when it is time for them to cast their vote on the issue or issues that are important to you. With every Facebook and Twitter log-in, I see hundreds of people ranting about their opinions on everything from taxes to flags to slot machines. I have countless conversations with friends and family members who will explain to me, quite passionately, why they feel one way or another about a political issue but those social media posts and those conversations with my politically frustrated friends have one thing in common – They are largely pointless and have little no effect on the outcome of a legislative vote or on the formation of public policy. It may make you feel better to complain to your best friend about the direction of this state or this country but unless you are having the same conversation with an elected official, you are missing an opportunity to help shape the future of our state. The vast majority of politicians want to hear from the people they are elected to represent. They want to know what you think. They want to listen to the reasons you believe the way you do. They are genuinely interested in your point of view. All too often, though, their mailboxes are empty and their phones are silent on issues of importance. Sure, lobbyists like me reach out to them and a handful of active citizens contact them frequently but the overwhelming majority of voters never take the critical and necessary step of making contact with the person who is elected to represent them. That needs to change today. Here are a few tips for getting in touch with the people you hired to represent you in the Great State of Alabama. 1) Know who represents you. It is very common to be unsure of who is elected to represent you. Most people know that our Governor is Robert Bentley and that our President is Barack Obama but not as many people can readily name their State Senator or State Representative. Visit the website for the legislature and click the “Find Your Legislator” button on the right side of the page. Enter your address and the list of people who represent your area will pop right up. Their phone numbers and mailing addresses are also provided. 2) Pick up the phone. Most of us have our phones with us 24/7. Pick up your phone and make a quick call to your Representative or Senator and let them know what you think about the issue that is important to you. Be polite. Make sure they know that you live in their district and be concise. More often than not, they will be glad to hear from you. 3) Put a stamp on it. E-mail is a great thing but emails pile up quickly and it is difficult to read through all of the bulk emails that a legislator gets in a given day. Take a few minutes and write a quick note to your legislator. Make sure that you always include your mailing address at the bottom of the letter so that they will know that you live in area that they represent. Put a stamp on it and let the United States Postal Service do the rest. 4) Use social media effectively. Anyone who has ever sat in the gallery of the House or Senate in the Alabama State House knows that most legislators love their Facebook pages. It is not uncommon to see them checking their Facebook pages from the floor on the legislature to see if any of their voters have checked in on the issues before them. “Friend” your Representative and Senator on Facebook and post a quick note to their social media wall if there is an issue before them about which you are passionate. Now that you know who your elected officials are and how to contact them there are a few things that you can do to ensure that your communication is effective. DO introduce yourself and let them know where you live in their district. DON’T be angry or rude, even if they disagree with you on this specific issue. Always be kind and respectful. DO contact them on issues of which you are very passionate but there is no reason to express your opinion on every single issue that comes up for a legislative vote. Only contact your offical regarding issues that are very important to you. DON’T stretch the truth or provide them with unverified facts. Make sure that you are 100% confident in the information you are providing to your elected officials. Your credibility is key in these situations and so you must be sure you are accurate. DO contact them when they do something you agree with. So often elected officials are only contacted by those that disagree with a vote they cast. If they voted your way, drop them a note to say “Thank You” and “Good Job.” DON’T ramble on. You are busy and so are your legislators. Keep your communication brief and to the point. It will be much more effective that way. Your legislators work for you and they are honored to do so. They want to hear from you and they want to know what you think and what you believe. So, the next time you go on a Facebook rant against higher taxes or engage in an hour long conversation
Alabama senator Del Marsh gets free hotel for promise to renovate
Alabama Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh is a handy man to have around the Alabama State House. During the 2015 legislative session, the state’s top senator tore down walls known as filibusters, swept the floor of unwanted bills and drew a blue print for bringing gambling to Alabama. For his next project, in his home district and far away from the Statehouse, Marsh will remake a mansion. Marsh Properties, operated by Marsh, R-Anniston, has acquired downtown Anniston’s historic Victoria Inn from the Anniston City Council. The city council, which voted on Monday to transfer the property to Marsh Properties, is giving away the historic inn for free under the condition that the new owner spends at least $1.5 million on renovations. The city has sought someone to take over the Victoria Inn since soon after it acquired the property from Jacksonville State University Foundation in 2013. In an interview this week, Marsh said the city issued a request for proposals but didn’t receive a single response. The city then issued a second request, with Marsh Properties as the only contender. “It’s not something I would have typically taken on, but my wife and I are in position to take it on and we’re excited about it,” Marsh said. “We think it’s an important historical facility for the area and we want to maintain it.” Marsh said the company plans to rename Victoria Inn as Hotel Finial, named after the 19th Century finial atop the main house. According to the Victoria Inn’s website, John Mckleroy – a Confederate veteran, state school superintendent and two-time candidate for governor – built the structure in 1888 as his home on a hill. Nearly 100 years later, Anniston developer Earlon McWhorter and architect Julian Jenkins restored the home and in 1984 the National Park Service listed it on the National Register of Historic Places. Neither Anniston’s mayor nor the city’s manager responded to multiple requests for comment about the property transfer. Marsh said he plans to leave the outside of the Victoria largely same, while making a number of changes to the interior. Marsh Properties will renovate “every single room,” changing the decor of the 19th century structure to give it more of a contemporary feel that is “comfortable and suitable” for the present time. The renovated Victoria Inn will not have a full-scale restaurant, although it will maintain a bed and breakfast. The goal, Marsh said, is to have guests visit area restaurants. Marsh said he expects renovation costs to exceed $1.8 million, adding that he’s ready to spend “whatever it takes.” The goal is to be operational by February 2016, he said. “We think that the Victoria Inn is historic to Anniston,” Marsh said. “It’s the only hotel left in Anniston, and we just think that it’s important that it survive and be brought back to its potential.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
