OPINION: LET’S NOT HAVE UNOPPOSED SEATS IN LOCAL ELECTION
THE WANT TO GET INVOLVED? See Calendar, page 5..
TUESDAY
OPENING DAY More photos from Alexander City youth baseball, Softball Page 12.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 April 5, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 68
www.alexcityoutlook.com
City to go after unpaid training funds STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
The Alexander City City Council approved a move that will help them recoup lost training expenses as well as a lease plan that will help the city drop a building that has been a money pit and allow a non-profit theater group to set up shop there. Training a candidate to become a firefighter or an emergency medical technician is a costly proposition, with the cost
running more than $15,000 per candidate, according to Alexander City Fire Department Chief Kem Jones. That’s why Jones asked the city council Monday night to authorize initiating a collection process for three former employees who got training and then left before completing their two-year contractual obligation. “It is expensive in terms of taxpayer funds, but it’s also a tremendous investment of time,” Jones said. “It’s not that
this is anything new, it’s state law. They know coming in that there is a two-year obligation. It’s not that we want anyone to be here who doesn’t want to be here, but when an employee leaves that you have invested that much time and money in, it’s a setback for the department, but for the citizens as well.” Under Alabama State Code, Section 36-21-7 the agency who funded the training can make demand for the reimbursement by the new employer for
training expenses, provided that training is of use in the new position. Under the law, the new employer can be made to be pay the “salary paid during training, transportation costs paid to trainee for travel to and from the training facility, room, board, tuition and overtime paid to other employees who fill in for the trainee during his or her absence.” In the case of the three employees
Meeting on Councill Elementary School reset
Drug bust leads to two arrests
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Two people were arrested after a Friday search warrant found marijuana, meth and a firearm at an Alexander City residence. Acting off information and surveillance of narcotic activity from the residence, combined with intelligence gathered from a vehicle pursuit earlier in the week, the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence in the Alexander City area.
Haynes
Robert Hudson / The Outlook
LET’S PLAY BALL!
Alexander City’s youth baseball and softball teams open the new season
See ARREST • Page 3
Horsley
Trial for couple accused of sexual abuse begins in Alex City
More than 500 youth baseball and softball players, fans and parents gathered at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex on Saturday morning for the 2016 Opening Day Ceremony kicking off a new season. Players from as young as 3 years old to 16 will compete this year in Alexander City’s Youth Baseball/ Softball Leagues. For more pictures from Saturday’s festivities see page 12.
By MITCH SNEED Editor
The trials for a man and woman accused of multiple charges relating to the sexual abuse of a 5-year-old girl began Monday in circuit court in Alexander City. Antavis Dewayne Thornton Jr. of Valley and April Nichole Jones of Jacksons Gap are on trial for aggravated See TRIAL • Page 3
Today’s
Weather
HAVE A SAFE AND SOBER PROM NIGHT
72 45 High
See COUNCIL • Page 3
Low
The Tallapoosa County Board of Education will hold a community meeting on Wednesday, April 6, at 4 p.m. at the Board of Education offices, located at 679 E. Columbus St. in Dadeville, to discuss the possible closing of Dadeville’s Councill Middle School, Superintendent Joe Windle said Monday. The meeting was originally scheduled for Thursday, March 24, but was cancelled due to the potential of inclement weather. Windle said the delay may have been a good thing. “I think the delay may have actually been a good thing,” Windle said. “From the input that I’ve received through email and Facebook, the feelings (on whether to close the school) are about 50-50. I think that we’ll get some input and I think it will be good input that we ought to consider. I think the delay has probably helped to take some of the emotionalism out of it where we can get more constructive criticism.” Anyone interested in commenting on the closure is welcome to attend Wednesday’s meeting and, if they choose, publicly voice their opinion. Windle said his analysis of the effects of the closing still lacks the transportation analysis because See SCHOOL • Page 7
Alexander City Schools tax theft toll hits 52 By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
490.07 Reported on 4/04/16 @ 5 p.m.
Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
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54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
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Cliff WIlliams / The Outlook
Alexander City Police Officers David Sealey and Brian Ray install a sign on the lawn of Benjamin Russell High School to help promote safe habits for prom. The prom is this weekend. Today an Alabama State Trooper will make a presentation to students about the effects of impaired driving.
With the number of known victims of the Alexander City Scbools tax frauds now at 52, officials at two other Alabama school systems that use a common vendor for their financial computer platform began more closely assessing their situations on Monday. Both Dothan City Schools and Escambia County Schools, which, like Alexander City, use financial computer platforms provided by Innovak International Inc. of Spartanburg, S.C., were on spring break last week while
the number of incidents of tax-related identity theft grew steadily here. Chief financial officers for both the Dothan and Escambia County school systems said Monday they were checking to see what activity may have taken place with their employees during their spring break vacations. “I am actually in the process right now of calling our schools and contacting our prinicipals to see if they have had any employees who have had problems,” said Julie Madden, chief financial officer for Escambia County See TAX • Page 3
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