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THURSDAY • OCTOBER 27, 2016
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Vol. 27, No. 43
County approves $50k for Tallassee IDB Request passes on narrow 3-2 vote, matches $70k from city of Tallassee
By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
By a razor thin 3-2 vote, the Elmore County Commission approved a $50,000 request to the Tallassee Industrial Development Board for an extension on Hanil Drive for Gulf Packaging, Inc. IDB Chairman Rick Dorley was present and said that the project cost for the extension would be $120,000 and that the city of Tallassee had agreed to fund $70,000. Dorley asked that the county provide
$50,000 for the cost of the project. During his presentation, Dorley also mentioned that there were already overages on the project to the tune of $15,000, and that the IDB board would handle those overages. He stated that the extension would be for Gulf Packaging, Inc. as part of its expansion. Dorley stated that the company would create 15 additional jobs over the next three years and between $7 and $8 million in capital investments. Commissioner Joe Faulk asked Dorley if the road
being discussed was the same road that was presented as part of an industrial access grant application. Dorley said that funding was sought for the project but was not obtained. Faulk then asked how much funding was sought initially for the road extension. Dorley said that the road initially came in at a cost of $500,000, which was then reduced to $400,000. He said the project did not receive grant funds because See COMMISSION • Page 9
New principal announced at school board meeting
Commissioner Joe Faulk arrested on felony ethics charges
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Joe Faulk, Elmore County Commissioner for District 4, was arrested Tuesday morning on felony ethics violations, booked at Elmore County Jail and released on $5,000 bond, according to Elmore County Faulk Sheriff Bill Franklin. Franklin said Faulk was charged with use of his public office for personal gain, but said further details would need to come from the attorney general’s office, which made the arrest. Attempts to reach Faulk for comment were unsuccessful. Mike Lewis, communications director for the attorney general’s office, would only say that “an arrest was made following a complaint and an arrest warrant” issued by an Elmore County magistrate. The arrest took place around 10 a.m., according to Franklin, who said that officials with the attorney general’s office made the arrest in the Sheriff’s Office parking lot before Faulk went through the See ARREST • Page 3
Carmen Rodgers / The Observer
Michelle Mitchell DVM, with her dog Layla at Mitchell Veterinarian Hospital on Gilmer Avenue. Dr. Mitchell is one of only three veterinarians in the state of Alabama to offer adult stem cell therapy for pets.
MODERN MEDICINE
Tallassee offers cutting edge treatment for pets By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Animal companions enhance life in many ways, and today there are more pet owners than ever before. It’s evident that we’re devoted to those pets more than half of us say we’d “leap into action” for our furry family members if they were injured. With 47 percent of American families owning at least one dog, more
than 83 million pet dogs in the United States according to the American Pet Product Association (APPA). As these pets age, they experience medical conditions much like those seen in humans. After monitoring the productive effects stem-cell therapy has on the human, it was only natural to see how this new therapy could benefit man’s See VETS • Page 3
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
A local woman was killed Saturday in two-car accident at the intersection of Cambridge Drive and U.S. 231 that involved a Wetumpka police officer driving his department cruiser. Elaine Merritt, 52, of Wetumpka was killed when the 2016 Honda Pilot she was driving collided with the cruiser, a 2010 Dodge Charger, driven by Andrew Bass, a Wetumpka police officer at the intersection of Cambridge Drive and U.S. 231, according to information released by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Merritt was later pronounced dead at Elmore Community Hospital. David Granger / The Observer The ALEA release did not identify the police officer, but Bass was identified in several Facebook posts. Bass, who worked previously as a deputy ALEA officials spent a couple of hours this morning investigating a wreck that See WRECK • Page 3 occurred on Saturday at the intersection of Cambridge Drive and U.S. 231.
Today’s
82 58 High
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FRIDAY: HIGH 85 LOW 58
See BOARD • Page 5
New leadership, direction for local Democratic Party
Local woman killed in officer-involved crash
Weather
Most of Monday’s Elmore County School Board meeting was spent in the presentation of honors and awards, as a special ceremony was held for its chairman who was honored for his 36 years serving on the school board in an emotional reception after the meeting. There was also a major personnel change approved by the board, and a new principal was announced for one of the county high schools. The new appointment to replace outgoing principal Jamey McGowin at Millbrook’s Stanhope Elmore High School was approved in the personnel action list. The new principal was a previous 5-year assistant to McGowan, and said he had 22-years military experience, and had been in previous teaching positions as well throughout that time. William Bergeron heavily credited his experience with the outgoing principal for the qualifications he said he that made him the top pick. And he talked about the
GOT JUNK! One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Sell your clutter in the Classifieds.
256.277.4219
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
The Elmore County Democratic Executive Committee met in the Elmore County Courthouse in downtown Wetumpka Monday with a new interim chairperson and the dual goals of growing its membership and working to remedy county voting issues. With the election less than two weeks away, the local chapter of the political party convened under its new direction to discuss strategies to get voters to the polls for the Nov. 8 general election. Brenda Henderson said she was made the party’s new interim chair after a series See DEMOCRATS • Page 5