COMMUNITY COLUMNISTS FEATURED INSIDE.
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Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 September 9, 2015 Vol. 123, No. 180 www.alexcityoutlook.com
CACC TO GET EARLY START Baseball hosting fall tournament, sports B1.
Lawsuit claims Alex City operates ‘debtors’ prison’ Southern Poverty Law Center claims residents are offered no arrangements and jailed immediately if total owed is not paid in full By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
A lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center alleges that Alexander City “has maintained a modem-day debtors’ prison” that targets the poor, keeping residents in jail because they are unable to immediately pay fines and court costs. The suit, which was filed in Middle District Federal Court North Division, lists the city and Alexander City Police Chief Willie Robinson as defendants. The filing seeks an injunction to immediately halt the practice and the award of possible compensatory and punitive damages.
A hearing on the motion for preliminary injunction has been scheduled in this case for Sept. 25 at 9 a.m. before Judge William Keith Watkins. City officials received notice of the suit late Monday afternoon and City Attorney Larkin Radney said he had not had time to read it in its entirety or discuss it with Mayor Charles Shaw or Robinson. “I would at least like the opportunity to read it first, but as in most cases, the city will have no comment until any litigation is complete,” Radney said. SPLC Deputy Legal Director Sam Brooke explained the practice that led to Tuesday’s filing. “The way it has been for a number of years is that a person appears in municipal court, they are assessed a fine and court costs,” Brooke said. “From there they
are taken into a room where police are waiting. They are asked if they are able to take care of the entire amount at that time. If they can’t, they are immediately arrested and hauled downstairs to jail. “In most places, the costs and fines are probated, allowing a payment plan. But for at least 200 people over the last two years in Alexander City, that was never an option. That, we believe, is a violation of basic civil rights. ” The suit alleges that instead, those in that situation must remain in jail and are credited at a rate of $20 per day toward their debt – or $40 per day if appointed as a jail trustee to do jobs such as laundry, cleaning and washing police cars. See LAWSUIT, Page A5
Council talks signs, budget process
Agencies report relatively quiet holiday period Lake Martin sees 5 BUIs, city, county report few incidents
By Mitch Sneed
By Mitch Sneed
Outlook Editor
Outlook Editor
The four-day Labor Day weekend is traditionally known as the last big weekend of the boating season and while Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Marine Unit did log several incidents, there were no serious injuries reported. Marine Patrol Troopers made five arrests for boating under the influence at Lake Martin, according to ALEA Public Information Officer Sgt. Steve Jarrett. He said that one of those incidents resulted in more than one arrest with several additional charges. “In one of those BUI incidents, one of those operators was also arrested for possession of marijuana second degree, possession of drug paraphernalia and See ACTIVITY, Page A5
Today’s
Weather
86 71 High
Low
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Ken Bruce of LaGrange, Georgia helps direct a motor home into a spot at Wind Creek State Park. Bruce and 11 other campers from Southeastern Roamers are spending the week at the park.
Wind Creek enjoys busy holiday weekend By Corey Arwood
586 campsites, 516 were rented, with a total of 1,575 campers on the grounds, not including their visitors. At a time when lawmakers in “We were a hundred up from last year, Montgomery are kicking around the future as far as campsites go,” Donna Wilkins, of state parks, Wind Creek State Park had facility operator, said. a flood of nearly 3,500 visitors over the The park is one of the largest stateLabor Day weekend. owned campgrounds in the U.S., having From numbers provided by park staff, 1,445 acres of shoreline, according to there were 1,857 day passes issued from Saturday to Monday. Out of the park’s See PARK, Page A6 Outlook Staff Writer
While no action was taken, the Alexander City City Council appears to like the idea of being called the “City of Champions.” County Commissioner Steve Robinson told the council Tuesday evening that the Alexander City Sports Foundation has designed and would like to place signs honoring past championship teams and asked the council to consider allowing placement of “City of Champions” signage at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex, possibly at Central Alabama Community College and at the city limits entrances See COUNCIL, Page A5
County schools pass 2016 budget By David Granger
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
488.27 Reported on 9/8/15 @ 6 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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Outlook Staff Writer
The Tallapoosa County Board of Education approved a fiscal year 2016 budget Monday night at its September meeting that it hopes will allow it to begin to accumulate the state’s required reserve of one month’s operating expenses or approximately $1.8 million. The Board voted unanimously to approve a budget of $27.2 million, which equals just more than $1 million less that its expected revenues. Of that $1 million, approximately $300,000 of that money belongs to individual schools. The remainder of almost $800,000 is money out of which the system hopes to build up its reserve. “That is where that money that will go toward See SCHOOLS, Page A6
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Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Brilliant rainbow showers color on Lake Martin A later afternoon shower Monday created rainbows across the area and one of the most vibrant was spotted across the lake from Wind Creek State . A a 20-minute rain against the evening sun created vivid hues that appeared to place the pot of gold on a small island.
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