Election coverage
Check out www.themadisonrecord.com to follow our continuous daily coverage of the upcoming special election, tonight’s debate and next week’s election results.
National Day of Prayer
National Day of Prayer is coming to Madison and Huntsville on Thursday, May 4. Page 2A
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON - On Tuesday, May 9, voters in Madison are being asked to decide what shape the city’s government structure will take for the foreseeable future. They are being tasked with deciding whether the city continue to operate as it has or adopt an appointed city manager style of government.
Polls at voting locations throughout the city will open at 7 p.m. and close at 7 p.m. For a list of locations, go to www. madisonal.gov.
Community
For years, city leaders have been pushing for Madison to adopt a city manager form of government, saying the move will bring better stability to the operations of the city.
Currently, the mayor is elected and oversees municipal departments and functions, with a heavy hand in deciding the overall direction of the city. He is aided by a city administrator who answers directly to the mayor. The proposed change will narrow the role of the mayor in favor of a city council-appointed manager who answers directly to the city council. It is
Be Local Bash
The Madison branch of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (HMCPL) will host a “Be Local Bash” this weekend. Page 7A
not clear yet what staff the city manager would require if voters approve the change. If the change is approved by a majority of voters, it will require, by Nov. 2025, redistricting Madison from the current seven districts to six, with the mayor serving as an electedat-large city council president. The mayor would become the “face of the city”, representing Madison in public events and in meetings with neighboring cities.
Madison Mayor Paul Finley kicked off the process by appointing a committee in Au-
gust 2021 tasked with looking into the proposed change and developing a recommendation for the city council. In early 2022, the “Madison Governance Transition Committee” unanimously recommended that the city should shift to a council-manager form of government.
Under the Alabama Council-Manager Act, the decision rests with Madison voters and must be decided through an election, which required a petition from registered voters with approximately 900 signa-
By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON – A longtime Madison resident, Rosalie Holcombe has accepted the leadership role for an organization that has augmented the community’s quality of life for decades.
Holcombe is serving as President of Madison Arts Alliance, which represents a revitalization effort of the former Madison Arts Council or MAC. Madison Visionary Partners is the alliance’s fiscal sponsor.
In committing to the alliance’s lead, Holcombe “saw a need for our community to come together to celebrate the arts. We have so many talented people here and COVID-19 highlighted how important relationships are.”
“The arts have always brought people together. The vision for Madison Arts Alliance is to build a strong arts community with steady events and programs for all age groups, as well as increase public art,” Holcombe said.
In visual arts, Holcombe has experimented in many medi-
ums. She has used acrylic paint, oil paint, watercolor, clay, stone, steel, printmaking, colored pencil, photography, video, digital art, jewelry, graphite, polymer clay and resin.
Since its founding, MAC has sponsored the Sounds of Summer, Kris Kringle Market and Christmas Card Lane. “We are beginning to feature visual artists at the Madison Library and plan to add more events in the future as we grow!” Holcombe said.
See HOLCOMBE Page 8A
Rosalie Holcombe
MADISON – An unassuming resolution regarding the construction of a roundabout at the
intersection of Hardiman Road and Halsey Drive sparked debate at the Monday’s City Council meeting on management of city finances. The resolution authorizes a reimbursement agreement with Enfinger Development, LLC for construction of a roundabout and the expansion of the roadway at the intersection located near the property that will house Madison City School District’s eighth elementary school.
The construction has required the consultation of Madison City Schools for the impact of the project on the new school site. The city and the school district determined after a traffic study that a roundabout was the best solution that would benefit future school traffic by easing the flow of vehicles between both roads. It will require the acquisition of two parcels of privately owned land on either side of Halsey Drive to expand the
roadway and make space for the roundabout.
Director of Development Services, Mary Beth Broeren, stated the project had promising benefits, “With the school traffic that’s anticipated, a roundabout’s really necessary at that intersection and would allow traffic to flow better than putting in a traffic signal
Objections arose, however, over the cost, which comes in at
See CITY COUNCIL Page 8A
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“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
- Anne Frank
MADISON – National Day of Prayer is coming to Madison and Huntsville on Thursday, May 4. Mayor Paul Finley of Madison issued a proclamation at the April 24 Madison City Council meeting declaring the day National Day of Prayer in Madison.
Tammy Steinberg was present to receive the proclamation on behalf of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and thanked the city officials for their support of the celebration, “We just want to thank you all, council members and mayor, for serving our community and all that you do and we bless you. We are the National Day of Prayer Task Force and we are a Judeo-Christian organization and we encourage public prayer for our nation through Jesus Christ.”
In the proclamation, Mayor Finley stated, “Recognizing the love of God, we, citizens of Madison,
treasure the freedom to gather in prayer exercising reliance on God’s power in the face of present challenges and threats, asking for His blessing on every individual of our city”.
Each year has a theme that focuses on a particular initiative for the country. This year’s theme is “Pray Fervently in Righteousness and Avail Much”, and is based on the Scriptures verse of “The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” from James 5:16B.
Three events marking the day will take place across Huntsville and Madison on Thursday, May 4. The first event will take place at CrossPointe Church on Hughes Road from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. Sherwood Baptist Church on Old Madison Pike across from Bridge Street Town Center will host a service at noon, and a county-wide service for all of Madison County will also take place at noon at Big Spring Park in downtown Huntsville.
tures to place the issue on the ballot. A citizens group, “Madison Forward”, took up the task of collecting those signatures and succeeded in March, prompting Mayor Finley to call a special election.
“This next step towards a special election to allow the citizens of Madison to vote on this initiative has been a long time coming. Two separate committees in 2015 and 2021 unanimously recommended that Madison move forward to a council-manager form of government,” stated Jim Ross, Madison Forward co-chair. He also served as the chair of Finley’s Madison Governance Transition Committee.
Madison Forward is also chaired by Dr. Terri Johnson, who served on the Madison Board of Education from 2007-2017 and as board president from 2015-2017. In addition, she co-chaired the city’s Growth Impact Committee in 2018 and was appointed to the city’s planning commission in 2019.
“We have an excellent mayor and have had excellent mayors in the past, but someone might be elected that doesn’t have the right skill sets to run the city,” Johnson said during a public meeting hosted by Forward Madison.
City council member Maura Wroblewski echoed that feeling in a letter to the editor this week (see page 6). “To be a mayor in Alabama, you must be 18, live in the city in which you are running for 90 days, and pay a $50 filing fee. Are we willing to put someone in charge who has just graduated from high school but doesn’t have any real work experience? Are we confident that just anyone can manage a $70,000,000 budget, 350 employees, and a growing city? And are we positive they will be successful in both the short and long term? I don’t think anyone is positive about that,” she stated.
Opposition to the change says that is exactly what they are trying to insure, that the decision of who runs the city stays with voters. “The proposed council-man-
ager form of government takes away the voters’ right to directly choose the person who runs the city,” stated Tiffany Knox, who heads up another citizens group, “Don’t Mess with Madison” that was created to fight the change. “It disrupts the separation and balance of power by making the mayor a legislator and placing a selected individual into an executive position of power. The executive branch is completely controlled by the legislators.”
“There are simply too many unknowns about how the council-manager form of government would function, and more notably, a significant lack of information regarding financial cost,” she added.
The city has created a FAQ page (www. madisonal.gov) with several answers to questions about the proposed change and special election. Knox says one noticeable vague point on the page regarding salary. It says, “Salaries have not yet been defined.”
“Voters would be able to make an informed decision if there was a comprehensive cost and benefit analysis. In the absence of such an analysis, voters should vote ‘no’ simply because they do not have all the information needed to make an informed decision,” Knox said.
Ross says the city’s success could be hindered if the proposed city manager form is not approved. “The growth and development that has descended upon the city create a significant threat to our future if we do not take action to assure greater accountability and professional management of our city government,” he said. “Our current mayor and council have served us well. But we need to look forward to the future and make certain our form of government provides for a prosperous future under the growing complexity of our city.”
For more coverage of the special election, go to www.themadisonrecord.com and click “May 9 Special Election” in the tab at the top of the page.
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com
HUNTSVILLE – The Huntsville City Council has approved a development agreement to bring a new grocery retailer to the Huntsville market.
Food City will invest $90 million to build six new stores and create 1,350 jobs over the next five years.
In turn, the City of Huntsville will provide cost reimbursements up to $9 million (total for all six locations opened) in sales tax to offset a portion of the company’s infrastructure costs incurred for construction of the six locations.
Projected revenues calculate a twoyear return on investment for the City (or Projected revenues indicate the City will recover its investment within two years). The Company will not qualify for any cost reimbursements until all stores are
completed and open to the public.
The first three locations, outlined in Phase I of the agreement, include retail sites in Hampton Cove, on North Memorial Parkway and U.S. 72 East. Locations in Phase II will be near downtown, on Alabama 53 and County Line Road. All Food City locations will offer additional retail space for lease to create new retail centers.
“Huntsville’s growth has provided new opportunities to expand our retail offerings, particularly in the grocery sector where some areas are presently underserved,” Shane Davis, Director of Urban and Economic Development said. “Food City has a strong reputation as a quality retailer and being a good community partner. They will be an excellent addition to the Huntsville market. This partnership allows Huntsville to secure all six store locations planned to service
HUNTSVILLE – After
double bogeying the final hole of the tournament and forcing a playoff, Ben Silverman lost on the second hole of a sudden death playoff to Ben Kohles to end the weather-plague HomeTown Lenders Golf Championships at The Ledges in Huntsville.
Going into the final hole, Silverman scored a double bogey while Kohles parred to cause a playoff between the two on the Huntsville stop of the Korn Ferry Tour. In the playoff, the two played hole No. 18 where both
carded a par. On the second go-round on the par four hole, Kohles birdied while Silverman missed in his attempt to tie and keep the playoff continuing.
Kohles fired a final round 67 while Silverman also had a 67 as both started the day one shot behind Carter Jenkins who shot a fianl round 72 to finish tied for seventh. Silverman had five birdies on the day and looked to be in control until the final hole of regulation. Kohles posted rounds of 68, 62 and 67 to post a 197 total score in the tournament shortened by inclement weather to 54 holes.
the Huntsville-Madison County market. This is a win-win in that we are able to provide new retail opportunities to areas that need better retail options and the new revenues can be invested back into the community for public infrastructure projects.”
Food City is owned by K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc., a privately held family and employee-owned corporation. The Virginia-based retailer has more than 140 stores in Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.
Grocery store amenities include full-service grocery options, custom prime meat and seafood departments, a Starbucks coffee shop, full-service deli and bakery, pharmacy and floral services, and a fuel center in select locations.
Construction on Phase I is expected to start in May with the first store opening this fall.
HUNTSVILLE - Leland
Melvin is the first person to have been drafted by an NFL team and flown in space as a NASA astronaut. He will share his philosophy on serious, local concerns in the Speaker Series that Village of Promise or VoP sponsors.
Ditto Landing in south Huntsville.
HUNTSVILLE - The City of Huntsville continues to invest in quality-of-life offerings by expanding its greenway network from South Huntsville to Ditto Landing.
The Huntsville City Council last week authorized Mayor Tommy Battle to enter into a contract with Garver LLC as part of Phase 3 of the Tennessee River Greenway. The
contract is for land surveying and engineering design related to the project.
Specifically, the project would add
1.5 miles of new greenway between Hobbs and Green Cove roads and connect the Elgie’s Walk Greenway to Ditto Landing. The final link, along with the Weatherly Road and Aldridge Creek greenway networks, creates a 15-mile greenway loop in South Huntsville.
“When we put together our BIG
Picture master plan, investing more in quality-of-life amenities like our greenways was a common recommendation from stakeholders,” said Dennis Madsen, Manager of Urban & Long-Range Planning. “We’ve seen such tremendous growth in South Huntsville over the past few years, particularly around the Ditto Landing area. Providing greenway access is a win-win for anyone who enjoys what Ditto Landing has to offer.”
HUNTSVILLE - Huntsville is fast becoming a top destination for touring acts, but a new music export strategy could lead to more musicians putting down roots in the Rocket City.
The Huntsville City Council on Thursday authorized Mayor Tommy Battle to enter into a consulting agreement with nonprofit Music Export Memphis (MEM). Per the agreement, the City will work with the Memphis, Tennessee-based initiative to develop new programs that create opportunities for Huntsville musicians to showcase their music outside the city. It will also give artists a platform to grow their careers
and elevate Huntsville’s profile as a city of choice for musicians to reside.
“We really see this as a workforce development initiative that will attract musicians to move here, but more importantly, incentivize talent already here to want to stay in Huntsville,” said Shane Davis, Huntsville’s Director of Urban & Economic Development. “Our local artists are in a unique position to share authentic stories about Huntsville to a cross-section of people. If you like what a Huntsville artist is about, it will be a strong motivator for people to come see what Huntsville is about, too.”
Music Officer Matt Mandrella, who previously worked in Memphis, said MEM’s positive impact on
musicians and the Memphis music ecosystem has him excited about the Huntsville collaboration. He’s confident programs developed for Huntsville will pay dividends over time.
“Music makes cities better, and Huntsville’s music community makes our city better,” he said. “There is so much amazing music being created in Huntsville right now, and so many of the artists creating it love living here and are proud to say so when they’re playing in a different city.
Mandrella’s goal is to implement the Huntsville-based program later this year, but there is no definitive timeline for when it will go live.
For more information about the Huntsville Music Office, visit huntsvillemusic.com.
The 2023 event with Leland Melvin as special guest will be held at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in the Davidson Center for Space Exploration on May 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Melvin served on board the Space Shuttle “Atlantis” as a mission specialist on STS-122 and STS-129.
Injuries prevented Melvin from on-field play with the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys.
Axient Corporation is presenting the Speaker Series for 2023. Village of Promise opened the series in 2011. This sixth venture by nonprofit organization Village of Promise ties directly to its mission to advance families out of poverty using a multigenerational approach.
“Our Speaker Series events all feature keynote speakers with expertise in education and poverty, and the relationship between the two, with Leland, being no exception,” Village of Promise CEO Dana M. Gillis said. “We invite community members to join us for an unforgettable evening in support of Village of Promise as Leland’s story is sure to inspire attendees to reach for the stars.”
Karen Stanley and Brenda Martin are co-chairing this year’s event. “I sincerely believe that we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers,” Stanley said and
Leland Melvin will be special guest for the Speaker Series coordinated by the nonprofit organization, Village of Promise.
added that she is honored to lead the event’s volunteer team and that they are all happy to help families in need. “Village’s Speaker Series is a valuable resource in strengthening our community,” Martin said and noted she is elated to support Village of Promise. With VoP’s status as a Family Advancement Center, the organization addresses the needs of children and families in distressed, under-resourced neighborhoods.
The Speaker Series event provides a stage for national, thought leaders to share their insight with the Huntsville community on best-practice solutions for confronting generational poverty.
To open this year’s event, a cocktail reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available for advance purchase only through May 5. The webpage for Village of Promise’s Speaker Series, villageofpromise.org, contains event information and purchasing details.
For more information on Village of Promise, call 256-536-8052 or visit Facebook or Instagram.
MONTGOMERY - Newspapers have a long history of serving as watchdogs for their communities, holding local officials accountable, and shining light on issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Requiring government bodies to continue to print public notices in newspapers is a key step in ensuring that these important watchdog functions are preserved.
However, there is currently a bill in the Alabama House of Representatives that would sound a death-knell for local government transparency and accountability.
Proponents of HB106 claim government notices in Alabama should be published on government-controlled websites, instead of in newspapers, because it is easier and costs less money. But is that true?
The cost of running public notices represents a tiny fraction of the mind-boggling budgets of most local governments. And what government officials don’t talk about is the expense of designing, operating, properly maintaining, and updating those websites. If done right, the costs would erase most, if not all, of the savings from eliminating public notices in newspapers.
In truth, it’s not really the cost of public notices governments are most worried about, it’s the ability to control the dissemination of the information those notices contain. And therein lies the great con-
cern of local newspapers throughout the state, who believe this fight is truly about transparency in government, and keeping citizens informed about what their tax dollars are supporting, and what their political leaders are doing.
Where is the accountability in HB106? There is none.
Legislators can’t guarantee the posting of public notices on government-controlled websites will be free from manipulation or abuse. Also, we know all too well that websites can be hacked, updated, altered, or deleted at any time.
The public notice process for newspapers, however, ensures the information presented is correct; requires a notice to be published for a specific amount of time; and generates an affidavit that serves as proof that the notice ran correctly.
Without the requirement of notarized affidavits, how will citizens know the notices on government-run websites ran correctly, or for the right amount of time?
Also, the public is far less likely to see a public notice on a government-run website because those sites typically have far fewer visitors than newspapers and newspaper websites.
Currently, public notices printed in newspapers have triple exposure to Alabama citizens. It begins with print – a format that cannot be changed and offers permanence. Placement in print requires the notice to be posted on the
See HB106 Page 8A
By JOHN FEW john@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON – Tuesday’s special election is a crucial event in deciding Madison’s future, one that doesn’t need to be ignored. If voters approve the initiative, the proposed change will place a council-appointed city manager in charge of the city’s daily operations and departments instead of an elected mayor. Over the past several weeks, there have been several heated debates online and in person over what is the best course for this growing city to take. I will not rehash the details of what the change means in this editorial. See the related story on page 1A and past coverage at www.themadisonrecord. com. You can also find valuable information on the “I Vote Madison” website at www.ivotemadison.com, and on the city’s Q&A page at www. madisonal.gov.
I would like to note that The Record does not endorse either side of this issue but remains neutral, offering balanced news on the special election, and this editorial is no exception.
The argument for and against the initiative has been very heated at times with both sides feeling passionate their stance is the right move for Madison. However, at the
end of the day, it is up to the voters of the city to decide the issue, which is where the decision rightfully belongs. One point both sides find common ground on is that voters need to do their research before going to the polls on Tuesday. Those for it say the change is needed to bring stability to the separate functions of a city continuing to experience tremendous growth and the various issues that causes. The function of the manager would keep politics out of city administration, they argue. Having department heads in place under an overall city manager that is appointed rather than elected would remove the threat of change every time a new mayor is elected, they say, and give the city a better chance at realizing long-term goals.
Speaking of the long-term, a group of city and community leaders has been working on a strategic plan that will help guide Madison’s growth for the next 20-plus years.
Called Madison on Track 2045, it will be a policy document for use by the community at large to make decisions about future growth. You can read more about that at www. madisonontrack2045.com. Those for the change feel that any longterm strategic plan would have a better chance of working if the current structure is changed, because ultimately whoever is elected may-
or currently has a heavy hand in the overall direction of the city.
In other words, any strategic plan might be thrown in jeopardy if Madison elects a mayor down the road with an entirely different vision for the city or lacks the management skills necessary to push the city forward. Some of these fears stem from the dysfunction between the city council and former mayor Troy Trulock, which came to a head in 2015 — the last time there was a push for a city manager structure of government.
Then former mayor Paul Finley ran for election again with a campaign promising to bring back a positive working relationship between the mayor’s office and city council. It worked and the push for a city manager was dropped for the time being. Now Mayor Finley is in this third term. But the “what if?” still looms. Finley does not want to be mayor forever. What if the next mayor is not a strong leader who can work with the city council effectively? What if they try to take Madison in a direction that could slow down the progress already made or even halt it? What if? What if? What if? And that is where the proposed change is a hard sell for some people. There is not a problem right now. Those against the change are
See OUR VIEW Page 8B
I inherited my creative urge from my grandmother. With her bright blue eyes sparkling, whenever she walked into a room you knew everything was going to be better simply by being in her presence. Always an optimist, she would give home-spun wisdom and encouragement, “Don’t borrow troubles from tomorrow, there are sufficient ones
for today.” Or “You can’t see over the hill or around the corner,” to quote a few. Momma Walker was a great woman of faith, she had to be, my Poppa Walker was a cotton mill worker and a farmer. They raised thirteen accomplished children during the Great Depression of the 1930s, thanks to Momma Walker’s love of poetry, music, and common-sense teachings. Our lives revolved around the church just down the gravel road from our homes. Baptisms in Eastaboga Creek, Sunday dinners on the ground, Saturday night singings, and summer revivals… whew! The entire community caught up
in this gospel whirl. One summer in the lull between planting crops and harvesting in the fall, the church leadership invited a visiting university professor from Nashville to come on a Sunday night and give a lecture titled, “Understanding the Miracles of the Old Testament.” The professor even put on a costume to make his talk look and sound more important than it turned out to be. Standing before the congregation in his robe, with multi-colored stripes on his sleeves, proclaiming all the degrees he had acquired, he spoke in a very professorial voice, with extreme diction and enunciation.
“First of all,” he began, “There are no divinely orchestrated miracles in the texts of the Old Testament.” You could hear the murmurs ripple across the audience. All of us were products of Sunday School flannel graph boards that had visually choreographed, Jacob’s Ladder, Moses and the Red Sea, and Daniel in the Lion’s Den. He continued, “Take Moses and the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. That did not happen, (he paused between each word for effect) through the miss-translation of texts, instead of the Red Sea, it was the Reed Sea, (dragging
I N H O N O R O F TH O S E
W H O S E R V E
Dear Editor,
On Tuesday, May 9th Madison Registered Voters will go to the polls to determine Madison’s future government structure. Most of us believe that if change must occur, there must be a perceived need for change. Many Madison residents are most likely satisfied with their current Mayor and Council. I have been in office since 2016 where we have seen explosive growth in amenities and our quality of life. Town Madison has added many restaurants, retail and other opportunities. We have our Trash Pandas who play out of a stadium that is second to none in minor league baseball. You may have been to Toyota Field for an event other than a baseball game. It is a true multi-use venue. We have countless new restaurants (Culvers, Pita Street Food, Luigi’s, Chicken Salad Chick and Whataburger just to name a few) and Publix in Clift Farm is now within the city limits of Madison and BJ’s should be open within the next year! Our revenue increases monthly, often in double digits. Our most recent revenue statement in February 2023 is 18.87% higher than February 2022 and is up 9.09% for the year so far.
You are probably asking yourself, “Well why then should we change? Everything seems to be working just fine.”
The people who are currently in office in 2023 will likely not be in office in December, 2025. Elected officials may decide to not run again or may lose their election.
We have a mayor who has been fabulous to work with and we have accomplished much, but there are better financial opportunities in our area where you would not have to work 24/7/365. Who would blame a person for seeking a job that pays far more than the current $117,000 a year salary? A job where they would get weekends and holidays off and one that for sure, would be less stressful?
Since my family moved to the area 25 years ago, there have been five different mayors and since 2009 twenty different council members. As Heraclitus said, “Change is the only constant in life.” By having a City Manager, we would have a professional, educated (likely hold an MPA, Masters in Public Administration or MPP, Masters in Public Policy Degree), experienced person who has likely managed a similar size city to Madison for a number of years. This person would be well versed in budgetary skills, staffing management, CIP (Capital Improvement Projects), accounting principles, bond management, cybersecurity, debt management, first responder and safety needs and the list goes on. This would free the mayor to be the voice of the city, to respond to citizen’s concerns and to not have to micromanage the day-to-day, tedious, often time-consuming minutiae details of running the sixteen departments that we have. For example, if a bulldozer at public works stops working and the director reaches out, it’s currently the mayor that needs to find the money in the budget to get a new one. If a change of government is
made, it wouldn’t have to be the mayor’s responsibility, but the city manager who would have a more focused directive. The same goes for our first responder needs. The police and fire department chiefs can work with the city manager and finance director to work out how to best move forward to satisfy their departmental needs.
Some have claimed, “The City Manager isn’t hired by the people! There’s no transparency! How will we communicate with him/her?” It’s true the City Manager isn’t elected by the people. That’s good because then he/she isn’t beholden to anyone. The City Manager works for the city and its residents. His or her email address will be on the city website just like every department head. You can go to www.madisonal. gov and click on each department and email the department head. Everyday our Parks and Rec Department Head receives emails about sports programs, greenways and the Senior Center. Likewise, you can email our Public Works Department if you have a pothole or your streetlight is out. This form of government will not weaken our form of government but will strengthen it because it takes politics out of the process. There will be a person whose daily responsibility will be the smooth running of our city’s sixteen departments and 350 employees in a smooth and efficient manner.
So, you’re probably asking yourself, “So then what’s the mayor going to do?”
The mayor will then be able to set the vision for the city. He or she will be able to physically leave city hall and market our city, bringing more retail business and industry to Madison. Instead of focusing 90% of their time on operations, he or she will be able to focus 100% of their time and energy to improving our amenities and quality of life. While we have been very successful since 2016, the future is not guaranteed. To be a mayor in Alabama, you must be 18, live in the city in which you are running for 90 days and pay a $50 filing fee. Are we willing to put someone in charge who has just graduated from high school but doesn’t have any real work experience?
Are we confident that just anyone can manage a $70,000,000 budget, 350 employees and a growing city? And are we positive they will be successful for both the short and long term? I don’t think anyone is positive about that. Please join me in voting yes on Tuesday, May 9 for the city manager special election where we will join other successful cities in Alabama such as Pelham, Auburn and Mountain Brook that have this form of government.
Lastly, I would encourage everyone to do their own independent research and make a well-informed decision for this vote of historical importance. See you at the polls on Tuesday, May 9th!
By Maura Wroblewski, Madison City Council, District 1(2003-present)Dear Editor,
As a resident of Madison City for over 19 years, I am curious as to why PAC Madison Forward wants to change the structure of our government by adding another layer of bureaucracy. Spending 20 years in government in Washington DC and watching it grow uncontrollably, an old quote came to mind. “Bureaucracies are inherently anti-democratic. Bureaucrats derive their power from their position in the structure, not from their relations with the people they are supposed to serve. The people are not masters of the bureaucracy, but its clients.” Alan Keyes
Madison City voters must ask themselves if adding another layer of bureaucracy will help balance our growth, improve our overcrowded roads, reduce our almost $350 million debt, allow greater citizen transparency, etc.? Can our elected officials identify other ways to become more efficient?
When researching the topic, one citizen noted: “Are we willing to bank roll a city manager and possible staff? Are the citizens ready to provide the city a blank check without any guarantee of more efficiencies and effectiveness?”
Another citizen felt it was unwise to vote for something we cannot reasonably vote out. “Once you vote in something, it is difficult to take back.” By nature, a bureaucracy intends to grow.
Another is concerned that our city elected officials have not provided any specifics on the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of each of the positions
and how they would interact. Providing only a top-level presentation leaving out pertinent details does not allow the citizens to make an educated decision when voting.
Voting YES just to see how it’s going to work in Madison is a significant disruption that we cannot afford, especially with a multi-year transition to a new form of government.
One said, “Let’s look at how government is structured. The president does not have a vote but has veto power similar to our form of government at the federal level. The veto is there as a checks and balances and not employed very often as it forces the two branches to work it out and come to an agreement. Under a council-manager, the mayor votes as part of the legislative branch and gives up a significant part of the executive duties and surrenders responsibilities and authority to an unelected bureaucrat, selected by the legislative branch vs the people. The veto power, check and balances completely disappear. Should congress select our country’s president vs we the people?”
Are we willing to add another layer of Government?
After evaluating both sides, I still have more questions than answers. I will be voting no on May 9th. It’s up to the good citizens of Madison to get smart on the pros and cons and make an informed decision. I encourage you to exercise your voice and VOTE on May 9th!
M. Pope Madison City Resident
Dear Editor, An alternative to changing our Madison city form of government is to use the available resources we currently have more effectively.
The proponents for the change say the mayor needs more time to devote to the political duties of representing the city. They say we must contract out a city manager—appointed by the council—to run the city, which is currently a primary executive responsibility of the mayor.
I’m sure most all realize the tough job of a mayor and recognize the need for assistance in performing the demanding tasks of the executive position. So, let’s look at how our much larger sister city attacks this challenge.
Both Huntsville and Madison cities employ a city administrator, but how they operate is vastly different with information gained from past and/or current officials of both cities. Huntsville’s population is approximately 220,000, and Madison’s population is approximately 62,000—about three-and-a-half times smaller than Huntsville.
Huntsville is managing their city very well and use their city administrator like a chief of staff or like an executive officer (xo) in the military, to coordinate the staff and department heads under the authority and direction or guidance of the mayor. The city administrator reports to and is responsible the mayor.
Huntsville’s use of their city administrator negates the need for a council-manager form of government, maintains the citizens’ vote in electing the executive who runs our city, maintains checks and balances and separation of powers, with greater transparency in government.
Our Madison city administrator works primarily on special projects as an assistant to the mayor and is not involved with the department head or
staff functions. So why is Madison not employing our city administrator effectively like Huntsville does?
This approach was recommended in the 2015 Governance Transition Study and dismissed, but why? Both then and today, it makes sense to use the existing resources more efficiently without significantly changing the city’s form of government.
The change to a council-manager form of government plan includes a multi-year transition period while our city officials figure out how the council-manager change will really work. Can we afford that distraction and increased bureaucracy with an increased potential for corruption and wasteful spending—all with no guarantee of improved performance?
The challenges we face as a city are not so much in the day-to-day management of the city (as we have qualified department heads), but with the prioritization of initiatives and budgeting that drives the day-to-day management. This is a function and responsibility of our political, elected officials. So, it does not really matter if we have a council-manager or mayor-council form of government.
In Madison, we could have saved ourselves a lot of time, money, and effort had we taken the city administrator approach, similar to huntsville, instead of this special election.
Madison already has a city manager— we call that person, the mayor. Madison citizens can hit it out of the ballpark by voting no on May 9th and demanding our elected city officials hire a qualified city administrator and employ that person more effectively to serve the citizens under our elected executive, the mayor.
Sincerely,
Rick Makowski Madison City Resident
By MARIA RAKOCZY maria@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON - The Madison branch of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (HMCPL) will host a “Be Local Bash” on the first weekend in May. The event is directed at introducing newcomers to the North Alabama community with demonstrations by local organizations, appearances by local authors, and performances by local musicians. Though it is directed at those new to the area, it welcomes all residents to check out what’s going on in their community.
Be Local Bash is taking place Saturday, May 6 from 10 am to 3 pm at the Madison Library located at 130 Plaza Blvd, Madison, AL 35758. It is truly an opportunity to explore all that Madison and North Alabama have to offer.
“Building on the success of the Newcomer Fair last August, the Be Local Bash promises more activities for the whole family. The Madison Chamber of Commerce “Chamber & Kids” is sponsoring the event, which features tours of the Library and the Makerspace,” Jay Hixon, Director of Public Relations for HMCPL, said.
On the Madison Chamber of Com-
merce’s involvement, Executive Director Michelle Epling stated, “We’re always working very closely with the Madison Library branch on ways to help get the word out on all the different events they have going on in our community. The Be a Local Bash just seemed like the perfect fit for our “Chamber & Kids” initiative, where we can be out in the community and support local non-profits, businesses, and Madison Chamber members while involving the youth of the Madison community. So, to me, it just seemed like the perfect way to kickstart summer, be with the community, and have some fun with friends and family.”
Like last year’s “Newcomer Fair”, Be Local Bash will connect community groups with North Alabama residents. It will feature food trucks, opportunities to speak with local authors, and interact with rescue animal groups. The schedule of activities also includes a Tai Chi demonstration hosted by Global Alliance at 11 am, performances by local musicians Lana White at 12 pm and by Mike Ball at 1 pm on the patio as well as visits from princesses and super heroes with photo opportunities from 11 am to 1 pm in the children’s section of the library. The
See BASH Page 8A
1979 - On this day in 1979, Margaret Thatcher of the Conservative Party was elected British prime minister, becoming the first woman in Europe to hold that post; she later became the longest continuously serving British premier since 1827.
$1,699
Storyteller
“Madison offers many wonderful things to the community, but none of it would be possible without the people behind them,” Holcombe said. “It’s a blessing to live in a city where so many residents take great care in building the community.”
After a workday, when can she think to herself ‘I did the right thing’? “In February, our real estate team hosted an event we named ‘Smooches for Pooches.’ We worked with Rocket City Rescue in hopes of helping to get some of their dogs adopted,” she said. “My parents attended the event and found a lab mix they decided to adopt, and we have all enjoyed him ever since then.”
Holcombe was born and grew up in Birmingham. Her family moved to Madison before her sophomore year at Bob Jones High School. “I was in the art program and learned so much from the incredible art teachers, especially Melissa Hughey who introduced me to sculpture,” she
Continued from page 5A newspaper’s website and on alabamapublicnotices.com.
Those three elements offer the maximum exposure possible for public notices.
It is the job of local newspapers to serve as a check on government, not the government to check itself. If legislators were truly concerned about providing ef-
Continued from page 7A
event brings together new and old Madison residents to get to know each other, the work various organizations perform in the area, and most of all, how to get involved. It is a chance, too, to learn about the wide variety of valuable services available at the library.
Cindy Hewitt, Executive Director of HMCPL, detailed the multitude of services the library performs, “The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library truly offers something for everyone. It has
said. Holcombe received an art scholarship to the University of Montevallo and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fine art with a concentration in sculpture. At Montevallo, she created a public sculpture that was placed at Ebenezer Research Swamp in Montevallo.
She works as a full-time licensed Realtor with The Jeff York Team at Essential Real Estate. Rosalie is married to Taylor Sutherland, who works as a defense contractor on Redstone Arsenal.
To enjoy any ‘down time,’ Rosalie loves playing board games with family and friends. “Most of our beach trips and holidays include a board game night,” she said.
“If you know me, you know I adore my dogs and would love to have more. We have a chihuahua/poodle mix and a shepherd/husky mix,” Rosalie said. “They make us laugh every day.”
fective service to their constituents, they would leave legal notices in newspapers, which provides the transparency and accountability every Alabama citizen deserves. Ask your local House members to consider these issues when HB106 comes up for a vote and urge them to vote “NO.”
books and music that you can take home, as well as over a million options that you can stream for free anytime, anywhere. One of the best aspects of the Library is that it is a cultural hub for our community. It offers the public so many opportunities to engage in a wide variety of programs including fun storytimes for families, free concerts, and great cultural exhibits from local and national partners.”
More information on the event and the library can found at hmcpl.org.
Continued from page 5A
out the pronunciation like a Shakespearian actor), only three inches deep, they tramped through nothing more than a mud puddle, there was no drowning of the Egyptians, no parting of massive walls of water; hence no miracle.” He explained Bible Story after Bible story in this manner, quoting what he called “Higher Criticisms,” in his estimation, there were no divine interventions.
After the service, Momma Walker made a beeline to where the professor was standing; she did not have to wait in line to talk to him. With an outstretched hand and a twinkle in her eyes, Grandmother exclaimed, “Thank you for enlightening me about Moses and the Red Sea!” The professor smiled, this was the first compliment he had received, and in
nearly $1.4 million, and the decision to contract the project out to a developer at that price rather than perform it in-house with the city’s engineering department.
Bernadette Mayer questioned the council’s prioritizing of projects and asked them to delay voting, “I’m not sure a decision needs to be made tonight. This is something very, very serious. With our city revenues growing from 59.9 million in 2017 and expenditures growing from 46.9 million in 2017, how is it a fraction of the money cannot be spent on a small way that has significant impact on residents’ quality of life, like I said, the sidewalk project for $40,700?”
Margi Daly echoed Mayer’s concerns, “A simple sidewalk, the council says, ‘We don’t have the money for it,’ but a developer, we jump on it and we do it for them.”
Another concerned citizen, Jocelyn Broer, asked about plans to accommodate the safety of students in the project, “Please let’s not be behind on safety. This area, the intersection of Hardiman and Madison Branch Boulevard, formerly known as Halsey Road, will now have an elementary school and a high school with high school drivers. We need safe crossings, sidewalk updates now, not in Phase 2, or Phase 3, or however many phases might be. We cannot afford to have any injuries to our children.”
On student safety in the area, Mayor Paul Finley commented, “We are going to need to make sure, as we look at this, that we try to get ahead of the game of which subdivisions could connect to this to walk on the back side and the front side, and typically, we do a good job of that working with our folks on the front end with both the schools and the city. So, that will be something we look at.”
Broeren responded to questions about debt and the choice to contract out the
fact, Momma Walker was the only one who shook his hand after the lecture. She continued, “I’ve read that story many, many times, and the way you explained it has really increased my faith!” By now, the professor was just beaming thinking he had finally broken through the parochial way of thinking of at least one country bumpkin. Then Grandma delivered her parting shot, “To think, my God could drown all those Egyptians…in just three inches of water.”
Bruce Walker chooses to see the humor in life’s events. In addition to writing a weekly column, He speaks regularly to a wide variety of groups. You may contact Bruce at bruce@brucestoryteller.com or visit his website www.BruceStoryteller.com
project, “We’re not suggesting the city take on more debt to support this project. It’s money that would be coming out of the existing general fund.” Broeren continued, “From an efficiency standpoint, having one set of contractors develop the roadway system makes the most sense. It makes it safer. It cuts down on truck traffic.”
After hearing the public’s input, the city council voted to approve the reimbursement agreement that will move the project forward.
The comments made on this resolution utilized the new public comment format for the first time. The format designates three different sections throughout the meeting for citizens to address the council. The first section allows only for comments related to items on the meeting’s agenda with the exception of Public Hearing items. Comments on Public Hearing items are relegated to the Public Hearing section. The third section is the closing one of the meeting and allows for any and all topics to be addressed. The new format was implemented with some confusion at first from the public, but will continue to be used on a trial basis in council meetings throughout May.
Citizens utilized the final section of public comments to voice their opinions on the city manager proposal. Accusations of outward bias on the issue were levelled at the mayor and council members, to which, Mayor Finley responded,
“However it works, the responsibility that we have, whether its staying here and doing what we were elected to do or helping this community transform into something that’s new and different, we’ll be ready to do it.”
The next city council meeting will take place on Monday, May 8 at 6 pm in the council chambers at city hall.
Come rain or shine, Charlie Weaver is always under the weather. As head groundskeeper at Toyota Field, he has seen cold, hot, wet and dry conditions, all of which can put him on high alert having to maintain the playing surface inside the stadium which is, among other things, home to the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Page 3B
The Payton siblings have been a powerful presence and a strong voice on the Jets softball and baseball teams. Here is a look at this dynamic duo. Page 4B
By CALEB ODOM caleb@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON - Every once in a while there is a moment in a game where a player does something truly memorable. Something that fans never forget. A swing that a ballplayer tells his kids about years later. A flash in time that makes an athlete legendary. The Bob Jones catcher Zach Johnson had one of those moments in the 10-2 victory over Chelsea on Saturday.
It was the bottom of the third inning in Game 3 during the first round of the playoffs and the Patriots had just tied it at 2-2 with Chelsea thanks to a 2-run single by shortstop Nate Mayfield.
Congratulations!
An alumna of James Clemens High School, Marissa J. Lacey of Madison received the “Outstanding Senior in Journalism and Communication Award” at Troy University. Page 8B
“I was looking for fastball all the way,” Mayfield said. “I didn’t quite get it and I was just trying to get a ball in play, and I saw the spin and got it over and was pumped.”
Bob Jones had been trailing 2-0 in this all-important final
game because of a solo home run by Chelsea’s Jackson Morgan in the top of the second.
An RBI single by Aiden Hughes in the same inning gave the Hornets an early lead by a deuce.
The pressure was on Bob Jones in this game because it was win or take it to the house.
The Hornets’ second baseman Morgan had been terrorizing the Patriots during this entire series with four home runs in three games. Chelsea was in control and Bob Jones needed to make something happen.
When Mayfield tied the game in the third with his clutch single, the Patriots had been waiting out the Chelsea pitcher Bryson Mormon with two walks.
It was still deadlocked at 2-2 with the bases loaded again when Zach Johnson stepped up to the plate. The Patriot catcher’s walkup song “Just the Two of Us” by
Bill Withers floated through the stadium as the crowd began to pick up on what had the potential to happen.
With the long hair flowing out of his helmet and the signature eye black crosses streaked on his face, Zach Johnson looked out upon field from the batter’s box.
It was up to him. This was his moment to change the game and to send his team into the second round.
“It was two strikes, I was just trying to fight,” Johnson said.
“He gave me a fastball outside and I just took it for a ride.”
Johnson crushed the ball to center, and no one was going to catch it.
The catcher’s grand slam changed the scoreboard to 7-2 Bob Jones and the Patriots were riding high just like that.
Pitcher Braden Booth started the game for Bob Jones and the seven-spot helped take the pressure off of the right hander who
See PATRIOTS Page 5B
MADISON – The Rocket City Trash Pandas are back at home to begin the month of May with a thrilling sixgame homestand featuring a couple giveaways, the second Education Day game of the season, Star Wars night, a pair of weekend fireworks spectaculars, and wrapping up with the debut of the Lunaticos de Rocket City.
The Trash Pandas are coming off a road-win in Chattanooga. They were effective in shutting down the Lookouts for a 6-1 victory in the finale of their six-game series on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Field.
On Saturday they split a double-header, earning a 13-6 victory in the day’s opener before the bullpen faltered late in the second game, suffering a 4-3 loss.
The Trash Pandas scored two other wins early in the series, and one other loss Rocket City clinched the series victory, taking four of six games from their North Division foes.
The six-game series from Tuesday, May 2 through Sunday, May 7 will see the Trash Pandas battle the Tennessee Smokies, Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, in a playoff rematch from 2022. The Smokies roster is currently headlined by outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Cubs’ top prospect and the number 30 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB.com.
Wednesday, May 3 – Gates
Open: All gates will open at 9:30 a.m. First pitch is scheduled for 11:05 a.m.
• Education Day: As part of Education Day, Wednesday’s game will begin at 11:05 a.m. with many local students scheduled to be in attendance for this one-of-a-kind field trip.
Thursday, May 4 – Gates
Open: All gates will open at 5:00 p.m. Trustmark VIP Gates open at 4:30 First pitch is at 6:35 p.m.
• Panda Wars Commemorative Cup Giveaway: 1,500 adults ages 18 and up will receive a unique blue Panda Wars Commemorative silicone drinking cup, presented by Huntsville Compounding Pharmacy.
• Star Wars Night: May the fourth be with you! Fans are encouraged to wear their best Star Wars costume for the game. Special Star Wars themed food and drink items will be on sale throughout the ballpark. Characters from the iconic movies will be making
MADISON - The James Clemens baseball team was eliminated from the playoffs with back to back losses to Spain Park on Friday in Hoover.
The Jets were in both of the contests, but came up short 6-5 in Game 1 and then 1-0 in Game 2.
James Clemens ace Luke Davenport pitched 3 2/3 innings in the first game where he allowed five runs on four hits with five strikeouts and six walks.
At the plate, senior shortstop Andrew Lawrence led the way with two hits and three RBIs while the senior catcher Colten Payton collected a hit, an RBI and a pair of walks.
Spain Park grabbed the 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but James Clemens stormed back in the top of the third to tie it.
The Jets broke the deadlock in the top of the fourth with two more runs to lead 4-2, but the Jaguars picked up a trio of runs in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead at 5-4.
In the top of the sixth, JC squared the game back up at 5-5, but Spain Park walked off in the bottom of the seventh inning against Jets reliever Mason Busch to take the first game.
“I’m proud of the fight my guys showed in the playoff games,” James Clemens head coach Johnny Johnson said.
“We never gave up or had a letdown in effort. It was tough to lose both those games in the last inning, but Spain Park played cleaner base-
ball than we did.”
Game 2: Spain Park 1, James Clemens 0
The second installment of the playoff series featured a pitcher’s duel between Jets hurler Andrew Lawrence and Jaguar pitcher Christopher Gross.
Lawrence went 6 1/3 innings where he allowed six hits and one run with six strikeouts in the loss.
Spain Park’s pitcher Gross tossed seven scoreless innings where he gave up five hits with seven strikeouts.
James Clemens turned to the bat of Francisco Ramirez, who finished his season with a 3 for 4 at the plate.
The game was scoreless until the top of the seventh when Spain Park pushed a run across for the eventual victory.
The playoff exit stings for a James Clemens team that showed so much promise this year, but their coach likes the heart his team showed and the direction the program is going for the returning players and the younger kids.
“I can’t be more proud of this group,” Johnson said.
“I love these guys. This senior class will be greatly missed, and their impact on this program and the kind of work ethic that is expected will leave a legacy. I hope those coming back and entering our program in the future learn from them and take pride in carrying on the tradition they have helped build. County Line Culture is alive and well, and the future is bright thanks to the standard these guys set.”
HUNTSVILLE - The No. 4 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team wrapped up the 2023 regular season with a pair of losses by scores of 8-3 and 9-2 on Saturday afternoon against Auburn Montgomery in Gulf South Conference action. UAH slides to 40-9 (25-4 GSC), while AUM improves to 32-15 (21-7 GSC).
The Chargers look ahead to the start of the 2023 Gulf South Conference Softball Championships at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama, as the No. 1 seed with a first-round matchup today at 6 p.m. against the eighth seed. More information regarding the 2023 GSC
Softball Championships.
AUM 8, UAH 3
A three-run bottom of the fifth cut the Chargers deficit to one run, but the Warhawks responded with a four-run rally in the sixth to win the first game of the day by an 8-3 final score.
Both Lawren Hayes and Kinley Adams led the UAH offense out of the top of the lineup as both connected on RBI base hits in the contest.
Maddie Cartron notched the Chargers lone extra-base hit of the game with a double in the fifth.
Megan Shurtz started on the mound for UAH, turning in 5.0 innings with five runs allowed and four strikeouts. Her record slides
to 11-4 in 2023.
AUM 9, UAH 2
The Chargers clung to a 2-1 lead after an RBI single in the fourth by Alexa Douthitt, until the Warhawks plated three runs in the sixth and five runs in the seventh inning on the way to the 7-2 win in the series finale.
Five different UAH players had one base hit in the contest, including Kinley Adams, Kaylee Vaught, Lila Young, Gracie Green and Douthitt.
Josie Thompson made her ninth start in the circle for the regular season finale, as she worked 6.0 innings with three earned runs allowed and four strikeouts. She slides to 5-2 this season.
MADISON - When Kendall Randolph was in the eighth grade, he told his father he wanted to be the best offensive lineman possible and had always been a fan of the Alabama football program.
Now, after six years at the Capstone with two national championship rings, three Southeastern Conference titles and a master’s degree to boot, the former Bob Jones All-State player is busy prepping for a possible shot at playing in the National Football League while helping younger players understand their place in football and to learn the values of living a good life through his Offensive Line Camp held at his alma mater.
“Hosting a camp definitely brings back memories for me attending camps,” said Randolph, who just completed his last season of play at Alabama. “Through middle school and high school football I always wanted to be the best version of myself on the field. Being able to pick knowledge from other guys who played at higher levels I think I benefitted early on. So, to be able to give back and give these kids information I benefited from it’s something I enjoy doing.”
A small group of local youngsters attended the camp held over two weekends by Randolph. He taught the basics of being an offensive lineman along with verbally speaking of being a student of the game and doing the correct things in life
as their development through football will cultivate their life as adults. Randolph spoke of his beginnings attending camps while playing football in Madison and indicated in his freshman year at Bob Jones he attended a University of Alabama Offensive Lineman Camp where he tried to showcase his skills before a bevy of coaches. Once there he said he attempted to impress the attending coaches he was good enough to compete against higher caliber players who were recruited to attend the camp.
“For me to do that at a young age kind of showed that I was good at and wanted to continue doing my best,” said Randolph.
Randolph’s older brother, Levi, played basketball at Alabama and the entire Randolph family were fans of the Crimson Tide in every aspect of athletics. Although he was recruited by several colleges while being an All-State offensive lineman for the Patriots, Randolph knew where he wanted to play college football and prep for the possibility of playing professionally. Playing both offensive line and occasionally tight end where he wore both No. 60 and No. 85, Randolph ended up playing for the Crimson Tide for six seasons where his teams won three SEC and two national titles and were close to adding more trophies to the case in the remaining seasons he was on the roster. He was among the recruiting class of 2017 that some experts
MADISON - Come rain or shine, Charlie Weaver is always under the weather. As head groundskeeper at Toyota Field, he has seen cold, hot, wet and dry conditions, all of which can put him on high alert having to maintain the playing surface inside the stadium which is, among other things, home to the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
The North Alabama native and former baseball player at both Bob Jones High School and UAH, is now on “cloud nine” after being named the 2022 Southern League and Minor League Baseball Groundskeeper of the Year.
“This is special as I was not at all expecting these honors,” said Weaver. “I’m blown away by the honors as there are several groundskeepers in the league I still look up to and I feel incredibly special.”
The 28-year old Weaver is in his third season as head groundskeeper and is currently supported with one fulltime employee and one intern, along with five additional staff members on game day. He’s expecting a second fulltime staff member at the end of May. It’s a daily routine he and his staff are under in maintaining the playing field, which is made up of TifTuf Bermuda grass, and is overseeded with perennial ryegrass. The Bermuda is drought tolerant and has exceptional green retention.
The turf is new for the 2023 season as after last year’s college football game between Jacksonville State and North Alabama, the old playing surface was replaced with the new turf of 96-thousand sq. ft. of grass at a cost of $45-thousand. The new playing surface was installed by River Regions Sports Field of Montgomery.
Maintaining a huge sports com-
plex like Toyota Field takes an enormous time, hard work and knowledge. For Weaver, his knowledge began as a small boy growing up in Madison watching his father take care of their lawn at their home.
From there, he watched to see how the playing fields were maintained while playing baseball at Palmer Park and later at Bob Jones and UAH. Many times, the players were helpers on the ground crew when he played so he soon became knowledgeable of the skills needed to properly maintain an athletic field.
He graduated from Bob Jones High in 2012 and in 2017 from UAH with a degree in cyber security, but his passion was growing and maintaining grass after he hung up his baseball glove and spikes as a player.
He first took an intern position in Wisconsin. From there he took a job in Franklin, Tenn. before returning to Alabama where he was the
By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com
NEW MARKET - The fish will be-a-bitin’ at Sharon Johnston Park in New Market on Saturday, May 6, for the 40th annual Madison County Commission
Fishing Rodeo. To assist in making the fish more plentiful, the Madison County Commission deleiverd a variety of fish to help stock the 12-acre lake for the annual event for youngsters ages 5-15 that is free.
The lake was stocked with catfish, brim, crappie and bass in preparation for the event which is scheduled for 8:30-11:30 a.m. with registration set for 7:30 a.m. Registration forms are available at www.madisoncountyal.gov. Commissioners Tom Brandon and Craig Hill oversaw the fish delivery.
Participants are asked to bring their own rod and reel or fishing pole. Bait will be provid-
ed, but participants are urged to bring their own should they want to do so. Prizes will be awarded in a variety of divisions setup by the event organizers. In addition, participants are urged to bring their latest report card as a prize will be awarded for the highest grade. Rules for the event will be posted at check-in. Each child is limited to one pole during the competition. The multi-faceted Sharon
By CALEB ODOM caleb@themadisonrecord.com
MADISON — It was Monday, April 24 and the James Clemens softball team was on the road at New Hope.
As the game began, the usual sounds of the ballpark could be heard. Things like the clank of a bat or the pop of a softball hitting a glove.
Through all of that there was a voice that could be heard. It was strong and confident. The voice of a girl for the Lady Jets softball team.
Words of encouragement mixed with chants to push the team. It was obvious that this girl was one of the vocal leaders of the team.
James Clemens freshman third baseman Farrah Payton brings the heart and soul.
“Vocal is a good way to describe Farrah,” Lady Jets head coach Bradley Kimbrough said.
“She’s always vocal. Sometimes too vocal, but she’s excited, she’s enthusiastic. She stays into it. Very much like her brother.”
Payton’s brother is the James Clemens senior catcher Colten Payton who is known for his bat
and his arm that is perpetually hunting for a baserunner to gun down.
“I haven’t been playing softball long, so I grew up watching him play,” Farrah said.
“I don’t really get to watch him that often. It’s really off the field that I get to spend a lot of time with him and build the same character as him.”
The Payton siblings have bonded by hitting together in the fall each day.
Colten has worked with Farrah to teach her the basic mechanics of hitting so that she can put her stamp on games when she steps up to the plate.
“As a softball player, she has a lot of power,” Colten said.
“She can hit the ball far. She can do what she wants to do.”
The Payton brother was working on his swing on Thursday, April 27 as the Jets practiced at S24 Labs in Madison.
Colten sat his batting helmet down and his freshly dyed blonde hair gleamed in the facility.
This was a ritual that the James Clemens baseball team all did ahead of the playoff run.
“I’m Eminem now,” Colten
said with a smile.
Farrah’s brother is also known for talking a good bit during games. There is an argument that they are mirror images of each other to a degree.
“It just like to watch her, because she is like a little me out there,” Colten said.
“When I see her playing it’s fun to watch her do what she does.”
Even on Monday when Kimbrough took Farrah out of the New Hope game relatively early, Payton was sitting in the dugout encouraging her team, willing them to come back.
“It’s always best to talk your teammates up because if I’m up to bat and I don’t hear anyone cheering me on, I feel like they don’t have any faith in me,” Farrah said.
“I’m just trying my best to keep my players up and all that.”
She sounds more like a coach than a wide-eyed freshman who is just trying to figure out high school life.
The thing about Farrah and Colten is that they get it.
They know what kind of energy needs to be brought into a
MADISON — It was do or die for the Bob Jones boys soccer team and the Patriots dug deep to take down James Clemens 2-1 last Wednesday to win the area crown.
Bob Jones was driven by the strong play of the senior Joe Jimenez who racked up a pair of goals to lift the Patriots who literally faced the end of the season with a loss.
This game was originally supposed to be played on April 21, but inclement weather forced the rivalry tilt to be moved to the middle of this week.
Almost, ironically, rain fell on the turf at Madison City Stadium as the two clubs battled with playoff implications hanging in the balance.
Things were not as dire for James Clemens who was in the playoffs win or lose but, the defeat gives the Jets a tougher matchup next week.
“We have got to get ready for Huntsville at Huntsville and they have the home field ad-
vantage,” James Clemens head coach Jared Keesee said.
“We are probably playing them on Tuesday at the same time that the girls are playing so they are going to have a huge crowd.”
Despite the rain on Wednesday, the fans turned out for the Patriots and the Jets, and it was in full throat for the high drama of this game.
The James Clemens baseball team even showed up to chastise the Bob Jones soccer players with the usual dugout insults from behind the benches.
This lasted until the referee had heard enough and had them banished to the other side of the field where they kept on badgering the boys in white and red from their new perch.
Both sides had their chances, but Bob Jones took the lead in the 13’ minute when the senior Joe Jimenez put the ball in the back of the net on a header.
“I saw it coming and I was thinking I have one shot at this,” Jimenez said.
“I kind of had to feel around and use my other senses to see
where the keeper was at.”
With the rain continuing to fall, the Jets worked to push the ball down the pitch, and they found playmaker Oleksiy Bolyard who was coming down on the left wing with some space to work with.
“I just saw an opportunity to run down the middle and I hit it into the up right,” Bolyard said.
The Bolyard shot cut through the air and was hooked by the keeper for a game-tying goal in the 38’ minute.
The action began to ramp up in the second half with the game knotted at 1-1.
With their season on the line, Jimenez found a way to get it done with a second goal in the 64’ minute.
“He’s went through some tough things personally,” Bob Jones head coach Michael Parker said of Jimenez.
“Had a death in the family that was really close, so that weighed on him a lot through the season. For him to be able to have this moment tonight was really huge for him as a senior.”
James Clemens tried to climb
back into the game with a late corner kick, but it just didn’t happen for the Jets.
The victory in this bitter rivalry between JC and Bob Jones is another for school on Hughes Road who has dominated most sports of late.
“I’m well-acquainted with some of the baseball kids and basketball,” Jimenez said.
“We all hold Bob Jones games
to a high standard, and I feel like us winning this game really cements us into history again.”
The win for Patriots means they get to face the number two team in the state Grissom, which was held last night. James Clemens faced Huntsville. Because of the Monday press deadline for The Record, the results from those games will be available at www.themadisonrecord.com.
an appearance at Toyota Field and will be available for photos.
• Star Wars Jersey
Auction: The Trash Pandas will be wearing specialty Star Wars Baby Yoda themed jerseys for Wednesday’s game. Fans can bid on game worn, autographed jerseys from the Trash Pandas throughout the game by texting ‘rctpstarwars’ to 76278 and by visiting rctpstarwars. givesmart.com.
By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com
HUNTSVILLE - The University of Alabama in Huntsville baseball team finished their regular season schedule with a doubleheader split against Gulf South Conference opponent Auburn Montgomery on Saturday.
The Chargers’ record now sits at 29-18 (20-10 GSC), while the Warhawks are now 19-31 (11-21 GSC) after Saturday’s games.
UAH will head to Oxford, Mississippi, this weekend as they represent the third seed in the GSC tournament.
AUM 5, UAH 4
AUM flipped the script on the Chargers in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader as they made a come-
Baseball
p.m.
• The Trash Pandas are pleased to welcome a pair of special guests to throw ceremonial first pitches on behalf of Toyota. Mamoru Mohri is the first Japanese astronaut who was part of an official Japanese space program and is a veteran of two NASA Space Shuttle missions. Mio Meada is currently the Consul General of Japan. Both will throw ceremonial first pitches before the game.
back in the late innings to squeak past UAH.
The Chargers took an early 3-0 lead in the first two innings, but the Warhawks chipped away over the next five innings, taking the lead in the seventh.
Jackson Lindsey led the way for the Chargers at the plate, going 1-for-3 with three RBI, including a two-RBI triple. Mitchell Rottier went 4-for-4 in the game with four singles.
Andre Orselli got the start on the mound for Senior Day and went seven innings with three strikeouts and three earned runs. Cory Hagood was given the loss after pitching 0.1 innings.
UAH 2, AUM 1
UAH won game two with a gem of a pitching performance from Landon Singley, who started the game and
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went the distance with six strikeouts over seven innings.
If the Johnson grand slam wasn’t enough, Mayfield essentially broke Chelsea in the bottom of the fourth inning with a 2-run home run to make the score 9-2.
The Patriots added another run in the sixth on Aidan Doyle’s RBI single that pushed the advantage to a definitive 10-2.
Bob Jones moves on to the second round of the playoffs where the Patriots play host to Thompson on Friday.
“I think we matchup good with them, I think they matchup good with us,” Bob Jones head coach Jared Smith said in between being showered with a cooler of ice water. “I think we are two very similar teams.”
The only real blemish in this game took place in the stands as some of the Chelsea parents began to lose their grip on reality as the contest got out of hand.
There were some unfortunate interactions where supporters of the Hornets yelled profanities and even approached some of the Bob Jones students making attempts to threaten them.
Game 1 on Friday: Bob Jones 5, Chelsea 2
The Patriots entered the playoffs with ace Sam Mitchell on the mound and the senior kept the Hornets mostly stifled in the first game of the series.
The right-hander went seven innings with 11 strikeouts, and he also broke three school records along the way.
Mitchell’s fourth strikeout that came in the second inning gave the senior 117 in his career at Bob Jones which surpassed the mark set by Patriot great Chris Dennis back in 2001.
“My goal on the mound is to just go out there and give my team the best shot to win,” Mitchell said. “The records come, but you have just got to come out there and compete every at-bat. Every inning is a battle between you and the hitter, and I try not to lose.”
Mitchell’s 10th win this season moved him past Scotty Moss’ 1989 record. This victory gave Sam 22
went 5.1 innings and allowed just three hits and one walk with zero earned runs. Singley improved to 3-1 on the year with the win.
At the plate, Garrett Bodine was the only Charger to record multiple hits in the game, as the third leading hitter in UAH history went 2-for-3 with a home run.
Bodine scored his 194th career run with the homer, moving him within two runs of the all-time scoring record in Chargers history.
Trey Wright came on in relief for Singley in the sixth inning and recorded two outs before Will Hotalen was given a save opportunity in the final inning.
Hotalen recorded his ninth save of the season in the seventh, which moves him into a three-way tie for saves in a single season in UAH history.
The jersey auction will begin at 4 p.m. and conclude at the end of the seventh inning. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Rocket City Trash Pandas Foundation and the Miracle League of Madison. Additionally, a team-signed jersey will be available in a raffle for fans in attendance on May 4.
Friday, May 5 – Gates
Open: All gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Trustmark VIP Gates open at 5 p.m. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m.
• Friday Night Fireworks: Following the game, a stunning fireworks show will light up the sky above Toyota Field, presented by the United States Army.
Saturday, May 6 –Gates Open: All gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Trustmark VIP Gates open at 5 p.m. First pitch is at 6:35
Randolph
• Saturday Night Fireworks: After the game, a fireworks show will amaze fans of all ages, presented by Bill Penney Toyota.
Sunday, May 7 – Gates
Open: All gates will open at 1:30 p.m. Trustmark VIP Gates open at 1 p.m. First pitch is at 2:35 p.m.
• Lunaticos de Rocket City Debut: Sunday’s game will be the first time the Lunaticos de Rocket City take the field. The Trash Pandas will be playing as the Lunaticos de Rocket City for three games during the 2023 season as part of Minor League Baseball’s “Copa de la Diversión” or “Fun Cup.” The Lunaticos moniker pays tribute to North Alabama’s growing and diverse community, allowing everyone to show off their wild side at Toyota Field. For more, go to www. trashpandasbaseball.com.
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claim could be the best of all-time and included eight players who would be first-round selections in the NFL Draft, including Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith. Randolph was the last remaining player from that remarkable recruiting class, which included Najee Harris, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and Jerry Jeudy.
“I enjoyed it so much I’m not sure I wanted it to see it end,” added Randolph, who played in 53 career games. “To be a part of that class means a lot. It was a dream come true to play on a dynasty like that, but I feel I still have some unfinished business that I feel I need to take care of.
I want to solidify myself and show others I’m supposed to be where I am.”
sive player currently in the league. Coaches have noted he has great footwork and superior hands to play the offensive line, plus he has the maturity and football intelligence to make a grand all-around player.
“I’m excited for the next step and have been training all my life for these moments,” added Randolph. “I train six days a week to be in the best possible shape so when the times comes, I’ll be prepared. I want to be an asset to a team.”
in his dominant high school career which also broke Brett Nix’s 1991 mark.
Chelsea struck first in this game with a solo home run by Jackson Morgan in the top of the second inning.
Bob Jones promptly answered with a pair of runs on back-to-back sacrifice flies by Jacob Pearl and Zach Johnson to take the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second.
The Hornets scratched another run across in the top of the fifth to square the game at 2-2.
The Patriots got something cooking in the bottom of the fifth inning when Mikel Booth led off the inning with a single.
Mikel’s brother Braden was up next and the Bob Jones third baseman who has come through time after time for the Patriots, was clutch again as the junior took a healthy cut and launched a ball over the fence in center.
“That was actually my first time being on base when somebody hit a bomb,” Mikel Booth said. “It was pretty special.”
Braden Booth’s 2-run home run handed Bob Jones the 4-2 edge and it would stick as Mitchell took them the rest of the way with his consistency on the mound.
Mikel Booth gave the Patriots an-
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game and into an at bat.
“Colten and I, we sit around, and we preach as good as you are on the field, you have to be just as good in the locker room and in the dugout and all of that stuff,” Farrah said.
This moment in time is fleeting for the siblings as Colten is about to
graduate and move on to play college baseball at Wallace State. Colten and Farrah are both leaders and talkers and as time runs out for them to play for James Clemens at the same time, it is obvious that siblings have made each other better players.
other insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Chelsea was unable to mount a late comeback.
Game 2 on Friday: Chelsea 5, Bob Jones 3
The second game was a different story as Chelsea used the long ball to hold off the Patriots who saw their seventh-inning rally come just a few feet short.
The Hornets turned to pitcher Logan Moller who kept Bob Jones mostly off balance while Ben Arn stepped in to pitch for the Patriots.
Arn went all seven innings where he fanned 10 Chelsea batters, but the lefty was pitching out of trouble the majority of the game.
Jackson Morgan hit two home runs off Arn while the Bob Jones bats struggled to put together a big offensive inning.
Down 5-2 going into the top of the seventh, Bob Jones was looking to do some damage.
Back-to-back leadoff singles almost cost Chelsea dearly, but the Patriots were only able to score one run before the Hornets cut them down to take the second game.
The final hope for Bob Jones was centerfielder Sammy Vander Hill who launched a ball deep to center with two men on base, but it found the glove of the Chelsea centerfielder Chris McNeill at the wall.
“He is like my best friend honestly,” Farrah said.
“So, it’s really sad to know that he is going away, but I know that Wallace State is going to do him really good. I know he is going to do great things and move on to be a great baseball player.”
The recent NFL Draft was full of Alabama players chosen for what they hope will be a successful and lasting career in the professional ranks. Randolph signed as undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. At 6-foot-4, 300-pounds, he has the size to tangle with any defen-
Randolph has a degree in communication and a master’s in sports management and would love to coach college and professional football when his playing time comes to an end. He tells any young person who is willing to hear his message that an education is more important than athletics.
“My dad always instilled in me that you can stand on a book longer than you can on a ball,” said Randolph. “I’ve always used that motto to push me through college and reach my goal and dreams.”
assistant groundskeeper at the Hoover Met in Birmingham. When the new position at Toyota Field became available, he submitted his resume and was soon on his way to what he called his “dream job.”
“I used to stay up at night and worry about the playing field during all kinds of weather and I would wake up early in the morning to check my weather aps to see what had happened overnight and the forecast for the upcoming day,” added Weaver.
The recent unstable weather here in the Tennessee Valley has been a chore for Weaver and his staff. He said, “The recent weather has not been ideal grass growing conditions as it’s been cool and Bermuda grass needs that warmth to grow and mature. Due to the cool weather, the perennial rye is still prominent.”
When fans first walk into Toyota Field the first site among their view is the playing field and Weaver takes pride in the fact he mows the majority
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of the grass on a regular basis as he indicated mowing is a time for him to relax and remove himself from the often rigors of life. He and his assistant have a routine down pat where they discuss what possible pattern they would like to mow into the manicured turf.
Weaver and his wife, Jacquelin, will celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary in August. He gives her credit for the huge support she has shown him in his career in athletic fields. Weaver also offers his appreciation to Colby Hunter, who was his assistant last year at Toyota Field, for being a big part of Weaver’s success in the winning of his awards. Weaver also expressed his gratitude to the entire staff of the Trash Pandas for being supportive and very helpful.
“Me and Mother Nature have a special relationship dealing with the weather,” said Weaver, of battling the conditions on his way to his two prestigious awards. “Unfortunately, Mother Nature is undefeated.”
On May 6, 2023, King Charles III will officially be crowned the King of England. Kings and Queens, also known as monarchs, are crowned in an official ceremony called a coronation. The last coronation was held 70 years ago on June 2, 1953, when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was crowned Queen. This means that King Charles, then known as Prince Charles, was heir to the throne for 70 years! The heir to the throne is generally the eldest child of a reigning monarch who will accede to the throne upon the death of their parent. An heir may also become King or Queen if a monarch decides to abdicate the throne. To abdicate means to give up one’s status willingly and allow the next in the line of succession to take over. There have been many famous British Monarchs over the centuries and many famous ruling families which included the Tudors, the Stuarts, the Hanoverians, and the Windsors. Queen Elizabeth II of the House of Windsor is well-known for having the longest reign in history. Her uncle, King Edward VIII, made history in 1936 when he abdicated the throne in less than a year to be free to marry whom he wanted. Queen Victoria, of the House of Hanover, who was King Charles’ Great Great Great Grandmother, was one of the most popular monarchs in history and for whom the Victorian Age is named after. Elizabeth I, a Tudor monarch like her father who ruled in the 1500’s, was famous for never marrying nor having children; she vowed that she was “married to England.” Her father is the most famous monarch in history, King Henry the VIII. He is well-remembered for breaking from the Catholic Church and establishing the Church of England and for having six wives—two of whom he had beheaded. Over time, British monarchs began to rule less and less; today they still hold many important roles, but they no longer make laws or rule over the Kingdom.
A Royal Cypher is a monogram that represents the monarch. The cypher shown above is for King Charles III, the current monarch of Britain. The C and the III stand for Charles III while the R stands for Royal. On a separate sheet of paper, design what you would like your Royal Cypher to be if you were the reigning monarch.
Abdicate, Britian, Charles, Church, Coronation, Crown, Elizabeth I, Elizabeth II, Heir, Henry, History, King, Kingdom, Laws, Monarch, Queen, Reign, Royal, Throne, Victoria
Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the Sovereign (The King or Queen) since 1837 when Queen Victoria made it her official home and place to conduct all Royal business.
By DAWN REED
By BECKY MILLER God’s Lemonade Stand
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation, and my God.
(Psalm 42:1)
So, you are a Christian?
Good. If you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Ponder that.
Often a person can become lethargic in the winter months and even after the shelter-in-place order, I heard of several who never returned to church and worship services.
Time to get excited again about Jesus and all things of the Lord. Don’t be so focused on the
world’s problems or the culture that you lose the desire to fellowship each week with other believers. Maybe you never really had a church home. Now may be just the time to find one. Do spring renovation and cleaning and let it be done in your heart as well.
PRAYER: Lord I know of people who are lost, alone, hurting, or have been misled by someone, and therefore finding a Bible-believing church is no longer a priority. Bring people across their paths Lord to share Jesus with them and help reignite spiritually lethargic people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Lemonade Stand is written by former Madison resident Becky Miller. Her daily devotions appear on Facebook or at godslemonadestand.blogspot.com.
My beloved texted me while I was at work that he loved me and I had a surprise waiting at home. I smiled as I made the drive to Big Branch wondering what it would be.
When I walked in the door, he called out, “Close your eyes!” Taking my hand, he led me into the kitchen. “Now open them,” he announced. I was speechless. There on the counter was the china I had given away 19 ½ years ago.
In 2003, when my beloved was called to be the pastor of Fitzpatrick Baptist Church in Prestonsburg, we got lean-in material possessions. I was being practical. I was being wise. You really only need so much, I reasoned. Why pack it up and put it in an attic or storage shed?
After discussing it with my beloved, I gave away the china he had given me several years before. We had been poor back then, with no money for china; I don’t even know how he had afforded it. Yet, hanging on to fancy dishes seemed frivolous. We had only used it a few times. Probably wouldn’t need it in our new mission field. I smiled as I gave it away to friends. They collected china, after all.
Oh, how I grieved over those dishes. Periodically, I wondered where they were. I missed them. I counseled myself that it was only china and I was fine; I would still have a
great life without them.
Time passed. I began to collect mismatched china plates from antique shops. They were all mixed up-kind of like me.
Until today. There sat the treasured china my other half had somehow purchased decades ago. He had received a message from our old friend. She, too, had moved and was going through boxes. When she found the dishes, she wondered if we wanted them back. He said, “Yes!”
I was overwhelmed. I hugged my beloved and couldn’t help crying a little. Gingerly, I touched the plates. My china had come back home to me and my heart was overwhelmed with joy.
In Luke 15, Jesus told a beautiful parable of the Prodigal Son. When he returned to his father, the father was also overwhelmed with joy.
The lost son hit rock bottom, had an “Aha!” moment, and realized he needed to return home.
His father was waiting and watching. When he saw his son still a long way off, he was filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then the celebrating began. What a wonderful story!
Life is chaotic and often hard. The troubles of the world can squeeze in between us and our heavenly Father. We love Him, we really do, but we are just busy. We haven’t talked to Him or been to His house. We’ve been offended or feel guilty because we have been away so long… If that
sounds like you, it’s time to return to your heavenly Father. This is your “Aha!” moment. Stop overthinking it. He loves you. He has been waiting for your return. You will be so glad you did!
I am still melty over my china. And in the future, wherever we go, we’re taking it with us.
concerned with placing too much power into the hands of the city council. Even though there will still be a mayor, in reality, he will be an “at-large” council member, they argue. They say eliminating the leadership of a strong mayor would reduce the ability to allow a system of checks and balances to work in such a way that keeps either the city council or the mayor’s office from exercising an overabundance of power. At the end of the day, they really have no choice but to try and work together. After all, the city council ultimately has the last say in approving the budget for the city. If the mayor wants to take the city in a direction that is at odds with the city council, he still has to work with them to fund it.
A city manager may be what Madison needs to manage the complex infrastructure problems as the city continues to grow….and grow it has. Madison increased from 42,938 in 2010 to 60,342 today. With this increase, Madison has moved past Decatur to become the second-largest city in north Alabama and the ninth-largest in the state.
However, the city has managed fairly well under the current system. We have been extremely fortunate to have the city leaders in place we do right now. Madison has likely dodged many bullets just by having elected leaders who have the desire to work together and work with the other local governments to push this area forward. It has paid off, regardless of what problems still exist (it will never be perfect). And why do we have that?
Because we have voters who elect strong leaders. They study the issues and debate what they think is best for the city. They listen to the proposals, like when the school system asked for a historic tax increase, and they competently know how to decipher between a real need and
rhetoric. The decision of what kind of city government structure Madison will have to manage the growth in the future will rest upon their shoulders. When it is all said and done, it will not be a committee that changes the city government. It will not be the city council or the mayor. It will be you, the voter.
I encourage voters to do their research. Listen to both sides of this argument. In many ways, both have really good points to make. But also spend some time doing some independent research. See how it has either worked or failed for other cities. Predicting the future is not always accurate. Knowing what is best is not so easy all the time.
On May 9, the voters of Madison will have the ultimate say in deciding the city’s future. Be sure to exercise your right and vote. If you do not know where your polling location is, there is a page for that too at www.madisonal.gov.
Debate
I Vote Madison will host an event tonight, May 3, that is worth checking out. A debate is scheduled from 5:30- 7 p.m. at the Madison Public Library. Citizens may show up at any time during that time period. They will record the debate for those who are unable to attend.
Four speakers well versed on the issue, two pro/two con, will open the debate and each have four minutes to speak. Two questions will be taken from attendees and the speakers will have one minute to respond to each question.
Additional speakers will have three minutes, and the debate chair will alternate requests to speak between pro and con viewpoints. Priority will be given to individuals who register before the debate. It will be available online too. For more, go to ivotemadison.com.
MADISON - Marissa J. Lacey of Madison has earned the “Outstanding Senior in Journalism and Communication Award” at Troy University.
Lacey was among the students recognized for achievements in academics, leadership and service during Troy’s annual Honors Convocation on April 17. Troy alumnus and Board of Trustee member Forrest Latta served as keynote speaker.
“I was incredibly honored to learn that I had won this award. I felt as though all the hard work that I put in had paid off,” Lacey said. She is an alumna of James Clemens High School.
Lacey had no doubt about her college major. “I knew right off the bat that I wanted to major in broadcast journalism,” she said. “It was an international school so I felt like I would learn a lot about culture and how to communicate within a diverse setting so I saw the university as the perfect opportunity for me.”
“I had been working at the radio station for four years now and seeing that the professors unanimously voted for me to get this award due to my hard work in the classroom and outside the classroom made me feel like I was in the right direction,” Lacey said.
“I really love talking, and I really enjoy
spreading information,” Lacey said about her field.
In other pursuits, Lacey participated in the U.S. Air Force ROTC program for two years. “My original goal was to commission after graduation through the program, but plans changed,” she said.
She accumulated a multitude of awards through Air Force ROTC, mainly focusing in honors, leadership and knowledge. In broadcasting, Lacey received the Southeastern Journalism Conference or SEJC award for “Best Radio Host” for 2021 and 2023.
In addition to her studies, Lacey has been working for Troy Public Radio. “One specific success that I’ll never forget was the first time I heard myself on the radio,” Lacey said. “I do love to talk, but I also feel that I’m annoying. So, being able to hear myself was interesting.”
“Starting after graduation, I will be working at WHNT 19 News as a producer. Although I specialize in radio, producing for television station is another thing that I get to learn about, and I’m extremely excited to broaden my experiences in journalism,” Lacey said.
“I really enjoy making music: writing, producing, singing, all of it,” Lacey said. “I don’t have much free time, but, when I do, it’s usually music related or TV related. I’m a huge movie nerd.” Marissa’s parents are Mark and Dr. Melissa Lacey.