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March 9, 2009

Colony council members not paid

By Tiffany Green

Colony council member Patrick Ward said he and his fellow council members have yet to be paid for their services since taking office in November.

“I want to know how the pay is processed and when we will receive the pay,” Ward said. “When will that be set up for us?”

Mayor Morris Fitts said all council members receive $10 per meeting and are paid quarterly.

“As you know, we are in deep finance trouble,” Fitts said. “The money is not there right now. I’m asking the council to not look at pay until we look at the other problems we got.”

Ward said he is not in the position for money, but was just bringing up the issue to the council.

“I’m not in it for the money,” he said.

Ward questioned Fitts about the town’s budget.

“Do you see our finances getting any better in the next couple months?” he asked.

“No,” Fitts said. “We have some outstanding loans that need to be taken care of first.”

Fitts blamed the former administration for getting the town into financial trouble.

“The former administration left us in some debt,” he said. “There are a lot of loans that need to be paid.”

Fitts told Ward the town finances are public record and he is welcome to view them anytime.

“It’s open to the public. Anytime you want to stop and look at the records you can,” Fitts said.

Fitts said the former administration set the pay at the $10 per meeting and they will look at it further in the future.



Daycare issues

Alicestine Ivory, director of Krayola Kids Daycare, gave her report to the council. She was worried the daycare workers will not get the raise which was passed at the last council meeting.

“You have to maintain enough money in the budget for the daycare,” Ivory said. “If you can’t raise the daycare workers 70 cents, how can you afford to raise it in June?”She said she had talked with someone at the state level who will be coming to check on the situation soon.

“The state will look at this when they come back,” she said. “We will be put on probation.”

Ivory also stated to the council the items requested at the last meeting have not yet been received.

At the last meeting she told the council the children can no longer get Alabama Public Television. She said the need a convertor box or need to purchase a satellite service.

Ivory is worried about the state of the town and the daycare and voiced her concerns.“You’re running a town, and you can’t even decide what places you are,” she said. “I don’t want to get into trouble because of the negligence of the council.”

Ivory said even though Krayola Kids Daycare is supported by the state, it is also helped by the town.

“This is a state and local run daycare,” she said. “If you cannot pay the council members, how can we keep the daycare open?”

Ivory felt as though she was being disrespected by the mayor because he questioned the daycare’s expense account.

“I respect everyone around the table, so don’t think you are going to disrespect me,” she said.

She said mayor Fitts visited the daycare and said her expense reports were inaccurate.

“Don’t tell me I’m misleading,” she said. “Don’t come tell me I’m a lie. I’m not having that from anybody.”

The mayor would not comment on the matter and said he would discuss it later.

The council also:

‰ Passed Resolution 03-09, making Donnis Leeth mayor pro tem, who will serve as mayor in the absence of Fitts.

‰ Rep. James Fields informed the council and residents on what is happening in Montgomery. He discussed Bill 92, which is the redispersal of money given to the Cullman County Commission from the TVA tax.

‰ Received a letter from the Hanceville/Colony Lions Club asking to continue use of the community center the fourth Monday of each month.

‰ Decided no church group should be charged for use of the community center.

“Any church or community group should be able to have something there for free,” Fitts said. “They should be able to have a fellowship with no charge.” The motion was approved unanimously.

They tabled further discussion as to whether organizations will be charged for the use of the facility.



‰ Tiffany Green can be reached by e-mail at tgreen@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 221.

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