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Vincent citizens question actions of mayor, council
Published Thursday, May 7, 2009
Some residents in Vincent are voicing concerns about a company that is buying up land with the apparent hopes of developing a lime quarry there.
They are also concerned that their mayor, Ray McAllister, and members of the Town Council have been a part of unpublicized meetings with representatives of the mining company.
Those citizens have formed a committee and will meet to discuss the issue on Thursday, May 14, at 6 p.m. at the Evangel Temple Deliverance Church on Highway 62.
“There might be 20 or 30 people there, and there might be 100,” said Charles Cantrell, who is one of the committee organizers.
He is up in arms about the prospects of a quarry in Vincent, as well as what he calls the “corrupt” actions of Vincent elected officials.
Cantrell, who lives at 4740 Highway 62 in what he claims is the area where the quarry is proposed, said he and a number of other community residents are frustrated by the lack of information available about the plans for the quarry.
He said he has tried repeatedly to get information from McAllister and members of the Town Council, but to no avail.
“All the mayor can say is, ‘I don’t know anything,’ but he obviously does because he’s been meeting with these people. He admitted to me that he has been meeting with them, but said he doesn’t know any details. The mayor hasn’t done anything but be evasive,” Cantrell said.
McAllister has refused to return repeated phone messages left for him in an attempt to get his comments.
Vincent Town Attorney, Corey Moore, confirmed for the Shelby County Reporter on Wednesday that the Vecellio Group of West Palm Beach, Fla., has purchased more than 1,000 acres in Vincent over the last several years. Moore also confirmed that McAllister, members of the Town Council and members of Vincent’s zoning board met individually or in small groups with lawyers representing Vecellio.
Those meetings all took place on the same day, March 31.
Cantrell questioned why the meetings between company representatives, council and zoning board members were held anywhere other than in an open meeting.
“I think that’s corruption in government,” Cantrell said. “They say this is the way business is always done in Alabama. I don’t think it’s right, and I don’t think it’s fair. We elected the mayor and council members to represent us, and for them to go behind our backs and hold secret meetings is corruption. What are they trying to hide from us?”
Alabama’s open meeting laws require that municipal bodies give notice to the public before meeting, even when the body will simply deliberate matters it expects to come before the body at a later date and time. A town council is considered to be in a meeting when it has a quorum, or a simple majority of its voting members present.
Dennis Bailey, an attorney who represents the Alabama Press Association and its members, said the issue of serial meetings, like these, has not yet been litigated in Alabama courts.
A serial meeting is one in which a government body holds a series of meetings with small groups of the governing body, rather than as a whole, to discuss a public issue in private with the intent of avoiding a quorum.
He said courts in other states have decided that serial meetings are, indeed, in violation of those states’ open meetings laws.
“The position of the Alabama Press Association is that these serial meetings are in violation of the Alabama’s open meetings act and with the appropriate case we intend to litigate,” Bailey said.
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Comments
Posted by momoftwoboys (anonymous) on May 8, 2009 at 6:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't go to sleep at the wheel. This is the same thing that happened in Calera and before the citizens knew what was happening, the mayor and council sold themselves out for a 7 million dollar sports complex. A sports complex that we still haven't seen and of course we keep hearing excuses of why we haven't seen it. Excuses of why it it's a good idea to put a quarry across the road from a brand new 26 million dollar High School where our children will have to attend
everyday and breath the lovely air from the operations and mining of this quarry. (Of Course there will not be any blasting.) It wouldn't be a bad idea to look in the pockets of some of these elected officials and find out how much money was promised to them and whether or not they actually received their money. I think we all might be shocked.
Posted by SweetMaryLou22 (anonymous) on May 8, 2009 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The issue of whether the quarry is good or bad for the Vincent economy is not the biggest issue at hand here (although I do understand the enviromental and health concerns involved.) The biggest issue is the lack of truth from our elected officials. While I am very aware that the Alabama law does not ban serial meetings, I would have hoped that the city council of Vincent would have acted in a more respectable manner and been truthful about these events. If my representative or mayor would just say to us, "Yes, we met with them secretely to discuss the issue. No, we can't divulge what's going on at this time. Yes, we did this so we could have private discussion with the company before making this public." All I am wanting is honesty from the council.
I think any citizen of Vincent would tell you that we've seen this coming for over a year.
That being said, I would like to thank the Shelby County Reporter for staying on this issue and attempting to give the citizens of Vincent the information our council has neglected to tell us.
Posted by raising2 (anonymous) on May 8, 2009 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am not sure which council members you are referring to in your comments but I do know that if you live in district 4 and contacted the elected offical for your area you were not lied to. This council member has been up front with everyone who has called regarding this matter. I can promise you that if you were to approach council member 4 about this matter they will stand by what they believe in and that is to let the citizens of Vincent know what is going on in the town. I wish I could say the same for the other council members and the mayor. It is a shame the way they have all decided to handle this.
Posted by SweetMaryLou22 (anonymous) on May 8, 2009 at 1:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I do know who the District 4 person is, and I will give him credit for being honest with his constituents when asked. He is actually the only one who has been talking and speaking the truth.
Posted by vincentparent (anonymous) on May 8, 2009 at 1:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Raising2,
So if i'm reading you right only if council member 4 was contacted would they tell what they know.
Shelby County Reporter contact member 4 please.
Posted by raising2 (anonymous) on May 8, 2009 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Vincentparent,
From what I hear everyone who is interested in what is going on will need to read the Birmingham news. They are doing and article thanks to your representative from district 4. It should have more details.
Posted by economybooster (anonymous) on May 10, 2009 at 8:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Get facts! Don't spread rumors!
Posted by raising2 (anonymous) on May 10, 2009 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
economy booster,
Our mayor lied to us. It is on record at the last city council meeting. These are the facts and not rumors. PLEASE go to the city hall and pull the minutes so you can find out for yourself what kind of man you are backing. He has lost the trust of the citizens. Who wants a mayor that just out right lies and keeps secrets? I sure don't!!!
Posted by economybooster (anonymous) on May 11, 2009 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
slow your roll. don't make quick judgements off of emotions.
Posted by Shelbycitizen (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why is it that a mayor and city council are critisized for talking with a company who wants to invest in Vincent and bring good paying jobs? Maybe you would rather have a mayor who simply says "I don't care" and will not even consider any opportunities for the town? We can't pave our streets in Vincent because of decreasing revenue and people aren't interested in even listening before they pass judgment? Mayor McAllister is clearly an honorable man and it is his job to pursue opportunities for Vincent. This seems to me to be a few people who are simply trying to discredit a project before they know any facts.
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