Gordon Raises Water Rates - PART ONE

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
[email protected]
334-790-1729
Date: Sep 12 2019 8:26 PM

GORDON:   On Monday the Gordon Town Council met. The meeting start time was 5 PM CST. The room was full of "voting residents", the council members not resigned yet, a lawyer ( I think ) who possibly bills by the hour, the City Clerk, and Police Chief.

In Gordon there is added time zone. That is called "Shana Ray time". The Gordon Mayor Shana Ray is reported to be late every meeting. I know for a fact this meeting she did not make her grand entrance into the building until 5:17 PM.

Upon the entrance to the meeting Mayor Shana Ray gave the City Clerk "the finger" directing her to come into the office. A short few minutes later Mayor Ray entered into the meeting. ( Attorney - I did not say which finger. )

Mayor Ray never ever - ever- apologized the the fellow council members or citizens in the audience for being late. On video her grand entrance is for your viewing pleasure.

The Mayor went into Executive Session. As the Mayor and Council Members, not Saffold, started into Executive Session Rickey Stokes asked the reason, asking doesn't council have to state the reason for the Executive Session. At first Shana Ray did not want to say but then muttered pay. Shortly Councilman Dekle returned and did not stay in the Executive Session. Shana Ray had the City Attorney, Cliff Jarrett, come into the Executive Session.

When Mayor Shana Ray, one Councilman, the City Attorney and City Clerk returned Shana Ray changed the reason. It was Good Name and Character.

Shana Ray was informed, while I am described by some as an idiot even bad lawyers realize I am not stupid!

Then to the main focus of the meeting. ADEM loaned the City of Gordon some                $ 380,000.00. Over the past two years the one annual payment has not been made. If the Town of Gordon, who has 128 water and sewer customers do not get a rate increase where the Town of Gordon can make their payment then ADEM will take over the water and sewage.

As you will see the Mayor and Council held a laughable "public and open discussion" concerning the rate they would decide on. In the end, the old rate was $ 50.58 per month water and sewage combined, and $ 4.50 per 1,000 gallons over the 1,000 that comes with the minimum.

The new rate passed by the Gordon Town Council, at the direction of ADEM, is $ 63.00 flat rate for the first 1,000 gallons  and $ 9.75 per 1,000 gallons over the first 1,000 gallons.

If you have a septic tank it gets worse. Before the rate increase it was $ 36.00 flat rate. The new rate is $ 67.50 if you have your own septic tank.

One lady is required to pay the rates when the Town of Gordon can not connect her to sewer. The engineers said they could not connect to her house but Shana Ray said the elderly lady was required to pay even though the town could not connect sewer. The lady asked to be connected and Shana Ray said the Town could not but if she did not pay her water would be disconnected.

Last year the Town of Gordon was hit hard with Hurricane Michael. Now hit hard with water rate increases.

Since 2016 money has gone missing that was set aside to pay ADEM. Stay tuned.

This was one of several items in the meeting. Have like a buffet of items to present.

This is Part One...Part Two is tomorrow.

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