12:34PM Houston County Mayor’s Meet Because Of Unhappiness With Chairman Brandon Shoupe and Current Four Commissioners

Rickey Lynn Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Sep 20 2024 12:37 PM

HOUSTON COUNTY:      On Thursday eveing Mayors and Police Chief’s from across Houston County, except Dothan, came together together last evening to discuss their displeasure with the sitting Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe and sitting Houston County Commissioners D1 Curtis Harvey, D2 Tracy Adams, D3 Ricky Herring and D4 James Ivey.

Originally the Mayors and Police Chief’s were going to meet when they received notice of an emergency meeting with Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza concerning dispatch. RSN broke the story the meeting was where Houston County was going to begin charging $ 25,000 to each municipality for dispatch services. After RSN broke the story Houston County Chairman Brandon Shoupe called NEWSTALK AM 1450 and said the RSN article which referred to that being the idea of Shoupe was wrong. Shoupe, live on air and recorded said RSN was wrong, that was not his idea but the idea of Sheriff Valenza.

Valenza was out of town and when he returned he personally called the Mayors and Police Chief’s cancelling the meeting and stating that was not his idea but the idea of Chairman Brandon Shoupe’s. RSN determined Chairman Brandon Shoupe lied.

The Mayor’s are upset that Houston County Chairman and Commission do nothing for the muncipalities or school system without charging them. The prior Houston County Chairman Mark Culver and Commission did not charge the school system and worked "with" the municipalities. The current Chairman, Brandon Shoupe and Commission does not work "with" the municipalities or school system but rather financially rape them on prices and seem to work against them.

The lodging tax proposal presented by the Chairman and Commission was discussed. Overwhelmingly the Mayors voice opposition to the lodging tax proposal. The Mayors said the tax, once passed by the registered voters, was a forever ongoing tax and no long term proposal was presented. The Mayor’s feel the Chairman and Commission are dangling a carrot that will be jerked away.

The propsed changes to the appointment to the Southeast Health Board of Directors was discussed. The discussion centered around Southeast Health, the largest employer in Houston County, where the current Houston County Chairman and Commissioner’s got the local legislative delegation to pass a change for the registered voter’s to vote on in November. The overwhelming sentiment was this needed to be voted down.

The Mayor’s have decided to meet together, regularly. They discussed that each Mayor and Council, individually, were not being heard by the current Chairman and Commission. But maybe as a group they could get them to listen.

Houston County School Superintendent and Board submitted a proposal to the Houston County Chairman and Commission for help in a project. They received a proposal from Houston County for $ 150,000.00. Houston County School Supt. Brandy White and the Board decided to place the item out for bid. A private contractor bid $ 100,000.00.

All in all, the Mayor’s and Police Chief are happy with Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza and realize the $ 25,000.00 fee for dispatch was not the idea of the Sheriff.

But all in all, the Mayor’s and Police Chief’s expressed great dissatisfaction, unhappiness, lack of trust for Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe, second D3 Commissioner/Sheriff Sgt. Ricky Herring, D2 Commissioner Tracy Adams, D4 Commissioner/Sheriff Captain James Ivey. None of the Mayors ever see or hear from D1 Commissioner/Doctor Pastor Curtis Harvey - the longest serving Houston County Commissioner.

The Mayor’s will meet in October.

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