Why The Men Were Walking The Sidewalk and Why Houston County Purchased The Six Story Building

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Oct 13 2020 5:30 PM

HOUSTON COUNTY:    This morning when you passed the Houston County Administrative Building you saw some men walking the front sidewalk with signs.

RSN conducted a interview with Mr. George Trotter, age 73, of Rehobeth. A resident of Houston County Commission District 3, and his elected Houston County Commissioner is Ricky Herring.

Herring is also a Houston County Deputy Sheriff. 

Trotter said Ricky Herring, when he was a candidate for Houston County Commissioner, had time to meet him for coffee. Of course Herring needed Mr. Trotter's vote to get elected.

Now Herring will not meet Mr. Trotter. In fact Commissioner Ricky Herring is using his position as a Houston County Sheriff Deputy as an excuse not to meet with Mr. Trotter. But of course it is not election time so Commissioner Ricky Herring does not need Mr. Trotter's vote.

Trotter blames Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver with Trotter being banned from the Houston County Commission Meetings. But it is actually Commissioner Ricky Herring who is behind the ban.

Trotter attended the Houston County Commission Meetings. He regularly questioned issues before the commission. Trotter said the media, WTVY - WDHN - The Dothan Eagle does not do a good job of keeping the people informed.

Trotter believes he was banned when he questioned the decision of the Houston County Commission in the purchase of the Five Star Credit Union Building on North Foster Street. Houston County is purchasing the building for $ 2 million dollars to move Commissioner Ricky Herring's second employer, Houston County Sheriff Department into. Trotter claims that is a bad purchase, the building is land locked and would not bring the $ 2 million dollars on the open market.

Trotter said the Houston County Commission has 23 acres on Ross Clark Circle at Cottonwood Road called the Houston County Farm Center. Trotter said it is his understanding the Farm Center is been closed for the past 15 to 20 years. Trotter said it makes better sense to place the Houston County Sheriff Department at the Houston County Farm Center, using the $ 2 million dollars to renovate what is needed at the Farm Center then the purchase of the land locked Five Star Credit Union Building.

Trotter said ever since he asked that question he has been banned from the meetings of the Houston County Commission.

The Houston County Sheriff Department currently uses the old Farm Center Arena for storage of vehicles and to work on vehicles. 

Mr. George Trotter's own elected representative, Commissioner/Deputy Sheriff Ricky Herring is responsible for his being banned.

HOUSTON COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING  

The current six story Houston County Commission Administrative Building was formerly National Healthcare.

The Houston County Healthcare Authority ( Southeast Alabama Medical Center Board ) once hired Steve Phelps as the Hospital Administrator. 

Phelps spun into a corporation called National Healthcare which managed hospitals. It was blowing and going for a while. They were buying property, planes and wheeling and dealing. Then all of a sudden it hit a dead end. At the dead end some very powerful and influential people were investors of National Healthcare and were taking a huge financial impact that was devastating.

The Houston County Commission could purchase the Porter Square Mall, the entire mall, land and parking for less money then they could purchase the current building that is the Houston County Administrative Building.

The old Porter Square Mall is where Wiregrass Church is located on West Main and goes all of the way to the other end where Dollar General is located. It encompasses the entire block and plenty of parking.

However purchasing the old Porter Square Mall did not bail out the local influential people who had invested in National Healthcare who were suffering a financial loss.

Thus, the sitting Houston County Commissioners purchased the six story building, bailing out their friends.

 

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