Entries Tagged 'Silverhill' ↓

Increased water rates for the town of Silverhill went into effect Monday with the passage of Ordinance 379. By passing the ordinance, the council voted to increase rates 5 percent for in-town customers, and 25 percent for out-of-town customers. The ordinance also placed a $500 deposit on the use of a water meter for fire hydrants.

In other business, the council passed Ordinance 380, putting into effect an increase from $25 to $50 for election qualification fees. Council member Michael Allegri and council member John Ullrich voted against the measure, which passed 3-2.

Council passes ordinance to increase water rates

The Silverhill Town Council voted Monday to raise the town’s water rates for in-town and out-of-town customers.

According to Town Clerk Bonnie McNeil the hike was the first for town water customers since 2001.

To help families on fixed incomes the council voted not to raise basic rates for usage of up to 2,000 gallons per month, which are $18.79 per month for in-town customers and $21.05 for out-of-town customers.

The council voted to raise rates for customers using over 2,000 gallons; a 5 percent increase.

Water rate hike first in seven years for town

If rates must be raised, why only raise them on the showered, hydrated, lawn-watering rich folks in Silverhill? Allowing the local government to get away with redistribution of wealth is just as bad as the national efforts to do so.

The Justice Department is laying the groundwork for a possible discrimination lawsuit against Wales West RV Resort in Silverhill, which barred an HIV-positive toddler from using its swimming pool and restrooms last summer.

A federal court petition has asked to depose Dick Glover before he dies of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The 70-year-old Glover is the adoptive father of Caleb, the HIV-positive toddler.

The May 13 court filing indicates Dick Glover’s condition has deteriorated to the point that he’s making funeral arrangements. Silvia Glover, Dick’s wife, said her husband was re-admitted to Providence Hospital last week, but she hopes he can be deposed today or Tuesday.

Feds may sue RV park over HIV issue

Riviera Utilities will be doing some rewiring in the town of Silverhill to replace outdated existing wiring.

Bob Sanders and Adam Ellenburg from Riviera Utilities presented a plan to replace existing power lines and poles in the town to the Silverhill Town Council Monday night.

“What you have now is, in many cases dangerous and there is no doubt it will need to be replaced,” Sanders said. “But we don’t want to do anything without the town’s approval.”

Much of the rewiring will require replacing old wooden poles with new concrete poles, Sanders said. Existing outdated power lines will also be replaced with heavier, more durable lines.

Power system to get overhaul

A Silverhill man who directed authorities to his own drug stash in an effort to divert attention from his girlfriend was sentenced to 50 years in prison Thursday for trafficking meth.

Three years ago, Steven Huffman asked his girlfriend, Shannon Marie Jackson, to deliver the drug for him in central Baldwin County, prosecutors said.

But Baldwin investigators had set up surveillance on Huffman’s home. A sheriff’s deputy followed her as she left the house and soon stopped her for a seat belt violation near Alabama 59 and Baldwin County 55, prosecutors said.

Man gets 50 years for meth trafficking

The Silverhill Town Council will hold a work meeting Monday, March 24 at 6 p.m. to discuss several items impacting the town.

Included in the discussion on Monday will be:

• Adjustment of water rates for the town. The council was presented with a comparison of rates between the town of Silverhill and surrounding towns including Robertsdale, Loxley and Summerdale.
• Discussion of establishing impact fees for the town. The South Alabama Regional Planning Commission has contracted with several municipalities in the area. Impact fees, which would be assessed on all new development, would be used to offset additional costs of new development on use of parks and recreation, library, police and fire protection.
• Establishment of a gas system for the town.
• Discuss pest control contract for the town. The council opened bids at Monday’s meeting from Terminex, Guardian, Hadley Pest Control and International Pest Control, who holds the current contract. Guardian’s bid was rejected at Monday’s meeting because the bid did not include a detailed contract as specified.

Town to discuss items at meeting

The town of Silverhill is taking applications for anyone interested in establishing a neighborhood watch system.

Those interested will be notified when a meeting will be set up.

“We are a community,” said Silverhill Police Chief Kim Wasdin, “and we encourage all the community to get involved in keeping our neighborhoods safe.”

Anyone interested can call the Police Department at 945-5200 or Town Hall at 945-5198.

Silverhill Neighborhood watch

The town of Silverhill will take steps to see that owners of local property clean up their act.

Mayor Tim Wilson said the town had received complaints from a trailer park off of Woodpecker Lane, including grass and weeds grown up around the property and debris scattered everywhere.

Wilson said while the property is outside the town’s limits it is within the town’s police jurisdiction. The town can issue a letter to property owners under the town’s junk, nuisance ordinance.

Town to order clean up of property

Two men convicted this week of trafficking methamphetamines in Baldwin County will each face the minimum of life sentences.

In the most recent case, a Baldwin County jury on Thursday convicted Jack H. Koehn, 34, of Loxley, of trafficking methamphetamines in Foley.

Koehn was sitting in the passenger seat of a Lincoln Town Car in July 2006 when police went to serve a search warrant for theft of property on a Foley home. Police found several bags of the drug, inside a case that contained his own wallet and driver’s license.

In another case tried in Wilters’ courtroom earlier this week, Steven Huffman, 48, of Silverhill, also was convicted of trafficking meth in a case where prosecutors said he had more than 50 grams of the drug.

Men face life in meth cases

The Fairhope City Council is expected to vote Monday whether to maintain existing salaries of the mayor and council members or to increase them.

The municipalities where increases in salaries will become effective (and the amounts) in November 2008 are:

• Bay Minette: mayor, $30,000 plus $500 vehicle allowance; council members, $6,000.
• Gulf Shores: mayor, $42,000; mayor pro-tem, $15,000; council members, $12,500.
• Robertsdale: mayor, $23,520; mayor pro-tem, $11,520; council members, $6,300.

Municipalities where increases to current salaries are being considered are:

• Fairhope: mayor, $16,800; council president, $6,600; council members, 6,000.
• Loxley: mayor, $10,200; council members, $4,800.
• Orange Beach, $25,000 plus 5 percent cost of living increase (COLA); council president, $15,000 plus 5 percent COLA; council members, $10,000 plus 5 percent COLA.
• Spanish Fort: mayor, $18,000; council members, $6,000.
• Summerdale: mayor, $15,000; council members, $2,400. (The report stated an increase to $6,000 for council members was being considered.)

Municipalities not considering increases at this time are:

• Daphne: mayor, $60,000 plus $6,000 vehicle allowance; council president, $9,600; vice president, $7,800; council members, $7,200.
• Elberta: mayor, $4,800; council members, $2,400.
• Foley: mayor, $21,000; mayor pro-tem, $8,200; council members, $7,200.
• Silverhill: $6,000; council members, $2,400.

Salary hike decision expected Monday

If a mayor’s salary is so low and time on the clock is so high, only independently wealthy people can afford to run for the office. The salary should be set at a fair rate linked to the amount of time the person must spend on the job.

In other words, if I wanted to quit my job and run for mayor of Fairhope I should get paid enough to feed my family. Or I should at least make enough money to afford a double-date with Lodmell and his escort every once in a while.

Officials in Silverhill hope to have two fully functioning water wells by the end of next week.

James Wilson, who was reporting on behalf of engineer Chad Jordan, said final preparations are being made now on the well at the Silverhill Ball Park behind Little Hall, which has been out of commission since October of 2005. The well should be ready for inspection by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management by next week and if it passes inspection, should be operational by the end of the week.

Silverhill well saga almost over

The parents of a juvenile arrested for burglaries across Alabama and Florida have been arrested, Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputies said.

Bret and Rita Helton were arrested Tuesday and charged with receiving stolen property. Their child and two other juveniles were arrested earlier this month for stealing nearly a half a million dollars worth of stuff, deputies said.

Parents arrested in multi-county theft ring

A nine month crime spree may be over in Silverhill. Since February, folks who left their cars unlocked woke up to find their car doors open and things like cash, CD’s, and electronics gone. Silverhill Police say Christopher Jerkins is responsible for taking all this from as many as 50 cars.

Silverhill Crime Spree Over

On Tuesday, the town of Silverhill officially introduced its new police chief.

Kim Wasdin, is not only the first female chief to serve in Silverhill, she is also the first female chief in Baldwin County.

Silverhill Names New Female Police Chief

In an effort to raise AIDS awareness, about 45 activists, most of them infected with the virus that causes the disease, traveled from locales as far-flung as Delaware, Dallas and San Diego to the Wales West Light Railway & RV Resort, where they had a Labor Day picnic.

Tucked off a rural highway east of Fish River, the resort was not chosen because of its visibility, but rather because two months ago, the 20-acre park made national news when a Saraland couple, Dick and Silvia Glover, accused the park of discriminating against their 2-year-old, HIV-positive foster son, Caleb.

AIDS activists visit Silverhill RV park