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By Staff
Bama coach shows he has guts
Editor:
I am writing in regards to Charles Prince's editorial about Mike Shula in the April 8, 2004 edition. He talks about Mike needing to learn quote "a thing or two" unquote.
These sports writers bashed him when he made the mistake of changing this award. Now when he shows that he has enough class to go back, apologize to Sylvester Croom and restore his name to the award he gets bashed for that. Sylvester Croom accepted his apology with no problems. I can't understand why these sports editors have a problem with someone who has enough guts to correct their mistakes. Mike Shula has a lot of class.
Glenn Wood
Hartselle
City needs work on EMS services
Editor:
When do we realize that our EMS program needs to be revamped.
Over and over again, I hear stories of people waiting for an ambulance. Some even tell of having to call one from Decatur or Cullman.
We need more police men and women, and yet lose police all the time to another city with better pay and benefits. Rickey Joe Smith needs new firemen and we need at least four fire stations. We need a central 911 office just for Hartselle with a director for EMS.
City services – my idea is to make our services better with better pay and benefits for all who work for the city of Hartselle.
How can we achieve this? Not by new taxes, people are taxed enough. We must create events that bring people here and let them spend their money and we will use that money to fix problems.
Why do we charge poor people for holding yard sales?
Some need the extra money to pay a bill, yet we penalize them for trying. We put restaurants out of business by telling them they must have so many parking places.
The Downtown Business Association should be run by business owners and not by outsiders who are not there every day.
We have a drive to fund a new fire department building. This city should get behind it and promote it all it can.
For those who are not aware, the next mayor and council will do business differently. The mayor will not sit in at council meetings. This is because we are over 15,000 strong. (Editor's note: Hartselle's future mayor will be at council meetings but will not have a vote. Alabama law requires this for cities with more than 12,000 population. According to the 2000 census, Hartselle's population is 12,019.)
Yet times and things are changing and they will continue to do so no matter who wants them to stay the same.
Look at Falkville and how it's growing. A look at their city limits will convince anyone of that.
The wet-dry vote brought out the voters, but I will say to you any mayor's election should do the same.
This mayor and council election will be one of Hartselle's most important. This election will decide a major amount of things especially since 9-11.
Ask every candidate how they think and vote. Hartselle's people have the best Alabama has to offer.
Larry Smith
Hartselle