This Was Gerrymandering Cloaked in Civil Rights. The Fayette City Council met in a special called meeting at noon on Tuesday Sept. 1 to add the legitimate provisional ballots cast during the Aug. 25 primary and to certify the election results. There were 11 provisional ballots counted in the final results of the Fayette municipal election, and four provisional ballots cast were ruled ineligible to be counted. The cameraman who live-streamed all the council meetings swung the lens toward Virettia, who cleared her throat. I was in the next window. How a White woman hed known for years had asked him to get on a video call so she could see his face when she asked if he really was going to fire all the White department heads if he won, which was not true. Aliska Hughes-Monroe and Scottie Carl Porter are seeking the council position in Ward Four. In her new role, she works to help people beyond the complex. The Fayette Art Museum has over 5,000 pieces of art by nationally recognized artists. Fayette is a city in Fayette County, Alabama. The story takes a twist at the end which I will not reveal, but suffice it to say that McCrummen has brought us a cautionary tale from a small place that brings us a lesson about a number of big things, including who we really are as a nation, which should stump us no longer. what black person have you seen come to my defense Ill wait NO ONE, she had texted her cousin in a moment of frustration. The same dreams and enthusiasm are still alive today in companies founded in Fayette. Mike, come in here, Virettia said, waving him in. Incumbent Jason Cowart did not qualify for re-election in Ward Three, leaving qualifiers Brad Cox and Tommy Williams to battle for the position. Alabama Open Meetings Act - Notice Details Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan, Rezoning, Conditional Zoning, & Special Use Permits, Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC), Construction Management and Capital Projects, Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program, Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), Mayor and Council Meeting & Correspondence Requests, Sign Up to Speak at Public Forum at a Boards & Commissions Meeting, Recycling Drop-off (List locations and items), Contact the 1FAY Call Center (910) 433-1329, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Sewer Service, Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Dawkins (District 5), Council Districts & Subdivisions Map - Interactive, Fayetteville City Council Election District 1, Fayetteville City Council Election District 2, Fayetteville City Council Election District 3, Fayetteville City Council Election District 4, Fayetteville City Council Election District 5, Fayetteville City Council Election District 6, Fayetteville City Council Election District 7, Fayetteville City Council Election District 8, Fayetteville City Council Election District 9, 105.1 Assessment for Sidewalks Along Thoroughfares, 105.3 Prepayment of Water and or Sewer Extension Assessments, 110.1 Boards and Commissions Membership and Attendance, 110.5 Appointments of City Manager or City Attorney, 115.1 Council Members Committee Assignment, 115.8 Property Accounting - Communications Expense, 115.11 Replacing a Vacancy on City Council, 115.15 Mayor and Council Protocol and Code of Conduct, 120.7 Cancellation of City Council Meetings, 120.8 Accommodations for Hearing Impaired and Language Interpreters, 140.1 Nonresident Fees for Parks and Recreation, 140.2 Tree Planting Program Fayetteville Re-leaf, 150.1 Water and Sanitary Sewer Utility Assessments, 150.2 Extension of Water and Sewer to Urban Area, 155.2 Disposal of Property Valued at Less Than 30,000, 155.4 Naming of City Properties in Honor of Individuals, 160.2 Sidewalk Construction and Maintenance, 160.2.1 Expenditures of Funds in the Sidewalk Waiver Fund, 160.6 Acceptance of Private Streets for City Maintenance, 160.7 Fees for Parades Motorcades and Special Events. . Fayette City Council certifies election results. FayTV is available on Spectrum Cable on Channel 7 and video content is also available for viewingonline. We may earn a commission from these links. People got to live, said the Black board member, Scott Walker, who had become visibly angry as the hearing went on. She saw Black women changing politics across the South including next door in Georgia, and soon she was posting a statement on Facebook titled My Why: I am running because Im a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend and I am committed to our city, its residents and making local government work better for everyone.. However, that was far from the actual reason, as Porter made clear to McCrummen. For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for Fayette, Alabama . Fayette City Council certifies election results | The Times-Record Mayor of Fayette / 660-248-5246 . He owned the Spanish-style house on the edge of the traditionally Black ward that had belonged to Virettias godmother. The Rot Beneath Green Labels on Forestry Products, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Our history of is one of people with the vision and daring to achieve outsized goals for a town our size. But no one wants to talk about race in this town, she said. The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census,[2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. Here in the shebeen, we are longtime fans of Stephanie McCrummen, who is posted in the South and who writes for the Washington Post. Hey Jerry, the mayor said to one of the other councilmen as he came in. All this is you now, Aliska said. The population density was 530.2 inhabitants per square mile (204.7/km2). Information about LaFayette, Alabama City Council Members The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census, [2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. Then she got a lawyer in Birmingham who asked the judge to dismiss the case, describing it as an attempt to intimidate Ms. Whiteside and to punish her for winning election to a traditionally white seat and literally an effort to keep Ms. Whiteside in her place. . Others with regional and national reputations have also called Fayette home. Mailing Address: 103 First Avenue NW, Suite 4, Fayette, Alabama, 35555-2627 BOTTOM RIGHT: Cotton fields, such as this one in Fayette, still permeate the South. Its mine. The situation became so delicate that when local ministers held a prayer vigil for racial justice during the height of nationwide protests, an organizer quietly asked people not to bring Black Lives Matter signs for fear of confirming the imagined apocalypse. Fayette City Hall - Fayette, AL (Address, Phone, and Hours) - County Office The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. I know its hard youre his mom and thats your baby, but Im here, Virettia said, waving over another tenant behind on his rent. Copyright 2015 City of LaFayette Website Development by Red Sage Communications, Inc. Click Here to watch the latest City Council Meetings. She was a full-fledged councilwoman without challenge. It was Tuesday, the day of the council meeting, and in the afternoon, Virettia got a call from a White woman in town, a friend of her mothers, who had been the only person to defend her on Facebook. See complete story in The Times-Record. Learn more about the history of our probate office and the people currently operating it. No FBI Agent Should Just Trust Trump to Tell Truth, Republican Senators Form Wingnut Xylophone, How to Line Your Pockets While Reshaping the Court, SCOTUS Ponders Whether to Dub Loans Unforgiven, Effort to Recall N.O. After upending a racial norm in the rural South, a Black councilwoman contends with defiance from a community she wants to serve, The Fayette City Council with members Tommy Williams and Virettia Whiteside meets at City Hall in the small Alabama town in January with Mayor Rod Northam in attendance. Fayette, AL 35555-2684 (205) 932-4510 . All of that was still in the air as Virettia, preparing for the first full City Council meeting, drove through town one day with her friend Aliska Hughes-Monroe, the new councilwoman from the traditionally Black ward, to see about a zoning issue. City government works closely with the local community college to provide employee training and programs for several companies that supply the region, nation and world with products in a variety of fields. Im talking to you all, Ericka said. All of the City Council's regular meetings are broadcast live onFayTV, the City of Fayetteville's Government Access Channel. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of my hometown. Its going to look fine. At thesemeetings, Council receives information andasks questions. The age distribution was 22.9% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% 65 or older. I dont have anything tonight, she said, looking out at the faces in the audience, and then at the mayor. When investigators from the district attorneys office showed up at Mayfair Manor three times asking tenants if their absentee ballots had been coerced, she decided not to file a complaint with the NAACP. Fayette County Circuit Clerk Democratic Party Samantha Howard (205) 932-4617 Website Fayette County Coroner Republican Party Timothy "TK" Kimbrell (205) 361-4828 Fayette County Probate Judge Republican Party Mike Freeman (205) 932-4519 Fayette County Sheriff Republican Party Byron Yerby (205) 932-3205 Email: info@fayetteso.com Website Mayor and City Council Members | City of Fayette Missouri The Municipal Court has created an Amnesty Program for all defendants that have outstanding balances from cases prior to December 31, 2020. You can also pay your bill on-line. It might look better than yours. The Fayette City Council with members Tommy Williams and Virettia Whiteside meets at City Hall in the small Alabama town in January with Mayor Rod Northam in attendance. One world order. View map of Fayette City Hall, and get driving directions from your location. She is the newly elected City Council member for Ward 1, which includes the complexes she manages. The reality was that she could not afford to make a scene, she said, not in a town like Fayette, not with so much at stake. The womans daughter stood up: My daddy would roll over in his grave if he knew there was a double-wide in there I cannot believe this, she said. Of the 1,924 households 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. At the 2000 census there were 4,922 people, 2,092 households, and 1,303 families living in the city. Each council member is assigned oversight for a unit of city government. Phone-Number: 334-864-7181 Meeting-Type: regular Submission . As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,285 people, 1,888 households, and 1,178 families residing in the city. One on the abatement board in a town that was roughly 73 percent White and 24 percent Black. The per capita income for the city was $16,602. 36101 334-544-0248 egrimes@montgomeryal.gov: DISTRICT 2: Brantley W. Lyons 4256 Lomac Street (36106) 334-557-4196 blyons@montgomeryal.gov . (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), TOP: Virettia talks with a resident at the Mayfair Manor apartments in Fayette. She had often stared at the Trailblazer Award hanging on his living room wall, but she had not asked him about his experience, and he had not offered many details. The Fayette City Council is shown at its Sept. 1 meeting that was called to certify the election. She said he was being ignored, that he needed help and she needed help, and so Virettia called a deputy at the jail, a White man she knew who was planning to run for sheriff and would need her support. Virettia took a deep breath. You may rent any of several rooms, including the auditorium, for your special event. Its me. [5], According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.4km2), of which 8.5 square miles (22.1km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2km2), or 0.95%, is water.[2]. She had surprised herself by deciding to run. Due to federal intervention decades ago, a Black ward was created to guarantee that there would be one black member of the city council. Fayette County was founded on December 20, 1824 by an act of the Alabama Legislature and was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero General Marquis de Lafayette. The City of LaFayette, Alabama, the county seat of Chambers County, in East Central Alabama provides the perfect balance between rural and urban life. Council meetingsare held in the first floor Council Chamber ofCity Hall, 433 Hay St. Mayor Hinges on Voter Rolls, Preventing a Repeat of WWII-Era Imprisonment, Fox News Told Viewers What They Wanted to Hear. Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. Contact Glenda for availability and services provided by the staff. (205) 932-4510. We are also the home of the Sipsey Arts Alliance. Every day, the woman said. 32.8% of households were one person and 14.0% were one person aged 65 or older. . The more members the more the Chamber can promote Fayette and Fayette can promote your business. What bothered her was not Scottie Porters lawsuit or social media postings exactly, but the silence. This is bigger than me.. I think Fayette dodged a bullet.. Phone-Number: 334-864-7181 Meeting-Type: special/called Submission-datetime: 1/27/2023 8:19:08 AM: Notice: Statements . You will be surprised at what you can achieve here. Check out the Gas Board website. Jeremy Dawson . In the afternoon, she read a complaint that a constituent had posted on Facebook: asking for my neighbors and friends in ward one now that the new City transition has taken place who can they ask about someone fixing a water leak., Hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!" Yet.. Were you a slave? yelled her daughter, getting up to leave as the meeting degenerated into a tense silence, and when it was over, Virettia called Cedric. She wanted to call Aliska or Cedric, but before she could do that her phone was ringing. She felt the same sense of uncertainty that she had felt since all of this began, and the feeling continued until she called her lawyer a few days later to check on her case. That creates the opportunity for minority representation on the council roughly equal to minority representation within thecity'spopulation. The mayor is elected at-large. Males had a median income of $34,271 versus $27,500 for females. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. We have a place for you, a place where your dreams can have a beginning. Its disguised pretty well but its right here among us. I lost everything. P.O Box 1111 Montgomery AL. Antiques store owner Scottie Porter lost a lawsuit against Virettia that disputed her eligibility to hold office in Ward 1 because she owns a home outside of it. Jordan, she said, interrupting. Have a question about our comment policies? All Rights Reserved. She had replaced it with a trailer approved by the fire chief, a decision some of her neighbors were asking to be overturned by referring to a 1970s ordinance. .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}In her latest work, McCrummen tells the tale of a Black woman named Virettia Whiteside, a member of the city council in a place called Fayette, Alabama. The City Manager is responsible for managing the Citys employees, and the finances and resources as the chief budget officer. [1] Federal officials The current members of the U.S. Senate from Alabama are: To view a map of U.S. House districts in Alabama and find your representative, click here . The mayor acts as the official head of city government and presides at City Council meetings. She was still saying it now, trusting that the high road people had been advising her to take would eventually bring some relief, but it did not.