It's been almost a month since the deadly storms of April 27 swept across our lovely state. There are still far too many signs out there of the destruction, but progress is being made. People have pitched in to help, donated time, money, clothing and supplies.
FEMA is here helping, even though you haven't heard our governor or any of our mayors whining on national TV about needing the federal government to save everyone (I told you that wouldn't happen). But, unfortuately, now and then, you come across one of your own who makes things difficult.
In the small town of Cordova, Alabama, in Walker County just north of Birmingham, many people lost their homes. Some were completely destroyed; many were damaged to the point of being uninhabitable. Residents have been living on their property, in tents, the damaged remains of their homes and whatever else. FEMA came to town with a load of trailers.
Enter Cordova mayor Jack Scott and the city council. Apparently, for some unknown reason, this small town has an ordinance prohibiting single-wide trailers. Guess what FEMA brought to town? If you guessed single-wide trailers, give yourself a gold star. So you have FEMA with all of their trailers, and you have these people living in tents, ruins of their homes or wherever else.
And you have a mayor and a city council that won't let the two groups merge.
They had a town meeting last night at the armory in Cordova. More than 200 people showed up. Of cours,e our local television station just showed the highlights, but at one point, Scott told an elderly woman, "Maybe you have your sights set too high."
Seriously?
Have you been a complete idiot your entire life, Jack Scott, or did that come about just when you took office?
It may be that these folks have to take their case to the state. Apparnetly the mayor and the city council are worried about property values when a lot of these folks are just looking for a temporary solution.
It won't surprise me to wake up one morning and hear that Jack Scott got his as beat by an old woman wielding a broom, umbrella or whatever else. Or maybe he'll just have gotten a good ol' country ass whipping.
Time will tell.
In the meantime, thoughts and prayers with the folks in Missouri and Oklahoma who have suffered loss from tornadoes the past few days.
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They think the property value is gonna increase greatly if people are forced to live in tents on their property? Good grief!! Small town politics. I vote for the "good ol' country ass" whoopin!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a serious re-call election needs to happen.
ReplyDeleteSounds like someone ought to take the mayor aside and whisper a little common sense in his ear...like maybe a temporary injunction allowing the trailers, in the interest of the public well being?
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