She punched the girl in the face, which solved the immediate problem but also began a period of acting out that she later decided had to do with feeling abandoned and wanting someone to rescue her. [10] I dont even know where to begin, she said. Each council member is assigned oversight for a unit of city government. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I know its hard youre his mom and thats your baby, but Im here, Virettia said, waving over another tenant behind on his rent. The racial makeup of the city was 75.34% White, 23.38% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. The Fayetteville City Council hosts work sessions on the first Monday of every month. The syrup is still produced locally in a manufacturing facility in downtown Fayette. There had been others, all elected from the same ward since 1988, the one drawn after a federal lawsuit forced Fayette and other towns across the state to create districts that would enable Black representation. Im getting tired of this, Virettia said. Have a question about our comment policies? Ox Bodies, now a division of TBEI, is a world leader in truck dump bodies, Fayette Fabrication, founded in 2014, provides custom carts, racks and skids for the automotive industry across the southeast. Elections are non-partisan, with the mayor and council members serving four-year terms. I dont have anything tonight, she said, looking out at the faces in the audience, and then at the mayor. Sherry Settle represented the Fayette County Board of Registrars at the meeting. These are just two of the companies that had had their beginning here. Virettias mother had shopped at his store. The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census,[2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. On Election Day, someone called police to report a possible fight outside a polling place, which turned out to be Virettia and the other Black candidates who were outside greeting voters when the sirens came screaming, and through it all, Virettia tried to maintain her composure. I was in the next window. The Rule of One really was broken. Here in the shebeen, we are longtime fans of Stephanie McCrummen, who is posted in the South and who writes for the Washington Post. But now it was the summer of protests after the killing of George Floyd. The meeting begins at 5 PM at the Fayette City Hall, 204 Temple Avenue North. Due to federal intervention decades ago, a Black ward was created to guarantee that there would be one black member of the city council. Thornell authors economic development book. Hey Jerry, the mayor said to one of the other councilmen as he came in. The White city councilmen: nothing. Originally known as "La Fayette", it incorporated on January 15, 1821. Appointees are to serve on only one boardor commission at a time and shall attend atleast 75% of regularly scheduled meetings onan annual basis from the date of theirappointment. Fayette Mayor Jeremy Dawson can be reached by phone at (660) 248-5246 or by email at jdawson@cityoffayettemo.com. Fayette is a city and the county seat of Fayette County, Alabama, United States. They drove past the apartments, past an old plantation house, a Christian supply store and out along a strip of highway where there was a Ford dealership, two local banks and a small airport. In Ward Two, incumbent Councilman Eddy D. Campbell will face challenger Floyd Rogers Jr. for the position. There are may things we can do together to continue providing the environment of opportunity Fayette has always enjoyed. Rioters were going to target downtown Fayette, where the Garden Club had planted flower beds and people gathered on holidays in the courthouse square. THE TIMES-RECORD PO DRAWER 159 FAYETTE, AL 35555 . All right, well call the meeting to order, the mayor said. You won, they kept reminding her, as she kept thinking of how she was supposed to handle this moment in a changing America, and now the mayor was moving through the agenda, turning to his left for comment. Virettia had always thought of her town as a nice place to live but a hard place to be anybody unless your granddaddys uncles cousins a somebody. For a while, her father had been somebody the citys first Black councilman but that was long ago, and she had always wondered what to make of his silence about the experience. 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. As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,285 people, 1,888 households, and 1,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 575.1 inhabitants per square mile (222.0/km2). 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. She was sued by a local white antique dealer named Scottie Porter, a failed council candidate himself and a Trumper to boot, who sought to invalidate Whitesides election on spurious residency grounds. Shown from left: Councilman Cedric Wilson (sitting in chair at far left), Councilman Jerry Nichols, Councilman Jason Cowart, Mayor Ray Nelson, City Clerk Dawn Clapp, Councilwoman Linda McCraw and Councilman Eddy Campbell. When a rumor started that her candidacy was illegal because she had recently bought a house in another ward, she explained that yes, she had bought the house she hoped to live in someday but as her tax returns, voter registration, bills and sworn oath indicated, she lived with her sons in an apartment at Mayfair Manor. Hes the only Black.. She had been on the phone last May with her boss, talking about how she felt the needs of her tenants and working-class families were being ignored in Fayette when her boss said, So what are you going to do about it?. This new twist on the old idea of gerrymanderingcloaking old Elbridges original notion in the moral camouflage of the Civil Rights Movementis not that uncommon. A small rural town might not be expected to provide an environment for innovation or acceptance of changing economic trends, but our city has initiated many new products and embraced the evolving business world. History [ edit] Originally known as "La Fayette", it incorporated on January 15, 1821. The building houses government offices, including the Fayette legislative body, and provides public records, government services, and information about Fayette services. Popularity:#1 of 2 Town & City Halls in Fayette County#114 of 236 Town & City Halls in Alabama#3,438 in Town & City Halls. Drop by between 6:30 and 8:30 PM for free refreshments and a visit. (Jared. Review our. Fayette, Alabama City Council 'Rule of One' Black Member Comes to an End 1 Read Every Article Esquire Has Ever Published 2 The 35 Best Gifts for Serious Whiskey Drinkers 3 Marvel Is Weird About. Her third chance came after the mayor went over the budget. Her best friend was running in the traditionally Black ward. Look at the state Constitution. The multiracial tenants include fast-food workers, veterans and elderly and disabled people. I lost everything. We have a place for you, a place where your dreams can have a beginning. Phone-Number: 334-864-7181 Meeting-Type: regular Submission-datetime: 1/23/2023 . She walked by the men chatting in the corridor and took her seat next to her colleagues, wondering if they had supported Scotties lawsuit. According to the Kppen Climate Classification system, Fayette has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. These are informal meetings. Hed never told her about the notes he got in his mailbox with messages like Shut your mouth, n-----. Or the restraint he had to summon to ask White colleagues who still used the term boy to refer to Black men: If you know the gentlemans name, would you please call him by his name? He had not told her about feeling like you werent there.. Oh baby, guess what? Cedric said, brightening, telling Virettia about a White woman hed run into at the bank, one of the many hed suspected of spreading the false rumors about him. For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for Fayette, Alabama . Privacy Policy One percent of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. Just have a conversation with me. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Learn about the services they provide and their interest in your safety. As hed told Virettia: I felt fooled by 'em. Aliceville was like Fayette 25 years ago, he said one afternoon, launching into an interpretation of history that had long fueled the fiercest White resistance to change, one in which Black progress meant White loss White flight, White fear, a kind of White death. Maintain a leisurely lifestyle featuring natural beauty and historic architecture in the city limits, while still enjoying the fast pace activities of nearby Auburn/Opelika (30 miles), Montgomery (70 miles), Atlanta (80 miles) or Birmingham (120 miles). Virettia put the cap on her pen, and a few minutes later, the meeting was over. . People think we dont have a problem, but we do. She checked to see if the judge had ruled on the case; still nothing. Mailing Address: 103 First Avenue NW, Suite 4, Fayette, Alabama, 35555-2627 See complete story in The Times-Record. The Fayette City Council held a public hearing concerning property abatements and later voted to charge the owners for the city's costs for cleanup at six of the abated properties. He owned the Spanish-style house on the edge of the traditionally Black ward that had belonged to Virettias godmother. Lord give me the strength, Virettia thought to herself. The City Council appoints a manager who carries out the laws and policies enacted by Council. Can You Prove Those Colonists Weren't Witches? Virettia also manages Valley Cove. Eddie Williams is on it, Cedric said. Welcome to Fayette, a city of opportunities and beginnings. She tried to remember that this was the whole reason she had run in the first place. There were 2,336 housing units at an average density of 273.0 per square mile (105.4/km2). And I said, Sure is, which in his mind was the put-down of the century, a luxury he would normally not allow himself. Call us today to get any more information about our county. Any discussion around that? the mayor said. Why now?. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.88. Across many fields of endeavor Fayette has been the starting point for people with great ideas, energy and expectations for tomorrow. Here we go pothole, pothole, pothole, Virettia said as they headed into Aliskas ward on the west side of town, past the wood-frame houses and churches where theyd both grown up in families that went back generations in Fayette. About Us. Cumberland County falls under the requirements of the Federal Voting Rights Act. [3] When Fayette County was created in 1824, the town's name was officially changed to "Fayette Court House", though it was also known as "Fayetteville", which was the name shown on maps and on the U.S. Census in 1880 and 1890. Social media was aflame with boogedy-boogedy about busloads of Black Lives Matter and Antifa activists coming to wreak havoc in Your Town. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. Charles P Pierce is the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976. One Black person on the City Council. 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. How White colleagues hed come to consider friends after 24 years on the council had backed off supporting him after the rumors started that he had recruited all the Black candidates to run at once, which was not true. . Ultimately, Donald Trump Beat the System. Its hard even now to believe how crazy with fear the protests last summer made white people in this country. 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. Copy editing by Wayne Lockwood. 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 Look at my heart., But that was not reality, she was saying the next morning, sitting in her office. Im going to meet with Kip tomorrow at 11, she said, referring to the airport manager. What bothered her was not Scottie Porters lawsuit or social media postings exactly, but the silence. The age distribution was 21.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% 65 or older. She was raising two sons. Of the four Black candidates who ran, they were the two who had won. The mayor is avoting member of the Council. We strive to hear every single question, concern, and comment to better enhance the quality of life in our City. It might look better than yours. The City of LaFayette, Alabama, the county seat of Chambers County, in East Central Alabama provides the perfect balance between rural and urban life. 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. All meetingsstart at 7 p.m. and are open to the public. Finally, she said, Hey Cedric. I wouldnt be so rude, so I said, Hey. And she said, Whatre you doing? And I said, Keeping busy. She said, Thats good.' All ninecouncil members are elected from singlemember districts and only citizens withineach district may vote for each district seat. The Lafayette City Council serves as the community's legislative body, enacting ordinances, appropriating funds to conduct city business, and providing policy direction for city governance through the city administrator. Learn more about our 15-man engineering crew and view their contact information here. When I get through with it, its going to look nice. What he had told her was that she would learn her own lessons, and so she was trying, going one evening with Aliska to observe a hearing of the zoning board of adjustments. It was a small town. I cant understand why all of a sudden we are allowing this, said a White woman sitting in the front row with her daughter, addressing the board. Incumbent Jason Cowart did not qualify for re-election in Ward Three, leaving qualifiers Brad Cox and Tommy Williams to battle for the position. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. Vying for office in Ward One are Steve Herring, Kevin Rhudy and Virettia L. Whiteside. City government is comparable to a private corporation under the council/manager form of government. He only has one kidney. Our county is a wonderful place to live with tremendous opportunities for growth, development, and industrial development with our proximity to the I-22 Corridor. Subscribe now! Wade?. This is the position that Mayor Pro-Tem Wilson will vacate to make a run for the mayors job. It was also because he believed she had run for nefarious reasons including his belief that she was part of a vast plot by national Democrats and billionaires like George Soros and Bill Gates to retain power at any cost. what black person have you seen come to my defense Ill wait NO ONE, she had texted her cousin in a moment of frustration. Whitesides subsequent experiences surely stemmed from the same kind of panic. including West Point Lake in Georgia, 15 minutes to the east and Alabama's Lake Martin, 30 minutes to the west. Incumbent Councilman Jerry Nichols will attempt to retain his position on the council in Ward Five, as he is challenged by political newcomer Garrett N. Rainey. It wasnt just the house she had bought in another ward, he said, explaining why he opposed her election. What do you expect people to do???? Im talking to you all, Ericka said. Fayette is organized in a mayor-council form of city government, with a mayor elected citywide and five council members elected from districts. The per capita income for the city was $15,553. Third party advertisements support hosting, listing verification, updates, and site maintenance. Address, Phone Number, and Hours for Fayette City Hall, a Town & City Hall, at Temple Avenue North, Fayette AL. You can also pay your bill on-line. Aliska Hughes-Monroe and Scottie Carl Porter are seeking the council position in Ward Four. She had imagined another version of the moment, one where she had turned to the camera and said to the whole town of Fayette, Why are you so frightened? From 30,000 feet we look at Aliceville and we know 20 years ago it had a White mayor and now it has a Black mayor, and a Black council, and its got s--- left, he continued. Take the high road, people kept advising. The Fayette City Council meets the Second and Fourth Tuesday of each month. So, when Whiteside won her council seat, in which she represents a mixed-race district, and a friend of hers won the traditional Black seat, there were two Black citizens on the city council of Fayette, Alabama, which proceeded to lose a bit of its mind. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), During her campaign, Virettia knocked on doors in Haughton Acres, a predominantly white, middle-class neighborhood in her ward. Climate Normals Quick Access", "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013", "Art by Lois Wilson, known for work on found objects, to be shown starting Monday at BPL (Video)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fayette,_Alabama&oldid=1124978588, Lois Wilson, Outsider artist subject of the documentary, This page was last edited on 1 December 2022, at 15:19. [15]. Generally, no votes are taken. The town would go bankrupt. Others with regional and national reputations have also called Fayette home. Sign up for Weather Alerts because seconds matter. Of the 2,092 households 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. The median household income was $31,705 and the median family income was $41,905. She listened as he told her that he had just gotten the decision. Were you a slave? Fayette is a city and the county seat of Fayette County, Alabama, United States. Virettia talks with a resident at the Mayfair Manor apartments in Fayette. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. The population density was 530.2 inhabitants per square mile (204.7/km2). Under the current electoralsystem, the City Council consists of ninecouncil members and a mayor. 54 were here. She read the post again, which gave her a feeling that reminded her of a time when she was a little girl and living for a while in a tough part of Detroit after her parents got divorced. For a full list of our elected officials and department heads including contact information, click here. There used to be no Black, Cedric said. She was not the first Black person on the City Council in the rural town of Fayette. The Council consists of seven members who are elected on a non-partisan basis in odd-numbered years. 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. All nine council members are elected from single member districts and only citizens within each district may vote for each district seat. You got some old ordinances with some old language. Its 20 years I worked for that. All nine Council members are elected from individual districts, and only citizens within the city limits can vote for those seats on the Council. About Us Contact Us [4], Fayette is located in west-central Fayette County at 334131N 874956W / 33.69194N 87.83222W / 33.69194; -87.83222 (33.692068, -87.832358). Information found on CountyOffice.org is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal, financial or medical advice. 32.8% of households were one person and 14.0% were one person aged 65 or older. He came in and stood in front of her desk. The tentacles are just so far-reaching, Scottie said. Pictured is the Fayette Civic Center, where the Fayette municipal elections will take place from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Board of Alderman . Its a lot of language about us in the Constitution of Alabama thats been there since 1921.. All of the City Council's regular meetings are broadcast live onFayTV, the City of Fayetteville's Government Access Channel. The median household income was $25,714 and the median family income was $36,589. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.85. But getting back to what you were saying, baby.. Like spitting on the sidewalk. At thesemeetings, Council receives information andasks questions. The city had 4,285 residents as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau. The residents have got protection because weve got ordinances, said the mother, going on about declining property values, until Ericka finally stood up. speckle park bull sales 2021 847-461-9794; fayette, alabama city council. All Rights Reserved. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), Former council member Cedric Wilson, at his home in January, served Fayette's historically Black Ward 4 for more than 20 years before stepping down in an unsuccessful run for mayor. Her father: nothing. It was like living through Rod Serlings old Twilight Zone episode, The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street, over and over again. The local radio stations are WLDX Big Cat and WTXT. You may rent any of several rooms, including the auditorium, for your special event. Hed run for the wards City Council seat against her best friend Aliska, losing 244 to 51. Listen to me. Our county is fortunate to have an abundance of industries ranging from agricultural and timber to industrial manufacturing. It was a resident from somewhere in her ward, telling Virettia that her son was in the county jail and was in need of medical attention. The Rot Beneath Green Labels on Forestry Products, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Now.. Photo editing by Bronwen Latimer. Males had a median income of $29,857 versus $21,899 for females. What is the reason for that? She had imagined a big speech about love and fear and bravery that would end with her telling people, It doesnt matter if youre rich, poor, old, young, Black or White, I care about you. She got up and followed the sound outside where she found a tenant she knew as a veteran with PTSD, saying over and over I did a lot of bad things, and so she had held his hand for a while, saying We serve a God thats a forgiving God until he calmed down. City of Fayette Mayor - jdawson@cityoffayettemo.com . The Fayette Art Museum has over 5,000 pieces of art by nationally recognized artists. Her first chance to say something came with the first item on the agenda, covid-19. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Fayette city, Alabama", "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990", "NOAA NCEI U.S. Didnt nobody do nothing to help me.. No councilor lives in Ward 1; slap out of luck!. The median age was 40.2 years. Virettia asked him who was on the abatement board. Then came her last chance, the part of the meeting where the mayor asked each council member for updates on their own committees or anything else happening in Fayette. Mayor Hinges on Voter Rolls, Preventing a Repeat of WWII-Era Imprisonment, Fox News Told Viewers What They Wanted to Hear. The Fayette Art Museum has over 5,000 pieces of art by nationally recognized artists. BOTTOM LEFT: Residents sit outside Mayfair Manor. In accordance with that act, four of the nine districts are drawn so that minorities are assured a voting majority within that district. The Municipal Court has created an Amnesty Program for all defendants that have outstanding balances from cases prior to December 31, 2020. She listened as the mayor opened the first regular meeting of the new council. Comes now the Plaintiff Scottie Carl Porter she read, recognizing the name of a man she only knew as the owner of an antique store downtown and a superfan of President Donald Trump who had lost his own bid for City Council. Population control. Farm & Heavy Equipment More Info Here . The City Clerk's Office maintainsmeeting minutesfrom City Council meetings and publishes a schedule of upcoming City Council meetings. Council meetingsare held in the first floor Council Chamber ofCity Hall, 433 Hay St. Bevill State Community College has a location in Fayette. My trailer is paid for, cash. Pictured is the Fayette Civic Center, where the Fayette municipal elections will take place from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25.
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