Under the current electoral system, the City Council consists of nine Council members and a mayor. A city residentwishing to become mayor must specificallyrun for that office. wind speeds 261-318 mph) tornado 19.6 miles away from the Fayette city center killed 28 people and injured 272 people.. On 3/3/1966, a category F5 tornado 32.6 miles away from the city center killed 58 people and . The former councilman from that ward was running for mayor, and soon rumors started flying. She told Virettia she wanted to speak on her behalf at the meeting, but by now Virettia had decided she needed to speak for herself. City of Fayette 203 Temple Avenue N. Fayette, AL 35555 Phone: 205-932-5367 Fax: 205-932-5788 email: cityhall@fayetteal.org Contact Numbers If Emergency, please call 911 Police: 205-932 5312 Fire: 205-932-5311 Gas: 205-932-5269 After Hours: 205-270-0088 Water: 205-932-5311 For all other departments, please click here. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.85. The biggest threat to the male ego is a black woman, she said, reading out loud a quote someone had sent her as she began work one morning at Mayfair Manor, where she had a glass-front office in the lobby and the first tenant of the day stopped in just after 8 a.m. You doing okay, Junie? Virettia asked an elderly woman. She listened as the mayor opened the first regular meeting of the new council. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of my hometown. All nine Council members are elected from individual districts, and only citizens within the city limits can vote for those seats on the Council. She is the newly elected City Council member for Ward 1, which includes the complexes she manages. I love you too, but theres no work around here, the man said, and that was how it went all day long, a parade of people with problems that could be as small as needing a ride to the grocery store and as large as not being able to afford medication and as difficult as what had happened the night before, when Virettia had been asleep in her apartment when she heard someone crying. Official Facebook page for the City of Fayette Alabama Hes been out, so we scheduled a meeting for tomorrow, so next meeting, Ill be able to bring an update on the airport.. Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below. Their combined presence changed the longtime makeup of the council. Lord give me the strength, Virettia thought to herself. The per capita income for the city was $16,602. 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. Third party advertisements support hosting, listing verification, updates, and site maintenance. including West Point Lake in Georgia, 15 minutes to the east and Alabama's Lake Martin, 30 minutes to the west. There is Opportunity for You in Fayette! Its a lot of language about us in the Constitution of Alabama thats been there since 1921.. We have a place for you, a place where your dreams can have a beginning. This is the position that Mayor Pro-Tem Wilson will vacate to make a run for the mayors job. The population density was 575.1 inhabitants per square mile (222.0/km2). 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!!!!!" About 12.5% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 22.9% of those age 65 or over. The multiracial tenants include fast-food workers, veterans and elderly and disabled people. P.O Box 1111 Montgomery AL. The mayor is elected at-large. The city had 4,285 residents as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau. 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. Our county encompasses 630 square miles of beautiful farmland, forest, and private property. THE TIMES-RECORD PO DRAWER 159 FAYETTE, AL 35555 . The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census,[2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. 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. Learn about the services they provide and their interest in your safety. As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,285 people, 1,888 households, and 1,178 families residing in the city. Her first chance to say something came with the first item on the agenda, covid-19. BOTTOM LEFT: A sign for a business in Virettia's ward. Laws were meant to be amended. 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. All of the City Council's regular meetings are broadcast live onFayTV, the City of Fayetteville's Government Access Channel. He pulled his hoodie over his face, pretending to avoid her. You not ready for the next level if you allowing this pettiness to get to you, her cousin had texted back. The Fayette City Council is shown at its Sept. 1 meeting that was called to certify the election. For a full list of our elected officials and department heads including contact information, click here. Hes the only Black.. The volunteerswho are appointed to the boards andcommissions serve as the link that connectsthe public to its governing body and serve asadvisors who make recommendations thathelp shape the policies and programs ofFayetteville. With a beginning as one of the earliest settlements in West Alabama, Fayette grew with the region to become a provider of initiatives that have enriched our people with an environment of willingness to dream. The mayor acts as theofficial head of City government and presidesat City Council meetings. But at a moment when old political orthodoxies were being challenged all the way down to small towns in the rural South, there were now two Black women on the Fayette City Council: one representing the Black ward, and Virettia Whiteside, 35, manager of two apartment complexes across from a vestigial cotton field on the east side of town. The Fayetteville City Council is the electedgoverning body representing the citizens ofFayetteville. Virettia closed her eyes and thought about all the things she had wanted to say but had not said during the past months as she felt her legitimacy questioned. Now he spent most days at his antique store, happy to share with anyone who asked his belief that if all the Black candidates had won, Fayette would have soon resembled another Alabama town he knew of, an hour to the south, which in his mind had been a charming place when White people had the majority on the City Council. A White woman Virettia had known for years had sent her a private message asking how she was holding up but nothing public. 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. There are may things we can do together to continue providing the environment of opportunity Fayette has always enjoyed. But now it was the summer of protests after the killing of George Floyd. Stand behind me show up! Virettia had texted then. To speak before the City Council on a matter of importance fill out and submit this Agenda Request Form. 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. She was a full-fledged councilwoman without challenge. The local radio stations are WLDX Big Cat and WTXT. The City of LaFayette Alabama website home page WELCOME TO THE CITY OF 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. Virettia asked him who was on the abatement board. Under the council/manager form of government, the Fayetteville City Council performs the legislative functions of the City, establishing laws and policies, sets strategic priorities and adopts the annual budget. 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. About 15.4% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over. I worked for that spot. (Jared. Whys there always only one Black? Virettia said. One on the zoning board. He came in and stood in front of her desk. The Municipal Court has created an Amnesty Program for all defendants that have outstanding balances from cases prior to December 31, 2020. Council members and the mayor are notfull-time City employees, but they arefinancially compensated for their time andcertain expenses. Each office holder is elected to a four year term. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. Residents sit outside Mayfair Manor. All council members and Mayor Ray Nelson were present for the meeting. speckle park bull sales 2021 847-461-9794; fayette, alabama city council. She listened for a moment as he responded mm hmm, she said, mm hmm and then, growing impatient, she did what she finally had the power to do. All the White department heads were going to be fired. These are just two of the companies that had had their beginning here. Council Lady Whiteside? the mayor said, turning to his left. 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. 2023 County Office. The Rot Beneath Green Labels on Forestry Products, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Fayette is a town where people have always found opportunity waiting to be fulfilled. The Fayette Art Museum was founded in 1969 by Fayette City Council and Jack Black, who was the Musuem's Director for 35 years. If they werent, wed still have slavery.. The City Manager is responsible for managing the Citys employees, and the finances and resources as the chief budget officer. Fayette is a city and the county seat of Fayette County, Alabama, United States. Due to federal intervention decades ago, a Black ward was created to guarantee that there would be one black member of the city council. The tentacles are just so far-reaching, Scottie said. 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.. I believe it with all my heart.. Leading us in prayer will be Wade Jackson, he said. Wilson died poor and obscure in Yonkers, NY, in . The Council consists of seven members who are elected on a non-partisan basis in odd-numbered years. She wanted to call Aliska or Cedric, but before she could do that her phone was ringing. Council Meetings - Fayette, Alabama City Council Meetings begin at 5:00 PM on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month in the City Hall. Someappointees must have special licenses ormeet certain professional requirements. Mike, come in here, Virettia said, waving him in. He lives near Boston and has three children. These are informal meetings. Theyd talked previously about what had happened. Her first reaction was to consider quitting. Check back often to see our calendar of upcoming events and our latest county job openings. Im talking to you all, Ericka said. 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. 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. 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. I love you, but you owe me $77, Virettia said. The Fayette time zone is Central Daylight Time which is 6 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Its disguised pretty well but its right here among us. Photo editing by Bronwen Latimer. Our history of is one of people with the vision and daring to achieve outsized goals for a town our size. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post). Mayor and City Council Members. Hey Jerry, the mayor said to one of the other councilmen as he came in. Besides Virettia, her cousin was running for a seat on the five-member City Council in another mostly White ward. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sherry Settle represented the Fayette County Board of Registrars at the meeting. Contact Glenda for availability and services provided by the staff. An indication that the actual power structure might change surely brings the night sweats to the good white citizens of the town. 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.. 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. Wednesday, August 19, 2020 - 11:04:46 AM. The City of Fayette is located in Fayette County in the State of Alabama.Find directions to Fayette, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more.According to the 2019 US Census the Fayette population is estimated at 4,249 people. Fayetteville, NC 28301-5537, Designed by Granicus - Connecting People and Government. The park will serve residents of the city and surrounding rural areas, offer a recreation area for people coming to work in LaFayette, and provide a gathering place for families, friends, and out-of-town visitors. Review our. (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. Others with regional and national reputations have also called Fayette home. 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. Im getting tired of this, Virettia said. And I said, Sure is, which in his mind was the put-down of the century, a luxury he would normally not allow himself. That the judge had dismissed the lawsuit. Fayette Mayor Jeremy Dawson can be reached by phone at (660) 248-5246 or by email at jdawson@cityoffayettemo.com. I was in the next window. Ward One Councilwoman Linda McCraw is not seeking re-election. Fayette is organized in a mayor-council form of city government, with a mayor elected citywide and five council members elected from districts. Federal election monitors were sent to Aliceville, and in the years after that more Black people were elected, a development that led to White flight and divestment that is the story of rural towns across the South. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), A corkboard at Mayfair Manor displays a newspaper clipping about Virettia's council election win in November. Black citizens are allowed to participate in local government, but not to approach anything remotely like controlling it. [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. We are fans because she goes out and finds those small stories in small places that nevertheless teach us big lessons about what kind of country we actually are, a question that has stumped us pretty badly so far in 2021. The only municipal election within the county this year will occur on Aug. 25 in the City of Fayette, with every position on the ballot being contested. 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. Aliska Hughes-Monroe, Virettia's best friend, was elected in November to represent Ward 4. The Fayetteville City Council has establishedboards and commissions. Like spitting on the sidewalk. One on the abatement board in a town that was roughly 73 percent White and 24 percent Black. I lost everything. Its hard even now to believe how crazy with fear the protests last summer made white people in this country. .css-gk9meg{display:block;font-family:Lausanne,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;padding-top:0.25rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-gk9meg:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.15;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 73.75rem){.css-gk9meg{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;}}The Rot Beneath Green Labels on Forestry Products, Donald Trump Wants to Make 'The Jetsons' a Reality, They Promised Whistleblowers but Delivered Hot Air, Thomas More Society Joined Election Denial Chorus. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), LEFT: 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. RIGHT: Aliska Hughes-Monroe, Virettia's best friend, was elected in November to represent Ward 4. The multiracial tenants include fast-food workers, veterans and elderly and disabled people. Ultimately, Donald Trump Beat the System. It wasnt just the house she had bought in another ward, he said, explaining why he opposed her election. We talked about it, Cedric said. 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. No councilor lives in Ward 1; slap out of luck!. [16], Coordinates: 334131N 874956W / 33.692068N 87.832358W / 33.692068; -87.832358. Call us today to get any more information about our county. Call us today to get any more information about our county. 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. It might look better than yours. She listened as he told her that he had just gotten the decision. For all other departments, please click here. See a helpful list of local county services and agencies. Information about LaFayette, Alabama City Council Members City Council District A Terry G. Mangram (334) 497-9935 Click here to email Councilman Mangram District B David Ennis (706) 518-4441 Click here to email Councilman Ennis District C Toney B. Thomas (334) 864-5335 Click here to email Councilman Thomas District D Michael C. Ellis (706) 350-9762 Virettia held her hand as the board voted, each of the White members siding with the White neighbors, and the one Black board member siding with Ericka, thwarting the unanimous vote needed to block the trailer. Generally, no votes are taken. She was walking home on her first day of school when a classmate started pushing her, and another girl told her, Youre going to have to fight. Virettia had never fought in her life but standing there in the strange snow in a strange city, she realized no one was coming to help. At the 2000 census there were 4,922 people, 2,092 households, and 1,303 families living in the city. Rod, Jerry, Eddy, Tommy, and at the far end of the dais was Councilwoman Virettia Whiteside, now writing something down to keep herself focused. 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. There used to be no Black, Cedric said. 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. . It was officially shortened to "Fayette" in 1898. Subscribe now! 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? Council elections arenonpartisan and a primary election is held inOctober, only when more than twocandidates vie for a specific seat. Now.. Here lately Ive just been down in the dumps, the woman said, and after they talked awhile, another tenant came by to discuss her sons mental illness. The Fayetteville City Council hosts work sessions on the first Monday of every month. The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census,[2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. 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. Seeking the position of mayor, replacing retiring Mayor Ray Nelson, will be: Kevin Bass, Rod Northam, Max Weaver and current City Councilman Cedric Wilson. 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. 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. Others with regional and national reputations have also called Fayette home. Get your date and time reserved early while they are available. The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census, [2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. Fayette has a variety of things to see and do during your visit. But.. Were you a slave? 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. Fayette municipal election is Tuesday, Aug. 25. In addition to these . The Civic Center will be celebrating their 40th Anniversary on March 25th. 54 were here. Thornell authors economic development book. The mega-rich. (205) 932-4510. Like many other Mayfair Manor residents, Zach supported Virettia during her council run. In 1928, Victor and Lucy Patterson began manufacturing Golden Eagle Syrup in Fayette. (McCrummen won a Pulitzer in 2018 for her coverage of Judge Roy Moore, the Gadsden Mall Creeper, in Alabama.) It is time to renew your membership. Why now?. 1.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

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