Learn more about our 15-man engineering crew and view their contact information here. The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census,[2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. Rent out our incredible multipurpose complex for your next event. Whitesides subsequent experiences surely stemmed from the same kind of panic. BOTTOM RIGHT: Like many other Mayfair Manor residents, Zach supported Virettia during her council run. (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. She sat down and tried not to cry. Board of Alderman . All ninecouncil members are elected from singlemember districts and only citizens withineach district may vote for each district seat. Address, Phone Number, and Hours for Fayette City Hall, a Town & City Hall, at Temple Avenue North, Fayette AL. The City Council appoints a manager who carries out the laws and policies enacted by Council. Copy editing by Wayne Lockwood. Under the current electoral system, the City Council consists of nine council members and a mayor. The Fayette time zone is Central Daylight Time which is 6 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The Fayetteville City Council conducts regular meetings on the second and fourth Monday of every month. We may earn a commission from these links. City of Fayette Mayor - jdawson@cityoffayettemo.com . 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. The city is situated on the southern edge of the Piedmont Plateau. I know its hard youre his mom and thats your baby, but Im here, Virettia said, waving over another tenant behind on his rent. All the White department heads were going to be fired. Not that Virettia, who had never been in Scotties store and had never been one of the people he sometimes invited in for afternoon tea and conversations amid the antiques, had heard him say any of this; she only had the lawsuit, along with her own knowledge that it was precisely because of what had happened in Aliceville and places like it that in 1988, Black voters in Fayette were able to elect the towns first Black councilperson, who happened to be her father. Each council member is assigned oversight for a unit of city government. One world order. But no one wants to talk about race in this town, she said. The local radio stations are WLDX Big Cat and WTXT. . (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post). 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. . (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), TOP: Despite aging buildings and the occasional downed sign, Fayette has been trying to revive its downtown area. See complete story in The Times-Record. 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? (205) 932-4510. FAYETTE, Ala. The men in ties stood in the corridor of City Hall, talking with a kind of familiarity that the newest council member did not yet feel. Council Lady Whiteside? the mayor said, turning to his left. A White woman Virettia had known for years had sent her a private message asking how she was holding up but nothing public. These are just two of the companies that had had their beginning here. Rod, Jerry, Eddy, Tommy, and at the far end of the dais was Councilwoman Virettia Whiteside, now writing something down to keep herself focused. Look at my heart., But that was not reality, she was saying the next morning, sitting in her office. Here in the shebeen, we are longtime fans of Stephanie McCrummen, who is posted in the South and who writes for the Washington Post. She was on her own. Fayetteville, NC 28301-5537, Designed by Granicus - Connecting People and Government. 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. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Fayette city, Alabama", "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990", "NOAA NCEI U.S. speckle park bull sales 2021 847-461-9794; fayette, alabama city council. City Council - Fayette, Alabama All Events This event has passed. One Black person on the City Council. Its mine. The Fayette City Council is shown at its Sept. 1 meeting that was called to certify the election. The mayor acts as theofficial head of City government and presidesat City Council meetings. 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. 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. The Fayette Art Museum was founded in 1969 by Fayette City Council and Jack Black, who was the Musuem's Director for 35 years. 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. Basically, what happened was that Whitesides election broke what McCrummen calls the Rule of One in Fayette. Under the current electoral system, the City Council consists of nine Council members and a mayor. Local elections were coming up. Wilson died poor and obscure in Yonkers, NY, in . These people, these problems that she wanted the power to solve. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. 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. But getting back to what you were saying, baby.. You see what Im saying? The syrup is still produced locally in a manufacturing facility in downtown Fayette. Her first reaction was to consider quitting. Fayette City Hall Contact Information. Okay his medication: Hes taking it every day? Virettia asked. The Aquatic Center will begin taking Party Reservations on April 3. Virettia was alone in her office, and after she hung up, she allowed herself a moment to feel an unexpected sense of vindication. How he wasnt exactly upset that he lost, but that he lost behind all those things that were said by people he thought he could trust. Phone-Number: 334-864-7181 Meeting-Type: regular Submission . People say it could never happen here. Of the four Black candidates who ran, they were the two who had won. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. But.. Third party advertisements support hosting, listing verification, updates, and site maintenance. The population density was 530.2 inhabitants per square mile (204.7/km2). 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. One on the gas board. [3] All meetingsstart at 7 p.m. and are open to the public. Its 20 years I worked for that. The history of that town, called Aliceville, suggested a more complicated reality, one of Black voter suppression that extended into the 1980s, when White officials still held nearly every position of power, even though the population was roughly 40 percent Black. BOTTOM RIGHT: Cotton fields, such as this one in Fayette, still permeate the South. Our county is fortunate to have an abundance of industries ranging from agricultural and timber to industrial manufacturing. Youre going to see some things, Cedric said. Fayette municipal election is Tuesday, Aug. 25. Her best friend was running in the traditionally Black ward. We strive to hear every single question, concern, and comment to better enhance the quality of life in our City. For all other departments, please click here. Population control. The multiracial tenants include fast-food workers, veterans and elderly and disabled people. Terms and Conditions. Each office holder is elected to a four year term. 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. .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. Males had a median income of $34,271 versus $27,500 for females. Posted-By: City of LaFayette, Alabama City Council: Meeting-Date: 2/13/2023 Meeting-Time: 5:30 PM: Notice History: Meeting-Location: FARMERS FEDERATION(ALFA) BUILDING 1006 AVENUE A SE LAFAYETTE, AL 36862. I worked for that spot. Now she called Cedric Wilson, the former city councilman who had lost his bid for mayor. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post). (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), Virettia stands in Mayfair Manor's Community Room. Rod Northam, Mayor Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. Here's a small story from a small place that teaches us big lessons about what kind of country we actually are. All members of the City Council are elected to represent you. (Jared. Thats why theyre so mad.. 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 It was like living through Rod Serlings old Twilight Zone episode, The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street, over and over again. It was a small town. 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. 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. A city resident wishing to become mayor must specifically run for that office. Wednesday, August 19, 2020 - 11:04:46 AM. Virettia also manages Valley Cove. 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. All right, well call the meeting to order, the mayor said. 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. 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. Phone 205-932-5367. Hes been out, so we scheduled a meeting for tomorrow, so next meeting, Ill be able to bring an update on the airport.. He answered after two rings. 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. The former councilman from that ward was running for mayor, and soon rumors started flying. 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). She checked to see if the judge had ruled on the case; still nothing. 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. Every day, the woman said. Council meetingsare held in the first floor Council Chamber ofCity Hall, 433 Hay St. 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. I kept my yard up. Look at the state Constitution. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Charles P Pierce is the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976. They drove through downtown, then crossed over into Virettias ward on the east side of town, which she had won in a runoff against a White candidate, 184 to 104, with most of her votes coming from her tenants. 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. All council members and Mayor Ray Nelson were present for the meeting. 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. For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for Fayette, Alabama . The building houses government offices, including the Fayette legislative body, and provides public records, government services, and information about Fayette services. Jordan, she said, interrupting. Fayette Mayor Jeremy Dawson can be reached by phone at (660) 248-5246 or by email at jdawson@cityoffayettemo.com. Fayette Map. Location of Fayette in Fayette County, Alabama. City Council March 8, 2016 @ 5:00 pm Add to calendar Details Date: March 8, 2016 Time: 5:00 pm Venue City Hall 203 Temple Avenue North Fayette, AL 35555 United States + Google Map Phone: 205-932-5367 View Venue Website You not ready for the next level if you allowing this pettiness to get to you, her cousin had texted back. She tried to remember that this was the whole reason she had run in the first place. You will be surprised at what you can achieve here. The mayor acts as the official head of city government and presides at City Council meetings. No, said Jerriolyn Lacey. Any discussion around that? the mayor said. The per capita income for the city was $15,553. People think we dont have a problem, but we do. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. She walked by the men chatting in the corridor and took her seat next to her colleagues, wondering if they had supported Scotties lawsuit. See a helpful list of local county services and agencies. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. No councilor lives in Ward 1; slap out of luck!. He owned the Spanish-style house on the edge of the traditionally Black ward that had belonged to Virettias godmother. However, that was far from the actual reason, as Porter made clear to McCrummen. 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. Design by Tara McCarty. 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. Thornell authors economic development book. The mayor is elected at-large. Mine will be a home too, once I get through with it.. Like spitting on the sidewalk. Our history of is one of people with the vision and daring to achieve outsized goals for a town our size. The per capita income for the city was $16,602. Subscribe now! Fayette has a variety of things to see and do during your visit. The mayor is elected at-large. 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. [15]. She was a full-fledged councilwoman without challenge. 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. The Fayetteville City Council is the electedgoverning body representing the citizens ofFayetteville. This is bigger than me.. 32.8% of households were one person and 14.0% were one person aged 65 or older. Four Black candidates were running for major positions, something that had never happened before in Fayette. This is the position that Mayor Pro-Tem Wilson will vacate to make a run for the mayors job. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), Fayette maintains a Civil War monument downtown. I had a fire. Incumbent Jason Cowart did not qualify for re-election in Ward Three, leaving qualifiers Brad Cox and Tommy Williams to battle for the position. CountyOffice.org does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Didnt nobody do nothing to help me.. The City Council also appoints an attorney, who represents the City administration and City Council in all legal matters. Her first chance to say something came with the first item on the agenda, covid-19. Take the high road, people kept advising. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), TOP: Virettia talks with a resident at the Mayfair Manor apartments in Fayette. The median household income was $25,714 and the median family income was $36,589. You can also pay your bill on-line. In her new role, she works to help people beyond the complex. 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. Eddie Williams is on it, Cedric said. Virettia took a deep breath. 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 multiracial tenants include fast-food workers, veterans and elderly and disabled people. Elections are held separate from state and federal elections. For additional information on events at the Civic Center or to host an event at the Civic Center, please contact Glenda Robertson at 205-932-8727. Normally thats where the hurt comes from, thinking you know somebody. Due to federal intervention decades ago, a Black ward was created to guarantee that there would be one black member of the city council. Citizens only vote for a candidate running in their respective districts. [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. In Ward Two, incumbent Councilman Eddy D. Campbell will face challenger Floyd Rogers Jr. for the position. (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. Rioters were going to target downtown Fayette, where the Garden Club had planted flower beds and people gathered on holidays in the courthouse square. I dont even know where to begin, she said. 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. The cameraman who live-streamed all the council meetings swung the lens toward Virettia, who cleared her throat. An indication that the actual power structure might change surely brings the night sweats to the good white citizens of the town. She is the newly elected City Council member for Ward 1, which includes the complexes she manages. The mayor is avoting member of the Council. In 1928, Victor and Lucy Patterson began manufacturing Golden Eagle Syrup in Fayette. including West Point Lake in Georgia, 15 minutes to the east and Alabama's Lake Martin, 30 minutes to the west. 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. 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. 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. 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. Hes sick. Their combined presence changed the longtime makeup of the council. It is time to renew your membership. The Council holds special meetings whennecessary; notice of the meeting must begiven to the public and media 48 hoursbefore that meeting. Fayette, AL 35555-2684 (205) 932-4510 . The median household income was $31,705 and the median family income was $41,905. Aliska Hughes-Monroe, Virettia's best friend, was elected in November to represent Ward 4. According to the Kppen Climate Classification system, Fayette has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. Listen to me. He needs to go to the doctor. Four days later, a sheriffs deputy knocked on her door and handed her a lawsuit aimed at overturning her election based on the residency issue. Have a question about our comment policies? Drop by between 6:30 and 8:30 PM for free refreshments and a visit. 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. We could never have death panels where you start euthanizing people, but I believe that. Photo editing by Bronwen Latimer. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post). Fayette is a city and the county seat of Fayette County, Alabama, United States. Popularity:#1 of 2 Town & City Halls in Fayette County#114 of 236 Town & City Halls in Alabama#3,438 in Town & City Halls. Leading us in prayer will be Wade Jackson, he said. The White city councilmen: nothing. 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. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), Share your feedback by emailing the author. I lost everything. 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. She told her thank you, but no, and as she changed into a skirt and heels and drove over to City Hall in the early evening, she weighed whether this was the moment to bring her feelings out into the open. We have a place for you, a place where your dreams can have a beginning. Welcome to Fayette, a city of opportunities and beginnings. 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 ? her cousin wrote. [16], Coordinates: 334131N 874956W / 33.692068N 87.832358W / 33.692068; -87.832358. Virettia also manages Valley Cove. Individuals are also encouraged to become members. All of the City Council's regular meetings are broadcast live onFayTV, the City of Fayetteville's Government Access Channel. See complete story in The Times-Record. Our county encompasses 630 square miles of beautiful farmland, forest, and private property. 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. . She listened as the mayor opened the first regular meeting of the new council. Their combined presence changed the longtime makeup of the council. Elections are non-partisan, with the mayor and council members serving four-year terms. [9] The City of LaFayette, Alabama, the county seat of Chambers County, in East Central Alabama provides the perfect balance between rural and urban life. THE TIMES-RECORD PO DRAWER 159 FAYETTE, AL 35555 . About Us Contact Us The mayor also appoints Council members to City Council committees and liaison positions. 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. 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.. 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. Virettia put the cap on her pen, and a few minutes later, the meeting was over. View map of Fayette City Hall, and get driving directions from your location. (McCrummen won a Pulitzer in 2018 for her coverage of Judge Roy Moore, the Gadsden Mall Creeper, in Alabama.) The Fayetteville City Council hosts work sessions on the first Monday of every month. So yall ever voted to change the outdated laws? Virettia asked Cedric now. TheFayetteville City Councilis an elected body representing the citizens of Fayetteville. Add to calendar Details Date: Mike! she said now, seeing him pass by her office. 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. Her father: nothing. Males had a median income of $29,857 versus $21,899 for females. Im getting tired of this, Virettia said. I believe it with all my heart.. Ultimately, Donald Trump Beat the System. We are also the home of the Sipsey Arts Alliance.
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