Two Bits on Sunday

A couple of items that crossed the radar screen today…

• This ADEM airplane story keeps staying in the air. The Press-Register carries a commentary today that questions the economics of the purchase based on the writer’s own experiences. And a letter to the editor in The Birmingham News last week questions the choice of the plane:
  

  Let’s look at the airplane. I have been flying reconnaissance flights for many years now. The planes of choice for this work are small-type, top-wing, low- and slow-flying aircraft, preferably with windows that open. The luxury craft purchased by ADEM certainly doesn’t meet any of these criteria.

  I think it’s worth remembering that when ADEM Director Trey Glenn was Director of the Office of Water Resources at the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), his office also purchased a plane. They bought “a used Beech Baron for $500,000 and did $750,000 worth of upgrades on it.” Associated Press reported that “the purchase of equipment for that plane became part of an ethics complaint against Glenn.”

• Here’s one for those who appreciate small towns and small town politics…

  This weekend Hanceville Fire Chief Mike Watson is suspended by Mayor Katie Whitley for, in part, “unauthorized multiple usage of purchase orders without following proper procedure.” But Watson claims that the Mayor directed him to circumvent state bid laws by submitting multiple invoices that stayed under $7,500 per invoice. Any municipal purchase over $7,500 must go out for public bid.

  The rest of the volunteer department quit in protest.

  Another story mentions that new fire gear was delivered to the city a week before sealed bids for the gear’s purchase were to be opened.

  FWIW, we remember Whitley’s name because she was named as a defendant when publisher/editor Ed Flaig sued Hanceville for $1 million in a suit since dismissed as “virtually unintelligible.” (Flaig is a now a long-shot candidate for the HD 12 seat.)

  I do love small towns. Though I like them better when they come with fire protection.

I hope your Sunday has been a good one.