PLACE Forum

ADDITIONAL EVENTS:

TODAY, THURSDAY, NOV. 29, 5:30 pm – AUBURN CHRISTMAS PARADE
Held in downtown Auburn. Free & open to the public.
Note: Toys for Tots will be collected; please bring an unwrapped gift for the program. Toys may also be donated at local fire stations. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber of Commerce.

TODAY, THURSDAY, NOV. 29, 6:30 pm – AU HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
Held on AU’s Samford Hall lawn. Free & open to the public.
AU’s Holiday Celebration will feature carols by the Auburn University Concert Choir, the lighting of a Christmas tree and an unity candle, and a children’s moment.  Sponsored by AU’s SGA., UPC & President’s office.

TODAY, THURSDAY, NOV. 29, 7:30 pm – AU SYMPHONIC BAND & WIND ENSEMBLE
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre. Free & open to the public.
The symphonic band, a select group of 65 musicians, is the premier performing student organization in the Auburn University band program. The concert offers a unique variety of musical styles including contemporary as well as traditional works. Conductor of the symphonic band and wind ensemble is Rick Good, director of bands and associate professor of music at Auburn.

FRIDAY, NOV. 30, 5:00 to 6:00 pm – TALK: SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES ON THE THREE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS
Held in AU’s Foy Student Union, room 217. Free & open to the public.

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The GREEN LUNCH with Dr. Sushil Bhavnani / Solar Energy Projects At Auburn has been postponed until next week.

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MEETINGS & EVENTS – WEEK OF NOV. 26:
DATE CHANGED/ WILL BE HELD NEXT WEEK —GREEN LUNCH: Dr. Sushil Bhavnani / Solar Energy Projects At Auburn
Held in AU’s Foy Union, room 208. Free & open to the public.
Speaker: ­­­­­­­­­­­­ Dr. Sushil Bhavnani – Dept of Mechanical Engineering, AU
The Auburn University Sustainability Initiative “Green Lunch” series is open to anyone on campus (students, faculty, staff, administrators) as well as interested members of the community. These brown-bag lunch seminars (water, iced tea, and coffee provided) will offer informal, non-technical talks by AU faculty and staff on a wide range of sustainability-related topics. For information about additional speakers this semester, please check our Green Lunch schedule. http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/Greenlunch.php

MONDAY, NOV. 26 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION & work session on legislative issues www.leeco.us
4:00 pm — work session / 6:00 pm — regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Lee County Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes a work session immediately following the regular meeting to discuss items to be presented to the Lee County Legislative Delegation for possible introduction during the upcoming Legislative Session.

TUESDAY, NOV. 27, 3:00 pm — OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Agenda includes:
A. PLATS (preliminary and prel. & final) – Public Hearing
1. King’s Nursery S/D, Revision of Lot 3, Block D, 2 lots, 2500 Airport Road, Preliminary & Final approval
2. Doug Horn Rental S/D,2 lots, Geneva Street, P/F approval
3. Wyndham Industrial Park S/D,2 lots, Society Hill Road, P/F approval
4. Elizabeth Lee S/D, 3rd Addition-Resub of Lot2, 2 lots, 4639 Hwy 51, P/F approval
5. Roy Riddle S/D, 3 lots, Old Columbus Road, P/F approval
B. ADMINISTRATIVE SUBDIVSION
6. Cedar Creek S/D, Resub Lot 55B, 2lots, Oak Park Dr., Ratify
C. CONDITIONAL USE
7. Sun Self Storage, Inc., 2000 Columbus Pkwy, C3, GC-2, Addition to self storage facility
8. Beverly Brady, 1801 Market Street, M-1, GC-2, Child care center
9 Kenneth Hood, 2800 block Frederick Road, C-2, GC-2, Tile and granite retail store
9B. City of Opelika, 1001 Andrews Road, R-1, Sportsplex and Aquatic Center
D. REZONING – Public Hearing
10. Mayberry LLC, 2100 block Westpoint Pkwy, 37 acres, from R-1 to PUD
11. SLABCO, Interstate Drive, 138 acres, from R-4 to C-2
12. Petitioners on Westpoint Pkwy, 2700 block Westpoint Pkwy, from C-3 to R/E (retail/entertainment)
E. ANNEXATION
13. Boucher/Morris property, 3800 block Westpoint Pkwy, 60 acres
F. ZONING for ANNEXATION PROPERTY – Public Hearing
14. Boucher/Morris property, 3800 block Westpoint Pkwy, 60 acres, zoning request R/E
G. OTHER BUSINESS
15. Discuss GC-1 zoning district (Gateway Corridor Overlay-1) on Frederick Road from Opelika City Limits to Gateway Drive

TUESDAY, NOV. 27, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.

WEDNESDAY NOV 28, 10:00 am — ALABAMA WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION
Held at the Alabama Center for Commerce bldg, 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 342, Mont. You can park in the parking deck across the street (access from South Hull Street) with parking code 225* . Ph: 334-242-5499
Agenda includes:
1. Roll Call and Declaration of Quorum
2. Agenda Modifications
3. Consideration of Minutes of August 13, 2007 Meeting
4. Report from Division Director, ADECA Office of Water Resources
5. Update on “Water Wars”
6. Comments from the Public
7. Schedule of Future Meetings
8. Adjourn
NOTE: The AWRC is the oversight board for the Office of Water Resources (OWR) which is tasked with managing water quantity in the state. Join Alabama Water Agenda volunteers and others at the meeting to show your concern about and support for state water policy. If you can’t make it to the meeting, please contact your state legislators. Water policy needs to be a priority in the 2008 legislative session and we need AWRC and OWR to get the ball rolling. The citizens of Alabama cannot afford to go without comprehensive water policy for very much longer. Please contact your state legislators and let them know that protection of our water resources and future generations is important to you. For more details and suggested actions, go to www.alabamawateragenda.com.

WEDNESDAY, NOV 28 – LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
Held at the Elks Club, 1944 Opelika Road.
6:00 pm — buffet dinner ($9.00, tax and tip included)
6:50 pm — Speaker: Vivian Figures, 2008 Candidate for U.S. Senate
Vivian Davis Figures is running for U.S. Senate against Jeff Sessions in 2008. She has no primary opposition at this time. She currently serves in the Alabama House of Representatives, representing the 33rd District since she was elected in 1997 to serve the remaining term of her late husband, Senator Michael A. Figures, who was the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. She was re-elected without opposition in 1998 and 2002. Figures received her B.S. degree in Management Science from the University of New Haven in Connecticut and attended Jones School of Law in Montgomery. A former member of the Mobile City Council, Senator Figures is President/CEO of Figures Legacy Education Foundation and serves on the Board of Directors of the Mobile Area Education Foundation. She is a past at-large member of the Democratic National Committee.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 28, 7:00 pm — AUUF Environmental Movie: CRUDE IMPACT – PACHAMAMA ALLIANCE
Held at the AUUF Hall, 450 E. Thach. Free & open to all.
This powerful documentary explores the interconnection between human domination of the planet and the discovery and use of oil. The film exposes our deep-rooted dependency on the availability of fossil fuel energy, examines the future implications of peak oil, and chronicles the collision of our insatiable appetite for oil with the rights and livelihoods of indigenous cultures, other species and the planet itself. Tropical forests present a cash crop to be harvested rather than an irreplaceable ecosystem to be honored and protected. The movie (2004) runs for 98 min and is very impressive.
– The movie was produced by the Pachamama Alliance. In Inca mythology “Pachamama” means “Mother Earth”, “Goddess of the Earth”, or “Goddess of the Universe”, the power that controls harvests, natural phenomena and natural disasters. The Pachamama Alliance is a U.S. based not-for-profit organization that was born out of a relationship developed between a group of people from the modern world and the leaders of remote indigenous groups in the Amazon region of Ecuador. Their mission is to protect the Earth’s tropical rainforests by empowering the indigenous people and to contribute to a vision of global equity and sustainability for all. Their work includes social and economic development projects in South-America, and education- and awareness-building in the U.S. and other parts of the world.

THURSDAY, NOV 29, 8:45 am – AU BOARD OF TRUSTEES / PROPERTY & FACILITIES COMMITTEE
Held in the President’s Office Board Room, 107 Samford Hall, AU. Ph: 334–844-4866. www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/

THURSDAY, NOV. 29, 6 to 10 PM — A TASTE OF EAST ALABAMA
Held at the Marriott at Grand National. Presented by the Domestic Violence Intervention Center /DVIC.
Tax-deductible Tickets - $25.00 Adults; $15.00 for children under 12
Featuring food from many local restaurants. Delicious Fun – Food & Dancing. Silent Auction – Door Prizes.
Music & Entertainment by John Bodiford Local D.J., Local Dance Band Route 66. More info: call DVIC – 749-1515 or Randy Causey @ 528-1345.

SATURDAY, DEC. 1, 8:00 am – WeHelp Coalition COOKIE WALK — Habitat for Humanity Benefit
Held at the Auburn First Baptist Church activities building. All are invited.Come buy delicious cookies and support Habitat for Humanity.

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Thanks for your interest and support.

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MEETINGS & EVENTS — WEEK OF NOV 19

SLICING THE LOCAL RETAIL PIE — a column by Lisa Brouillette
First published Nov. 16, 2007 in the Opelika-Auburn News. Read it online at http://placeforum.org/blog/.

THROUGH WEDNESDAY, NOV 21 — AU STRATEGIC PLANNING SURVEY OPEN FOR COMMENTS
Online comments accepted through 4:45 pm, Nov 21. All are invited to comment.
The Auburn University strategic planning Web survey is available online through Nov. 21 on the AU home page (www.auburn.edu) by clicking on the “Strategic Planning” button. Faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, community representatives and others are encouraged to provide input regarding strategic alternatives. The survey will build upon the situational assessment and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis previously done by consulting group Messina and Graham.

IRON BOWL PARKING & GAME DAY INFO
KICKOFF SAT, NOV 24, 7:00 PM / CAMPUS CORE CLOSED PART OF WEEK
*The AU campus core — the area bounded by Samford Avenue, Wire Road, Magnolia Avenue and College Street – will be closed from 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, through 6 a.m. Friday, Nov. 23. Employees working during this time must display an A or B zone hangtag if they want to park in the campus core.
* No tailgate sites may be reserved in any manner until 6 a.m. Friday, Nov. 23. Individuals and groups will not be permitted to loiter or sit on campus to reserve a preferred site until this time. Tape, rope, chairs, small tents and any other site markings placed prior to Friday will be removed.
* RV early arrival time on campus will remain Wednesday, Nov. 21, at 4 p.m. Arrival will be regulated, and RV parking will be limited exclusively to the hayfields along South Donahue Drive and Woodfield Drive.
* The City of Auburn is offering free, paved parking for RVs arriving Monday, Nov. 19, and Tuesday, Nov. 20. The parking lot, which will open at 8 a.m. and stay open through the week, is located at Duck Samford Park. The lot is accessed off Airport Road, just north of Glenn Avenue. There are no hookups or public restroom facilities available.
More information about the Iron Bowl week plan: www.auburn.edu/gameday.

TUESDAY, NOV. 20, 4:00 pm — OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Agenda includes:
A. PLATS (preliminary and prel. & final) – Public Hearing
1. King’s Nursery S/D, Revision of Lot 3, Block D, 2 lots, 2500 Airport Road, Preliminary & Final approval
2. Doug Horn Rental S/D,2 lots, Geneva Street, P/F approval
3. Wyndham Industrial Park S/D,2 lots, Society Hill Road, P/F approval
4. Elizabeth Lee S/D, 3rd Addition-Resub of Lot2, 2 lots, 4639 Hwy 51, P/F approval
5. Roy Riddle S/D, 3 lots, Old Columbus Road, P/F approval
B. ADMINISTRATIVE SUBDIVSION
6. Cedar Creek S/D, Resub Lot 55B, 2lots, Oak Park Dr., Ratify
C. CONDITIONAL USE
7. Sun Self Storage, Inc., 2000 Columbus Pkwy, C3, GC-2, Addition to self storage facility
8. Beverly Brady, 1801 Market Street, M-1, GC-2, Child care center
9 Kenneth Hood, 2800 block Frederick Road, C-2, GC-2, Tile and granite retail store
9B. City of Opelika, 1001 Andrews Road, R-1, Sportsplex and Aquatic Center
D. REZONING – Public Hearing
10. Mayberry LLC, 2100 block Westpoint Pkwy, 37 acres, from R-1 to PUD
11. SLABCO, Interstate Drive, 138 acres, from R-4 to C-2
12. Petitioners on Westpoint Pkwy, 2700 block Westpoint Pkwy, from C-3 to R/E (retail/entertainment)
E. ANNEXATION
13. Boucher/Morris property, 3800 block Westpoint Pkwy, 60 acres
F. ZONING for ANNEXATION PROPERTY – Public Hearing
14. Boucher/Morris property, 3800 block Westpoint Pkwy, 60 acres, zoning request R/E
G. OTHER BUSINESS
15. Discuss GC-1 zoning district (Gateway Corridor Overlay-1) on Frederick Road from Opelika City Limits to Gateway Drive

TUESDAY, NOV 20 – AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
Committee of the Whole: 6:00 pm / Regular meeting: 7:00 pm
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St.. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE agenda includes:
6:00 – 6:15 PM — Meet in Rear of Council Chamber. Auburn High School Industrial Technology Class. (Demonstration of Hovercraft Project)
SIGN ORDINANCE TASK FORCE REPORT . Presentation. Councilperson Robin Kelley.
WRIGHTS MILL ROAD SPEED LIMIT. Discussion. Councilperson Dick Phelan.
CONSTRUCTION WORK TIMES. Proposed Ordinance Amendment. City Manager Duggan.
PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD. Nominations. Two Positions. Four Year Terms Begin December 1, 2007. Incumbents Joseph Allen Jones, Jr. and Sue Rodgers have both served two terms and are ineligible for reappointment.
REGULAR MEETING agenda includes:
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexations. Planning Commission Recommendations. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) William and Laura Dyas. 1510 Ogletree Road. Portion of Lot 3, East Lake Subdivision, Phase Two. 9.74 Acres.
(2) Earnest Chappell, III and James M. Pierce. Property Located Adjacent to Mill Creek Road Between Shell Toomer Parkway and Sand Hill Road. 1.123 Acres.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Interim Annexation Policy. Consideration and Adoption.
b. City Council Meetings. January 2008. Reschedule.
c. $130,000. SunSouth, LLC. East Glenn Avenue. Site Improvement Grant.Revolving Loan Fund.
d. Contracts and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) $12,500. Public Works Department. Samford Pool Rehabilitation Project. Engineering Services. J. B. Trimble, Inc.
(2) $11,835. Public Safety Department. GPS Tracking System. Guardian Tracking Kit. Cobham Tracking & Locating, Ltd.
(3) $68,400. Water Resource Management Department. Saugahatchee Creek Streambank Stabilization Project. North State Environmental, Inc.
e. Drainage and Utility Easements, Rights of Way, Corrective Plat, and Quit Claim Deed. Acceptance and Vacation.
(1) Drainage and Utility Easements and Rights of Way.
(a) North Woods, Inc. Camden Ridge Subdivision, 10th Addition, Redivision of Lots 506 and 454. East End of Trailridge Road. Acceptance and Vacation.
(b) Morgan Hills, LLC. Morgan Hills Subdivision, Phase 4A. Ogletree Road Adjacent to Morgan Hills, Phase 3. Acceptance.
(c) Michael Musselwhite. Lundy Chase Subdivision – Phase 1, First Revision. North of Willow Creek Subdivision, South of Richland Road. Acceptance and Vacation.
(d) Shadow Wood Holdings, LLC. Shadow Wood Estates, First Addition – Phase 2. Lee Road 81 (Mrs. James Road),North of Camden Ridge Subdivision. Acceptance.
(2) Vision Quality Homes, LLC. Corrective Plat of Lot 63 of the 2nd Corrective Plat for the Gardens at Gatewood Redivision of Parcel C. Acceptance.
(3) Moore’s Mill Club, LLC. Lot 1A, Moore’s Mill Golf Clubhouse Subdivision, First Revision of Lot 1. Quit Claim Deed. Vacate Easement and Rights of Way.
f. Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. Two Positions. Four Year Terms Expire November 30, 2011. Appointments.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.

TUESDAY, NOV 20 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
Held in the city council chambers, Municipal Building, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Agenda includes a public hearing to consider the adoption of an ordinance to amend the City of Opelika Zoning Ordinance (Ord. No. 124-91).

WEDNESDAY, NOV 21, 10:00 am — ALABAMA ELECTRONIC VOTING COMMITTEE
Held in the Room N 202, Alabama State Capitol, Mont. Ph: 334-242-7536. Regularly scheduled meeting.

SATURDAY, NOV. 24, 9:00 am – AU ARBORETUM DAYS / FLOWERS TO FRUIT
Held at AU’s Donald E. Davis Arboretum.
All participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Space is limited; pre-registration encouraged by phone (844-5770) or online at www.auburn.edu/cosam/collections/arboretum/news-and-events/arboretum_day/index.htm .
Participants will dissect flowers to see how and why fruit develops, and will also get to sample some fruit.

SATURDAY, NOV 24, 7:00 pm – IRON BOWL / AU v. BAMA HOME GAME

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SLICING THE LOCAL RETAIL PIE — by Lisa Brouillette

[first published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Nov. 16, 2007]

Slicing the local retail pie

It’s happened again. A local retail business has closed, blaming competition from major chains moving in on its turf.

Nobody wants to see a local business fail. Ironically, though, some local business owners have been loud supporters of the local government policies and incentives which helped lure their outsized competitors to town.

With the recruitment of each new retailer comes the familiar refrain — the city needs the sales tax dollars, this new business will create “X” number of jobs, their employees will spend “X” number of dollars in Auburn.

There’s some truth in that. But there is a deeper truth—that much of the “new” sales tax is simply the same old sales tax split among different businesses. And although new jobs are created, many of those are low-paying with few career options.

Further, the new retailer often recruits from personnel already trained by and working at existing local businesses. Employee training is costly. If your employees leave before you’ve recouped your investment in them, or demand higher wages to remain, that hurts your business.

So, how many small local businesses must go belly-up before we publicly recognize that the retail pie is only so big, that there are limited consumer dollars to be spent, a finite amount of sales tax to gain? People don’t suddenly have more money to spend just because a new business opens. Our paychecks—and our disposable income—don’t change.

Where are the policies and incentives to help existing local businesses? What solutions do our Chambers of Commerce offer? How can we keep our home-grown businesses healthy and profitable despite chain and mega-store competition?

Often people—including some local business owners—talk about “letting the market decide.” But “the market” isn’t predetermined; it’s affected by many factors, not the least of which is government intervention. Economic development incentives and special tax districts are clear proof of that.

Incidentally, I’ve heard anecdotal evidence that some of the large employers in our region are having difficulty finding sufficiently skilled employees. If that’s the case, unless we experience a major influx of trained workers, poaching of employees from existing local businesses could get even worse.

* * *

Arnold Umbach is retiring from his long-held personal services contract as Auburn’s city attorney. One wonders what criteria will be used to choose his successor. Will Auburn now hire a full-time attorney, instead of one like Umbach who also maintains a separate private legal practice?

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MEETINGS & EVENTS THIS WEEK:
AUBURN CIVITAN CLUB FUNDRAISER / SMOKED TURKEYS AND HAMS
Smoked turkeys and smoked hams available for $30 each by pre-order to Dodie Gross, 1481 Morning Glory Circle, Auburn, AL 36832. Or order by phone by calling 887-8924. Pickup at 3:00 pm, Sunday, Nov 18 at the Elks Club on Opelika Road. (Delivery available.)

ADEM – LAST WEEK FOR COMMENTS ON NPDES RULES
ADEM is accepting public comment regarding ADEM Admin. Code ch. 335-6-12, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction, Noncoal/Nonmetallic Mining And Dry Processing Less Than Five Acres, Other Land Disturbance Activities, And Areas Associated With These Activities. Comments will be accepted until 5:00 pm, Nov. 20, 2007.
1) details of request for comments / http://www.adem.state.al.us/PublicNotice/Oct/10Div6.htm
2) document upon which to comment /  http://adem.alabama.gov/D6aChapter12.pdf .

MONDAY, NOV 12, NOON – GREEN LUNCH: DR. GRAEME LOCKABY / HEALTHY FORESTS = CLEAN WATER
Held in AU’s Foy Union, room 208. Free & open to the public.
Speaker: Dr. Graeme Lockaby, Director, Water Resources Center & Center for Forest Sustainability, Auburn University
This talk will address linkage between urban water problems and rural and natural landscapes. The Auburn University Sustainability Initiative “Green Lunch” series is open to anyone on campus (students, faculty, staff, administrators) as well as interested members of the community. These brown-bag lunch seminars (water, iced tea, and coffee provided) will offer informal, non-technical talks by AU faculty and staff on a wide range of sustainability-related topics. For information about additional speakers this semester, please check our Green Lunch schedule. http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/Greenlunch.php

MONDAY, NOV. 12, 6:00 pm – AUBURN SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PROGRAM (ASAP)
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 2218.  Open to all.
The Auburn Sustainability Action Program (ASAP), a new student sustainability group on campus is holding its third meeting with a presentation by Matt Williams, Projects Coordinator for the Sustainability Initiative, about Current Sustainability Concerns and Solutions. This will be followed by a discussion of how ASAP will be working to help make Auburn a more sustainable campus. ASAP’s goal is to promote sustainable practices on the AU campus and in the AU community through a series of active projects.

MONDAY, NOV 12, 7:00 pm – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Held at EAMC Health Resource Center. Open to all. www.lwval.org/eastalabama/
7:00 for social gathering  and 7:30 for business.  Topic: Consensus on Immigration

TUESDAY, NOV 13, 11:30 am  — GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city hall conference room, 144 Tichenor Ave.  Open to all.

TUESDAY, NOV. 13, 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. Agenda includes:
Old Business:  Board to ratify settlement with Andrew & Dawson
New Business:
1. Financial Report – Sept 2007
2. Change Order #1 to Bowlin Grading / The Landings at Morgan’s Place water line
3. Change Order #1 to CTL, Inc / Drilling activities at Lake Ogletree
4. Change order #2 to Hokes Bluff / Gold Hill, Phase II
5. Change Order #10 to CH2MHILL / Design and construction manual
6. Access fee waiver request for Seohan Automotive
7. Access fee waiver request for Project Eagle
8. Request for service letter / Jack & Glenda Peters
Staff Reports:
1. Activity reports (verbal report)
2. Fluoride shortage (Rick McCarty)
Additional Info:  1. Rainfall data.  2. Project status report.

TUESDAY, NOV 13, 6:00 pm — FILM AND DISCUSSION: KILOWATT OURS
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 2370. Free & open to all.  www.auburn.edu/sustainability
Sponsored by the Auburn University Sustainability Initiative. Filmmaker Jeff Barrie will show his acclaimed documentary Kilowatt Ours and lead a discussion afterward about the future of energy in the Southeast. www.kilowattours.org/energy-conservation-film.php

TUESDAY, NOV 13, 6:00 pm – COYOTES: the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Held at AU’s Forest Ecology Preserve. Info: 707-6512 or www.auburn.edu/preserve
Presented by Dr. Jim Armstrong and his grad students.

TUESDAY, NOV 13, 6:00 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION  www.auburnschools.org
Held in the Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.

THURSDAY, NOV. 13 through SUNDAY, NOV. 16  – MUSICAL: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre. Performances:  7:00 pm, with 2:30 pm Sunday matinee
Tickets: Free to AU students with valid ID; General Public $20; Faculty/Staff/Senior Citizens $15; Students (grade and high school) – $10. Order by phone at 844-4154 (12-5 M-F) or online at http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/boxoffice/index.cfm.
One of Shakespeare’s earliest and most beloved comedies, this magical and mischievous musical romp ruminates on the transformation power of love, while also noting its excesses and foolishness. Love triangles, mistaken identities, and magical flowers abound as lovers fall prey to lunacy and trickery.

WEDNESDAY, NOV 14, 10:00 am  to 2:00 pm – ALABAMA CLEAN WATER PARTNERSHIP / Education/Public Relations Committee meeting
Held in the ADEM Conference Room 1201, Montgomery. Contact Mark Sport at (334) 394-4361 or vms@adem.state.al.us.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 14, 3:00 – 5:00 pm — AUTHOR FRYE GAILLARD / PROPHET FROM PLAINS: JIMMY CARTER AND HIS LEGACY
Held in AU’s RBD Library, Special Collections & Archives. Free & open to all. Refreshments served following program.
Gaillard, author of more than a dozen books on subjects ranging from civil rights to southern music, first profiled former president Jimmy Carter for the Charlotte Observer in the mid -1980s. Expanding his research to survey Carter’s role on the national and global stage in his post-presidency years, his new book interprets the former president’s life and work. Praised for its insight and honesty, Prophet from Plains has been described as a “warts and all portrait of a politician who still stirs strong feelings among his detractors as well as adulation among his supporters.” Dr. David Carter of the Auburn University Department of History wrote the introduction for Prophet from Plains and will speak. Co-sponsored by the AU Libraries, the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts and the AU Bookstore. AU History department chair Dr. Tony Carey will introduce the speakers and moderate discussion. Copies of Prophet from Plains will be available for purchase and signing. More info:  334-844-4946 or www.auburn.edu/cah .

THURSDAY, NOV 15 & FRIDAY, NOV 16 — 4TH ANNUAL GIS SYMPOSIUM AND WORKSHOPS
Held at Troy University,Mont.  Early registration deadline: Nov 2nd.
Workshops and speakers that offer something for everyone from the novice to practicing GIS professionals. Details on the events, plus registration forms & hotel info, are on the symposium web page: http://auei.auburn.edu/gis.

THURSDAY, NOV. 15 – AUBURN RECYCLES DAY
Auburn residents are encouraged to participate in recycling by taking advantage of the curbside recycling program or by depositing material at the RecycleAuburn Drop-Off Center, located at 365-A North Donahue Drive. For more information on the City’s recycling program please visit www.auburnalabama.org/es or contact the City of Auburn Environmental Services Department at 501-3080.

THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 10:00 am – AUBURN LIBRARY BOARD
Held in the board room, Auburn Public Library, Thach Ave.  Open to all.

THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 5:00 pm – ART LECTURE & SLIDE SHOW by Lisa Stone / ROGER BROWN: HOME
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 901 S. College St. Free admission to museum & reception.
Lisa Stone is curator of the Roger Brown Study Collection, a house museum and special collection of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she teaches in the Dept of Art History, Theory & Criticism. Each third Thursday of the month is free night at JCSM. This semester’s free night programs are followed by a reception co-hosted by Kroger of Auburn; Gus Clark will join us for wine tastings during the reception. During free nights, museum admission, presentation/lecture and wine tasting are free and open to the public. A cash bar will also be available.

THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 7:00 pm – GNU’S ROOM / SUN BELT READING SERIES
Held at the Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St. Open to all.
Three Auburn writers will be highlighted: this month’s readers are Ro Riekki, Kyes Stevens, and Leslie Whatley. Info: Tina Tatum, ph: 821-5550.

THURSDAY, NOV 15 to SATURDAY, DEC 15 — ROAD CLOSING / Bud Black Road (Lee Road 80)
Effective Thursday, November 15 at 8 a.m., Bud Black Road (Lee Road 80) will be closed to thru traffic for road construction. Detour signs will be posted. Construction is expected to be complete by Saturday, December 15. Info: John Curry, Hydro Engineering, ph: 344-466-0894.

FRIDAY to SUNDAY, NOV 16 to 18  – SOA WATCH DEMONSTRATION
Held at Ft. Benning, Columbus, GA.  All are invited to participate.
School of the Americas Watch demonstration — see www.soaw.org for schedule, everything from many workshops on nonviolence to fantastic concerts. Saturday, Nov. 17– People will meet at 7:45 a.m. in the parking lot behind the Auburn UU Fellowship, 450 E Thach, for carpooling; tentatively leaving Columbus at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18–proposed meeting place for Sun. carpool: SE corner of Samford and College at 7:45 a.m.

FRIDAY, NOV. 16, 5:00 pm — IRAQ MORATORIUM VIGIL
Held at Toomer’s Corner. All are invited to participate.
Sponsored by Alliance for Peace and Justice. Bring candles, signs (some will be provided as well as some materials to make your own). Join thousands nationwide wearing black armbands or ribbons on the 3rd Friday of each month. See www.iraqmoratorium.org.

FRIDAY, NOV. 16, 7:00 pm – APT’ S FOR THE RECORD / TOPIC: ALABAMA ETHICS LAW
Broadcast on Alabama Public Television. www.aptv.org/Schedule/showinfo.asp?ID=156524&NOLA1=FTR
The Alabama Ethics Law is almost 30 years old, but there remains confusion from public officials and employees on who the law covers and how to properly file the required forms. Jim Sumner serves as Director of the Alabama Ethics Commission. He will explain the Alabama Ethics Law. He will also take viewer questions and talk with three Alabama journalists including John Ehinger from the Huntsville Times.

FRIDAY, NOV 16, 7:00 pm – SPOKEN WORD ARTIST / KOLAYAH KEEVAN WILSON + open mike session
Held at the Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St. Open to all. Info: Tina Tatum, ph: 821-5550.
Wilson, founder of Quiethouse Culturetainment, along with other poets and spoken word artists, will perform. An open mike session will be offered for anyone wishing to participate. Participants don’t have to be published to take part in the readings.

SATURDAY, NOV. 17, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm — CONSTITUTION CONVENTION COALITION ANNUAL SUMMIT
Held in the Norton Auditorium, Birmingham Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham. Admission free & open to all. Lunch provided at no cost. Please contact Brantley Fry, Coalition Coordinator, at brantley@constitutionalreform.org or (205) 967-2621 for more information and to register. Register online at  www.constitutionalreform.org/pdf/summit_registration_form.pdf .

ACTION ALERT – WATER POLICY (info from the Alabama Rivers Alliance)
Background: We have all heard a lot about the current drought and the “water wars” with Georgia and Florida. We have been in legal battles with Georgia and Florida over water resources since 1990. But did you know that Alabama doesn’t have a comprehensive water policy in Alabama that guides our state agencies in managing our water resources? In order to prevail in the struggle for water, we need a plan to fairly allocate and manage our waters and protect all uses. Georgia has been working on a comprehensive water policy and plans to introduce final state legislation in 2008. Alabama has not even started a draft policy. It’s time for Alabama to get down to business and draft a policy that will ensure ample water supplies for current and future Alabama needs.
ACTION : Please send a letter to the Alabama Water Resources Commission, the oversight board of the Office of Water Resources, asking them to develop state policy to protect our water resources. You can download a sample letter and factsheet from the Alabama Water Agenda website, www.AlabamaWaterAgenda.com . (Please add the date at the top and your contact information at the bottom). Feel free to edit the letter and add your own experiences from the drought and the water wars. You can mail the letter, email it to water@adeca.state.al or fax it to 334-242-0776. We encourage you to also send a copy of the letter to the Governor and your state legislators. (Office of the Governor, 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36130)
Note: The next meeting of the AL Water Resources Commission is Wed, Nov. 28, 10:00 am, at the Alabama Center for Commerce bldg, 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 342, Mont., ph: 334-242-5499. There is a scheduled public comment period.

AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES
• Parks & Recreation Advisory Board – Two vacancies will be filled at the November 20 City Council meeting.
• Water Works Board — One vacancy on the will be announced at the December 4 City Council meeting and will be filled at the January 8, 2008 meeting.
• Board of Zoning Adjustment – Three vacancies on the will be announced at the December 4 City Council meeting and
will be filled at the January 8, 2008 meeting.
• Cemeteries Advisory Board — Two vacancies on the will be announced at the December 18 City Council meeting and will be filled at the January 22, 2008 meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or the City Manager’s Office.

Auburn City Council to Consider Revising Alcoholic Beverage Licensing
The City Council of the City of Auburn will consider an ordinance revising the City’s Alcoholic Beverage Licensing provisions at the Tuesday, December 4, 2007 City Council meeting. These revisions are intended to simplify licensing provisions and make them more easily understood. The proposed changes, if approved, would be effective January 1, 2008. The City will provide full notification, as well as a meeting opportunity, for the 97 local alcoholic beverage licensees. Info:  501-7260.  www.auburnalabama.org/news/2007/ocm110907.asp
Key revisions include: 

• Bringing license types and fees into alignment with those of the State of Alabama’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
• Changing the due date of alcoholic beverage licenses to coincide with the due date of business licenses.
• Clarification of the hours during which alcohol may be served.
• Establishments that sell liquor and fortified wine would subtract the gross receipts from these sales for the purpose of calculating their business license fee, which would be reduced.
• Establishments that purchase liquor and fortified wine from the State ABC Board would pay a monthly tax of 10% on these purchases.
• Elimination of the City’s food-to-alcohol ratio requirement, which has also been eliminated from State ABC Board requirements in favor of other evaluation criteria.

SUNDILLA 2008 CONCERT SCHEDULE
Held at the AUUF Hall, 450 Thach Ave. More info and season passes available at www.sundilla.org
Performance schedule through September 2008:
Friday, January 18– Tret Fure
Friday, February 1– Small Potatoes
Friday, February 8– The Kennedys
Friday, February 15– Johnsmith
Friday, March 28– Sloan Wainwright
Friday, April 4– The Laws
Monday, May 5– John Flynn
Friday, June 6– Claude Bourbon
Friday, August 22– Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart
Friday, September 12– Tracy Grammer

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CORRECTION RE: ORDER INFO FOR CIVITAN SMOKED TURKEYS & HAMS
Orders should be sent to Auburn Civitan Club, c/o Dodie Gross, 1481 Morning Glory Circle, Auburn, AL 36832 or may be phoned to 887-8924. 

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Week of Nov 5 & Additional events Week of Oct 29

ADDITIONAL EVENTS THIS WEEK:

SATURDAY, NOV. 3, 9:00 am – ‘SHOOT THE ARBORETUM’ NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Held at AU’s Davis Arboretum. Open to students pre-K to 8th grade. All participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Space limited; pre-registration encouraged — call 844-5770 or go to www.auburn.edu/cosam/collections/arboretum/news-and-events/arboretum_day/index.htm .
The College of Sciences and Mathematics’ Donald E. Davis Arboretum will host this Arboretum Days event to introduce participants to nature photography. Students will work in small groups with a photographer and take digital photos on their own. They will also get to print one of their photos to take home with them.

SATURDAY, NOV. 3, 9:00 am – noon — ANNUAL AU TASTE OF ALABAMA / AG ROUNDUP
The College of Agriculture and the AU Agricultural Alumni Association will host the 28th annual Taste of Alabama and Fall Ag Roundup Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at Ag Heritage Park. Pay $5 for admission (children under 6 admitted free), and then help yourself to a bounty of Alabama-produced foods, from fried catfish and grilled burgers to boiled peanuts and sweet potato fries. Also on tap will be live entertainment, informative exhibits and live and silent auctions that help raise money for scholarships. For more details on this homecoming tailgate tradition, contact Elaine Rollo at rollome@auburn.edu or 844-3204.

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MEETINGS & EVENTS — WEEK OF NOV. 5:

MONDAY, NOV. 5, noon – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Dyas Annexation PL-2007-00932
William and Laura Dyas, 1510 Ogletree Road; Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of 9.742 acres
2. Chappell / Pierce Annexation PL-2007-00938
Ernest Chappell, III and James M. Pierce, 625 Lee Road 22, Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of 1.123 acres
3. Southridge Place PL-2007-00871
Phil Clowdus and Kenneth Hood, West of Cox Road, North of Lee Road 14 (Rolling Ridge Road) and South of I-85, Outside of the City Limits – Planning Jurisdiction
Action Requested: Final plat approval of a 26-lot subdivision
4. Shadow Wood Estates, First Addition, Phase 2 PL-2007-00948
Shadow Wood Holdings, L.L.C., On Lee Road 081 (Mrs. James Road), north of Camden Ridge, Limited Development District (LDD)
Action Requested: Final plat approval of a 27-lot conventional residential subdivision
5. Morgan Hills Subdivision, Phase 4A PL-2007-00942
Maxwell Engineering and Land Surveying, Inc. for Charlie Core, Ogletree Road and Morgan Drive, Development District Housing (DDH) and Limited Development District (LDD)
Action Requested: Final plat approval of a 8-lot conventional residential subdivision
6. Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase 1, First Revision PL-2007-00943
The Musselwhite Group, Inc., 2100 block of Richland Road, Planned Development District (PDD) with underlying Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Revised final plat approval of a 14-lot performance residential subdivision
NEW BUSINESS
7. Madison Park PDD Amendment PUBLIC HEARING PL-2007-00946
Tuscany Hills, L.L.C., 1957 Wire Road, Planned Development District (PDD) with underlying Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to amend Ordinance 2437 that placed the Planned Development District (PDD) designation on 49.28 acres for purposes of removing commercial use and adding multiple family residential use.
8. Camden Ridge Subdivision, 10th Addition, Redivision of Lots 506 & 454 PUBLIC HEARING PL-2007-00940
North Woods, Inc., East end of Trailridge Road, Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval of a 4-lot conventional residential subdivision
9. Camden Ridge Subdivision, 10th Addition, Redivision of Lots 506 & 454 PL-2007-00941
North Woods, Inc., East end of Trailridge Road, Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Final plat approval of a 4-lot conventional residential subdivision
10. Mimms Trail Subdivision, First Revision of Lot 1 & Future Development Property PUBLIC HEARING PL-2007-00944
Cleveland Brothers, Inc., Shell Toomer Parkway and Mill Creek Road, Planned Development District (PDD) with Limited Development District (LDD) underlying
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval of a 2-lot conventional residential subdivision
11. Mimms Trail Subdivision, First Revision of Lot 1 & Future Development Property PL-2007-00945
Cleveland Brothers, Inc., Shell Toomer Parkway and Mill Creek Road, Planned Development District (PDD) with Limited Development District (LDD) underlying
Action Requested: Final plat approval of a 2-lot conventional residential subdivision
12. Bruno’s In Line Shops PUBLIC HEARING PL-2007-00947
Dennis Korinke for DDK In Line, L.L.C and KGCG In Line, L.L.C., 1530 East Glenn Avenue, Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (fast food restaurant with drive-through)
13. Cook Evans Building PUBLIC HEARING PL-2007-00955
Joe Ruscin for Royrickers Cook, 850 Martin Luther King Drive, Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Waiver of 8.5-feet to front yard buffer requirement of 13-feet
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. STAFF COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT.

MONDAY, NOV. 5, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.

MONDAY, NOV 5, 5:30 pm – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held in the Chambers of the Lee County Courthouse , 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: discuss the recommendations of the Lee County Citizen’s Council on County Government
Note: A second work session on this topic will be held at the same location at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov.13 following the Lee County Commission meeting.

TUESDAY, NOV. 6, 7:30 am – BUSINESS OVER BREAKFAST / SPEAKER: Chancellor Bradley Byrne
Held at the Saugahatchee Country Club. Presented by the Opelika Chamber of Commerce. For more info & reservations, call 745-4861.

TUESDAY, NOV. 6, 10:00 am – 10:00 PM — KEROUAC READING MARATHON
Held in the Stacks Café, ground floor of AU’s RBD library. All are welcome to attend.
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” a Beatnik classic, AU Libraries will be sponsoring a reading marathon. Serial volunteers will read the work aloud, in its entirety. This program will probably take 12 hours or more. Feel free to drop in anytime and grab a cup of java and listen to a post-War classic novel.

TUESDAY, NOV.6, 5:30 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.

TUESDAY, NOV. 6 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
5:45 pm — tour of Fire Station No. 5
6:30 pm — Committee of the Whole
7:00 pm – Regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/agenda
Committee of the Whole agenda includes:
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ORDINANCE. Revisions. City Manager Duggan.
EDUCATIONAL BUILDING AUTHORITY. One Six-Year Position Beginning November 12,
2007. Incumbent: Don Conner (has served two terms).
Regular meeting agenda includes:
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. $16,475.16. Public Safety Department – Police Division. Accident Surveying Equipment and Software. Kara Company, Inc.
b. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses. Consideration.
(1) Sam’s East, Inc. dba/Sam’s Club Store 4989. 2335 Bent Creek Road. Retail Beer (On or Off Premises) License.
(2) Cheryl Murray Nichols dba/Clubhouse Grill. 1650 Yarbrough Farms Boulevard. Special Retail – More Than 30 Days License.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Business License Ordinance. Amendment. Eliminate One Free Penalty Waiver Provision. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish and Set. No Parking Zone. Portion of Harper Avenue. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) Donald Allen Development. Subdivision Amenity (Clubhouse w/Pool) in the Limited Development (LDD) Zoning District. Property Located Within East Lake Subdivision, Phase Two. 2.23 Acres.
(2) Logan Alabama Properties II, LLC. Multiple Family Residential Use (Logan Square Extension) in the University Services (US) Zoning District. Property Located at 709 and 733 West Glenn Avenue. 11.33 Acres.
(3) Auburn Land Corporation. Road Service Use (The Chicken Salad Chick) in the Redvelopment District (RDD) Zoning District. Property Located at 555 Opelika Road, Suite 7 in the O’Leary’s Corner Shopping Center.
(4) Tuscany Hills, LLC. Subdivision Amenity (Clubhouse w/Pool) in the Development District Housing (DDH) Zoning District. Property Located at 125 Tuscany Hills Drive. 2.17 Acres.
(5) Phillips Family Partnership Limited. Commercial and Entertainment Use (Bar 51) in the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) Zoning District. Property Located at 2328 South College Street, Suites 11 and 12 in the Village at Parkerson Mill Shopping Center.
b. Chamber of Commerce. Annual Christmas Parade. November 29, 2007. Close City Streets.
c. Economic Development Department.
(1) Auburn Realty Partners, LLC and ToolCare US International, LLC Lot 4A, Auburn Technology Park North. Tax Abatements. Excludes Education, Hospital, and Children’s Home Ad Valorem and Sales and Use Taxes. $146,400 and $85,353.
(2) Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG). Amend FY06 Action Plan. Add Slaughter Avenue Drainage Project.
d. Contracts and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) $10,957. Office of the City Manager. 2008 Citizen Survey. Design and Administration.
(2) $54,240. Information Technology Department. Mobile Access Routers for Police Vehicles (20). Pomeroy IT Solutions.
(3) Public Works Department.
(a) $18,478.30. Aluminum Street Name Signs. Rice Signs, LLC.
(b) $364,859. Shug Jordan Parkway-Richland Road Intersection Improvement Project. D & J Enterprises, Inc.
(4) Environmental Services Department. Equipment Filters. NAPA Auto Parts. Lowest Discount Percentage.
(5) Water Resource Management Department.
(a) $11,880. Northside Water Pollution Control Facility Phase II Improvements. Construction Testing Services. Carmichael Construction Testing.
(b) 55,602.48. 2008 International 4300 Truck Cab and Chassis. Southland International Trucks. State Contract. $
(c) $69,965.73. Chassis Mounted Jetter. Sansom Equipment Company.
e. Street, Sidewalk, and Drainage and Utility Easements, Quit Claim Deeds, and Rights of Way. Acceptance and Vacation.
(1) Gem Auburn, LLC. Black Subdivision. Vacate Rights of Way and Easements. Quit Claim Deeds.
(a) Lot 2. Vacate Ingress and Egress and Public Utility Easement.
(b) Lot 2. Vacate 30-foot section known as Thorsell Avenue.
(c) Black Avenue. Vacate Street.
(2) Elken Investments, LLC. Ellington Place Subdivision. 2400 Block of Richland Road. Drainage and Utility Easements and Rights of Way.
(3) R & C Enterprises, LLC. 850 Martin Luther King Drive. Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Sidewalk Project. Street, Sidewalk, and Drainage and Utility Easements.
(4) Kerry Frances Hartsfield Impson. 500 Lee Road 59. Northside Transfer Force Main Project. Drainage and Utility Easement.
(5) The Greens at Auburn, a Limited Partnership. Property Located off Timberwood Drive and Highway 29. Timberwood Sanitary Sewer Extension Project. Drainage and Utility Easement.
(6) Byron B. Williams, III and Claude R. William. 114 Lee Road 672. Auburn Technology Park West Water Line Project. Drainage and Utility Easement.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.12. ADJOURNMENT.

TUESDAY, NOV. 6 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
TBA – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7 AND THURSDAY, NOV. 8 – 4th ANNUAL AG ENERGY CONFERENCE
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center.
The conference will provide information on a variety of agriculture-related energy efficiency and renewable energy topics including heat and power production from biomass, biofuel feedstock logistics, non-traditional biofuel feedstocks, farm energy efficiency, water issues, forest resources for bioenergy, and tips for launching a bioenergy business. Call Kathy Hornsby at 1-800-392-8098. www.nrmdi.auburn.edu/bio/ADECA/conference/2007/index.php

WEDNESDAY, NOV 7, 1:00 PM – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
Held at the Board of Education office, 855 E. Samford Ave. Open to all. Agenda: receive the accreditation report.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7, 3:00 pm – LYNN BARSTIS WILLIAMS: ALABAMA PRINTMAKERS
Held in AU’s Special Collections & Archives, RBD library. Free & open to the public. Reception follows program.Dr. Lynn Barstis Williams, Auburn University librarian emerita and author of Imprinting the South: Southern Printmakers and Their Images of the Region, 1920s-1940s, will speak on Alabama printmakers. Williams’ book, Imprinting the South, explores the history of printmaking in the South after World War I. The book highlights sixty printmakers who had documented biographical contact with the South and imagery in their prints that represents the natural, architectural, and social aspects of the region. Her talk will focus on images and artists from the book that reveal the South of the era, from its beauty to its ugliness . Info: Caroline Marshall Draughon Center at 334-844-4946; http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/231.

WEDNESDAY, NOV 7, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 502.02 (C) of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2007-00933
Stephen Wilkins; 1986-2000 Stephanie Court (Hilltop Pines, 1st Revision); Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested : Variance of one-foot to the 15-foot rear yard setback requirement
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT.

THURSDAY, NOV. 8 through SUNDAY, NOV. 11 (and Nov 13 – 16) – PLAY: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre. Tickets: Free to AU students with valid ID; General Public $20; Faculty/Staff/Senior Citizens $15; Students (grade and high school) – $10. Order by phone at 844-4154 (12-5 M-F) or online at http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/boxoffice/index.cfm.
One of Shakespeare’s earliest and most beloved comedies, this magical and mischievous romp ruminates on the transformation power of love, while also noting its excesses and foolishness. Love triangles, mistaken identities, and magical flowers abound as lovers fall prey to lunacy and trickery.
Note : Any A.U. faculty or Staff member presenting a valid AU ID on Friday, Nov 9 will be admitted to the 7:30 p.m. performance free of charge on a first come first served basis. Patrons wishing to take advantage of this offer are advised to pick up tickets well in advance of the Nov 9 performance.

THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 2:00 pm – SYMPOSIUM / JOHN JAMES AUDUBON: NATURALISM AND ROMANTICISM
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. Reception follows seminar.
In a symposium that reflects one of its permanent exhibitions, AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art will host “John James Audubon: Naturalism and Romanticism”. Taylor Littleton, president of the museum’s advisory board, will open the presentation with remarks on the Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Collection held by the museum. Ashton Nichols, professor of English language and literature, Dickinson College in Carlisle, Penn., will present “The Artist as Ornithologist: Audubon and Later Romantic Natural History.” Nichols’s many books and scholarly publications cover a range of topics that include nature writing, African exploration narratives, Romantic and Victorian poetry and travel writing. He has also produced “A Romantic Natural History: 1750–1859,” a hypertext project that has been recognized for excellence by The New York Times and the BBC in London. To read the news release, see http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/232.

THURSDAY, NOV 8, 3:00 pm – AUBURN SIGN ORDINANCE TASK FORCE
Held in the Development Services Bldg conference room, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.

THURSDAY, NOV 8, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp (Details above, Monday, Nov 5, noon, PC packet meeting)

THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 5:30 pm – INDIAN HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
Ward 5 city council member Robin Kelly has called a meeting for residents of the Indian Hills to give neighborhood residents an opportunity to discuss a potential office park development adjacent to the neighborhood. More info: Auburn City Hall 501-7260.

FRIDAY, NOV 9 — Registration deadline: Constitution Convention Coalition / 2007 Annual Summit
To be held Sat, Nov 17, 9:00 – 3:00 pm; Birmingham Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham.
Info & registration: Brantley Fry, the Coalition Coordinator, at brantley@constitutionalreform.org or (205) 967-2621.
Admission is free and open to the public. Limited travel scholarships are available. Lunch will be provided at no cost.
The Coalition is made up of over 30 non-profit organizations from across Alabama who are dedicated to rewriting the Alabama Constitution. Please attend and learn about new initiatives underway to move the effort forward, including information and new resources available for informing citizens, and draft Legislation and Legislative issues in the 2008 Legislative Session. Your input and participation is most important in planning the Coalition’s 2008 goals and in discussing topics such as Advocacy for 501(c)(3) Organizations; Constitutional Reform Background Training and Talking Points; How to Find Your Organization’s Niche in the Constitutional Reform Movement; College and University Idea Sharing; and Lessons Learned in Hosting Constitutional Reform House Parties. Community leaders from all over the State will be present. Please make sure that you and your organization are represented in this effort to move Alabama forward.

SATURDAY, NOV 10, 8:00 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE / 7^TH ANNUAL AORTA 5K TRAIL RUN
Held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, 3100 Hwy. 147 North (North College Street), Auburn, AL (Just north of the AU Fish Ponds). Info: 334-707-6512 or preserve@auburn.edu, https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/comingevents.htm.This is a great way to help support the Preserve and its many educational programs and for you to enjoy the beauty of the season! Funding for the Preserve is almost entirely dependent on memberships, gifts, and program fees.

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ACTION ALERT – WATER POLICY (info from the Alabama Rivers Alliance)
Background: We have all heard a lot about the current drought and the “water wars” with Georgia and Florida. We have been in legal battles with Georgia and Florida over water resources since 1990. But did you know that Alabama doesn’t have a comprehensive water policy in Alabama that guides our state agencies in managing our water resources? In order to prevail in the struggle for water, we need a plan to fairly allocate and manage our waters and protect all uses. Georgia has been working on a comprehensive water policy and plans to introduce final state legislation in 2008. Alabama has not even started a draft policy. It’s time for Alabama to get down to business and draft a policy that will ensure ample water supplies for current and future Alabama needs.
ACTION : Please send a letter to the Alabama Water Resources Commission, the oversight board of the Office of Water Resources, asking them to develop state policy to protect our water resources. You can download a sample letter and factsheet from the Alabama Water Agenda website, www.AlabamaWaterAgenda.com . (Please add the date at the top and your contact information at the bottom). Feel free to edit the letter and add your own experiences from the drought and the water wars. You can mail the letter, email it to water@adeca.state.al or fax it to 334-242-0776. We encourage you to also send a copy of the letter to the Governor and your state legislators. (Office of the Governor, 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36130)
Note: The next meeting of the AL Water Resources Commission is Wed, Nov. 28, 10:00 am, at the Alabama Center for Commerce bldg, 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 342, Mont., ph: 334-242-5499. There is a scheduled public comment period.

AUBURN CIVITAN CLUB FUNDRAISER / SMOKED TURKEYS AND HAM
Smoked turkeys and smoked hams are available for $30/each by pre-order to Dodie Gross, 1481 Morning Glory Circle, Auburn, AL 36832. Or order by phone by calling 887-8924. Pickup at 3:00 pm, Sunday, Nov 18 at the Elks Club on Opelika Road. (Delivery available.)

AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES
• Educational Building Authority – One vacancy will be filled at the November 6 City Council meeting.
• Parks & Recreation Advisory Board – Two vacancies will be filled at the November 20 City Council meeting.
• Water Works Board — One vacancy on the will be announced at the December 4 City Council meeting and will be filled at the January 8, 2008 meeting.
• Board of Zoning Adjustment – Three vacancies on the will be announced at the December 4 City Council meeting and
will be filled at the January 8, 2008 meeting.
• Cemeteries Advisory Board — Two vacancies on the will be announced at the December 18 City Council meeting and will
be filled at the January 22, 2008 meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or the City Manager’s Office.

ADEM – COMMENTS REQUESTED RE: NPDES RULES
ADEM is accepting public comment regarding ADEM Admin. Code ch. 335-6-12, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction, Noncoal/Nonmetallic Mining And Dry Processing Less Than Five Acres, Other Land Disturbance Activities, And Areas Associated With These Activities. Comments will be accepted until 5:00 pm, Nov. 20, 2007.
1) details of request for comments / http://www.adem.state.al.us/PublicNotice/Oct/10Div6.htm
2) document upon which to comment / http://adem.alabama.gov/D6aChapter12.pdf .

NEW AU EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, FACULTY
In an effort to improve campus safety in the event of an emergency, AU has launched AU Alert – a personalized voice and text messaging system that will provide critical information should a need arise. Campus safety officials urge all students, faculty and staff to sign up for emergency notifications by logging on to www.auburn.edu/aualert. In a major emergency affecting the university community, people who have registered will be provided information and instructions through cell phones, home phones, e-mail or other text-receiving devices. University officials will use the system only in emergency situations. AU Alert enables officials to schedule, send and track personalized voice messages to as many as four phone numbers and two e-mail addresses per person. For more on the story, visit http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/230 .

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