Lost dog – S. Gay/Wrights Mill neighborhood, Auburn – 12-27-2009
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Week of Dec. 21, 2009 – Meetings, events & updates
DEC. 18, 2009 COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/12/19/dec-18-2009-column-by-lisa-brouillette/
City of Auburn Press Releases
Christmas and New Year’s Day Holiday Schedules
Free parking in metered spaces December 18 – January 8, 2010
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ONGOING THROUGH WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23 — ArTrees EXHIBIT
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to the public.
Info: contact the Arts Center at (334)501-2963.
The Auburn Arts Association will be hosting “ArTrees,” an exhibition of small, artistically themed holiday trees. Local artists and groups were invited to decorate a tree for the exhibit. ArTrees are not your traditional holiday trees. For example, artists may be inspired by their favorite artist, art period or by any imaginative theme.
ONGOING THROUGH JAN. 3 — AU THEATRE O. HENRY HOLIDAY PODCAST PRODUCTION
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org (click on radio dial)
The Auburn University Radio Flyer Theatre Company will present two of O. Henry’s short stories, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf,” in its first holiday podcast radio theatre production. Both stories are written in classic O. Henry style with his trademark twist at the end. The works were prerecorded and will be accessible Dec. 8 through Jan. 3 by going to the theater’s Web site (http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org ) and clicking on the radio dial. Produced by Auburn University Theatre
in the College of Liberal Arts, the holiday broadcast of O. Henry stories features a cast of Auburn University Theatre professors and students. The presentation is reminiscent of “audio theater” popular from the 1930s into the early 1950s, the Golden Age of Radio, and heard on programs such as Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre on the Air and the Lux Radio Theater. For more information, call the Auburn University Theatre box office at 844-4154.
ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.
ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 13 — SECOND IN AUDUBON SERIES AT JCSM ww.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is presenting John James Audubon’s Precursors and Contemporaries, the second in a two-part series, through Feb. 13 in the Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Gallery. This exhibition explores natural history publications and begins with some of the earliest publications about plants, specifically herbals, which were intended as references for apothecaries. It traces representations of flora and fauna from its earliest utilitarian modes in the 16th century through the development of more artistically conceived representations. The exhibition is made possible by Gilbert Johnston of Antique Nature Prints through his loaning of prints and bound volumes.
More info: http://jcsm.auburn.edu/exhibitions/current/2009_12_audubon_pre.php
THROUGH FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 2010 — FREE PARKING IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN
Enjoy the free parking in downtown metered spaces offered through the holiday season! Shop Auburn!
TUESDAY, DEC. 22, 3:30 – 4:30 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE KIDS’ FALL DISCOVERY HIKE
Held Tuesdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds.
Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled if rain.
Free, no registration required. For children ages 5 to 12.
Parents and kids join us for a hike and some discovery time. Encourage the kids to have some great outdoor time exploring the Preserve and learn more about the natural world. Also try the Preserve’s Fall walks at 8:30 am Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION / SPECIAL-CALLED MEETING
Held in the Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, Montgomery; ph: 334-271-7706
Agenda
1. Consideration of adoption of an ADEM Director Search Process to be recommended by the Commission’s Personnel Committee
2. Clarification and ratification of personnel action taken on December 11, 2009
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
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LOCAL HOUSING STATISTICS – NOV. 2009 www.LeeCountyHousingStats.info
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Jobless rate approaches 19% for Alabama construction workers
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Alabama foreclosures drop in November.
GADSDEN TIMES – Alabama’s Lilly Ledbetter to receive AARP’s Inspire Award.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Job losses hit state’s poorest counties the hardest.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Regulators seize Birmingham’s New South Federal Savings Bank.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Alabama’s November unemployment rate drops to 10.5 percent; decline first in 27 months.
(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Alabama Power Company says that dam safety records around coal ash ponds are confidential.
SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES – GREEN BUILDING: Model energy code makes strides. International Energy Code Council considers major overhaul. UPCOMING EVENT — REGISTER NOW!
Green and Blue Conference www.greenandblueconference.com
Jan. 27-29, 2010 – Sustainable Residential Building Conference
Held at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center.
Cost: $150. Special $50 rate available for AU faculty and students who register with their Auburn e-mail address.
This conference is aimed at those involved in residential design and construction as well as educators, researchers and policy makers. The conference will host five track areas: water, residential building strategies, neighborhood development, emerging research and building codes/systems. Speakers presenting include representatives from Auburn University School of Architecture, Florida Solar Energy Center, U.S. Department of Energy, Nature’s Tap and Habitat for Humanity.
Conference participants will examine the rationale for sustainable residential construction, and the methods and materials available to achieve it. There will be presentations by experts and practical workshops covering many topics including:
* Home energy audits
* Energy Star for the home
* Home water conservation
* Low impact development
* Green building regulations
* Net zero prototype buildings
* A comparision of sustainable building rating systems
CEU credits are available for participants.
The conference has been organized by Alabama Association of Habitat Affiliates in partnership with the Home Depot Foundation, Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design, and Construction and the Office of Sustainability, USGBC Alabama, and the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development.
More info: http://www.greenandblueconference.com/
==========================
CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the Jan. 5 City Council meeting.
*Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) – two vacancies will be filled at the Jan. 5, 2010 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
==========================
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 21, 2009
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COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE — AU Airport settles ADEM permit violations
First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Friday, Dec. 18, 2009
Last week Trey Glenn resigned from his position as director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM)., giving rise to thoughts about ADEM’s efficacy on the local level, most recently at AU’s airport expansion site.
Glenn’s attitude and actions at ADEM often disappointed. He squandered multiple opportunities to strengthen ADEM’s environmental regulation and enforcement.
Different leadership could have stimulated stronger and quicker enforcement of the laws protecting Alabama’s natural resources.
That latter element – the extended time over which environmental violations are allowed to continue and repeat – is a point of concern.
A recent local example of this involves our airport, which has been the site of land disturbance and construction.
In late 2006 ADEM first notified airport operator Auburn University of deficiencies in permitting and sediment controls.
AU and ADEM then batted the issue back and forth, with subsequent violations noted, until November of this year.
Finally, at that point, AU and ADEM negotiated a proposed settlement agreement covering AU’s improperly implemented and maintained erosion and sediment controls. That agreement is now up for public comment. (http://adem.state.al.us/PublicNotice/Dec09/pdfs/12auburn.PDF.)
In the agreement, both AU and ADEM stipulate to multiple deficiencies over multiple years, which resulted in “discharges of sediment and other pollutants in stormwater runoff to a UT [unnamed tributary] to Moores Mill Creek and a UT to Sougahatchee Creek.”
It’s proposed that AU pay a $20,000 fine, with the possibility of up to a further $12,000 penalty. Additionally AU is to “take immediate action to prevent . . . sediment and other pollutants in stormwater leaving [the airport] Facility.”
Certainly the proposed agreement and fines are a step in the right direction. But repeated violations from October 2006 to December 2009?
Alabama deserves better. Perhaps the next ADEM director will provide just that.
* * *
I got a good chuckle from Rep. Mike Hubbard’s comment that questions about his involvement in AU’s athletic broadcasting deals are “100% politics.”
Well, yeah, Mike, it is due to politics – your politics, including your involvement in crafting the laws exempting such contracts from state bid laws.
Folks, “follow the money.” More on this in future columns and on my website (http://placeforum.org/blog).
# # #
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Week of Dec. 14, 2009 Meetings, events & updates
Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change, especially during the holiday season, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES: Citizens Reminded to Turn Off Irrigation Systems During Cold Weather
Frank Brown Recreation Center Renovation Completed
AUBURN CIVITAN CLUB OFFERS SMOKED TURKEYS & SMOKED HAMS FOR CHRISTMAS / ORDER TODAY
COST: $35 each, Smoked Turkey (12-14 lb) or Smoked Picnic Ham (8-10 lb).
Make check payable to: Auburn Civitan Club.
Place your order now for a smoked turkey or ham from the Auburn Civitan Club. Ready for pick up, hot off the smoker for your enjoyment, on Sunday, December 20, 2008 at 2:00 PM, from the Elks Club on Opelika Road.
Order by mail or email to Dodie Gross, 1481 Morning Glory Circle, Auburn, AL 36832; dodieandcharles@charter.net. Include your name, address, phone, email with your order.
Or order by phone: Dodie Gross 887-8924 or Andy Price 332-2948.
EXHIBIT ONGOING THROUGH DEC. 8 — ‘UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany: A Photographic Exhibit’
Held in AU’s RBD library. Free & open to all.
A photographic exhibition of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany will be shown on the main floor of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library through Dec. 8. The exhibition is being sponsored by the German Consulate in Atlanta, UNESCO, The German Information Center, Auburn University President’s Office and Auburn University Libraries.
ONGOING THROUGH DEC. 23 — ArTrees EXHIBIT
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to the public.
Info: contact the Arts Center at (334)501-2963.
The Auburn Arts Association will be hosting “ArTrees,” an exhibition of small, artistically themed holiday trees. Local artists and groups were invited to decorate a tree for the exhibit. ArTrees are not your traditional holiday trees. For example, artists may be inspired by their favorite artist, art period or by any imaginative theme.
ONGOING THROUGH JAN. 3 — AU THEATRE O. HENRY HOLIDAY PODCAST PRODUCTION
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org (click on radio dial)
The Auburn University Radio Flyer Theatre Company will present two of O. Henry’s short stories, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf,” in its first holiday podcast radio theatre production. Both stories are written in classic O. Henry style with his trademark twist at the end. The works were prerecorded and will be accessible Dec. 8 through Jan. 3 by going to the theater’s Web site (http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org ) and clicking on the radio dial. Produced by Auburn University Theatre in the College of Liberal Arts, the holiday broadcast of O. Henry stories features a cast of Auburn University Theatre professors and students. The presentation is reminiscent of “audio theater” popular from the 1930s into the early 1950s, the Golden Age of Radio, and heard on programs such as Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre on the Air and the Lux Radio Theater. For more information, call the Auburn University Theatre box office at 844-4154.
SPECIAL BROADCAST AT THE GNU’S ROOM – Dec. 15, 6:30 pm — A special community broadcast of the production will be held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St. Auburn University Theatre’s Kelly Walker and Dan LaRocque will be on hand to answer questions after this performance.
ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.
STARTING MONDAY, DEC. 14 — LEE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY “NO MORE WASTED LIVES” FUNDRAISER
Held in the Kroger and Dean Road parking lot.
The Lee County Humane Society is sponsoring “No More Wasted Lives” — LCHS Executive Director, Heather Meadows, will remain locked in a dog kennel day and night until the fund-raising goal of more than $24,000 is reached. All proceeds will benefit the general operating fund which sustains the shelter animals’ basic food, medical, and welfare needs.
Info: (334) 750-0002; stacee@leecountyhumane.org
MONDAY, DEC. 14 THROUGH THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 12:30 – 1:30 PM Daily—- FREE H1N1 VACCINE CLINICS (flu shot and nasal spray)
Held in AU’s Pharmaceutical Care Center, 2155 Walker Building.
Free to AU students, employees & dependents ages 10 & older. Proof of insurance is not required.
For more info about the H1N1 flu and AU’s response, go to http://www.auburn.edu/emergency/flu.html. Questions may be
directed to emergencymanagement@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, DEC. 14 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. CERT Presentation – Kathy Russell
7. Consent Agenda:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting November 30, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims and Procurement Card Transactions
c. Bid #1 for Patrol Vehicles – Sheriff Jay Jones
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Lee-Chambers Utilities District/Amend Articles of Incorporation-Curt Johnson
9. New Business:
a. Solar & Battery System for Residential or Commercial Use – Bill Bach
b. Aflac Benefits Proposal – Ashley Brown
c. December 28 Meeting – Judge English
d. AdvantageSite Designation / City of Auburn – Wendy Swann
e. Energy Grant Resolution – Wendy Swann
10. Adjourn
TUESDAY, DEC. 15, 3:30 – 4:30 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE KIDS’ FALL DISCOVERY HIKE
Held Tuesdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds.
Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled if rain.
Free, no registration required. For children ages 5 to 12.
Parents and kids join us for a hike and some discovery time. Encourage the kids to have some great outdoor time exploring the Preserve and learn more about the natural world. Also try the Preserve’s Fall walks at 8:30 am Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
TUESDAY, DEC. 15 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:25 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
Work session agenda: www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=170
Regular session agenda: www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=169
TUESDAY, DEC. 15 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
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
Agenda includes:
Committee of the whole:
AIRPORT ORDINANCE. Presentation. Justin Steinmann, Principal Planner.
4. TOOMER’S TEN UPDATE. Presentation. Jacob Watkins, President, SGA
Regular meeting:
5. MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS. Mayor Ham.
a. Employee Recognition.
(1) City of Auburn Employees. Leadership in Institutions Award. United Way of Lee County, Inc.
(2) Economic Development, Office of the City Manager, Parks & Recreation, And Public Works Departments. Selected Employees. Auburn Veterans Memorial Event. Teamwork Award.
b. Committee of the Whole.
c. Announcements.
6. AUBURN UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS.
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses. Consideration.
(1) ASBE LLC dba/Calypsos. 154 North College Street. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License.
(2) Maestro 2300 LLC dba/Maestro 2300. 2300 Moores Mill Road. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Zoning Ordinance. Amendments to Section 512 and 907. Airport Regulations. Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. Zoning. Yarbrough Farms, LLC. Gregory Forthofer (Authorized Representative). Property Located west of North Donahue Drive, north of Richland Road, and northwest of Shug Jordan Parkway (between Yarbrough Farms Boulevard and the 10th hole of Auburn University Club Golf Course. Amend Ordinance No. 2199 (Yarbrough Farms Planned Development District (PDD) designation). 4.63 Acres of 557.65 Acre Parcel. Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
c. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish No Parking Zone. West Side of Dumas Drive from 452 Dumas Drive to Sherwood Drive. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Auburn City Schools. 2009 Auburn High School Varsity Football Team and Coaches. Commendation.
b. Agreements and Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Office of the City Manager. City of Auburn and Groome Transportation. Auburn University Student Government Association. Toomer’s Ten Evening Transit Shuttle System. Loading/Unloading Zone on West Magnolia Avenue. Parking Space Lease Agreement.
(2) Contracts.
(a) Office of the City Manager. AuburnBank Property. Amend Purchase and Sale Contract. Extend Lease Back Provision One Year.
(b) Information Technology Department. TekLinks for Cisco Systems. Cisco SmartNet License. Renew Contract. $77,997.95.
(c) Public Works Department. Floyd Service Company, Inc.
Installation of four (4) mast arm traffic signal poles. Airport Road and Glenn Avenue. $17,050.
(d) Environmental Services Department. Rush Truck Center of Florida, Inc. dba/Rush Truck Center, Winter Garden. 2010 Cab and Chassis with Curb Sorter/Trough Loader, Four Container Truck Mount Side Dump Recycling Body. $172,042.
c. Drainage and Utility Easements and Water Easement. Acceptance and Vacation.
(1) Peyton Development, Inc. Brian Kendrick (Authorized Representative). Reno Subdivision, First Revision. Property Located at 1165 Opelika Road. Drainage and Utility Easements. Acceptance.
(2) Cleveland Brothers, Inc. Lot 1, Ogletree Village Business Park, Third Revision. Water Easement. Vacation.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, DEC. 15, 6:30 PM — AU THEATRE O. HENRY HOLIDAY PODCAST / SPECIAL COMMUNITY BROADCAST AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St. www.thegnusroom.com
Special community broadcast of Auburn University Radio Flyer Theatre Company’s presentation of two of O. Henry’s short stories, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf.” Auburn University Theatre’s Kelly Walker and Dan LaRocque will be on hand to answer questions after this performance. Both stories are written in classic O. Henry style with his trademark twist at the end. The works were prerecorded and will be accessible through Jan. 3 at http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org (click on radio dial). More info: AU Theatre box office at 844-4154.
TUESDAY, DEC. 15, 7:30 PM — FREE CIVIC CHORALE CONCERT
Held at the First United Methodist Church, 702 Avenue A, Opelika. Free & open to all.
The Arts Association of East Alabama Civic Chorale will present this free concert. Celebrate the season with selections of holiday music, both old and new. Join the Chorale and instrumentalists as they share this joyous time.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).
All members are encouraged and invited to attend. www.auburnheritage.org
Note: Held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept to May
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB / POTLUCK HOLIDAY DINNER
Held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road. Free & open to all.
6:00 pm - Bring a dish and a friend. The club will furnish a turkey and a ham.
6:50 pm — Guest speaker: Dr. Dell Crosby, founder of Mercy Medical Clinic. Dr. Crosby will give a brief history of the clinic and its operation, and will answer any questions.
Donations to Mercy Medical Clinic: At the November meeting, for the Christmas project members agreed to support Mercy Medical Clinic by donating funds for “patient scholarships.” One $20 scholarship will enable one patient to order meds through the Pharmaceutical Assistance Program for one year. Dr. Jim Matthews says there is a great need for assistance for those folks who fall through the cracks, and this is a very good way to help. Checks should be made out to Mercy Medical Clinic. Notate the use: Patient Scholarships. The gift is tax deductible. Remember: One $20 scholarship will help one patient for one year. Also remember, you may give as many scholarships as you can! This is truly the gift that keeps on giving!
THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE FALL WALK
Held Thursdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled only for rain.
Free, no registration required. Open to all.
Enjoy some exercise and observe the beauty of the Preserve as fall unfolds. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:30 pm Tuesdays, for kids age 5-12 & their parents.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. 334-242-2230 – Open to all. Agenda
THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 5:30 PM — PUBLIC HEARING – AUBURN 2010-2014 CDBG CONSOLIDATED PLAN
Held in Meeting Room C, Boykin Community Center, 400 Boykin Street. Open to all.
Citizens are encouraged to attend and offer their input on how CDBG funds should be allocated over the next five years. CDBG funding is provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). More info: press release; public hearing notice; or contact the City of Auburn Community Development Division at 501-7280.
FRIDAY, DEC. 18 — AU GRADUATION
FRIDAY, DEC. 18 THROUGH FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 2010 — FREE PARKING IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN
Enjoy the free parking in downtown metered spaces offered through the holiday season! Shop Auburn!
** **** ** **** ** **** ** ***** ** **** **
ADEM DIRECTOR RESIGNS; ADEM ATTORNEY NAMED INTERIM
http://www2.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/adem_director_resigns_adem_attorney_named_interim/115301/
Alabama environmental management director resigns
Montgomery Advertiser
“The ADEM Reform Coalition is hopeful that the upcoming selection of a new director at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management will help …
Trey Glenn resigns as ADEM director Birmingham Weekly Mixed Media (blog)
After 5 years, former ‘water wars’ negotiator Trey Glenn resigns as ADEM director WHNT
Alabama’s environmental chief Trey Glenn resigns The Birmingham News – al.com (blog)
ADEM REFORM COALITION RESPONDS TO RESIGNATION OF ADEM DIRECTOR http://www.alabamarivers.org/press-room/headlines/adem-reform-coalition-responds-to-resignation-of-adem-director-trey-glenn
US REP. ARTUR DAVIS WANTS FEDS TO CLEARLY DETERMINE RISKS TO ALABAMIANS POSED BY COAL ASH al.com – Tom Gordon – Dec 8, 2009 – Congressman Artur Davis is asking federal environmental officials to act more swiftly to assure the safety of coal ash …
Officials clash over coal ash in Perry County – al.com – Tom Gordon – Dec 8, 2009 A trackhoe scoops up spilled coal ash which is being loaded into rail cars for shipment to an Alabama landfill in Perry …
Turner to DC to testify about Perry County landfill Selma Times-Journal - Leesha Faulkner – Dec 7, 2009 WASHINGTON – The US House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment has invited Perry County …
Alabama Power’s West Jefferson plant nation’s second-highest carbon emitter among coal-fired plants http://blog.al.com/live/2009/11/alabama_powers_west_jefferson.html
==========================
CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the Dec. 15 City Council meeting.
*Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) – two vacancies will be filled at the Jan. 5, 2010 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
==========================
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 14, 2009
Comments Off
NOTE: During this holiday season, changes may occur to schedules.
Public Safety Awareness Day December 12
AU’s H1N1 vaccination schedule announced for remainder of December
Held at The Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center, located in 2155 Walker Building.
Free H1N1 vaccinations will be offered every day this week from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Vaccinations will also be provided Monday, Dec. 14, through Thursday, Dec. 17, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Both forms of the H1N1 vaccine (flu shot and nasal spray) are available at no cost to AU students, employees and dependents ages 10 and older. Proof of insurance is not required. For more information about H1N1 flu and Auburn University’s response, go to http://www.auburn.edu/emergency/flu.html . Questions may be directed to emergencymanagement@auburn.edu.
DEC. 3 – DEC. 23 — ArTrees EXHIBIT
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to the public.
Info: contact the Arts Center at (334)501-2963.
The Auburn Arts Association will be hosting “ArTrees,” an exhibition of small, artistically themed holiday trees. Local artists and groups were invited to decorate a tree for the exhibit. ArTrees are not your traditional holiday trees. For example, artists may be inspired by their favorite artist, art period or by any imaginative theme.
Auburn University Theatre presenting O. Henry holiday podcast production
The Auburn University Radio Flyer Theatre Company will present two of O. Henry’s short stories, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf,” in its first holiday podcast radio theatre production. Both stories are written in classic O. Henry style with his trademark twist at the end. The works were prerecorded and will be accessible Dec. 8 through Jan. 3 by going to the theater’s Web site (http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org ) and clicking on the radio dial. A special community broadcast of the production will be held Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St. Auburn University Theatre’s Kelly Walker and Dan LaRocque will be on hand to answer questions after this performance. Produced by Auburn University Theatre in the College of Liberal Arts, the holiday broadcast of O. Henry stories features a cast of Auburn University Theatre professors and students. The presentation is reminiscent of “audio theater” popular from the 1930s into the early 1950s, the Golden Age of Radio, and heard on programs such as Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre on the Air and the Lux Radio Theater. For more information, call the Auburn University Theatre box office at 844-4154.
TUESDAY, DEC. 8, 9:00 AM — OPELIKA BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT (BZA)
Held in the Public Works Facility, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
A. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL
1. Jim Parker, 1651 Parker Way (adjacent to Lowe’s), Sign variance request to exceed the 30 foot maximum sign height requirement in a C-3, GC-2 zoning district, to erect the American flag.
TUESDAY, DEC. 8, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
http://www.auburnalabama.org/greenspace/
TUESDAY, DEC. 8, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St.
Agenda: UC/CEOD Regulatory Review and Discussion / Wrap Up [view at http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/Misc/Downtown%20Study%20Committee.pdf or contact Auburn Planning Department at (334) 501‐3040.]
NOTE: This might be the final meeting of this committee.
TUESDAY, DEC. 8, 3:30 – 4:30 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE KIDS’ FALL DISCOVERY HIKE
Held Tuesdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds.
Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled if rain.
Free, no registration required. For children ages 5 to 12.
Parents and kids join us for a hike and some discovery time. Encourage the kids to have some great outdoor time exploring the Preserve and learn more about the natural world. Also try the Preserve’s Fall walks at 8:30 am Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
TUESDAY, DEC.8, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
1. CALL TO ORDER. Anne Shaw, Chair.
2. ADOPTION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
3. OTHER BUSINESS Including:
a. CLG Annual report
b. Recent Certificates of Appropriateness issued administratively
c. Upcoming Historic Preservation Events
4. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS
5. ADJOURNMENT
TUESDAY, DEC. 8 – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
TUESDAY, DEC. 8 & WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9 — “Vegetation for Stream and Floodplain Restoration” workshop
Held in Montgomery, in the conference room, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc. , 2660 EastChase Lane, Ste 200, Montgomery; Tel: 334.271.3200.
For more information, contact Eve Brantley brantef@auburn.edu or visit http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm .
Topics will include:
* Invasive, nonnative plant management
* Riparian plant selection
* Bioengineering
* Planting techniques for stream and wetland plants
Registration information and a full agenda are available at:
http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm#veg
Continuing education units (CEUs) from Auburn University will be offered for this workshop.
Project sponsors and partners include City of Montgomery, Auburn University, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc., Jennings Environmental, LLC, Upper Alabama River Clean Water Partnership, Auburn
University Montgomery, Young Meadows Presbyterian Church, North Carolina State University, USDA CSREES Southern Region Water Program
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9, 9:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD – special/called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Mont.; ph: 334-242-2230
Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 8, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 8:00 am — AUBURN DOWNTOWN MERCHANT ASSOCIATION (DMA)
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger). http://www.downtownauburnal.org/
THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE FALL WALK
Held Thursdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled only for rain.
Free, no registration required. Open to all.
Enjoy some exercise and observe the beauty of the Preserve as fall unfolds. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:30 pm Tuesdays, for kids age 5-12 & their parents.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
1. West Pace Village PDD PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00660
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr. for West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to apply the Planned Development District (PDD) designation to approximately 165.55 acres
2. West Pace Village PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00670
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr. for West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) [pending approval of Case PL-2009- 00660] with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for outdoor recreational uses, including a park and bicycle/jogging/hiking paths; for institutional uses, including private libraries and museums, and aquariums; for indoor recreational uses, including a skating rink (roller & ice), bowling alleys, billiards, gymnasium, and indoor athletic facilities; for office uses; for commercial and entertainment uses, including an auto accessory store, barbershop/beauty shop, building material sales, clothing stores, copy shop, electronics repair, florists, garden supply, general merchandise stores, health & personal care stores, hotel/motel/condotel, office supplies/stationary/gift stores, package store, pet/pet supply store, restaurant, restaurant-lounge, restaurant- pub, specialty food stores, sporting goods/hobby/book/music stores, tavern, lounge, banks, dry cleaners, grocery stores,professional studios, and theaters/indoor auditoriums; for road service uses, including ATM’s, auto dealerships, auto repair/paint/body work, convenience/small grocery stores, gasoline/service stations, bank with drive-thru, and fast food restaurant; for a commercial recreational use, specifically an amphitheater; for agricultural support uses, including farm equipment sales/rental/leasing, farm equipment sales/repair, and farm produce sales (permanent); for a nursery use, specifically retail; for a commercial support use, specifically a wholesale distributor; and for a regional shopping center use
CONSENT AGENDA
3. Town Creek, Plat No. 1 PL-2009-00832
Applicant: Jack Johnson for Dr. John Cottier
General Location: Off of Brookside Drive, southeast of the Jule Collins Smith Art Museum and west of Town Creek Park
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 28-lot conventional residential subdivision
NEW BUSINESS
4. Lundy Chase, Phase III PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00833
Applicant: Blake Rice for Crosswoods Development, LLC
General Location: South of Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase One and north of Willow Creek Subdivision
Zoning District: Neighborhood Conservation (NC-20)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 38-lot conventional residential subdivision
5. C B & T Bank East Alabama PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00817
Applicant: Ronnie Wilson for C B & T Bank East Alabama
General Location: 2579 East University Drive
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (bank with drive-through)
6. Hiett Automotive PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00834
Applicant: Tony Hiett for Cynthia Thrash
General Location: 960 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (automotive sales)
7. 300 N. Donahue Drive PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00802
Applicant: Lindburgh Jackson for Kathy Matthews and LaKeshi Robinson
General Location: 300 North Donahue Drive (adjacent to the CSX Railroad & north of Glenn Avenue)
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a performance residential use (duplex)
8. Longleaf Crossing, Phase 5 Waiver PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00844
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr., for Tiger Crossing
General Location: At the west end of Longleaf Drive at Cox Road
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Waiver to the design speed on a collector street (Longleaf Drive) from 35 mph to 20 mph
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT
THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 7:00 pm — EAST ALABAMA CYCLING CLUB
Held at the EAMC Health Resource Center, Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. Open to all.
The East Alabama Cycling Club (EACC) is a bicycle club for riders of all skill levels and riding styles. The club meets at 7:00 pm, on the second Thursday of each month. More info: mk1hgn@yahoo.com
FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 9:00 – 11:00 AM — TOURS OF THE AU ARBORETUM
Held at AU’s Donald E Davis Arboretum; on Garden Drive, just west of S. College Street.
Meet in the Arboretum’s pavilion. Free & open to all.
Info: http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum/
Tours last one hour each and are scheduled on the hour from 9:00 – 11:00 am, the second Friday & Saturday of each month (except Jan & Feb 2010). Guides are members of the Lee County Master Gardeners. The Donald E. Davis Arboretum is maintained by the College of Sciences and Mathematics. For more information on the tours, call 844-5770 or visit the Web site ( http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum ).
FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Held in the Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, 1400 Coliseum Blvd, Montgomery. ph: 334-271-7706
Agenda:
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on Oct. 16, 2009
2. Elections
3. Report from the Director
4. Report from the Commission Chair
5. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 1, General Administration Regulations, Rules 335-1-1-.07 and 335-1-6-.07 – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 1, General Administration Regulations, Rule 335-1-1-.07, “Departmental Forms, Instructions, and Procedures” and Rule 335-1-6-.07, “Payment of Fees”. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on November 4, 2009.
6. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 6, Water Quality Program Regulations, Rules 335-6-10-.09 and 335-6-11-.02 – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 6, Water Quality Program Regulations, Rule 335-6-10-.09, “Specific Water Quality Criteria” and Rule 335-6-11-.02, “Use Classifications”. The purpose of amending Rule 335-6-10-.09 is to change the bacterial indicator organisms and associated criteria for non-coastal waters from fecal coliform to Escherichia coli (E. coli) to be consistent with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendations for protection against water-borne illnesses. Proposed amendments to Rule 335-6-11-.02 upgrade use classifications for segments of Hurtsboro Creek in Chattahoochee River Basin and the Magnolia River in the Mobile River-Mobile Bay Basin, respectively. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on October 14, 2009.
7. Tuscloosa Resources, Inc. v. ADEM, EMC Docket No. 09-03 (NPDES-Related Matter) – The Commission will acknowledge Petitioner Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc.’s (TRI) withdrawal of the request for hearing in this appeal of ADEM’s inclusion of certain discharge limitations, terms, and conditions in TRI, East Brookwood Mine, NPDES Permit No. AL0074349, issued October 10, 2008, and effective November 1, 2008.
8. Friends of Hurricane Creek and Alabama Rivers Alliance, Inc. v. ADEM, and Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc., EMC Docket No. 08-07 Consolidated With Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc. v. ADEM, and Friends of Hurricane Creek and Alabama Rivers Alliance, Inc., EMC Docket No. 08-08 – The Commission will acknowledge Petitioner Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc.’s (TRI) withdrawal of the request for hearing for EMC Docket No. 08-08 for the appeal of ADEM’s revocation of TRI, Panther 3 Mine, NPDES Permit No. AL0074012, effective August 28, 2008, and reissuance of a new TRI, Panther 3 Mine, NPDES Permit also denoted as Permit No. AL0074012 having different discharge limits, terms, and conditions.
9. Other business
10. Future business sessions
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.
FRIDAY DEC. 11, NOON — AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON ESTATE PLANNING
Held in the private dining room at The Hotel at Auburn University
and Dixon Conference Center.
Dutch treat luncheon. Limited seating, register early.
To register, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan at 844-5324 or e-mail wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences, will host a roundtable luncheon and discussion featuring speaker will be Liz Hutchins, attorney at law. This roundtable is part of the Women’s Philanthropy Board’s yearlong effort of “Thriving in the ‘New Normal’: Maximizing your Philanthropic Footprint.” Hutchins is a shareholder with Sirote and Permutt of Birmingham, where she assists clients in the areas of estate and charitable planning; estate gift and trust tax law; wills and probate.
FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 5:30 PM — MARY CAROL MORAN / POETRY READING — at The Gnu’s Room
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550; www.thegnusroom.com.
Moran has a new book of poetry, “Equivocal Blessings,” coming out at the end of November from Negative Capability Press. She will do a reading and signing on Friday, December 11th at 5:30 p.m. For more info on the workshop please email marycarolmoran@hotmail.com.
SATURDAY, DEC. 12, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm — 2009 HOLIDAY ART SALE
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center.
The Auburn Arts Association and Auburn Parks & Recreation Department will host the third annual Holiday Art Sale. Local artists will be selling paintings, pottery, stained glass, photography, cards, jewelry, hats, scarves and much more! More info: Cari Philen, Art Education Specialist, 501- 2944 or cphilen@auburnalabama.org.
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr100809.asp
SATURDAY, DEC. 12, 9:00 – 11:00 AM — TOURS OF THE AU ARBORETUM
Held at AU’s Donald E Davis Arboretum; on Garden Drive, just west of S. College Street.
Meet in the Arboretum’s pavilion. Free & open to all.
Info: http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum/
Tours scheduled on the hour from 9:00 – 11:00 am, the second Friday & Saturday of each month (except Jan & Feb 2010). Guides are members of the Lee County Master Gardeners.
SUNDAY, DEC. 12, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS – Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
On the second Saturday of every month, a group of history re-enactors gather at the LCHS Museum in period attire to demonstrate their arts and crafts. Blacksmiths are usually working at the forge, spinners and weavers are in the log cabin, and someone is always cooking up a meal in the fireplace or outdoors. The Museum is always open on Second Saturdays. Also on Secord Saturdays, the Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer group meets at the Museum at 11:00am. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcomed. Bring your dulcimer or other instrument and join in the pickin’.
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, DEC. 12 & 13 — 3RD AUBURN HOLIDAY TOUR OF HOMES
Held at various locations.
Tickets: available in December at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce & each of the tour homes on the day of the tours.
Eight homes will be showcased. There will also be five free Saturday Cider Stops incorporated in the tour.
Sponsored by the Auburn Preservation League. http://www.auburnpreservationleague.org/
SATURDAY, DEC. 12, 10:00 AM – NOON — AU FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE HOLIDAY WREATH WORKSHOP
Held at AU’s Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve.
Registration required. Call 334-844-8091 or 334-707-6512 or email the preserve@auburn.edu to register.
Cost: $15/wreath. No charge for children’s ornament.
More info & directions: https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/Default.htm
Enjoy a fun morning making a beautiful fresh wreath that should last through the holidays. Ginger Purvis from the Blooming Colors Market will lend her expert hand at making beautiful wreaths with natural materials. Music and goodies and cider will make this a great way to get in the holiday spirit. Children attending will make a cotton bole angel ornament.
Held at AU’s Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve.
Registration required. Call 334-844-8091 or 334-707-6512 or email the preserve@auburn.edu to register.
Cost: $15/wreath. No charge for children’s ornament.
More info & directions: https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/Default.htm
Enjoy a fun morning making a beautiful fresh wreath that should last through the holidays. Ginger Purvis from the Blooming Colors Market will lend her expert hand at making beautiful wreaths with natural materials. Music and goodies and cider will make this a great way to get in the holiday spirit. Children attending will make a cotton bole angel ornament.
SUNDAY, DEC. 13 — 3RD AUBURN HOLIDAY TOUR OF HOMES
Held at various locations.
Tickets: available in December at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce & each of the tour homes on the day of the tours.
Eight homes will be showcased. There will also be five free Saturday Cider Stops incorporated in the tour.
Sponsored by the Auburn Preservation League. http://www.auburnpreservationleague.org/
==========================
Thanks for your interest and support.
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Dec. 8, 2009
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==========================
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 7, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATE
ADDITIONAL EVENT TODAY!
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 12:00 – 1:00 PM — GREEN LUNCH / PANEL DISCUSSION ON LOCAL FOOD
Held at AU Student Center, room 2223.
Free and open to the public. Bring your lunch!
http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/projects/green_lunch.html
Our final Green Lunch of the semester will be a panel discussion on local food. The panel will consist of people who grow or work with local food on a daily basis. Producers Zach Randle of Randle Farms LLC and Gary Weil of Redroot Farm will discuss the challenges and rewards of growing produce and selling it directly to consumers through CSAs and local businesses. Executive Chef David Bancroft of Amsterdam café will discuss the journey he took to source local food and the pleasure of cooking with it. Hans van der Reijden, Managing Director of Hotel Operations, Auburn University Hotel, will talk about the challenges and advantages of using local food in a large hotel restaurant. Lastly, Dr. Michelle Worosz from Auburn’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology will give an academic overview of the impact and advantages of maintaining and growing local food markets. During the final fifteen minutes of the event, the panelists will take questions from the floor.
AU Office of Sustainability: www.auburn.edu/sustainability;
200 Langdon Annex, AU; 334.844.7777.
CORRECTION / NO SOS MEETING THURSDAY
There will not be an SOS meeting this Thursday evening.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
FRIDAY, DEC. 4, 9:00 AM — ALABAMA COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION – special/called meeting
Held in the PSA Hearing Room, RSA Union Building, 9th Floor, Montgomery. Open to all. 334-242-1998
Preliminary Agenda
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call of Members and Determination of Quorum
III. Approval of Agenda
IV. Consideration of Minutes of Previous Meeting
V. Chairman’s Report
VI. Executive Director’s Report
VII. Discussion Items
VIII. Decision Items
IX. Information Items
ADDITIONAL DETAILS – Santa visit; Drum Choir
SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm — 14TH ANNUAL COOKIE WALK / Benefit for Habitat for Humanity Homes
Additional info: Santa Claus will make a visit at 10 am, and the Pot Luck Drum Choir will perform at 11:30 am
Held at Grace United Methodist Church, 915 E. Glenn Ave; next to Kroger. Come and buy a wide assortment of holiday cookies for $5/lb. Money raised is used for Habitat for Humanity homes.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM — 16th ANNUAL STANDARD DELUXE HOLIDAY SHOW & SALE
Held at Standard Deluxe, Waverly. Toll free: 800.382.9473
Direct: 334.826.6423. www.standarddeluxe.com/story1.html
Posters, prints, bags, & T-shirts available.
Established in 1991, STANDARD DELUXE is a high quality silkscreen print shop, design & build studio, music performance hall and onsite gallery/retail store specializing in T-Shirts, Hand-Printed Posters, Invitations, Signage and Archival Serigraph Art Prints.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 8:00 PM – ROOTS REGGAE BAND & SHOW / B-LAW RIDDIMWISE
Held at Fred’s Pickin Parlor (Fred’s Feed & Seed), 6434 Stage Road, Loachapoka. 334-502-6602
http://www.myspace.com/beduriddimwise
Come hungry! Papa D’s Super Grille opens at 7:00 pm.
UPCOMING EVENT
MONDAY, DEC. 7, 7:00 PM — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA / MEETING & HOLIDAY GATHERING
Held at Piccolo, the jazz bar at the AU Hotel. All are welcome.
Catch up with your League friends by joining them near the fireplace in the new jazz bar at the Auburn University Hotel. The atmosphere will be cozy, the menu options are tasty, and the crowd will definitely be interesting. Invite a friend (or two) and join us for a casual evening of holiday cheer, starting at 7.
Piccolo menu: http://www.auhcc.com/dining/documents/MenuTemplateOpening.pdf
REGISTER NOW!
Dec. 9 & 10 — “Vegetation for Stream and Floodplain
Restoration” workshop
Held in Montgomery, in the conference room, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc. , 2660 EastChase Lane, Ste 200, Montgomery; Tel: 334.271.3200.
For more information, contact Eve Brantley brantef@auburn.edu or visit http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm .
Topics will include:
* Invasive, nonnative plant management
* Riparian plant selection
* Bioengineering
* Planting techniques for stream and wetland plants
Registration information and a full agenda are available at:
http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm#veg
Continuing education units (CEUs) from Auburn University will be offered for this workshop.
Project sponsors and partners include City of Montgomery, Auburn University, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc., Jennings Environmental, LLC, Upper Alabama River Clean Water Partnership, Auburn
University Montgomery, Young Meadows Presbyterian Church, North Carolina State University, USDA CSREES Southern Region Water Program
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!
Auburn Preservation League Presents Auburn Holiday Home Tour
December 12 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
December 13 - 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
8 HOMES
Susan and George Konstant, 232 Chadwick Lane
Tina and Mike Rabren, 1547 Lakewood Place
Pheza and Shane Sumners, 566 East Samford Ave.
Leigh and John Hudon, 718 Burke Place
Lucy Little, 554 Berkeley Ave.
Rosemary and Ronnie Anders, 2487 Danbury Drive
Kelly and Rick Davidson, Camellia Drive
Peg and Peter Weiss, 105 Prather’s Lake Dr.
5 CIDER STOPS
Auburn City Hall (Old Post Office Building), 144 Tichenor Ave.
Jan Dempsey Art Building, 222 East Drake Ave.
Crenshaw Bed and Breakfast, 371 N. College St.
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 901 S. College St.
Lee County Museum in Loachapoka
Tickets for the tour are $20 each, and benefit Auburn Preservation League. Pre-tour tickets are available now at the Chamber of Commerce or at the Auburn United Methodist Bazaar December 5. Tickets also available on tour days, at each home. [2 tickets available at half price for each new membership in Auburn Preservation League.]
See www.auburnpreservationleague.org.
Holiday Homes Tour sponsored by AMI Windows and Doors
==========================
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – The Birmingham News says the practice of providing elected officials with free tickets to the Iron Bowl should end.
Will water footprints be the next energy star? Like their cousin the carbon footprint, water footprints are one of the latest methods scientists are using to assess humanity’s impact on the planet. And now businesses are starting to use water footprinting as well. National Geographic News
MAGNOLIA SPRINGS EXCEEDS STATE RULES TO PROTECT RIVER — . . . the town of Magnolia Springs passed what some say are the strongest water quality regulations in Alabama.The rules are designed to control runoff from construction and agricultural activities in the Magnolia River watershed. They establish stiff penalties for violators — including a $500 per day fine, along with the prospect of jail time . . . .
FANNIE MAE UNVEILS DEED FOR LEASE PROGRAM
Fannie Mae is implementing a Deed for Lease Program where qualifying homeowners facing foreclosure will be able to remain in their homes by signing a lease in connection with the voluntary transfer of the property deed back to the lender. Something like this could help stave off some forclosures. For additional information about the Deed for Lease Program, including full details on program eligibility, review the Guide Announcement on www.efanniemae.com.
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EXCERPT FROM ARCHWEEK RESIDENTIAL (e-newsletter from www.ArchitectureWeek.com) — HOUSING MARKET / UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS MAP
Housing market statistics are in the news this week, including aseries of modest sales price increases during the third quarter, as well as the astounding (even if mechanistically driven) calculationthat 23% of U.S. homeowners are currently underwater in their mortgages.
While any degree of stabilization is welcome, the backdrop for U.S.
housing trends remains complex, with government stimulus funding and low interest rates supporting updraft, while various aspects of the market structure probably still draft downward.
As the Great Recession appears to be technically waning, very high unemployment continues to be one of the important background factors for housing.
This must-see animated map helps bring the scale of the U.S.
unemployment issue to life:
http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/latoyaegwuekwe/multimediafinal.html
Give it a moment for the trends to build, and see where they get by
September ‘09. Then play the trend buildup a couple times more to really get the feel of it.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 2, 2009
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Week of Nov. 30, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change, especially during the holiday season, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE: PROPERTY DE-ANNEXATION IN AUBURN RAISES EYEBROWS
First published Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 in The Opelika-Auburn News.
ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, DEC. 4 — AU’S ONE COAT CAMPAIGN
The AU Medical Clinic and the East Alabama Medical Center
have partnered for “The One Coat Campaign,” which begins today and ends Dec. 4. The goal of the campaign is to collect one coat from everyone who is willing to share and distribute the coats to individuals around the community and beyond. Coats for men, women and children of any age will be accepted. The coats given should be in good condition and clean. The campaign asks that torn, out-of-style or extremely worn coats that are in need of repair not be donated.
Info: East Alabama Medical Center Hospital Chaplain Scott Lee at 528-1415 or at chaplain@eamc.org or Joyce Chocklett at the Auburn University Medical Clinic at 844-6106 or joyce.chocklett@eamc.org.
EXHIBIT ONGOING THROUGH DEC. 8 — ‘UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany: A Photographic Exhibit’
Held in AU’s RBD library. Free & open to all.
A photographic exhibition of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany will be shown on the main floor of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library through Dec. 8. The exhibition is being sponsored by the German Consulate in Atlanta, UNESCO, The German Information Center, Auburn University President’s Office and Auburn University Libraries.
MONDAY, NOV. 30 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Miss Auburn-Opelika Area 2010 Ashley Garcia – Judge English
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
7. Consent Agenda:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting November 9, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Property Issue on Lee Road 726 – Mattie Hinkl
b. Set Joint Work session with Lee County Firefighters Association – Pete Idsall
9. New Business:
a. Public Hearing for LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, Inc.-Judge English
b. Proposed Resolution for LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, Inc.-Scott Pierce
c. Request Traffic Study at the Intersection of Lee Roads 230 and 240-Commissioner Long
d. Proposed Holiday Schedule for 2010 – Judge English
e. Early Debt Retirement Proposal – Roger Rendleman
f. Retail Beer & Table Wine License for The Landing Convenience / D4
10. Adjourn
MONDAY, NOV. 30, 4:00 PM — FRANO VIOLICH / CROSSOVER: Buildings, Lasers and Sewing Machines
Held in the Ray Parker Memorial Auditorium (B6), Dudley Hall, AU School of Architecture. Free & open to all.
Speaker: Frano Violich, FAIA | Principal, Kennedy Violich Architecture | MATx RESEARCH, Boston MA; http://www.kvarch.net/.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1 — AU COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE / WORLD AIDS DAY SYMPOSIUM
11:00 AM — Speakers: Stephanie Schleis / Mark Freedman
Held in the Goodwin/Overton Auditorium, AU Vet School, Wire Road. Open to all. Lunch provided.
The College of Veterinary Medicine will host its World AIDS Day
Symposium on Dec. 1. Speakers are Stephanie Schleis, a veterinarian with the AU College of Veterinary Medicine, and Mark Freedman, veterinarian and epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Schleis, a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, will speak on “Pet Ownership and the Immunocompromised Client.” Her lecture will focus on what veterinarians should know and she will offer information to help veterinarians educate their clients. She will also dicuss the veterinarian’s role in working with physicians to facilitate the benefit of having companion animals when owners are immunocompromised. The symposium is sponsored by Auburn Diversifying Veterinary Medicine. For information, e-mail depompa@auburn.edu.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1, noon – 2:00 pm — FREE EPA WATERSHED ACADEMCY WEBCAST
Free. Pre-registration required: www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts.
Also available via streaming audio after the live seminar, and by podcast feed via iTunes or another RSS aggregator.
Nutrients have been identified as one of the top causes of water quality impairment in the United States. This EPA Watershed Academy webcast highlights the new State-EPA Nutrient Innovations Task Group report and related issues.Included are findings from the new report called “An Urgent Call to Action: Report of the State-EPA Nutrient Innovations Task Group” posted at www.epa.gov/waterscience.
Ephraim King, director, Office of Science and Technology, in U.S. EPA’s Office of Water, will discuss the key findings of this report, which characterizes the scope and major sources of nutrients, and includes recommendations to address the issue. Other speakers will include Craig Cox, Midwest vice president, Environmental Working Group, who will discuss effective ways to address nutrient pollution from agriculture. And finally, Walter Baker, director, Utah Division of Water Quality in Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality will share successful approaches Utah is using to reduce nutrient pollution from agricultural livestock and municipal sewage treatment plants.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — H1N1 FLU VACCINE CLINIC / LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPT
Held at the Lee County Public Health Dept, 1801 Corporate Drive, Opelika. (injectible vaccine only)
NOTE: Clinics also will be held at AU on Dec. 2 & Dec 4.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1, 3:30 – 4:30 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE KIDS’ FALL DISCOVERY HIKE
Held Tuesdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds.
Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled if rain.
Free, no registration required. For children ages 5 to 12.
Parents and kids join us for a hike and some discovery time. Encourage the kids to have some great outdoor time exploring the Preserve and learn more about the natural world. Also try the Preserve’s Fall walks at 8:30 am Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
TUESDAY, DEC. 1, 4:00 – 6:00 pm — OPENING RECEPTION / ART EXHIBITION SENIOR PROJECTS – BFA in FINE ART CANDIDATES
EXHIBIT ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, DEC. 11
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery. Gallery hours: M-F 8 am – 4 pm.
More info: 334.844.4373. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.
Opening reception for the B.F.A. in Fine Art Candidates – Senior Project Exhibition, which runs from Dec. 1 – Dec. 11. Presented by the Department of Art, College of Liberal Arts.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
Agenda: Board meeting — The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Resolution/supplemental agreement no. 1 with ALDO concerning the Frederick Road project.
- b. Resolution/supplemental agreement no. 3 with ALDOT
concerning the Frederick Road project – Walter Dorsey
(2) - a. Resolution, budget adjustment to provide for upgrading
the OPD communication console – Tommy Mangham
(3) - a. Resolution/agreement for architectural services to renovation the Municipal Courtroom.
- b. Ordinance – to prohibit signs on public ROW and public places.
- c. General updates
(4) - Review/discuss the 12/01/09 CM agenda items – Mayor Fuller
(5) - General Discussion - City Council
Regular meeting agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
a. City financial summary – October 2009.
b. Presentation of employee performance awards.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS - Bob Shuman
a. Request from the Package Store for a lounge retail liquor class 2 license (package store).
b. Public hearing, amend zoning ordinance, 95.96 acres to M-1.
c. Public hearing, amend text of zoning ordinance, sec. 7.4 airport overlay district.
d. Request by Opelika Mainstreet for the annual Christmas in a Railroad Town event.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
a. Recycling trailer for the Solid Waste department.
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. Designate city personal property as surplus and authorize disposal.
2. Annual lease agreement with the OHA for a Senior Citizen Center.
3. Request by T-Mobile for a special use permit – telecommunications.
4. Designate for the O/A News and Opelika Observer.
5. Set public hearing date to assess cost of weed abatement, 2112 Crestview Street.
6. Set public hearing date to assess cost of weed abatement, 911 York Avenue.
7. Set public hearing date to assess cost of weed abatement, 605 East Avenue.
8. Authorize demolition at 1726 1st Avenue South.
9. Authorize demolition at 310 3rd Street.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter (none)
1. Annexation, WP Properties of Opelika, 95.96 acres off of Cunningham Drive and Gateway Drive (US280) — 2nd Reading.
2. Amend zoning ordinance, 95.96 acres to M-1 — 1st Reading.
3. Amend text of zoning ordinance, sec. 7.4 Airport Overlay District — 1st Reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, DEC. 1 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 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
Regular session agenda includes:
7. Citizens Communications
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses. Consideration.
(1) Jackie Lee Heard dba/Jackie Lees Karaoke Pub. 1577 S. College Street. 010 – Lounge Retail Liquor – Class I License. Transfer of License.
(2) DBMC Restaurants of Auburn Alabama LLC dba/Santa Fe Cattle Company. 1660 S. College Street. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License. Change of Ownership.
(3) Whatley Convenience Stores LLC dba/Zelmos In Auburn. 1700 Opelika Road. 050 – Retail Beer (Off Premises Only) and 070 – Retail Table Wine (Off Premises Only) License. Transfer of License.
b. Announcement of Board Vacancies. Appointments at January 5, 2010 Meeting.
(1) Water Works Board. One Vacancy. Six Year Term Ends
January 6, 2016.
(2) Board of Zoning Adjustment. Two Vacancies. Three Year Terms End January 20, 2013.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish Two (2) Speed Limit Signs on Alabama Highway 14. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Urban Core (UC) Zoning District. Public Hearings Required.
(1) Sprayberry Real Estate Partners, Ltd. Patsy Reno (Authorized Representative). Commercial and Entertainment Use-pawn shop (Gold & Silver Exchange). 219 North Gay Street.
(2) CPSW Investments, LLC. Sean Foote (Authorized Representative). Performance Residential Development Use-multiple family development and office use and Commercial and Entertainment Uses (City Walk Plaza). 230 West Glenn Avenue.
b. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Protocols. Lee CountyEmergency Operations Plan. Adoption.
c. Contracts and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Agreements.
(a) Information Technology Department. Software House Int. (SHI). Microsoft Corporation’s Secure Computing Initiative Three Year Installments. Enterprise Agreement. Installment 1-$133,275.10.
(b) Public Works Department.
(1) Traffic Signal System Programming Project. Traffic
Engineering Services Foresite Group. Five Intersections.
$22,000.
(2) Downtown Parking Deck Project. Professional Services. Walker Restoration Consultants. $28,000.
(2) Contracts.
(a) Public Works Department. Wire Road Bridge Replacement Project. Newell & Bush, Inc. $441,041.64.
(b) Public Safety Department – Fire Division. North America Fire Equipment Company. Fifteen (15) sets Lion Apparel Turnout Coats and Pants. $21,705.
d. Drainage and Utility Easements, Rights-of-Way, and Sidewalk Easement. Acceptance.
(1) North Woods, Inc. Property Located west of Keystone Drive and south of Mrs. James Road in Camden Ridge Subdivision, 13th Addition. Drainage and Utility Easements and Rights-of-Way.
(2) Jeffrey and Aubrey Carson. Property Located at 819 Slaughter Avenue. Slaughter Avenue Sidewalk Project. Sidewalk Easement.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2 — ALABAMA CLEAN WATER PARTERNSHIP (ACWP) – Board of Directors
Held at Alabama Power Water Course, Clanton.
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. & 3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Contact Person: Allison Jenkin; Phone: (205) 266-6285; Email:
ajenkins@elmore.rr.com
Agenda: Quarterly meeting of the ACWP Board of Directors, to be held in conjunction with the ACWP 5th Annual Watershed Conference.
More info: http://www.cleanwaterpartnership.org/
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM — ALABAMA CLEAN WATER PARTNERSHIP 5TH ANNUAL WATERSHEDS CONFERENCE / “From the Headwaters to the Gulf – Alabama Watershed Initiatives”
Held at the Alabama Power Water Course Conference Center, Clanton, AL.
Free & open to all. RSVP required by Nov. 30th for lunch.
Register now at www.cleanwaterpartnership.org.
You’re invited to join us for a day of learning and networking as we celebrate all of the good things going on in the watersheds of Alabama.
Questions? Contact Allison Jenkins, Statewide Coordinator,
Alabama Clean Water Partnership at ajenkins@elmore.rr.com or call (205) 266-6285.
AGENDA
9:00 – Registration/Refreshments/Networking
10:00 — Welcome:Micky Smith, Board Chairman; Allison Jenkins, Statewide Coordinator
10:10 — The Alabama Rain Barrel Project: Ashley Henderson, Ala-Tom CWP; Wendy Smith, World Wildlife Fund;Terry Sharp, Coca-Cola Enterprises
10:45 — Warrior-Tombigbee Riverbank Slope Failure: Danny Hensley, Mobile District US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile Dist.
11:15 — HEADWATERS: A Journey on Alabama Rivers - Beth Manor Young/John Hall
12:15 — Lunch / Networking
1:15 — 2009 Limited Edition Print Unveiling & Partner Recognition Awards: Allison Jenkins; Keith Smith, Artist
2:00 — Waters to the Sea: Discovering Alabama Dr. Doug Phillips, University of Alabama; John Shepard, Hamline University; Tracy Fredin, Hamline University
3:00 – Forest Owner Education in Alabama Jay Grantland, Tennessee CWP Facilitator; Christian Miller, Coastal CWP Facilitator; Jim Jeter, AL Forestry Commission
3:30 — Jefferson County “Assign a Highway” Litter Reduction Program: Patti Pennington, Cahaba CWP; Barbara Newman, Jefferson Co. Health Dept.
4:00 – Conference Adjourns
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 9:30 AM – ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION
Held in the 9th floor PSC Hearing Room, RSA Union Building, 100 N. Union Street, Mont. Ph: 334-242-2997. Open to all.
Agenda: In Open Session, to render Advisory Opinions requested by public officials/public employees. An Executive Session will be held to discuss matters relating to complaints filed with the Ethics Commission and the results of those investigations. These matters are covered by the Grand Jury Secrecy Act. No matters will be discussed which are outside the scope of the State guidelines for the holding of Executive Sessions. Matters discussed in Executive Session will be voted on in public.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 4:00 – 6:30 PM — H1N1 FLU VACCINE CLINIC AT AU
Held in room 103A Dunstan Hall, AU. (injectible & nasal vaccine).
Vaccinations are provided FREE to students, employees and dependents ages 10 and older.
Details & upcoming clinic info: http://www.auburn.edu/administration/public_safety/emergency/flu.html
NOTE: Additional clinics at AU on Friday, Dec. 4.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00750
Applicant: Auburn Housing Authority
General Location: 700 Martin Luther King Drive
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Variance of 65 feet to the required 300 feet between curb cuts along an arterial street in order to allow a curb cut 235 feet from the adjacent curb cut to the west
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00801
Applicant: Parker Lewis for CPSW Investments, LLC
General Location: 230 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: Variance of 194 feet to the required 300 feet between curb cuts along an arterial street of 194 feet in order to allow a curb cut 106 feet from the adjacent curb cut to the west and a variance of 212 feet to allow a curb cut 88 feet from
the adjacent curb cut to the east
Variance to Section 516.02, Table 5-4, of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00808
Applicant: Berney Office Solutions for Clyde Meagher
General Location: 200 North College Street
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC) with an overlay of the College Edge Overlay District (CEOD)
Action Requested: Variance from the Special Use Provisions section of Table 5-4 which states that: “No parking will be allowed to be visible from the street at any level. At grade level adjacent to the right of way, parking must be screened with a building.” The applicant wishes for the existing parking to remain visible.
The applicant is also requesting a variance of 16 feet from the Setback section of Table 5-4 which states that: “All structures shall be set back no further than 10 feet from any designated corridor or primary street frontage.” This will allow the building to remain 26 feet away from the property line.
The applicant is also requesting a variance from the Glazing section of Table 5-4 which states that: “The percentage of openings for glass fenestration at street level (1st Floor) is required to be 30% to 50% of the total façade area measured from finish floor line to finish floor line. The applicant is requesting a variance of 3.5% from the required 30% to 50% to allow the building to have 26.5% glazing.
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2 , 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
THURSDAY, DEC. 3 through WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23 — ArTrees EXHIBIT
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to the public.
To pre-register for a tree or for more info: contact the Arts Center at (334)501-2963.
The Auburn Arts Association will be hosting “ArTrees,” an exhibition of small, artistically themed holiday trees. Local artists and groups are invited to decorate a tree for the exhibit. ArTrees are not your traditional holiday trees.
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE FALL WALK
Held Thursdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled only for rain.
Free, no registration required. Open to all.
Enjoy some exercise and observe the beauty of the Preserve as fall unfolds. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:30 pm Tuesdays, for kids age 5-12 & their parents.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 5:30 PM — AUBURN CHRISTMAS PARADE
Held in Downtown Auburn. Free & open to all.
Join the Auburn Chamber of Commerce and Auburn University for an evening of holiday cheer. The evening kicks off at 5:30 p.m. with the Auburn Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Auburn Chamber of Commerce. Immediately following the parade, join the students, faculty, and staff of Auburn University on Samford Lawn for a Holiday Celebration beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Portions of downtown roads will be blocked for the parade beginning no later than 5 p.m., including College Street from Thach Avenue to Glenn Avenue, Glenn Avenue from College Street to Gay Street, Magnolia Avenue from Gay Street to Wright Street, and Gay Street from Glenn Avenue to Thach Avenue. Cars parked in metered spaces along College Street should be moved by 5 p.m.
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 6:00 – 10:00 pm — 9TH ANNUAL TASTE OF EAST ALABAMA / Fundraiser for the Domestic Violence Intervention Center
Held at The Marriott at Grand National in Opelika.
Admission is $30.00 for adults and $15.00 for children under 12 years of age.
Purcahse at the door, or in advance via Janice Clifford (email: cliffje@auburn.edu or phone: 844-5080).
Come and join in for the delicious food and fun at the 9th Annual “Taste of East Alabama”. This annual fundraiser for the Domestic Violence Intervention Center offers food to sample from the area’s finest restaurants and live entertainment for your listening pleasure featuring Noisy Deidre and, also for dancing, Summer Breeze. The evening will also include a silent auction. Don’t miss out on this great event!
THURSDAY, DEC 3, 7:00 PM – SAVE OUR SAUGAHATCHEE (SOS)
303 Swingle Hall (Fisheries Bldg). Open to all.
Agenda: Christmas party and elections
FRIDAY, DEC. 4, — H1N1 FLU VACCINE CLINICS AT AU (injectible & nasal vaccine)
8:30 – 10:00 AM — Held at the 3D Arts Building (Facilities Complex).
11:30 am – 1:30 pm — Held at the College of Vet Medicine, 2nd Floor, Overton-Rudd Bldg.
Vaccinations are provided FREE to students, employees and dependents ages 10 and older.
Details & upcoming clinic info: http://www.auburn.edu/administration/public_safety/emergency/flu.html
FRIDAY, DEC. 4 – 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM — ANNUAL HOLIDAY SALE OF POTTERY
Also held Saturday, Dec. 5, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
Held at The Armory Arts Center, 600 7th Ave North, Opelika.
The sale will include works of more than a dozen potters, all with their own unique style, all with a sense of beauty.
Please come and bring your friends. A great place to do your Holiday Shopping – locally.
FRIDAY, DEC. 4, 6:00 PM — AUBURN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP (AUUF) AUCTION
Held at the AUUF/Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 450 E. Thach Ave. No admittance fee; all are welcome. http://www.auuf.net/
6:00 pm — silent auction begins
7:00 pm — live auction begins
Amazing and unusual auction items, with fabulous food provided. Don’t miss this event!
FRIDAY, DEC. 4, 7:00 PM – EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. Free & open to all. Held the first Friday of each month.
Poets, authors, musicians, and storytellers are invited to perform their work for an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. The event is open to all and there is no charge for the event.
FRIDAY, DEC. 4, 7:30 PM —- EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm — 14TH ANNUAL COOKIE WALK / Benefit for Habitat for Humanity homes
Held at Grace United Methodist Church, 915 E. Glenn Ave; next to Kroger.
Come and buy a wide assortment of holiday cookies for $5/lb. Money raised is used for Habitat for Humanity homes.
SATURDAY, DEC. 5 — AU WOMEN’S STUDIES PROGRAM – GRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
Held in Tichenor, room 215, AU.
The symposium will include papers on topics related to women/gender/sexuality. Sponsored in part by the AU College of Liberal Arts. More info: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/
SATURDAY, DEC. 5 – 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
ANNUAL HOLIDAY SALE OF POTTERY
Held at The Armory Arts Center, 600 7th Ave North, Opelika.
The sale will include works of more than a dozen potters, all with their own unique style, all with a sense of beauty.
Please come and bring your friends. A great place to do your Holiday Shopping – locally.
SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 7:30 – 9:00 PM — AUBURN UNIVERSITY/COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA CONCERT
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre. Free & open to all.
Featuring the winners of the 2009 Concerto Competition: Horn Concerto No. 3 (I) – Pedro Paz, Weber: Clarinet Concerto No. 1 (I) – Courtney White, Kabalevsky: Piano Concerto No. 3 (I) – Jordan Hartford, Grieg: Piano Concerto (I) – Wesley Ballew, Mussorgsky-Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition.
Email music@auburn.edu for more information
More info: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/www.auburn.edu/music or phone 844-4165.
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(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Standard & Poor’s cuts ThyssenKrupp’s bond rating to “junk” status.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Alabama’s high illiteracy rate has economic fallout.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Alabama’s food stamp rolls swell to over 740,000.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Alabama home sales rise 13 percent in October.
Auburn/Opelika housing statistics online -
Sept 2009 – http://www.leecorealtors.org/sei_pdfs/august_housing_stats.pdf.
Oct. 2009 - http://www.christinasoler.remax-alabama.com/remaxal/modules/agent/agent.asp?p=text&id=4095
(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Alabama Power’s West Jefferson plant nation’s second-highest carbon emitter among coal-fired plants. The report says the 31-year-old plant emitted 23.7 million tons of carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming, in 2007. Environment America says that was equivalent to the carbon dioxide emitted by 4.1 million cars.
ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION – Diverse group from Alabama, Florida and Georgia come together in hopes of helping end water war.
ANNISTON STAR – Michael Mullen of the Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper responds to The Star’s recent call for environmentalists and ADEM to get along.
The two items below are courtesy of Conservation Alabama Foundation’s newsletter — www.conservationalabama.org . See current environmental stories on their website’s front page under the News Center section. Or subscribe to the Conservation Alabama News Feed through Google.
LUDDER ASKS FOR COAL ASH TO STOP
Environmental attorney David Ludder has petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to stop the Arrowhead Landfill in Perry County from receiving coal ash.
The issue stems from operations at the landfill, where the owners do not have a permit to send certain pollutants to a wastewater plant in Marion, which discharges into a stream that flows into the Cahaba River.
Millions of tons of coal ash are arriving daily in Perry County in a controversial plan to clean up a major Tennessee Valley Authority spill near Kingston, Tenn. in December 2008. The Arrowhead Landfill had minimal amounts of garbage coming in prior to EPA determining it to be a suitable site to send the toxic waste.
$710 MILLION FOR ROADS IN THE SKY / U.S.280 – B’HAM
The debate around what to do about U.S. 280 near Birmingham began again this month when Governor Bob Riley proposed a $710 million for the snarled suburban road.
Riley proposed at the Birmingham Business Alliance luncheon that U.S. 280 could have 10 lanes – six “free” and four toll lanes – from the Red Mountain Expressway all the way to Double Oak Mountain. The portion west of I-459 would have at grade and below grade lanes, while the eastern portion would have an elevated four lanes.
Nowhere did Riley include a mass transit option through this route. $710 million could provide a tremendous start to building a world-class transit system in Alabama’s largest metropolitan area.
Mass transit creates jobs – not only in the construction of the system but more so in the investments in the property around transit nodes. Unfortunately, Riley’s “fix” to U.S. 280 is one dimensional and misses a great opportunity for new private investment that would be more environmentally friendly.
STATES PLAN FOR WARMING BUT ALABAMA NOT IN GROUP FORMING STRATEGY FOR RISING SEAS. Press-Register – al.com Over the next century, most of the Gulf and Atlantic coasts are likely to see close to a 2-foot rise in sea level, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
TOXIC PLAYGROUNDS
No kid should ever play in arsenic. Especially at school. Yet many probably do, according to findings of a study presented [Nov. 23].
THE ECONOMICS OF ECOSYSTEMS. Christian Science Monitor. Opinion, 17 November 2009. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity report for Policymakers , released by the United Nations Environment Program, belongs to a broader, ongoing effort to correct what ecological economists say is a failure in most cost-benefit analyses to adequately account for the very real value of living systems.
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the Dec. 15 City Council meeting.
*Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) – two vacancies will be filled at the Jan. 5, 2010 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Nov. 30, 2009
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Lisa Brouillette
Columnist / The Opelika-Auburn News — Published: November 24, 2009
Cities annex property to exert controls, define service areas and obtain revenues for water and sewer infrastructure.
A recent case did the reverse, though, relinquishing Auburn’s control over a property and raising questions of public interest.
Lee County District 1 Commissioner Mathan Holt and his wife Jill requested the Auburn city council remove their 40-plus acre property on Highway 14 from the city limits.
This seems to run contrary to Auburn’s aggressive annexation policy, which urges annexation to ensure city control over land use and development.
But the council agreed to shift the city’s boundary to exclude the Holts’ land, which includes residential and commercial enterprises. Only council members Sheila Eckman and Gene Dulaney voted no.
It’s seldom done, but a city may legally “reduce its corporate boundaries,” effectively de-annexing property.
It appears the Holt case is only the second “de-annexation” in Auburn.
The first was related to a lawsuit between the city and the property owners, involving the land ultimately de-annexed. And the de-annexation was at the council’s behest, not the property owners’.
Although not explicitly noted as the justification for the Holt de-annexation, the Holt property’s city sewer connection provoked much discussion and some dispute.
Confusion over agreements between the Holts and the city about connecting to the city sewer dates back several years.
However, currently only land within the city limits is allowed to be connected to and be serviced by the city sewer.
So to comply with regulations for city sewer service, only the annexed portion of the Holts could be connected. Also they’d have to pay costly sewer access fees, including for their large RV park.
Holt said he “never purposely violated the law and that there are things that have not been brought out that make his situation unique.”
Which leads one to wonder: What wasn’t brought out and why wasn’t it?
As shown in the council resolution, reduction of a city’s corporate boundary is to be for “the public health and public good of the City.”
Perhaps that other information to which Holt referred would have clarified the public good of de-annexing his property.
As it stands, the only evident benefit is to the Holts.
The city and citizens have lost tax revenue, land use and environmental control over a large property abutting the city limits.
The council plans to craft a policy to cover any future de-annexations. That’s a good idea they should implement right away.
Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her Web site http://placeforum.org.
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WEEK OF NOV. 23, 2009 — MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES
AU PHARMACY SCHOOL OFFERS H1N1 VACCINE BY APPT & AT CLINICS
Pharmacy school distributing 33,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine
Auburn University volunteers are in the midst of a major coordination effort to administer up to 33,000 doses of H1N1 influenza vaccine to students, employees and dependents. Auburn has already received more than 7,500 doses to distribute through vaccination clinics on all campuses and off-site for employees who work in other areas of the state. “We have already provided 17 clinics on our Auburn, Montgomery and Mobile campuses since we received the first vaccine shipment in mid-October, and immunized almost 4,000 members of the Auburn family,” said Kimberly Braxton Lloyd, assistant dean of pharmacy health services.
“During the week of Thanksgiving, we will be offering the vaccine by appointment to any student, employee or dependent who wishes to come to the Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.” The pharmacy school’s involvement has allowed Auburn to provide the vaccine free, as administration fees for the Auburn family have been waived. Appointments can be made by calling 844-4099 or e-mailing aupcc4u@auburn.edu. They will also be offering clinics on main campus the week after Thanksgiving. To read more, see the news release – http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1283 . More information about the project is available on the Harrison School of Pharmacy’s Web site http://pharmacy.auburn.edu/aupcc/h1n1_central.htm .
IRON BOWL INFO WEBSITE www.ironbowlthanksgiving.com/
The Auburn Chamber of Commerce has launched its Iron Bowl Web site – http://www.ironbowlthanksgiving.com/. The site is updated frequently and includes tailgating and parking guidelines for the game (1:30 pm kick-off). It also includes guides to events, services, tailgating supplies, food, hotels and shopping in Auburn. For additional information about Auburn football, visit the official Auburn Tigers Web site (http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/aub-m-footbl-body.html).
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE: Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule Free parking in metered spaces November 23 – 27
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE: City of Auburn Parks and Recreation 2010 Events Calendar
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE: Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center Closed for Maintenance Nov. 23 – 27
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ONGOING THROUGH DEC. 4 — AU’S ONE COAT CAMPAIGN
The AU Medical Clinic and the East Alabama Medical Center
have partnered for “The One Coat Campaign,” which begins today and ends Dec. 4. The goal of the campaign is to collect one coat from everyone who is willing to share and distribute the coats to individuals around the community and beyond. Coats for men, women and children of any age will be accepted. The coats given should be in good condition and clean. The campaign asks that torn, out-of-style or extremely worn coats that are in need of repair not be donated.
Info: East Alabama Medical Center Hospital Chaplain Scott Lee at 528-1415 or at chaplain@eamc.org or Joyce Chocklett at the Auburn University Medical Clinic at 844-6106 or joyce.chocklett@eamc.org.
ONGOING THROUGH DEC. 8 — ‘UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany: A Photographic Exhibit’
Held in AU’s RBD library. Free & open to all.
A photographic exhibition of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany will be shown on the main floor of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library through Dec. 8. The exhibition is being sponsored by the German Consulate in Atlanta, UNESCO, The German Information Center, Auburn University President’s Office and Auburn University Libraries.
ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.
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TUESDAY, NOV. 24, 2:00 pm — AUBURN LIBRARY BOARD
Held at the Auburn Public Library, Library Board room, 749 E. Thach Ave. Open to all.
The Library Board meets the fourth Tuesday of every other month.
TUESDAY, NOV. 24, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St.
Agenda: UC/CEOD Regulatory Review and Discussion Meeting schedule: online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/Misc/Downtown%20Study%20Committee.pdf or contact Auburn Planning Department at (334) 501‐3040.
TUESDAY, NOV. 24 , 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 25 — BLACK WEDNESDAY / DOWNTOWN AUBURN PRE-THANKSGIVING SALE Details at www.ironbowlthanksgiving.com/
THURSDAY, NOV. 26 — THANKSGIVING DAY
THURSDAY, NOV. 26, 8:00 AM — AUBURN TURKEY TROT / BENEFIT FOR FOOD BANK OF EAST ALABAMA
Held at the Moore’s Mill Club Pavilion, 1957 Fairway Drive. Auburn.
Fee: $10. www.AuburnRunning.org
Day of Race: Registration open at 7:00 am; Race starts at 8:00 am.
Thanksgiving Morning – Huffin’ for Stuffin’. Pre-register* today for the Auburn Turkey Trot benefiting the Food Bank of East Alabama.
*Only those who pre-register receive a t-shirt on race day.
Questions: SydneeCleveland@gmail.com
THURSDAY, NOV. 26, 2:00 – 8:00 PM — DOWNTOWN AUBURN MERCHANTS OPEN / THANKSGIVING SALE Details at www.ironbowlthanksgiving.com/
THURSDAY, NOV. 26, 6:00 – 9:00 pm – DOWNTOWN AUBURN / PEP RALLY WITH LIVE ENTERTAINMENT BY TYN TYMES (http://www.tyntymes.com/home/home.cfm)
FRIDAY, NOV. 27, 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM — DOWNTOWN AUBURN MERCHANTS OPEN / THANKSGIVING SALE Details at www.ironbowlthanksgiving.com/
FRIDAY, NOV. 27, 9:00 AM — FOOTBALL, FANS & FEATHERS / RAPTOR PROGRAM
Held at the Southeastern Raptor Center, just off Shug Jordan Parkway. www.vetmed.auburn.edu
Tickets: $5 – available at the Raptor Center gate. Children under three are admitted free.
The Southeastern Raptor Center will host an educational, birds-in-flight raptor program in the 350-seat amphitheater. Guests will see hawks, falcons, and eagles flying close. All birds used in the program are permanent residents that are non-releasable due to prior injuries or human imprinting. Any bird capable of surviving in the wild must be released, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permits Auburn to house the birds. The Southeastern Raptor Center, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has a mission of rehabilitating injured or orphaned raptors and educating the public.
FRIDAY, NOV. 27, 1:30 PM — AU HOME FOOTBALL GAME — IRON BOWL / AU V. ALABAMA
Game day info: http://www.auburn.edu/communications_marketing/gameday/index.html
2009 Iron Bowl Info:
Auburn University has announced changes in tailgating and parking guidelines for the Alabama game, scheduled to be played at Jordan-Hare Stadium at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, November 27. These changes are in effect for the Alabama game only.
- RVs may enter the hayfield parking lots (corner of Donahue Dr. and Lem Morrison Dr.) beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
- Fans may reserve their tailgating beginning at 6 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 26.
- Transit service begins at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 27.
SUNDAY, NOV. 29, 4:00 PM — MUSIC BY JOHN PETERSON & ROY SCHNEIDER / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Seating is limited and the suggested minimum donation is $5.00 for the musician.
From his home in Ft. Myers, Florida on a tour through Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, multi-talented musician Roy Schneider makes a repeat visit to the Gnu’s Room. Last May, Schneider stopped by to promote his newest release “Roadside Turtle Rescue.” Schneider’s music is an eclectic blend of folk, blues, reggae, rock and bluegrass influences, and his songs spring from an interesting life path, a vivid imagination, and are delivered with warmth and humor. Now on his way back home he makes a stop to entertain us with his wonderful musicality, songwriting abilities and a few stories from the road. If you missed the concert in May, don’t miss your second opportunity to hear Roy Schneider live! To sample Schneider’s music or learn more about him, please visit his website at www.royschneider.com
Opening for Roy Schneider will be local musician John Peterson, who will also accompany some of Schneider’s songs on banjo and mandolin.
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Ebsco Industries attempts to block Vincent quarry, gets accusations
http://www.myfoxal.com/Global/story.asp?S=11546051
ADEM announces penalty worksheet
http://www.baldwincountynow.com/articles/2009/11/20/local_news/doc4b02fe5530a0d829343267.txt
Lawyer asks EPA to order end to coal ash shipments to Perry County landfill
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/11/lawyer_asks_epa_to_order_end_t.html
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a public availability session and meeting on Dec. 1, at the Moulton Recreation Center in Moulton, Ala., to share information with residents about the status of the investigation of perflourochemical contamination from biosolids applied to agricultural fields near Decatur, Ala.
Representatives from EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (AL A&I), and Public Health (ADPH), and Decatur Utilities will participate in the meeting, which is set to begin at 6 p.m.
EPA is coordinating with the federal and state agencies, Decatur Utilities Dry Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and local industries to address elevated levels of perflourochemicals found in treated sewage sludge (biosolids) in Decatur. For approximately the past 12 years, these biosolids were used as a soil amendment on about 5000 acres of privately owned agricultural fields in Lawrence, Morgan and Limestone counties.
In March 2009, EPA collected 30 additional soil samples from farm fields that received the highest application of biosolids. The final surface soil sample results indicated elevated levels of perfluoronated compounds in the soil that received the biosolids.
[Copyright 2009, 1105 Media, Inc.]
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the Dec. 15 City Council meeting.
*Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) – two vacancies will be filled at the Jan. 5, 2010 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Nov. 23, 2009
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UPDATE – Additional info & events
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES
Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule – Free parking in metered spaces November 23 – 27
City of Auburn Parks and Recreation 2010 Events Calendar
ADDITIONAL EVENT TODAY
RECEPTION: 4:00 PM TODAY, WED. NOV. 18 — ‘UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany: A Photographic Exhibit’
Exhibit ongoing through Dec. 8
Held in AU’s RBD library. Free & open to all.
A photographic exhibition of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany will be shown on the main floor of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library through Dec. 8. The exhibition is being sponsored by the German Consulate in Atlanta, UNESCO, The German Information Center, Auburn University President’s Office and Auburn University Libraries. An opening reception and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the Ralph B. Draughon Library on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 4:30 p.m. A German delegation will attend the ceremony and reception. German Deputy Consul General Soenke Lorenz and Auburn University President Jay Gogue will officiate at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
TONIGHT’S GRYPHON PIANO TRIO CONCERT CANCELLED
The Auburn Chamber Music Society regrets to announce the concert featuring the Gryphon Trio scheduled for today, Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. is canceled. Due to a clerical error on a form, the Department of Homeland Security will not allow the trio to cross the Canadian border into the U.S. The Gryphon Trio will be rescheduled for a concert date sometime in early 2010. Tickets purchased in advance for the Gryphon Trio concert for Wednesday will be honored at the rescheduled concert date to be named later. The Auburn Chamber Music Society apologizes for any inconvenience caused by this change.
http://www.auburnchambermusic.org/
ADDITIONAL EVENT
THURSDAY, NOV, 19, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — JAPANESE FILM: NOBODY KNOWS
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 1203. Free & open to all.
ADDITIONAL INFO
FRIDAY, NOV. 20, 7:00 PM — MUSIC BY JOHN PETERSON / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. No admission fee, however a suggested $5 donation will go to the musician.
Talented local singer/songwriter John Peterson is a particular favorite at the Gnu’s Room. His lyrics are thoughtful, often humorous, and full of soul. To sample Peterson’s music, please visit his web page at www.myspace.com/alabamahog
ADDITIONAL RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP / REGISTER NOW!
SATURDAY, NOV. 21, 1:00 – 3:30 PM — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at AU’s Davis Arboretum.
Cost: $25 for materials (can be paid on day of workshop, via correct cash or check, made to ACES)
Space limited, so register early (deadline: midnight tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 19) via Tia Gonzales gonzats@auburn.edu.
Due to overwhelming demand, we are offering one more rain barrel workshop. Please pass this on to anyone who might be interested.
The fee covers the cost of materials for one rain barrel. The workshop is free.
Special thanks to SWaMP for providing the funds to make these workshops possible. Please visit http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/aww/swamp/ to learn more The Saughahatchee Watershed Management Plan.
Workshop participants will learn about watersheds, local watershed issues, storm water and it’s impacts on water quality. We’ll introduce various forms of rain water harvesting and talk about why rain barrels can be an extremely valuable part of an integrated approach to rain water harvesting. You will build your very own rain barrel, with the tools and materials provided. There will be trainers there to help folks that are unfamiliar with using power tools.
Be prepared to get a little dirty and have a lot of fun. And don’t
forget that a 55 gal plastic barrel may not fit into your trunk.
Please check our website for more info and workshop postings in 2010. http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/raincatchers/index.html
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
SATURDAY, NOV. 21 — GNU’S ROOM EVENTS www.thegnusroom.com
5:00 pm — DRAMATIC READING
6:30 PM — POETRY READING
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, 334-821- 5550 or tina@thegnusroom.com.
5:00 PM — DRAMATIC READING: Prize-winning local writer Charlene Redick will be at this presentation of her short story, “Lamentations of a Texas Wanton” as a dramatic monologue by actor Carolyn Messina. Redick is a poet, playwright, painter, novelist and essayist. For more information about her, please visit her website at www.charleneredick.com.
6:30 PM – POETRY READING: Theatre major Chase Cox will present “The Implied Verb.” A series of poems by Cox, a junior at Auburn University, will focus on the struggle involved in existing as a conscious being and the place of art in our existence. What is it “to be?” After the reading, Cox will hold an open forum discussion on any of thoughts prompted by his presentation.
IRON BOWL INFO WEBSITE www.ironbowlthanksgiving.com/
The Auburn Chamber of Commerce has launched its Iron Bowl Web site – http://www.ironbowlthanksgiving.com/. The site includes tailgating and parking guidelines for the game, which is scheduled to be played at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 27 at 1:30 p.m. It also includes guides to events, services, tailgating supplies, food, hotels and shopping in Auburn. For additional information about Auburn football, visit the official Auburn Tigers Web site (http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/aub-m-footbl-body.html).
MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – Michael Mullen of Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper, Inc. accuses ADEM Director Trey Glen of failing to represents the interests of general public.
TUSCALOOSA NEWS – The Tuscaloosa News calls for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R) to allow committee vote on federal shield law that would protect journalists from having to turn over confidential sources.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Nov. 18, 2009
Comments Off
Week of Nov. 16, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
AU H1N1 FLU VACCINATION CLINICS THIS WEEK
MONDAY, NOV. 16, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM — held in AU’s Draughon Library, newspaper reading room, next to parking deck entrance.
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM — held in AU’s Student Center, room 2223.
Auburn University now has the H1N1 flu shot in addition to nasal spray. If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, now is the time to do so before the holidays. Two H1N1 vaccination clinics will be held this week. Vaccinations will be provided free to students, employees and dependents ages 10 and older, and both forms of H1N1 vaccine (flu shot and nasal spray) will be available.
More info: http://www.auburn.edu/administration/public_safety/emergency/flu.html.
Questions may also be sent to emergencymanagement@auburn.edu.
AUBURN CIVITAN CLUB OFFERS THANKSGIVING SMOKED TURKEYS & SMOKED HAMS
COST: $35 each, Smoked Turkey (12-14 lb) or Smoked Picnic Ham (8-10 lb). Make check payable to: Auburn Civitan Club.
Place your order now for a smoked turkey or ham from the Auburn Civitan Club. Ready for pick up, hot off the smoker for your enjoyment, on Sunday, November 22, 2008 at 3:00 PM, from the Elks Club on Opelika Road.
Order by mail or email to Dodie Gross, 1481 Morning Glory Circle, Auburn, AL 36832; dodieandcharles@charter.net. Include your name, address, phone, email with your order.
Or phone your order to: Dodie Gross 887-8924 or Andy Price 332-2948.
ONGOING THROUGH TODAY, MONDAY, NOV. 16 – INDUSTRIAL & GRAPHIC DESIGN EXHIBIT
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery. Free & open to the public.
Info: Sylvia Jackson at (334) 844-2364, jackssys@auburn.edu.
This gallery show will feature a variety of industrial and graphic design student work, and is being held in conjunction with AU’s Dept of Industrial and Graphic Design’s 31st annual Design Interaction symposium.
MONDAY, NOV. 16 – FRIDAY, NOV. 20 — ART EXHIBITION: SENIOR PROJECTS / BFA in GRAPHIC DESIGN CANDIDATES
Opening reception: Monday, Nov. 16, 4:00 – 6:00 pm.
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery. Hours: M-F 8 am – 4 pm.
More info: 334.844.4373.
All exhibitions are free and open to the public.
The Department of Industrial and Graphic Design, College of Architecture, Design and Construction, presents B.F.A. in Graphic Design Candidates Senior Project Exhibition
THROUGH THIS FRIDAY, NOV. 20 - AUBURN-ALABAMA FOOD FIGHT
Collection barrels at all local grocery stores. www.foodbankofeastalabama.com / www.beatbamafooddrive.com
ONGOING THROUGH NOV. 20 – JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION / Photo XI
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Annual juried exhibition of photographs by regional artists and photographers.
ONGOING THROUGH DEC. 4 — AU’S ONE COAT CAMPAIGN
The AU Medical Clinic and the East Alabama Medical Center
have partnered for “The One Coat Campaign,” which begins today and ends Dec. 4. The goal of the campaign is to collect one coat from everyone who is willing to share and distribute the coats to individuals around the community and beyond. Coats for men, women and children of any age will be accepted. The coats given should be in good condition and clean. The campaign asks that torn, out-of-style or extremely worn coats that are in need of repair not be donated. Info: East Alabama Medical Center Hospital Chaplain Scott Lee at 528-1415 or at chaplain@eamc.org or Joyce Chocklett at the Auburn University Medical Clinic at 844-6106 or joyce.chocklett@eamc.org.
ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 – JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.
MONDAY, NOV. 16, 8:30 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD: special/called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Ph: 334-242-2230. Open to all. Click here for agenda.
MONDAY, NOV. 16, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM — H1N1 FLU VACCINATION CLINIC / for AU employees, staff & dependents over age 10
Held in AU’s Draughon Library, newspaper reading room, next to parking deck entrance. See details above.
MONDAY, NOV. 16, 4:00 PM — AU CAMPUS BAND CONCERT
Held in AU’s Goodwin Music Building, Band Hall. Free & open to all. More info: 844-4165
http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/EventCalendar/index.cfm
MONDAY, NOV. 16, 4:00 – 6:00 pm — OPENING RECEPTION: ART EXHIBITION / SENIOR PROJECTS / BFA in GRAPHIC DESIGN CANDIDATES
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery. Hours: M-F 8 am – 4 pm.
More info: 334.844.4373. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.
Opening reception for the B.F.A. in Graphic Design Candidates Senior Project Exhibition. Presented by the Department of Industrial and Graphic Design, College of Architecture, Design and Construction.
MONDAY, NOV. 16, 7:00 PM — GERMAN FILM SERIES: DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3242, Free & open to all.
The Fall of the Wall – Twenty Years After; Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck: Das Leben der Anderen.
MONDAY, NOV. 16, 7:00 PM – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA / Paying for a 21st century education in Alabama
Held in the EAMC Health Resource Center, Pepperell Pkwy, Opelika. Open to all.
Speaker: Dr. Stephen Nowlin, Superitendent, Lee County Schools
Topic: Paying for a 21st century education in Alabama
7:00 – meet & greet / 7:30 – program
http://www.lwval.org/eastalabama/index.html
MONDAY, NOV. 16, 7:30 – 9:00 PM — AU SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT
Held at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts. Free & open to all. More info: 844-4165.
The Auburn University Symphonic Band in concert with the Opelika High School Band.
http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/EventCalendar/index.cfm
TUESDAY, NOV. 17 (& WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18) — 6TH ANNUAL ALABAMA RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE
Held at the Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.
Hosted by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and the Auburn University Natural Resources Management and Development Institute (NRMDI)
Register at https://ssl.acesag.auburn.edu/conference/adeca2009/registrationForm.php
U.S. Rep. Artur Davis and ADECA Director Doni Ingram will kick off the conference with opening remarks. This year’s conference will feature a series of panel discussions and speakers on topics that include:
· Federal and State Policies Related to Renewable Energy and their Impact
· Federal Biomass Crop Assistance Program
· Carbon Sequestration Opportunities in Alabama
· Overview of Renewable Energy Initiatives in the Southeast, particularly involving public/private partnerships
· Current Technology Trends and Opportunities
· Profiles of Success – An overview of renewable energy projects around the state that successfully combine the resources and expertise of ADECA, Auburn University, local municipalities and/or local farmers to positively impact communities
Who should attend?
· Agricultural and renewable energy entrepreneurs
· Producers of agricultural and/or forest biomass
· Members of the academic community
· State and local government leaders
· Members of the private sector with an interest in renewable energy
More details: http://www.nrmdi.auburn.edu/bio/ADECA/conference/2009/index.php
TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to the public.
Agenda: UC/CEOD Regulatory Review and Discussion More info: contact Auburn Planning Department at (334) 501‐3040 or go to http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/Misc/Downtown%20Study%20Committee.pdf.
TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 3:30 – 4:30 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE KIDS’ FALL DISCOVERY HIKE
Held Tuesdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds.
Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled if rain.
Free, no registration required. For children ages 5 to 12.
Parents and kids join us for a hike and some discovery time. Encourage the kids to have some great outdoor time exploring the Preserve and learn more about the natural world. Also try the Preserve’s Fall walks at 8:30 am Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 4:00 PM — LITTLETON-FRANKLIN LECTURE / DIGITAL PIONEER NATALIE JEREMIJENKO – “DON’T ASK WHAT ROBOTICS CAN DO FOR YOU, ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR ROBOTICS”
Held in the College of Sciences and Mathematics’ Sciences Center auditorium, Roosevelt Drive, AU. Directions, parking, bus & other info: http://www.auburn.edu/littleton-franklin/.
Jeremijenko directs the xDesign Environmental Health Clinic at New York University. Her experimental xDesign explores opportunities new technologies offer for nonviolent social change. Jeremijenko’s work draws on a background in art, biochemistry, physics, neuroscience and precision engineering. It spans a range of media from statistical indices and biological substrates to robotics. Jeremijenko was named one of the Top 100 young innovators by the MIT Technology Review and one of the Top 40 most influential designers by J.D. Magazine.
TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB (Note change of speaker)
6:00 pm – buffet dinner ($11, tax & tip included)
6:50 pm -Speaker: Dr. Gerald Johnson, Capital Survey Research
Topic: new polling data and analysis of races in the upcoming election
Held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road.**
**DIRECTIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY CLUB – Go around Shug Jordan Parkway to the intersection with N. Donahue and go north on N.Donahue for about 0.4 miles. Turn left at the entrance to Yarbrough Farms subdivision. Go down a divided road into the subdivision for about 0.3 miles to the University Club on a hill to your right.
Note – November’s meeting is on Tuesday evening instead of the usual Wednesday. Back to Wednesday in December.
TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 6:30 PM — FRENCH FILM SERIES: STUPEUR ET TREMBLEMENTS [Fear and Trembling]
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3203. Free & open to all.
Stupeur et tremblements (2003); Fear and Trembling (107 min.)
In search of a new beginning, Amélie (Sylvie Testud) moves from Belgium back to her early-childhood home of Japan, where she starts working full time for a large corporation. But life as a foreigner proves difficult to navigate — and Eastern office etiquette is nothing like what she’s used to. French director Alain Corneau helms this Tokyo-based dramedy adapted from the autobiographical novel by Amélie Nothomb.
More info: Dr. Adrienne Angelo, ama0002@auburn.edu.
TUESDAY, NOV. 17 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 PM – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Resolution/contract with Custom Engineering Solution for substation relay & control services - Derek Lee
(2) - a. Resolution/agreement with Engineering Service Associates to develop an Asset Mgt. System, phase 2 for the sewer and storm water systems – Walter Dorsey
(3) - a. General updates
(4) - Review/discuss the 11/17/09 CM agenda items
(5) - General Discussion: a. New / Old Business; b. Board appointment; c. Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
a. Recognize fourteen (14) Police Officers & OPD employees for October 2009.
b. Building Inspection report for October 2009.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS - Bob Shuman
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
a. Lease of a digital document system – Engineering.
b. In-car cameras – OPD
d. One (1) new Ford F-250 P/U Truck and One (1) Ford Ranger Extra Cab – L&P
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. Annual appropriation contract, Ala. Cooperative Extension System.
2. Annual appropriation contract, Lee County Rabies Officer.
3. Set public hearing date, weed violation at Parcel 59.008 on Old Columbus Road.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter (none)
1. Amend text of zoning ordinance, Section 8.1 Off Street Parking – 2nd Reading.
2. Amend test of zoning ordinance, Section 7.3C Use Categories – Airports – 2nd Reading.
3. Annexation, WP Properties of Opelika, 95.96 acres off of Cunningham Drive and Gateway Drive (US280) – 1st Reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, NOV. 17 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 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:
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Nominations. Two Vacancies. Incumbents: Larry Molt and Frederick (Butch) Brock (have served 2 full terms). Four Year Terms Expire November 30, 2009.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Occupational License Fee. Amend City Code. Sections 2-4 and 11-45-2 (b). Ordinances 417 and 1676. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Close City Streets. Auburn Chamber of Commerce. Iron Bowl Thanksgiving Celebration. Thursday, November 26, 2009.
b. Contracts and Agreements.
(1) Contracts.
(a) Human Resources Department. Frank Gates Service Company. dba/Avizent. Worker’s Compensation Third Party Administrator. Three Year Period. $2,500/Month.
(b) Economic Development Department – Community Development Division. Community Development Block Grant, Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program Group Eleven. Three (3) Houses.
(1) 1518 VFW Road. The Infinity Group. $14,824.
(2) 965 Holmes Street. ProSystems Elite. $24,424.54.
(3) 3583 Mill Creek Road. ProSystems Elite. $16,974.21.
(c) Water Resource Management Department. 2009 Sewer Rehabilitation Improvements Project. Reynolds Inliner, LLC. $388,785.
(2) Agreements.
(a) Public Works Department. Renovations to the Frank Brown Recreation Center Phase II and Senior Center Projects. Infinity Architecture. $143,151.
(b) Parks & Recreation Department. Boykin Community Center Tenants. Auburn Day Care Center, Inc. and Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County. Revise Leases.
c. Temporary Constructions Easements, Drainage and Utility Easements. Sidewalk Easements, and Warranty Deeds. Acceptance and Settlement for Value Lost.
(1) Donahue Land LLC. North Donahue Widening Project.
(a) Temporary Construction Easement.
(b) Warranty Deed.
(2) Cory and Theresa O’Steen. North Donahue Drive Bridge Replacement Project.
(a) Drainage and Utility Easement. $380 for Value Lost.
(b) Warranty Deed. $2,675 for Value Lost.
(3) Heirs of C. R. and Annie Bonnie Vinson. 831 Slaughter Avenue. Slaughter Avenue Sidewalk Project. Sidewalk Easement. $175 for Value Lost.
(4) James E. Gunter. 230 Opelika Road. Opelika Road at Guthrie’s Drainage Improvements Project. Drainage and Utility Easement.
d. Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Two (2) Positions. Four Year Terms End November 30, 2013.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS BY NEIL SIMON
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage.
Directed by Scott Phillips.
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18 — 6TH ANNUAL ALABAMA RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE
See details above, Tuesday, Nov. 17.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 9:00 AM — ALABAMA STATE LICENSING BOARD FOR GENERAL CONTRACTORS / Administrative Meeting
Held at 2525 Fairlane Drive, Montgomery. Ph: 334-272-5030. Administrative Meeting. Agenda items will include board review of violations, applications for license, administrative items, and the attendance of guests.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).
Board meeting. All members are encouraged and invited to attend. www.auburnheritage.org
Note: Held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept to May
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 3:00 PM — DISCOVER AUBURN LECTURE: CHARLES ISRAEL — EVOLUTION PROVEN: THE CURIOUS DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN ANTI-EVOLUTION
Held in AU’s Special Collections and Archives Department, Ralph Brown Draughon Library.
Free & open to all. Reception follows program.
Charles Israel, chair of AU’s History Dept, will discuss the anti-evolution legislation in the U.S. A Special Collections & Archives exhibit will commemorate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of Origin of Species.
News release – http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1260.
Discover Auburn is a year-long series that features programs on research, history, and other topics of interest by Auburn faculty, staff and graduates. The series is 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. For more info: 334-844-4946; www.auburn.edu/cah.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 3:00 pm — AU FACULTY FORUM / LECTURER & SENIOR LECTURER GUIDELINES
Held in AU’s RBD library, auditorium, room 1106. Open to all.
AU provost Mary Ellen Mazey will hold an open forum to discuss the Lecturer and Senior Lecturer guidelines. The forum is open to anyone interested in attending.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 5:30 PM — ITALIAN PLAY: IL LUNGO VIAGGIO [The Long Crossing]
Held in room 2222, AU’s new Student Center. Free & open to all.
Italian Play: Il lungo viaggio(The Long Crossing) by Leonardo Sciascia
The play will be performed by Italian students, in English, and is part of the events to celebrate International Week (November 16-20).
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS BY NEIL SIMON
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage.
Directed by Scott Phillips.
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 7:30 PM — AUBURN CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY CONCERT / GRYPHON PIANO TRIO
Held in AU’s Goodwin Hall. www.auburnchambermusic.org
Individual performance tickets $20. Season tickets $50.
Student Rush Tickets – $5 — Returned or unsold tickets will be offered at performance time with valid student ID.
Upcoming performances: Paris Piano Trio, February 18, 2010;
Pacifica String Quartet, April 15, 2010.
At this concert by the Gryphon Piano Trio, a work by the little-known twentieth-century composer Rebecca Clarke will be featured.
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979) was born and educated in England but lived nearly all her life in the US. She was an accomplished violist who did much of her work during the Interwar years (1919-1939). While her family was musical, her father pulled her out of formal music instruction at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Conservatory of Music in London. She did become a member of several musical ensembles during her time in London just after World War I. During this time, she wrote much of her music which consists of chamber music and songs. In all, she wrote nearly 100 works, yet only 20 pieces were published in her lifetime, and by the time of her death in 1979 at the age of 93, all of these were long out of print.
Clarke’s music is striking for its passion and power. Her viola sonata and piano trio are among her best received works. They bear similarities to works of Ravel and Debussy. Clarke suffered setbacks that had very much to do with the limitations a professional woman musician encountered in England and America in the early twentieth century. She turned away from composition having run into many difficulties getting her piano trio published. Much of her music still remains in private hands. (Notes based on those of Craig Bertholet, English department).
A link to the Rebecca Clarke Society is: http://www.rebeccaclarke.org/
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM — H1N1 FLU VACCINATION CLINIC / for AU employees, staff & dependents over age 10
Held in AU’s Student Center, room 2223. See details above.
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE FALL WALK
Held Thursdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled only for rain.
Free, no registration required. Open to all.
Enjoy some exercise and observe the beauty of the Preserve as fall unfolds. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:30 pm Tuesdays, for kids age 5-12 & their parents.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 9:00 – 10:30 am — AU WOMEN’S FACULTY MENTORING & NETWORKING
Held in AU’s Women Resource Center conference room, room 312, Mary Martin Hall.
These gatherings give attendees a chance to meet other new faculty and share their experiences in negotiating the academic world. Throughout the year, we will have regular gatherings, on the first Fridays and third Thursdays of each month. We will also have brown-bag lunches that will have speakers or panels who will address specific topics, including surviving the first years, how to allocate family and work time, how to set goals, and promotion and tenure issues. We will also work with those new faculty members interested in finding mentors, and we’ll assist them through this process.
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD / regular meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Ph: 334-242-2230. Open to all.
Agenda: click here for full agenda; includes public input, legal reports, appearances before the board, appeals/hearings, etc.
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, NOON – 1:00 PM — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA / Brown Bag lunch meeting
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Topic: Kick-off for county tax study
http://www.lwval.org/eastalabama/index.html
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 3:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION / regular session
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Agenda includes:
A. PLATS (preliminary and preliminary & final) – PUBLIC HEARING
1. Silver Oak S/D, 10 lots, 920 Lee Road 266, Gentry Development, Inc., Preliminary approval
2. Century Park S/D, 3 lots, Century Boulevard, Century Park, LLC, P/F approval
3. Michael Patton S/D, 1 lot, South Fox Run Parkway, P/F approval
4. Piney Woods S/D, 22 lots, 1121 Saugahatchee Lake Rd., The Rhema Group, Inc., P/F approval, Tabled at October 27th PC meeting
B. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
5. Lonnie Money, 125 South 8th Street, C-1, residential dwelling in C-1 zone (downtown)
NOTE: There will not be a work session this month; this will be the regular (voting) session for November.
THURSDAY, NOV. 19 , 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 5:00 – 8:00 PM — JCSM / THIRD THURSDAY DRAWING CLASS FOR ADULTS
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Reception & wine/beer tasting follows class.
Free & open to all, but reservations required. Limit 20 people for the class; call to reserve a seat: 844-3085.
Ever wanted to try your hand at drawing? Come join us for an evening of sketching at the museum. We’ll have all the supplies you need, and Barry Fleming from the AU Dept of Art will be here to offer instruction. Followed by a reception and wine/beer tasting by Gus’ Fine Wine and Beer. Info: www.jcsm.auburn.edu
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ORGANIZATION (EAO) Meeting
Held in AU’s Student Union. room 2107. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/eao/index.html
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 6:30 PM — EAST ALABAMA ‘SAVE ALABAMA PACT’ http://www.savealabamapact.com/
Held at Lee-Scott Academy, 1601 Academy Drive (off Gatewood Drive).
This meeting is for parents, grandparents and planned beneficiaries of the state’s Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) plan. Several state poitical officials and candidates will attend the meeting. Info: Terry Calcote 256-558-5915 or 334-826-7829.
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS BY NEIL SIMON
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage.
Directed by Scott Phillips.
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
FRIDAY, NOV. 20, 7:00 PM — MUSIC BY JOHN PETERSON / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. No admission fee, however a suggested$5 donation will go to the musician.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
FRIDAY, NOV. 20, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS BY NEIL SIMON
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage.
Directed by Scott Phillips.
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
SATURDAY, NOV. 21, 5:00 PM — CHARLENE REDICK / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
SATURDAY, NOV. 21, 7:00 – 10:00 PM — STARRY NIGHTS / FALL ASTRONOMY NIGHT
Held at the Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest. In case of cloud cover, the event will be cancelled. Call the Preserve at 334-502-4553 to hear a recorded message if the weather is “iffy.”
Admission: $3/non-members; $2/members. Not recommended for children under age 5.
Directions & info: https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/Default.htm
Join the Forest Ecology Preserve staff and the Auburn Astronomical Society for a night under the stars. Enjoy a short program on the basics of astronomy, the chance to look through some amazing telescopes, a laser constellation show, a space movie, and some out-of-this-world snacks — moon pies and milky Ways.
DIRECTIONS: To find the Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest, go one mile past the new CVS on Moore’s Mill Road. Watch for the sign on the left. We will have someone with a lantern by the road. Turn in and park. Walk to pavilion for the program.
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AU CENTER FOR GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES NEWSLETTER
Center for Governmental Services publishes first newsletter
AU’s Center for Governmental Services, or CGS, has announced the release of the first edition of a research-based quarterly newsletter. The purpose of the publication is to inform readers about research projects being conducted through CGS and ways in which the CGS Survey Research division benefits the university as well as faculty and staff.
Visit http://www.auburn.edu/cgs to review the first
edition of the newsletter, and learn more about ways in which the CGS capabilities and experience are available to assist you with your projects.
ANNISTON STAR – HELPING ALABAMA’S RURAL SCHOOLS: Larry Lee, Director of the Center for Rural Alabama, and Alabama State University’s Ron Lindahl look at the unique needs of Alabama’s rural schools. For student performance on the reading and math portions of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Alabama’s rural students scored, shockingly, second lowest in the nation. This can be attributed in part to the concentrated areas of poverty in rural Alabama, also rated second most urgent in the nation. Similarly, the report ranked Alabama 15th in relation to the combined percentages of minority, special needs and poverty-stricken students in rural areas.
(FLORENCE) TIMES DAILY – The Times Daily calls for state to enact measure to regulate dams.
BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL – Alabama foreclosures up 193% over October 2008.
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Landscapes now get ‘green’ ratings; Environmental friendliness of the outdoors evaluated
SUSTAINABLE SITES INITIATIVE — http://www.sustainablesites.org/
The Sustainable Sites Initiative is an interdisciplinary effort by the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the United States Botanic Garden to create voluntary national guidelines and performance benchmarks for sustainable land design, construction and maintenance practices. After four years of development and public feedback, the Initiative has released the nation’s first rating system for sustainable landscapes. Details: www.sustainablesites.org/report/.
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Parks and Recreation Advisory Board – Two vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 17 City Council meeting.
*Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the Dec. 15 City Council meeting.
*Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) – two vacancies will be filled at the Jan. 5, 2010 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Nov. 15, 2009
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WEEK OF NOV. 9, 2009 – MEETINGS, UPDATES & EVENTS
Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
DID YOU MISS THE RECENT GUBERNATORIAL FORUM HELD AT AU? WATCH IT ONLINE — OPELIKA-AUBURN NEWS: 2010 Alabama Gubernatorial Forum
ONGOING THROUGH TUESDAY, NOV. 10 — ART EXHIBITION / WATER: THREE STATES (PHASE II)
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all
Gallery hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Mon-Fri (open through the lunch hour).
ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, NOV. 14 — POVERTY AWARENESS WEEK & FUNDRAISER
Held at the corner of Magnolia Avenue and Gay Street, in front of the Wesley Foundation.
In recognition of Poverty Awareness Week, Lisa Pierce, director of Alabama Rural Ministry, will be living in a shack from Sat., Nov. 7, through Sat., Nov. 14. Her goal during her time in the shack is to not only raise awareness about poverty in our communities but also to raise $10,000 to support home repair projects for families living on fixed incomes. Those interested in learning ways to become involved with the cause are encouraged to stop by and talk to Pierce sometime during the week and take her poverty quiz.
ONGOING THROUGH MONDAY, NOV. 16 — INDUSTRIAL & GRAPHIC DESIGN EXHIBIT
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery. Free & open to the public.
Info: Sylvia Jackson at (334) 844-2364, jackssys@auburn.edu.
This gallery show will feature a variety of industrial and graphic design student work, and is being held in conjunction with AU’s Dept of Industrial and Graphic Design’s 31st annual Design Interaction symposium.
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 20 — AUBURN-ALABAMA FOOD FIGHT
Collection barrels at all local grocery stores. www.foodbankofeastalabama.com / www.beatbamafooddrive.com
ONGOING THROUGH NOV. 20 — JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION / Photo XI
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Annual juried exhibition of photographs by regional artists and photographers.
ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.
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MONDAY, NOV. 9, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
NOTE: Planning Commission regular meeting held Thursday, Nov. 12 – see details below.)
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
1. West Pace Village PDD PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00660
Applicant: West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to apply the Planned Development District (PDD) designation to approximately 165.55 acres
2. West Pace Village PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00670
Applicant: West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) [pending approval of Case PL-2009- 00660] with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for outdoor recreational uses, including a park and bicycle/jogging/hiking paths; for institutional uses, including private libraries and museums, and aquariums; for indoor recreational uses, including a skating rink (roller & ice), bowling alleys, billiards, gymnasium, and indoor athletic facilities; for office uses; for commercial and entertainment uses, including an auto accessory store, barbershop/beauty shop, building material sales, clothing stores, copy shop, electronics repair, florists, garden supply, general merchandise stores, health &
personal care stores, hotel/motel/condotel, office supplies/stationary/gift stores, package store, pet/pet supply store, restaurant, restaurant-lounge, restaurant-pub, specialty food stores, sporting goods/hobby/book/music stores, tavern, lounge, banks, dry cleaners, grocery stores, professional studios, and theaters/indoor auditoriums; for road service uses, including ATM’s, auto dealerships, auto repair/paint/body work, convenience/small grocery stores, gasoline/service stations, bank with drive-thru, and fast food restaurant; for a commercial recreational use, specifically an amphitheater; for agricultural support uses, including farm equipment sales/rental/leasing, farm equipment sales/repair, and farm produce sales (permanent); for a nursery use, specifically retail; for a commercial support use, specifically a wholesale distributor; and for a regional shopping center use.
CONSENT AGENDA
NEW BUSINESS
3. Yarbrough Farms PDD Amendment PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00754
Applicant: Dilworth Development, Inc. for Yarbrough Farms, LLC
General Location: West of North Donahue Drive, north of Richland road and northwest of Shug Jordan Parkway
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to amend Ordinance Number 2199 that amended the Planned Development District (PDD) Designation on 557.65 acres
4. Camden Ridge Subdivision, 13th Addition PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00763
Applicant: North Woods, Inc.
General Location: On Mrs. James Road, west of Camden Ridge Subdivision, 8th Addition
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 4 lot conventional residential subdivision and a waiver to Article IV, B4 Design Standards of the City of Auburn Subdivision
Regulations regarding Restriction of Access.
5. Camden Ridge Subdivision, 13th Addition PL-2009-00764
Applicant: North Woods, Inc.
General Location: On Mrs. James Road, west of Camden Ridge Subdivision, 8th Addition
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 4 lot conventional residential subdivision
6. Gold & Silver Exchange PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00739
Applicant: Patsy Reno for Sprayberry Real Estate Partners, Ltd.
General Location: 219 North Gay Street
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a commercial and entertainment use (pawn shop)
7. City Walk Plaza PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00741
Applicant: Sean Foote for CPSW Investments, LLC
General Location: 230 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for amended conditional use approval for a performance residential development use, specifically a multiple family development, and for conditional use approval for an office use; for indoor
recreational use,specifically an indoor athletic facility; and for commercial and entertainment uses, including a barbershop/beauty shop, clothing store, copy shop, florist, general merchandise stores, health and personal care stores, office supplies/stationary/gift stores, specialty food stores, and sporting goods/hobby/book/music stores
8. Lundy Chase, Phase II PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00780
Applicant: Blake Rice for Sky is the Limit Homes, LLC
General Location: South of Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase One and north of Willow Creek Subdivision
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH underlying
Action Requested: Waiver to the design speed for Deer Run Road from 30 mph to 25 mph
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
ADJOURN
MONDAY, NOV. 9 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Deputy of the Month – Sheriff Jay Jones
b. Recognize Kathrine Russell as Certified Emergency Manager – Judge English
c. Resolution Commending Joey Marlett – Judge English
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting October 26, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims & Procurement Card Transactions
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Property Issue on Lee Road 726 – Mattie Hinkle
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Lee County Firefighters Association – Pete Idsall
b. Legislative Considerations – Commissioner Harris
c. HRRR Project Agreement – Neal Hall
d. Bid #15 for Maintenance Stone – Neal Hall
e. Lounge Retail Liquor License for Caberet /District 1
f. Retail Beer & Retail Table Wine License for Stop N Shop / District 4
10. Adjourn
MONDAY, NOV. 9,, 6:00 PM – 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF FALL OF BERLIN WALL / COMMEMORATION – PANEL DISCUSSION – CONCOURSE ART PROJECT
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, auditorium. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
AU’s Dept of Foreign Languages and Literature and the Honors
College are presenting this panel discussion commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Panel members include Paul Harris, Fulbright scholar to Germany, associate director of the Honors College and a faculty member in the Dept of Political Science; Anja Werth, native of Leipzig in the former East Germany and a faculty member in the Dept of Foreign Languages; Robert Weigel, native of Ansbach in the former West Germany and a faculty member in the Dept of Foreign Languages; and Pat Deery, retired U.S. Army officer who was stationed in Berlin & director of Human Resource Development. Also on Monday, a replica of the Berlin Wall will be displayed on the Haley Center concourse. It is intended to be a wall art project, so students are invited to comment in writing, drawing or painting. German students will gather on the concourse at 2 p.m., weather permitting. For more information, contact Robert Weigel at 844-4345.
MONDAY, NOV. 9, 7:00 PM — GERMAN FILM SERIES: HERR LEHMANN
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3242. Free & open to all.
The Fall of the Wall – Twenty Years After; Leander Haussmann: Herr Lehmann.
TUESDAY, NOV. 10 — CITY OF AUBURN: Portion of West Magnolia Avenue to Close November 10
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 10:00 AM — PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE OF WATER POLICY AND MANAGEMENT
Held at in the Alabama Power Auditorium of the New Wing of the Archives & History Bldg, 624 Washington Avenue, Montgomery. (It is in the Capitol Complex, Montgomery, beside the First White House of the Confederacy and across from the Avenue of Flags at the Capitol.)
Open to all. (Lunch break noon – 1:00 pm.)
Speakers:
** Matthew Lembke, Bradley, Arant, Rose & White LLP /Georgia Water Wars;
** Office of Water Resources / Surface Water Availability Assessment;
** Marlon Cook, Geological Survey of Alabama /Ground Water Availability Assessment;
** Dr. Eve Brantley, Auburn University Water Resources Center /
River Health and Effective Water Policy
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
http://www.auburnalabama.org/greenspace/
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM — OLLI AT AUBURN BROWN BAG LUNCH PROGRAM
Held at the Lexington Hotel, 1577 South College Street, Auburn. Free & open to all. Bring your lunch.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) will host a Brown Bag Lunch meeting featuring Gary Webb, associate director of the AU Office of Planned Giving. This event is presented by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University. All interested people are invited to bring a lunch and attend the talk. For more information, contact Linda Shook, coordinator of OLLI at Auburn, at the OLLI office, 334-844-5100 or OLLI@auburn.edu. Visit the OLLI at Auburn website, www.olliatauburn.org.
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 2:00 PM — DAN MEADOR
Held in AU’s new Student Center, Room 2216. Free & open to all.
Dan Meador (pre-law, ‘49), author of At Cahaba: From Civil War to Great Depression, will discuss his 1940s Auburn experience and highlights of his career as academician and public servant. Co-sponsored by the Mock Trial Competition Team. [Note Meador's book talk & signing at 4:30 pm; details below.]
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 3:00 PM — BOOK TALK / JAMES DAWSEY – MASTERS AND SAVAGES http://www.jamesmdawsey.com/publications/masters-and-savages.
Held in AU’s Ralph Brown Draughon Library, Special Collections and Archives Department. Free & open to all. Reception follows talk.
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1253
James Dawsey, former faculty member in AU’s College of Liberal Arts, will talk about his newest book, “Masters and Savages.” Set in Africa and onboard a contract labor ship headed to Brazil after the Civil War, the book centers on questions of conscience, faith and humanity. Power struggles with the ship’s captain, a rebellion among the laborers, horrific weather and British warships in hot pursuit reflect the main character’s state of mind.
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 3:30 – 4:30 PM — LECTURE ON CIVIL WAR / Prof. Kenneth W. Noe – Sleettown: An African-American Community on a Civil War Battlefield
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2218. Free & open to all.
The Africana Studies Program in AU’s College of Liberal Arts will present a lecture by Professor Kenneth W. Noe, the Draughon Professor of Southern History at Auburn University and the author of many books and articles on the American Civil War. More info: Dr. Patience Essah, 310 Thach Hall, AU; (334) 844-6651.
DAY/DATE CORRECTION – CORRECT = TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 3:30 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, NOV. 10 — JCSM ART TALK, DINNER & MOVIE www.jcsm.auburn.edu
4:00 pm — JAMES M. SALEM /Elvis, Memphis Musical Precedents, and First Wave American Youth Culture
5:00 pm — Dinner, catered by Ursula/The Museum Cafe
6:00 pm — MOVIE: SCTIF: Milking the Rhino
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda/packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
1. CALL TO ORDER. Anne Shaw, Chair.
Approval of Minutes: a. August 11, 2009
2. CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
3. OTHER BUSINESS
Including:
a. Alabama Preservation Conference recap
b. Discussion of the upcoming work program for the HPC
c. Recent Certificates of Appropriateness issued administratively
d. Upcoming Historic Preservation Events
4. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS
5. ADJOURNMENT
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 4:30 pm — BOOK TALK / DAN MEADOR – AT CAHABA; FROM CIVIL WAR TO GREAT DEPRESSION
Held at the Alumni Center, 317 S. College St, Goodwin Room. Free & open to all. Followed by a reception and book signing. Co-sponsored by AU’s College of Liberal Arts, AU Libraries, CMD Center for the Arts & Humanities, and the AU Bookstore.
TUESDAY, NOV. 10 – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
Agenda:
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Approve Agenda
4. Recognitions: Joy Dixon, Kindergarten Teacher, Auburn Early Education Center / A Day Made Better Award, Office Max
5. Hear Delegations
6. Approve Minutes: October 13, 2009, regular session; October 16, 2009, special session
7. Communications
8. Approve Payment of Bills and Salaries – October 2009
9. Unfinished Business
10. Superintendent’s Report and New Business
1. SACS Update and Two Year Report
2. Local Textbook Committee Appointment
3. Change Order # 2 for Auburn High School Fine Arts Addition/Renovation
4. Bid Results: Roof for Drake Middle School Gym
5. FY 2009 Final Financial Statement (information only)
6. FY 2010 Flexibility Authorization Due to Proration
7. FY 2010 Prorated Allocations (information only)
8. FY 2010 Average Daily Membership and Current Unit Allocation (information only)
11. Personnel
12. Other
**Members of the Board of Education will attend the Alabama Association of School Boards Annual Convention and Delegate Assembly, December 3-5, 2009, in Birmingham, Alabama.
* * The Board of Education will meet for its next regular session on December 8, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School.
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 5:00 pm — EnvironMentalities: Contemporary Eco-Artists as Preservationists, Conservationists, Deep Ecologists, EcoFeminists, Urban Ecologists / Linda Weintraub
Held in AU’s Art History auditorium, room 005, Biggin Hall.
Free & open to all. Reception follows lecture.
Info: www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg/; 844-6647 or 844-1974.
Author, curator, educator, and artist Linda Weintraub is interested in artists who adopt the multiple “EnvironMentalities” of preservationists, conservationists, deep ecologists, ecofeminists, and urban ecologists as they formulate “strategies to assure the continuance of life on Earth.” These eco-artists mold “the principles of ecology into popular thought and cultural practice.” In her lecture Weintraub discusses a roster of artists such as Mel Chin, Andy Goldsworthy, Fritz Haeg, Alan Sonfist, and Rirkrit Tiravanija who ” invest ecological data with political, spiritual, social, and personal meaning.” Co-sponsored by the AU Department of Art and AU Women’s Studies Program.
TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 6:00 PM — JOINT MEETING OF AUBURN CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION / RE: CompPlan 2030
Held in the Auburn City Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
Info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/CompPlan2030/
Documents, presentations & audio archives of community focus interview: http://www.auburnalabama.org/CompPlan2030/docs_maps.asp.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE — WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11
6TH ANNUAL ALABAMA RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE
To be held Tuesday & Wednesday, Nov. 17 & 18, at the Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.
Hosted by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and the Auburn University Natural Resources Management and Development Institute (NRMDI)
Register today at https://ssl.acesag.auburn.edu/conference/adeca2009/registrationForm.php
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11, 10:00 am — AUBURN VETERANS DAY CEREMONY
Held at the Auburn Veterans Memorial Monument (corner of Ross Street & Glenn Ave). In case of rain, will be held at the Auburn City Council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. All invited to attend.
Parking: at Felton-Little Park & the Watson Municipal Complex, Ross St.
Reception immediately following ceremony at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave.
More info: www.auburnalabama.org/veterans
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11, 5:00 PM – PHILOSOPHY ROUNDTABLE – “The Mind/Body Problem” / AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550; www.thegnusroom.com.
The Gnu’s Room hosts the Auburn University Philosophy Club on a monthly basis. The topic for this month’s panel discussion is “The Mind/Body Problem.” Philosophy faculty and students discuss the topic, then open the discussion for audience participation. Come early for a good seat!
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11, 7:00 PM — AUUF / ENVIRONMENTAL MOVIE: SHORT FILM MIX
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall, 450 E. Thach Ave. Free & open to all.
Short days – short films. We will end this fall’s environmental movie series with a string of short films that are fun and informative.
Meet, for example, Vitya, The Recycling Man, who lives off the grid and collects recyclable goods in rural India via bicycle to take them to the city. In exchange for the money he gets from the recycling center, he buys bread to sell to the villagers on the way home. In another movie find out how honey bees produce honey on the rooftops of New York City and Chicago in Every Third Bite.
Take a Stroll Through an Old Neighborhood in Shanghai and see the contrast to a modern Chinese designer’s house. Let yourself be surprised by an evening of short films, sweetened by organic cookies! This will be the last AUUF environmental movie night for fall, so don’t miss it!
THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 8:00 am — AUBURN DOWNTOWN MERCHANT ASSOCIATION (DMA)
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger). http://www.downtownauburnal.org/
THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 3:30 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx (For details, see above, Monday, noon, Nov. 9, PC packet meeting)
THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — GENERAL CARL E. MUNDY, JR. USMC (RET.) / THE UNITED STATES ORGANIZATION FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
Held in AU’s Lowder Bldg, room 125-A. Free & open to all.
Retired Gen. Carl Mundy, the 30th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, will address AU’s Naval ROTC unit. The presentation is open to the public. Mundy graduated from Auburn in 1957 with a degree in business administration and in 2007 he received the Auburn Alumni Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ORGANIZATION (EAO) Meeting
Held in AU’s Student Union. room 2107. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/eao/index.html
THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 7:00 pm — EAST ALABAMA CYCLING CLUB
Held at the EAMC Health Resource Center, Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. Open to all.
The East Alabama Cycling Club (EACC) is a bicycle club for riders of all skill levels and riding styles. The club meets at 7:00 pm, on the second Thursday of each month. More info: mk1hgn@yahoo.com
FRIDAY, NOV. 13, 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM — WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD SEMINAR & LUNCHEON: CAREGIVING 101
Held at The Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa at
the Convention Center, Montgomery.
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1241
Event flier: http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/09Events/CaregivingPoster.pdf
The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences, will host “Caregiving 101,” a seminar and luncheon. Topics will include the legal, financial and managed care aspects of caregiving. Irene Collins, the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Senior Services, will serve as keynote speaker. Other featured speakers will include Leah Dubberly of the Dubberly Group/Merrill Lynch; Cheri Rudgers, a licensed certified social worker; and Debby Spain of J.D. Capell and Howard.
Registration: $50, includes the 8:30 a.m. seminar and the noon lunch. Tables of10 can be reserved for $500. Seating is limited and early registration is recommended.
To register, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan at 844-3524 or wpbchs1@auburn.edu. Make checks payable to the Auburn University WPB for Caregiving 101 and mail to Auburn University College of Human Sciences, Women’s Philanthropy Board, 210 Spidle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849.
FRIDAY, NOV. 13, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm — FREE SECURE DOCUMENT SHREDDING & ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT
Info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/es110609.asp
Held in the Auburn Chamber of Commerce parking lot, located at 714 East Glenn Avenue. Held rain or shine. Free & open to Auburn citizens, businesses & non-profits.
The City of Auburn’s Environmental Services Department – Recycling Division, in partnership with the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, Sand Hill Recycling, Waste Recycling, and Weston Solutions, will host a FREE, secure document shredding andelectronics recycling day. This event provides Auburn citizens, businesses, and non-profits the opportunity to properly dispose of outdated, unwanted, or broken electronics and destroy documents in a secure manner.
More info: www.auburnalabama.org/es, click on the announcements button or contact André Richardson in the City of Auburn Environmental Services Department at 501-3084.
* Television sets cannot be accepted for recycling during this event. However, Auburn residents may recycle their electronics year-round through curbside collections or at the City of Auburn Environmental Services Department, located at 365-A North Donahue Drive. Televisions of all sizes may be left at curbside for collection. Items accepted by appointment only at the Environmental Services Department include computer-related equipment and televisions 19″ and smaller. To make an appointment, contact the Environmental Services Department by email at webenvirsvc@auburnalabama.orgor by phone at 501-3080.
FRIDAY, NOV. 13, 9:00 – 11:00 AM — TOURS OF THE AU ARBORETUM
Held at AU’s Donald E Davis Arboretum; on Garden Drive, just west of S. College Street.
Meet in the Arboretum’s pavilion. Free & open to all.
Info: http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum/
Tours last one hour each and are scheduled on the hour from 9:00 – 11:00 am, the second Friday & Saturday of each month (except Jan & Feb 2010). Guides are members of the Lee County Master Gardeners. The Donald E. Davis Arboretum is maintained by the College of Sciences and Mathematics. For more information on the tours, call 844-5770 or visit http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum.
FRIDAY, NOV. 13, 7:30 pm (doors open 6:30 pm) – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING KATE CAMPBELL
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $15/reserved seats** (limited number of tickets available; see details below).
Please note that there is NOT a special student discount for this concert, nor are children 12 and under admitted free.
Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed).
The simplest way to put it is that Kate Campbell is by far the most popular performer among our audience (and it isn’t even close.) Kate has released 12 CDs, two of them since her last Sundilla performance four years ago, the most recent of which is called “Save the Day.” For more info, and to hear music clips of Kate Campbell go to www.sundilla.org.
** You can buy tickets at The Gnu’s Room until the day of the show. Buying one of these tickets is the only way to be sure that you’ll be able to get in the door, and the ONLY way that you can sit in one of the comfortable padded chairs. (We will set out a limited number of folding chairs in the back of the room.)
FRIDAY, NOV. 13, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS BY NEIL SIMON
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage.
Additional performances: Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 pm; Sunday, Nov. 15, 2:30 pm; and Nov. 17 – 20, 7:30 pm.
Directed by Scott Phillips.
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
SATURDAY, NOV. 14 — JCSM ART EXHIBIT “1072″ OPENS www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
SATURDAY, NOV. 14. 14, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm CST (9 am-5 pm ET) — 1ST ANNUAL FREDONIA HERITAGE DAY — Help us Save Fredonia! (www.savefredonia.com)
Location: Fredonia Community Club House; on Co. Rd 222, one block west of downtown Fredonia intersection with Co. Rd. 267. About 12 miles northwest of West Point/Lanett, 5 miles southeast of Five Points.
Free admission & open to all.
Join us at the Fredonia Community Club House for a fun-filled day celebrating Fredonia’s rich heritage! Exhibits by area crafters, artisans and vendors - Antique cars and tractors – Children’s fun activities - Old-fashioned cake walks – Drawing for Fredonia’s Freedom Quilt – Silent auction of treasured heritage items – Heritage story-telling – Country and Bluegrass & Gospel music – Country sausage & biscuits, and BBQ sandwiches!
Vendors: spaces available, 10×10-$15, 15×15-$25
For info, call 334-499-0400 or 334-499-2380
SATURDAY, NOV. 14, 9:00 – 11:00 AM — TOURS OF THE AU ARBORETUM
Held at AU’s Donald E Davis Arboretum; on Garden Drive, just west of S. College Street.
Meet in the Arboretum’s pavilion. Free & open to all.
Info: http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum/
Tours scheduled on the hour from 9:00 – 11:00 am, the second Friday & Saturday of each month (except Jan & Feb 2010). Guides are members of the Lee County Master Gardeners.
SUNDAY SATURDAY, NOV. 14, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS – Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
NOTE: Though typically held monthly on the 2nd Saturday, November events were not yet listed on the Lee County Historical Society website.
To contact the Lee County Historical Society: 334-887-3007; webmaster@leecountyhistoricalsociety.org
SPACE LIMITED! REGISTER EARLY!
SATURDAY, NOV. 14 , 1:00 – 3:30 PM — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at AU’s Davis Arboretum. Space limited. Pre-registration required, via email to Tia Gonzales gonzats@auburn.edu.
Cost: $25 for materials, payable on or before date of the workshop with correct cash or check made to ACES.
Info: www.aces.edu/waterquality/raincatchers/index.html
Workshop participants will learn about watersheds, local watershed issues, storm water and it’s effects on water quality. We’ll introduce various forms of rain water harvesting and talk about why rain barrels can be an extremely valuable part of an integrated approach to rain water harvesting.
We’ll show you how to build a simple, inexpensive and easy to maintain rain barrel. Then you’ll be able to build your very own rain barrel, with the tools and materials provided. There will be several trainers there to help folks that are unfamiliar with using power tools.
Be prepared to get a little dirty and have a lot of fun. And don’t forget that a 55 gal plastic barrel may not fit in your trunk.
NOTE: The fee covers the cost of materials for one rain barrel. The workshop itself is free. Special thanks to SWaMP for providing the funds to make these workshops possible.
Please visit http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/aww/swamp/ to learn more about how SWaMP is working to protect our water quality and provide education for all citizens. Public involvement in SWaMP is welcome and encouraged. We all drink the same water.
SATURDAY, NOV. 14 — AT THE GNU’S ROOM
5:00 pm — POETRY READING & BOOK SIGNING BY SHAUNTEKA CURRY
6:00 pm — ACOUSTIC MUSIC BY KRISTEN HINES
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550; www.thegnusroom.com.
Shaunteka Curry, a Birmingham native currently living in Atlanta, reads from her recently released book of poetry, “Honeysuckle Lyrics,” and will sign copies after the reading.
Immediately following the poetry reading/signing, local musician Kristen Hines will be performing some of her acoustic works. To learn more about Kristen or to sample her music, visit www.kristenhinesmusic.com.
SATURDAY, NOV. 14, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS BY NEIL SIMON
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage.
Additional performances: Sunday, Nov. 15, 2:30 pm; and Nov. 17 – 20, 7:30 pm.
Directed by Scott Phillips.
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
SUNDAY, NOV. 15, 2:30 PM — AU THEATRE: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS BY NEIL SIMON
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage.
Additional performances: Nov. 17 – 20, 7:30 pm.
Directed by Scott Phillips.
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
SUNDAY, NOV. 15, 3:00 – 4:30 PM – ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES / PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION: Sun Power: Thermal and Photovoltaic – Sushil Bhavnani, AU Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Held in the Auburn City Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor, west of City Hall; entrance on side of building, behind Cheeburger Cheeburger parking lot. Free & open to all.
Co-hosted by AU’s Office of Sustainability.
http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/energy/talk_series.html.
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AUBURN CIVITAN CLUB OFFERS THANKSGIVING SMOKED TURKEYS & SMOKED HAMS
COST: $35 each, Smoked Turkey (12-14 lb) or Smoked Picnic Ham (8-10 lb). Make check payable to: Auburn Civitan Club.
Place your order now for a smoked turkey or ham from the Auburn Civitan Club. Ready for pick up, hot off the smoker for your enjoyment, on Sunday, November 22, 2008 at 3:00 PM, from the Elks Club on Opelika Road.
Order by mail or email to Dodie Gross, 1481 Morning Glory Circle, Auburn, AL 36832; dodieandcharles@charter.net. Include your name, address, phone, email with your order.
Or phone your order to: Dodie Gross 887-8924 or Andy Price 332-2948.
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Debating the landfill. Rose squats and points to tawny, slimy water seeping out of the ground. This, he claims, is evidence of pollution finding its way into the creek via groundwater from Florence’s municipal landfill. Florence Times Daily, Alabama. 8 November 2009.
(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – National survey ranks Alabama’s Ethics Commission among weakest in nation.
(TALLADEGA) DAILY HOME – The Daily Home says that GOP Chairman Mike Hubbard “is showing his lack of leadership” by attempting to frame the need for ethics reform along party lines.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Publisher of economic development trade journal predicts that southern states are poised for a wave of manufacturing plants as recession ends.
MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – National expert predicts that Alabama foreclosures will increase.
(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Appleseed’s Vaughan Branch looks at how health care reform would help Alabama communities.
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Parks and Recreation Advisory Board – Two vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 17 City Council meeting.
*Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the Dec. 15 City Council meeting.
*Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) – two vacancies will be filled at the Jan. 5, 2010 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Nov. 9, 2009 [corrected 11-10-2009]
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UPDATE – Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
TONIGHT!! ONLINE LIVE STREAM OF ON-CAMPUS GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE!!!
The Opelika-Auburn News will provide online coverage of tonight’s gubernatorial forum. If you are not able to attend the event, it may be viewed at this link:
http://www2.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/live_event_oanow.com_to_stream_gubernatorial_debate/105907/
The event, which begins at 7 p.m. in the AU Student Center ballroom, is expected to include Republicans Robert Bentley, Bradley Byrne, Kay Ivey, Tim James and Bill Johnson, and Democrats Artur Davis and Ron Sparks.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4, NOON – 1:00 PM — FREE CLASS ON ALABAMA’S CARNIVOROUS PLANTS
Held at AU’s Donald E. Davis Arboretum pavilion. Free & open to all. http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum/
The College of Sciences and Mathematics’ Donald E. Davis Arboretum’s free class on Alabama’s carnivorous plants will include the great diversity of carnivorous plant types in the region, how and why these plants eat insects and the current conditions of the various carnivorous plant habitats located in the Southeast. Participants will also benefit from a hands-on approach to learning as they observe several species of carnivorous plants growing in the arboretum, as well as dissect the “stomach” of a pitcher plant. Although the class is designed to inform arboretum volunteers on subjects that are relevant to the Davis Arboretum collections and practices, the event is open to the public. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes as they will be moving through the arboretum. For more information, call 844-5770 or send an e-mail to arboretum specialist Patrick Thompson at thomppg@auburn.edu.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
THIS FRIDAY, NOV.6 – 31ST ANNUAL DESIGN INTERACTION SYMPOSIUM
Held in AU’s Wallace Center, rooms 107 & 111. The symposium, Wallace tour and gallery show all are open the public.
AU CADC-Dept of Industrial and Graphic Design’s 31st annual Design Interaction Symposium will feature:
9-11:45 a.m. – presentations by industrial and graphic design professionals from Designworks/USA (BMW) and Gallagher Associates (Holocaust Museum) — held in AU’s Wallace Center, rooms 107 and 111.
NOON — Guided tour of the industrial and graphic design facilities in AU’s Wallace Center; open to the public.
12:30 – 1:30 pm – lunch available on the Wallace Center lawn Ongoing through Dec. 16: Dept of Industrial and Graphic Design Gallery Show, which displays a variety of graphic and industrial design students; in the Dudley Hall Gallery – open to the public.
More info: Sylvia Jackson 207 Wallace Center, 844-2364, or jackssys@auburn.edu.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
THIS THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 6:00 PM — AUGUSTA CHRONICLE EDITOR TO DISCUSS HIS BOOK ‘THE LAST FREEDOM’
Held in AU’s Hayley Center, room 3195. Free & open to all.
Everyone is invited to hear newspaper editor and author Michael Ryan will discuss his book, “The Last Freedom: A Novel on the Real-Life Adventure of Dr. Viktor Frankl.”
Ryan is the editorial page editor of the Augusta Chronicle in
Augusta, Ga. His book details the fictional life of Roger Murphy, a man who had it all: a great marina district apartment, the best dog in the world and the most reviled and read newspaper column in San Francisco. But as the very ground began to shake beneath him, he was at risk of losing it all and found himself in a fight for his life. Just as he stood at the precipice, Viktor Frankl entered his life and changed everything. The Holocaust survivor and author of “Man’s Search for Meaning” would share his harrowing experience in the Nazi death camps,
his triumphant rise from the ashes and the message that could deliver Roger from his own dilemma: Frankl’s secret, the last of the human freedoms. Sponsored by AU’s Honors College and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. More info: contact Paul Harris at 844-8731.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
THIS SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 9:00 AM – NOON — AU AG FALL ROUND-UP AND TASTE OF ALABAMA
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, corner of Donahue Drive and Samford Ave. Open to all.
Admission is $5; children 6 and under are admitted free. Tickets are available at the gate.
Info: 844-3204 or 844-3596; or e-mail rollome@auburn.edu.
This Saturday, prior to the Tigers’ homecoming gridiron battle
against the Furman Paladins, come to Ag Roundup and for a mere $5.00 enjoy a pregame feast that features everything from grilled burgers, fried catfish and roast leg of lamb to turnip greens, sweet potato fries and fresh-from-the-orchard
satsumas. Also on tap will be live and silent auctions that raise money for College of Agriculture scholarships, displays from Auburn University departments and organizations and various commodity groups, live music, children’s activities and visits from the Auburn University pep band and cheerleaders. Cosponsored by AY College of Agriculture and the Agricultural
Alumni Association, with corporate partners Milo’s Tea and John Deere.
MORE DETAILS
THIS SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 9:00 AM — FINAL ARBORETUM DAY FOR 2009
Held at AU’s Donald E Davis Arboretum.
This Saturday’s program, the last Arboretum Day event in 2009, features a nature-themed learning activity themed “Taking Care of the River State.”
“Alabama ranks number one in the United States for freshwater biodiversity. We have more than 77,000 miles of streams, 3.6 million acres of wetlands, and 560,000 acres of lakes, ponds and reservoirs,” said arboretum specialist Patrick Thompson. “At this program, we will help the kids determine how healthy the water is at the arboretum by looking at aquatic critters in the arboretum stream.” Participants in the program will be divided according to age group. For more information or to register, call 844-5770 or visit the Arboretum website http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum.
MORE INFO & NEW TIME – (starts an hour earlier than previously posted)
7:00 PM, THIS SATURDAY, NOV. 7 — MUSIC EVENT AT FRED’S PICKIN’ PARLOR IN LOACHAPOKA
Come on out and support LIVE MUSIC & culture in Southeast Alabama. It’s a good thing for you, your friends, and the community!
Band Donation at Door $10.00 / $5.00 with student ID
WOODY PINES returns to Fred’s Pickin’ Parlor in historic downtown Loachapoka, Alabama. Also performing that evening will be special guests HONKYTONK AMNESIA and GYPSY BLUES BELLYDANCE. Everything gets going about 7 pm.
If you missed Woody and Nathan and Zack last time please take a moment to check out some the new songs from their new album at http://www.myspace.com/woodypines to get the flava. However, please be reminded that there is no substitution for seeing this band live in a venue like FRED’s.
WOODY PINES plays 20’s & 30’s Jump and Jugband Blues / Old Country/ Ragtime/ Jazz on resonator guitar, upright bass, stripped down drum kit & kazoo/harmonica & voice. This venue is absolutely PERFECT for this band (and vice versa)
HONKY AMNESIA will come to Fred’s for the first time. Honkytonk Amnesia is the latest outing for local/national/planetary musician extraordinaire Uncle Roy Shultz. For some tunes and a complete bio of this important Auburn Musician please check out http://www.theuncleroyshow.com
Uncle Roy is joined onstage by his son Jonas Schultz on Keys, Country Kenny Brown on Pedal Steel, Guitar, and Willie Austin Gray on Guitar. Come on Early for a big dose of Hard Country and Hillbilly Boogie!!!
GYPSY BLUES BELLYDANCE Troupe. Gypsy Blues is Auburn’s premiere tribal fusion belly dance company; they are a student performing troupe created by Instructor/Performer Seraphina. Gypsy Blues pulls their inspiration from the Jazz/Blues era of the 1920’s and mixes it with a touch of Southern Charm; Bohemian Style.
STANDARD DELUXE will have a display of Extra-Fine T-Shirts, Posters and Other Goodies For Sale. Plan to pick up a Gift or Two !
PAPA D’s SUPER GRILLE will be on hand with warm goods for the belly and soul - Come Hungry! Brown Bags and SMALL Coolers are welcome.
Fred wants to remind everyone for Safety and Security to Please observe the following. SMOKING OUTSIDE / BEVERAGES INSIDE ONLY, Thanks in advance for your cooperation with this item.
Directions: FRED’s is located in downtown Loachapoka, an easy 5 minute drive from downtown Auburn. Just head west on highway 14, Fred’s is on the right, you can’t miss it. If you need more specific driving directions simply type in Fred’s Feed & Seed in to the google map search box and there you go! PLEASE MIND the HIGHWAY when parking or crossing the road, Highway 14 is a full on 45 m.p.h. highway through town!
City of Auburn Press Releases:
Annual Veterans Day Ceremony November 11
Veterans Day Holiday Schedule
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Nov. 3, 2009
Comments Off
Week of Nov. 2, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
Auburn City Council to Consider Ordinance Granting Additional Non-Exclusive Cable Franchise — The Auburn City Council will consider an ordinance granting Knology of Alabama, Inc. a non-exclusive cable franchise in the City of Auburn at its Tuesday, November 3 meeting at 7 p.m. The City of Auburn requires cable television companies to obtain a franchise to operate within City limits, as allowed by Federal law. Currently, the City has one non-exclusive cable television franchise. Alabama State Code requires the majority of the Council to approve a new franchise. [PLACE editorial note: There will be a public hearing for this item at Tuesday's City Council meeting (Nov. 3, 7:00 pm).]
PLACE EDITORIAL NOTE
AUBURN CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ALLOWING PROPERTY OWNER TO DE-ANNEX LAND & RV PARK
At this Tuesday’s Auburn City Council meeting, a resolution is scheduled which would allow Lee County Commissioner Mathan Holt & Jill Holt to de-annex their AL Hwy 14 property from the city.
The Holts requested the city allow them to remove their 41+ acres — which currently houses an RV Park, a rental house, and a workman’s shop — from the city limits and, therefore, from city control, taxes and regulations.
This action was considered, discussed & tabled at the previous council meeting, pending receipt of additional information from the Holts. [see 10-20-09 council minutes ]
Under state code (section 11-42-200) a municipality may reduce its corporate boundaries, i.e., ‘de-annex’ property, if it is for public safety or public good. But is it prudent to allow property owners to de-annex at will, by their own request, as in this case?
The mayor and council members have strongly supported annexation in the past, emphasizing the city taxes and development control provided. Aren’t city taxes and control, including over commercial activities such as this RV Park, still important?
There is no public hearing scheduled for this item, but comments about it may be made during Citizens’ Communications. Comments may also be emailed to the entire Council via coagbemail@auburnalabama.org. Individual council member contact info is available at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cc/members.asp.
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ONGOING THROUGH TUESDAY, NOV. 10 — ART EXHIBITION / WATER: THREE STATES (PHASE II)
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to the public. Gallery hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Mon-Fri (open through the lunch hour). The AU College of Liberal Arts, the Dept of Art, and the College of Agriculture presents the exhibition Water: Three States (Phase II). Phase II of Water: Three States continues the conversation from Phase I by contrasting the power of water to overwhelm human society to the hopeful potential for growth and restoration. Daniel Kariko, a Florida-based photographer, presents Storm Season, a series of pinhole photographs that document the on-going erosion of the Gulf coast in the aftermath of recent hurricanes. Similarly, Andy Behrle, a sculptor living and working in Alabama, deals directly with the corrosive forces of water on natural and synthetic materials in his large-scale installations. Their investigations of the persistent and sometimes devastating powers of water are quietly counter-balanced by the continued growth of Xavier Cortadas live mangrove seedlings begun in Water: Three States (Phase I). Water: Three States (Phase II) is part of the interdisciplinary project Art in Agriculture. More info: www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg. More info: Kathryn Floyd, assistant professor of art history at 844-3393 or Katie Jackson, Head, Office of Ag Communications and Marketing at 844-5887.
ONGOING THROUGH MONDAY, NOV. 16 — INDUSTRIAL & GRAPHIC DESIGN EXHIBIT
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery. Free & open to the public.
Info: Sylvia Jackson at (334) 844-2364, jackssys@auburn.edu.
This gallery show will feature a variety of industrial and graphic design student work, and is being held in conjunction with AU’s Dept of Industrial and Graphic Design’s 31st annual Design Interaction symposium. (see details re: symposium below – Friday, Nov. 6) Both the symposium and gallery show are open the public.
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 20 — JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION / Photo XI
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Annual juried exhibition of photographs by regional artists and photographers.
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 20 — AUBURN-ALABAMA FOOD FIGHT
Collection barrels at all local grocery stores. www.foodbankofeastalabama.com
For the past fifteen years, Auburn University and the University of Alabama have competed against each other to see which school could raise the most food for their local food bank in the weeks prior to the big competition on the football field. This is the largest food drive of the year and last year an amazing 212,200 pounds of food were donated locally. This event has a huge impact on the Food Bank’s ability to provide food for needy families this holiday season and beyond. Collection barrels can be found at all local grocery stores. Visit www.foodbankofeastalabama.com for more information or to donate online. www.beatbamafooddrive.com
ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23, 2010 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century. MUSEUM CAFE — While viewing the JCSM exhibits, why not stop in for lunch at the Museum Cafe, catered by Ursula. Lunch is served Tuesday through Friday, 11:00 am-2:00 pm.
Menu for November 3 – 6: Gumbo / Chicken salad / Carolina pulled chicken and slaw panini /Seafood casserole/mixed greens salad. Weekly menus: http://jcsm.auburn.edu/cafe/cafe_menu.php
TODAY IS LAST DAY TO COMMENT: MONDAY, NOV. 2: AOMPO DRAFT FY2008-2011 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM – FY2010 REBALANCE (TIP)
Lee-Russell Council of Government’s Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Planning Organization (LRCOG/AOMPO) invites the public to review and comment upon the AOMPO’s prioritized list of transportation projects (the TIP) for the AOMPO planning area.
The draft TIP and comment forms are available for review during normal business hours at the LRCOG offices, Auburn Public Library, Opelika Public LIbrary, Auburn Housing Authority, Opelika Housing Authority & online at www.lrcog.com/mpo.html.
Comment forms should be submitted in person or via mail to:
Keith Bryan, LRCOG, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika, AL 36801.
Questions? Contact Keith Bryan at 334-749-5264 ext.214.
MONDAY, NOV. 2, 7:30 AM — AUBURN-OPELIKA ROBERT G. PITTS AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the Opelika Chamber of Commerce meeting room, 601 Avenue A, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: discuss airport related issues
MONDAY, NOV. 2, 4:00 PM — WILLIAM SHERMAN / SYSTEMS, SITES AND BUILDING
Held in the Ray Parker Memorial Auditorium (B6), Dudley Hall, AU School of Architecture. Free & open to all.
Speaker: William Sherman, Principal, William Sherman and Associates Architecture and Urban Design, Charlottesville VA
; Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia. http://www.arch.virginia.edu/faculty/WilliamSherman/
MONDAY, NOV. 2, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3 , 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 11:00 am – 12:15 pm — EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN LECTURE SERIES: AIR FORCE LT. GENERAL LESLIE F. KEANNE – Making the Most of Your Leadership Potential
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre. Free & open to the public.
Reception (light lunch) will follow presentation.
The Women’s Leadership Institute in Auburn’s College of Liberal Arts will inaugurate its Extraordinary Women Lecture Series with a presentation by Air Force Lt. Gen. Leslie F. Kenne. Kenne, an AU graduate who held several high-level offices in the Pentagon during her 32-year military career. She is the first woman to achieve the rank of lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force and one of three women in history to achieve a three-star rank in the U.S. military. Now the president of the Kenne Group, Kenne serves on three corporate boards as well as the Air Force Studies Board, an organization under the National Academy of Sciences which performs studies on topics selected by Air Force leadership. More info: contact Dr. Barbara A. Baker, Director, AU Women’s Leadership Institute, 334-844-6169; barbara.baker@auburn.edu; www.auburn.edu/womensleadership.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 11:00 – NOON — FREE WEBINAR: INTRODUCTION TO BIOCHAR
Free & open to all, but pre-registration required. To register, click here.
The Southeast Agriculture and Forestry Energy Resources Alliance (SAFER) will present a webinar: Introduction to Biochar. The webinar will address the questions of:
- What is biochar?
- How can it be used for soil amendment and carbon reduction?
- What are the opportunities for agriculture and forestry?
Presentations will be given by:
Julie Major, Agriculture Extension Director, International Biochar Initiative and Joseph James, Founder and President, Agri-Tech Producers.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM – OLLI STORYTELLING RECITAL & BROWN BAG LUNCH
Held at the Lexington Hotel, 1577 S. College St.
Free & open to all. Bring a lunch.
Info: 844-5100; www.olliatauburn.org
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University, or OLLI at Auburn, will host a brown bag lunch meeting featuring students from the OLLI Storytelling class. Under the direction of
instructor Jack Day, Story Telling instructor, 10 students will perform by telling their stories on a variety of subjects.
TUESDAY, NOV 3, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE / DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. This meeting may be open to the public.
Agenda: UC/CEOD Regulatory Review and Discussion
More info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/Misc/Downtown%20Study%20Committee.pdf or contact Auburn Planning Department at (334) 501‐3040.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 3:30 PM — AAUP TO HOST NEW FACULTY RECEPTION
Held in the Goodwin Rooms, AU Alumni Center, 317 S. College St. Refreshments provided.
The Auburn chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) invites faculty members, especially those new to the university, to the Fall Reception of the Auburn AAUP Chapter. A brief AAUP chapter meeting will follow the reception, which is open to all Auburn faculty members.
AAUP defends academic freedom and tenure, advocates collegial governance, and develops policies ensuring due process. For additional information about the event or any matters related to AAUP please contact Auburn Chapter president David Carter at dcarter@auburn.edu .
Auburn AAUP chapter: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/societies/aaup/
National AAUP: www.aaup.org
TUESDAY, NOV. 3 — JCSM ART TALK & MOVIE www.jcsm.auburn.edu
4:00 pm — GEORGE PLASKETES / Endless Elvistas: Pondering the Post Presley Puzzle
5:00 – 6:00 pm — Museum cafe serves their lunch menu
6:00 pm — MOVIE: Mystery Train
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
Speaker: George Plasketes is professor of Radio, Television, and Film in the Department of Communications and Journalism at Auburn University where he teaches such courses as Popular Culture, Mass Marketing, and Scriptwriting. Plasketes’ articles on music, the mass media, and popular culture have been published in various journals and anthologies. He is the author of several books including Images of Elvis Presley in American Culture 1977-1997: The Mystery Terrain.
Movie: Mystery Train — This unpredictable 1956 film is comprised of three stories exploring a night in the life of 3 foreign tourists parties who find themselves lodging in the same Tennessee hotel.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 4:30 – 5:30 PM — WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS
Held at the pavilion, AU’s Donald E. Davis Arboretum. (An alternate location will be provided if there is inclement weather on Nov. 3.)
Class size will be limited, so register early by e-mail to
drs0001@auburn.edu or by calling 844-5770.
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1243
Cost: $15 for pre-registration; $18 on the day of the event. The fee includes two books, “Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests” by James Miller, and “Bringing Nature Home” by Doug Tallamy.
AU’s Donald E. Davis Arboretum will host a class about choosing plants that are good for our native landscape and avoiding ones that threaten it. A representative from the Alabama Invasive Plant Council will present information on which plants pose the most severe threat to our native landscape and how to identify them. The arboretum staff will discuss the best native plants to grow in this area, as well as the connection between the wild creatures we enjoy, their food and their habitat.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Request to advertise, annex 96 acres zoned M-1.
b. Request to advertise, amend section 7.4 of Zoning Ordinance – Jerry Kelley
(2) - a. Resolution, request to pay ALDOT for services rendered.
b. Res/agreement with ALDOT, resurfacing streets – Walter Dorsey
(3) - a. Resolution/agreement, pole attachment, Charter Comm- Derek Lee
(4) - a. General updates – Mayor Fuller, John Seymour
(5) - Review/discuss the 11/03/09 CM agenda items
(6) - General Discussion - City Council: New / Old Business;
Board appointments; Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
a. Presentation of employee performance awards.
b. Appreciation resolutions – Mike Thomas, Alberta Boyd, Guy Rhodes.
c. Fireman of the Year Award – K. Phillip Hope.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS - Bob Shuman
a. Request by Store 383 for a retail off-premise beer/wine license.
b. Request for the annual Christmas Parade on 12/4 at 4pm.
c. Amend text of Zoning Ordinance, Section 8.1 Off Street Parking.
d. Amend text of Zoning Ordinance, Section 7.3C Use categories – Airports.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington (NONE)
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. Authorize demolition at 1703 Old Columbus Road.
2. Authorize demolition at 11 Oak Court.
3. Authorize demolition at 1107 Magnolia Street.
4. Authorize demolition at 1621 4th Avenue.
5. Authorize demolition at 1623 4th Avenue.
6. Authorize demolition at 1625 4th Avenue.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter
1. Amend text of Zoning Ordinance, Section 8.1 Off street parking – 1st Reading.
2. Amend text of Zoning Ordinance, Section 7.3C Use categories airports – 1st Reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, NOV. 3 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 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:
TREE COMMISSION. Nominations. Three Vacancies.
Incumbents: Jimmy Cleveland (1 full term) Candy Masters (1 partial term) and Gwen Reid (1 partial Term). Three Year Terms Expire November 7, 2009.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses. Consideration.
(1) Naruto Café LLC dba/Naruto Fusion Cuisine. 1445 S. College Street, Unit 100. 040 – Retaill Beer (On or Off Premises) and 060 – Retail Table Wine (On or Off Premises) License.
(2) Ducks Unlimited, Inc. dba/Ducks Unlimited. 1455 Shug Jordan Parkway. 240 – Non Profit Tax Exempt Special Event License.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Towing/Wheel Locking. Amend City Code Section 12-271.
Add Auburn City School’s Property. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) Establish Three (3) Stop Signs and One (1) 25 MPH Sign.
Donahue Ridge Subdivision.
(2) Establish “No Parking” Zone. 604 West Glenn Avenue.
c. Knology of Alabama, Inc. Non-Exclusive Cable Television Franchise Agreement. Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Corporate Limits Reduction. Lot 1, City Limits Subdivision. Alabama Highway 14. Holt Property. TABLED FROM OCTOBER 20, 2009 MEETING.
b. Employee Job Classification and Pay Plan. Effective December 1, 2009.
c. Hamilton’s on Magnolia, LLC. 174 Magnolia Avenue. Outdoor Café in the College Edge Overlay District (CEOD).
d. Contracts and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Contracts.
(a) $11,230. ETC Institute. 2010 Citizen Survey.
(b) $272,498. North America Fire Equipment Company. 2009 KME Triple Combination Pumper Fire Truck.
(2) Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). Roadway Lighting. Intersection of U. S. Highway 29 and Shell Toomer Parkway. Agreement.
e. Drainage and Utility Easements and Temporary Construction Easements. Acceptance.
(1) Tara Properties LLC. Property Located at 340 North Gay Street. Opelika Road @ Guthrie’s Drainage Improvement Project. Drainage and Utility Easement.
(2) Pace Brothers Inc. Property Located at 1820 East University Drive. South College Street Sidewalk Project. Temporary Construction. Easement.
(3) Temporary Construction Easements. North Donahue Drive Bridge Replacement Project.
(a) Cecil S. Yarbrough III. Property Located across from
Yarbrough Elementary School.
(b) City Board of Education. Property Located at 1555 North Donahue Drive (Yarbrough Elementary School).
f. Tree Commission. Three Positions. Three-Year Terms Expire November 7, 2012. Appointment.
g. West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc. West Pace Village. Preliminary Property Assessment. Public Hearing Required.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 7:00 PM — GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE FORUM 2010
Held in AU’s new Student Union, ballroom.
Free & open to the public, but seating is limited.
Tickets: Complimentary tickets to the forum are available through the sponsoring organizations.
Parking: available in the parking lot between the stadium and the Petrie Annex, or in the stadium parking deck.
The League of Women Voters of East Alabama and the Chambers of Commerce of Auburn and Opelika are sponsoring a gubernatorial candidate forum hosted by the AU Center for Governmental Services, a division of AU Outreach. Gubernatorial candidates participating in the forum are Robert Bentley, Bradley Byrne, Artur Davis, Kay Ivey, Tim James, Bill Johnson and Ron Sparks. All candidates who declared candidacy prior to Sept. 25 were invited to participate. The moderator for the event is Jeremy Campbell of ABC 33/40 in Birmingham.
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 7:00 PM — AU’S SPECTRUM ALLIANCE HOSTS FILM SCREENING & DISCUSSION: A JIHAD FOR LOVE
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3195. Free & open to all. Refreshments will be served.
Auburn University’s Spectrum Alliance will be hosting a screening of Parvez Sharma’s acclaimed film “A Jihad for Love” (http://www.ajihadforlove.com/) the world’s first documentary film on the coexistence of Islam and homosexuality. Parvez Sharma will be flying in from New York to attend the screening & lead this important discussion. This event is co-sponsored by Auburn University Spectrum Alliance & The Center for American Progress.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4, 12:15 PM – PERFECTIONISM AND WORKING WOMEN
Speaker: Dr. Jackie Mitchelson, Professor of Psychology
Held in AU’s Student Center, room 2225. Free & open to all.
Bring a Brown Bag lunch; drinks and dessert will be provided.
Dr Michelsen is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Auburn. Her talk is based on an award-winning article. Co-sponsored by the Women’s Studies Department and Women’s Initiatives, a division of the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. All Women’s Studies events are free and open to the public. More info: 844-6647 or 844-1974.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 516.02, Table 5-4, of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00751
Applicant: Charles Pick representing 110, LLC
General Location: 110 West Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: Variance from the Special Use Provisions section of Table 5-4 which states that “No parking will be allowed to be visible from the street at any level. At grade level adjacent to the right of way, parking must be screened with a building.” The applicant is seeking to be allowed to screen customer parking with landscaping and a wall rather than with the principal structure.
Variance to Section 605.01A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00711
Applicant: Signs, Inc. representing Auburn Hotel Partners, Inc.
General Location: 2013 South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Variance of 7.5 feet from the required minimum setback of 10 feet from any side lot line and 10 feet from the front or any street property line in order to allow a sign to be placed 2.5 feet from the front property line
Variance to Section 516.02, Table 5-4, of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00740
Applicant: Sean Foote representing CPSW Investments, LLC
General Location: 230 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: Variance from the Special Use Provisions section of Table 5-4 which states that “No parking will be allowed to be visible from the street at any level. At grade level adjacent to the right of way, parking must be screened with a building.” The applicant is also requesting a variance from the Balconies section of Table 5-4 which states that: “Balconies are allowed at the 3rd Floor level and higher.” This will allow the proposed building to have balconies on the 2nd Floor level.
Variance to Section 707A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00743
Applicant: Greg Darden representing NHA Auburn, LLC
General Location: 338 West Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: University Service (US)
Action Requested: Variance from Section 707A (Minimum Acceptable Bufferyard) and Figure 7-1(Minimum Acceptable Bufferyards For Nonconforming Uses) of a minimum planter-width bufferyard and 2 tree inches (2 understory trees) and six (6) shrubs in the bufferyard along the western property line for a nonconforming performance residential development.
Variance to Section 502 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00745
Applicant: Jack Burkhalter representing Five Point Partners, LLC
General Location: 233 West Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: With respect to Section 502.02.A, the applicant requests a variance of 10.1 feet to the required building setback for a single family structure to allow a rear setback of 9.9 feet, and a variance of 0.08 to the maximum impervious surface ratio (ISR) of 0.50 to allow an ISR of 0.58. With respect to Section 502.03.A, the applicant is requesting variances to the required building setback for two buildings in the Eagle Point Condominiums. For Building 3, the applicant requests a variance of 5 feet to the required setback of 13 feet to allow a building that is 8 feet from the west property line. For Building 4, the applicant requests a variance of 12 feet to the required setback of 13 feet to allow a building that is 1 foot from the west property line.
Variance to Section 604E of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00749
Applicant: Corey O’Steen
General Location: 1584 North Donahue Drive
Zoning District: Rural (R)
Action Requested: Variance to the prohibition of off-premise signs in all zoning districts in order to place a commercial sign on a vacant piece of property
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested. http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/index.html
THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 8:00 am – 12:15 pm — TALLAPOOSA WATERSHED PROJECT MINI-CONFERENCE
Held in the new AU Student Center, room 2223. Free & open to all, but online registration required.
Registration & information at: https://fp.auburn.edu/icaae/EventWebReg/TWP/2009/MiniConf/TWPMChome.aspx (or call1-888-844-4785)
The Tallapoosa Watershed Project is addressing water quality, quantity and policy issues in the Tallapoosa River Basin of the Alabama Piedmont Physiographic Province with a trans-disciplinary team of research and outreach specialists representing eight departments from five schools and colleges of Auburn University. A thorough examination of watershed conditions and trends, including scientific and policy components, is being used to develop practical alternatives for achieving sustainable water management and watershed protection. This conference is intended to inform the public of the Project’s process and proceedings.
Conference topics will include:
» Overview of the Tallapoosa Watershed Project
» Update and self-evaluation of the different projects
» More community participation in the Tallapoosa Watershed Project
The AU Water Resources Center and the Natural Resource Management and Development Institute invite you to participate in this update of the first year of the project and the planning for the future of the Tallapoosa Watershed Project and the Tallapoosa River Basin.
THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALK
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM — LUNCH & LEARN SERIES: DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER ANDY BURTON COON
Held in the library, AU Multicultural Center Library. Open to all.
Andy Burton Coon is an award winning independent documentary filmmaker, editor and videographer. He began filming Greensboro’s Child in 1997. Greensboro’s Child was completed in 2002 receiving honors for Best Independent Documentary and Best Researched Documentary. [Greensboro's Child will be shown Nov. 5 in Haley Auditorium 2370, Haley Center, AU, 4:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.; see details below.] More info: Amanda Carr 334-844-2976
THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 2:00 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAM: JACK SACCO – AWARD WINNING & PULITZER PRIZE NOMINATED AUTHOR
Held at the Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave; ph: 501-3190. Free & open to all.
Info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp
Jack Sacco, Award Winning and Pulitzer Prize Nominated Author of Where The Birds Never Sing. In his riveting book, Sacco tells the realistic, harrowing, at times horrifying, and ultimately triumphant tale of an American GI in World War II as seen through the eyes of his father, Joe Sacco — a farm boy from Alabama who was flung into the chaos of Normandy and survived the terrors of the Bulge. As part of the 92nd Signal Battalion and Patton’s famed Third Army, Joe and his buddies found themselves at the forefront of the Allied push through France and Germany. After more than a year of fighting, but still only twenty years old, Joe had become a hardened veteran. Yet nothing could have prepared him and his unit for the horrors behind the walls of Germany’s infamous Dachau concentration camp. They were among the first 250 American troops into the camp, and it was there that they finally grasped the significance of the Allied mission. Surrounded by death and destruction, the men not only found the courage and will to fight, but they also discovered the meaning of friendship and came to understand the value and fragility of life.
Jack Sacco’s website: http://www.jacksacco.com/
THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 4:00 – 7:30 PM — FILM SCREENING & PANEL DISCUSSION: GREENSBORO’S CHILD
Held in Haley Auditorium 2370, Haley Center, AU. Free & open to all. More info: Amanda Carr 334-844-2976
Panelists: Professor Ivan Watts – Educational Foundations; Professor Josh Inwood – Dept of Geology and Geography; Professor Ruth Crocker – History and Women’s Studies; and Professor Emeritus Larry Gerber.
Greensboro’s Child received honors for Best Independent Documentary and Best Researched Documentary. November 3, 1979 – Greensboro, North Carolina: Willena Cannon, a lifelong civil rights activist and member of the Workers Viewpoint Organization, helped arrange a “Death to The Klan” rally and conference. As she and her 10-year old son, Kwame, began to participate, the worst possible scenario became a reality. A caravan of cars filled with Klan and Nazi members rolled through the rally, engaged in a fight with the protestors and opened fire with shotguns, rifles and pistols, killing 5 and wounding 10. Live footage from local news cameras caught the massacre in its brutal form, yet each of the accused were eventually found innocent of all charges. Then seven years later, an immature, yet harmless, 17-year-old Kwame Cannon was arrested for six counts of non-violent burglary, Cannon naively accepts a pre-trial plea bargain consisting of two consecutive life sentences. In this award-winning documentary, filmmaker, editor and videographer Andy Burton Coon explores the buried evidence from both state and federal court prosecutions by examining the trials under a new lens.
THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 6:00 PM — ASIAN FILM SERIES #7 – FILM: THE JOY LUCK CLUB
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 1203. Free & open to all.
For upcoming films, check “events calendar” of AU’s Dept of Foreign Languages and Literatures: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/EventCalendar/index.cfm.
THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 7:30 – 9:30 PM — THE SOUNDS OF AUBURN
Held at AU’s Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. Free & open to all.
Info: music@auburn.edu; 844-4165; www.auburn.edu/music.
The AU Department of Music presents The Sounds of Auburn,
showcasing the student ensembles of the AU Band and Choral Departments featuring the AU Marching Band, Chamber Choir, Steel Drum Band, Singers, Jazz Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Gospel Choir.
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 8:30 am – 3:00 pm — 31ST ANNUAL DESIGN INTERACTION
Held in Wallace Center, room 107. Free & open to the public.
AU’s Dept of Industrial and Graphic Design in the College of Architecture, Design and Construction is hosting its 31st annual Design Interaction symposium. Presentations from industrial and graphic design professionals Chuck Pelly of the BMW Group/DesignWorks/USA, along with Gretchen Coss and Jordan Craddock of Gallagher & Associates will take place in the morning, with a lunchtime cook-out to follow.
– Pelly is the president and CEO of Designworks/USA, an interdisciplinary leader in transportation, product and new-media design. He holds more than 40 U.S. and foreign patents, and has received numerous awards for his design work. Designworks/USA was instrumental in the design of the BMW X5 sports activity vehicle, and the award-winning BMW3 Series, Electric EV2, Zeta Concept and Range Rover.
– Coss is the director of business development for the environmental graphics and branding divisions of Gallagher & Associates. She has extensive experience in brand management and experience design, as well as large-scale mixed-use/entertainment projects and museum exhibitions across the country. Craddock, also of Gallagher & Associates, is a designer and a 2007 graduate of Auburn University. She has worked on projects including the pathways at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and the redesign of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta.
The corresponding gallery show will be on display in Dudley Gallery November 2-16, and will feature a variety of industrial and graphic design student work. For more information, contact Sylvia Jackson at (334) 844-2364 or jackssys@auburn.edu. Both the symposium and gallery show are open the public.
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 8:30 am — AUBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Held in the McCartney Suite, Shelby Engineering Bldg, AU; ph: 334-844-4866. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html
Agenda includes:
I. Committee Meeting (McCartney Suite, Shelby Center) **Committee Meetings will begin at 8:30 a.m.– all other meetings are subject to change in starting time, depending upon the length of individual meetings
A. Combined Committee/Agriculture, AUM and Property & Facilities/Chairpersons Rane, Carlisle andd Blackwell/8:30 a.m.
1. Poultry and Animal Nutrition Center, Approval of Facility Program, Budget, Funding Plan, Site & Schematic Design (Mr. King to Report) (Agriculture/Property and Facilities)
2. Proposed Real Estate Acquisition, Auburn University at Montgomery (Dr. Veres to Report) (AUM/Property and Facilities)
3. Telfair Peet Theatre Addition, Approval of Project Initiation, Initiation of the Design Consultant Selection Process (Mr. King to Report) (Property and Facilities Only)
4. Research Facility I, University Aviation Association (UAA), Approval of Office Space Lease (Mr. King to Report) (Property and Facilities Only)
5. Research Facility I, Aviation Accreditation Board International, Approval of Office Space Lease (Mr. King to Report) (Property and Facilities Only)
6. Status Reports (For Information Only)- (Mr. King to Report) (Property and Facilities Only)
A. Annual Report for Maintenance Project Greater than $500,000, FY 2008 and FY 2009
B. Current Status of New Construction/Renovation/Infrastructure, Budgets of $750,000 and Greater
C. Quarterly Report for Projects Costing More than $500,000 But Less than $750,000, First Quarter FY 2009
D. Key Projects Memo
B. Combined Committee/Academic, AUM and Finance / Chairpersons Thompson, Carlisle, and Lowder/9:30 a.m.
1. Authorization to Pursue Refinancing of Certain Outstanding Bond Issues (Dr. Large to Report) (Finance Committee Only)
2. Proposed Student Activity Increases, Auburn University at Montgomery (Dr. Veres to Report) (AUM/Finance Committee)
3. Proposal to Institute Professional Fees for AU and AUM Schools of Nursing (Dr. Mazey to Report)(Academic Affairs/Finance)
4. Clarifying the Tuition Waiver Limitation Associated with Dependent/Spouse Scholarship Students (Dr. Large to Report) (Finance Committee Only)
5. Proposed Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Program at Auburn University (Dr. Mazey to Report) (Academic Affairs Only)
6. Proposed Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree in Polymer and Fiber Engineering (Dr. Mazey to Report) (Academic Affairs Only)
7. Update-Overview of 2009 NSSE Data (Dr. Clark to Report) (Academic Affairs Only)
C. Student Affairs Committee/10:15 a.m.
1. Student Affairs Update (Dr. Ainsley Carry) (For Information Only)
D. Executive Committee/Chairperson Lanier/10:30 a.m.
1. Posthumous Awarding of the Bachelor of Science in Building Construction for Trenton Carlos McLeod (Dr. Mazey to Report)
2. Proposed Awards and Namings
II. REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 10:45 A.M.
A. Proposed Executive Session (Dean’s Conference Room, Shelby Center)
III. REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 11:15 A.M. (McCartney Suite, Shelby Center, Sam Ginn College of Engineering) (Agenda items are determined primarily based upon committee actions.)
12:00 P.M. – LUNCHEON – GRAND FOYER, SHELBY CENTER
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 9:00 – 10:30 am — AU WOMEN FACULTY MENTORING GATHERING
Held in AU’s Women Resource Center conference room, room 312, Mary Martin Hall.
These gatherings give attendees a chance to meet other new faculty and share their experiences in negotiating the academic world. Throughout the year, we will have regular gatherings, on the first Fridays and third Thursdays of each month. We will also have brown-bag lunches that will have speakers or panels who will address specific topics, including surviving the first years, how to allocate family and work time, how to set goals, and promotion and tenure issues. We will also work with those new faculty members interested in finding mentors, and we’ll assist them through this process. Also scheduled for Thursday, November 19th, 2009. Info: Donna L. Sollie, Assistant Provost for Womens Initiatives, Director, Womens Resource Center, 310 Mary Martin Hall, sollidl@auburn.edu, ph: 334-844-4399.
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/trees/
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 1:30 – 2:30 PM — AUBURN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD MEETING
Held at the Alumni Center.
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 4:00 PM — AU RAPTOR CENTER / FOOTBALL, FANS & FEATHERS
http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1105
Held at AU’s Southeastern Raptor Center, Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater on Raptor Road off Shug Jordan Parkway. Directions are available at www.auburn.edu/raptor.
Admission: $5 each, free for children under age 3.
Group admission: $3 a person for school groups of 25 or more; those groups should contact the center ahead of time by calling (334) 844-6943.
Additional show: 9:00 am on Nov. 27, the day of the Alabama game.
Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center will host “Football, Fans and Feathers,” educational, birds-in-flight raptor programs this fall on Fridays before home football games. A variety of birds such as hawks, falcons and eagles will be free-flown from flight towers. Education specialists will inform the audience about each bird and their role in nature. Programs take place in the 350-seat amphitheater on Raptor Road just off Shug Jordan Parkway.
The Southeastern Raptor Center, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has a mission of rehabilitating injured or orphaned raptors and educating the public. All birds used in the educational programs are non-releasable due to prior injuries or human imprinting. Any bird capable of surviving in the wild must be released, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permits Auburn to house the birds.
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — NPHC HOMECOMING STEP SHOW
Held in AU’s Student Activity Center. Doors open at 5:30 pm.
Tickets: $5 in advance; $15 at the door.
AU’s National Pan-Hellenic Counsel will be hosting its Annual Homecoming STEP SHOW in the Student Activity Center.
Unlike the movie STOMP THE YARD, we are the real NPHC Organizations. There will be 8 performances by various members of the NPHC. Come out and enjoy the show!
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — GRAND OPENING & ARTIST RECEPTION: CATAWAMPUS ART GALLERY
Held at Catawampus Art Gallery, 905 S. Railroad Ave, Opelika. Free & open to all. More info: Chip Kirkland 334-275-1242; catawampusartgallery@yahoo.com.
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 6:00 – 8:30 PM — DOWNTOWN AUBURN FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCK PARTY / Music by KIDD BLUE
Held in Downtown Auburn. Live music & other events.
The Auburn Downtown Merchants Association will hold block parties every Friday in the streets of downtown Auburn this football season.Magnolia Avenue will be blocked off from College Street to Gay for the block parties. There is no cover to the events.
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 7:00 PM – EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. Free & open to all. Held the first Friday of each month.
Poets, authors, musicians, and storytellers are invited to perform their work for an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. The event is open to all and there is no charge for the event.
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 7:30 PM —- EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
BOOTHS AVAILABLE!!
SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM — NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION BENEFIT YARD SALE
Held at the old Lowe’s building, Opelika.
All proceeds provide newspapers to area teachers, who request them for classroom use.
Donations at the door at requested to help fund NIE.
8:00 – 9:00 am: $2 requested; 9:00 am – 2:00 pm: $1 requested.
NOTE: Booths still available. Call 749-6271 or go to www.oanow.com, key word YARDSALE.
SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 9:00 AM — ARBORETUM DAYS
Held at AU’s Davis Arboretum.
Arboretum Days are here again
The College of Sciences and Mathematics will host Arboretum Days on the first Saturday of October and November. Arboretum Days is an approximately one-hour educational event designed for children agespre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The program begins at 9 a.m. at the Davis Arboretum and features a nature-themed learning activity. More info: 844-5770 or http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum.
SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 9:00 – 10:00 AM — AUBURN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING
Held in the Alumni Center.
SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 12:30 PM — AU HOME FOOTBALL GAME (v. Furman)
Game day info: http://www.auburn.edu/communications_marketing/gameday/index.html
SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 8:00 PM — MUSIC: WOODY PINES & THE LONESOME TWO
Special musical guest HONKYTONK AMNESIA
Special performance by GYPSY BLUES BELLYDANCE TROUP
Held at FRED’S in Loachapoka, AL.
Admission: $10 band donation / Kids Free
Freds is located on Highway 14 outside of Auburn, at 6434 Stage Road , Loachapoka. Contact numbers: 334.502.6602 (fred); 334.524.5377 (scott).
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ORDER NOW! AUBURN CIVITAN CLUB THANKSGIVING SMOKED TURKEYS & SMOKED HAMS
COST: $35 each, Smoked Turkey (12-14 lb) or Smoked Picnic Ham (8-10 lb). Make check payable to: Auburn Civitan Club.
Place your order now for a smoked turkey or ham from the Auburn Civitan Club. Ready for pick up, hot off the smoker for your enjoyment, on Sunday, November 22, 2008 at 3:00 PM, from the Elks Club on Opelika Road.
Order by mail or email to Dodie Gross, 1481 Morning Glory Circle, Auburn, AL 36832; dodieandcharles@charter.net. Include your name, address, phone, email with your order.
Or phone your order to: Dodie Gross 887-8924 or Andy Price 332-2948.
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AU GREEN LUNCHES GO ONLINE
The Office of Sustainability has begun recording the monthly Green Lunch talks and will post them on Auburn University’s YouTube Channel. The first talk available online, “Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: A Non-Technical Overview,” by James Lowery, was recorded at the Green Lunch, Auburn University, on August 26, 2009. James Lowery is a board member of Alabama Rivers Alliance and Alabama Water Watch Association.
Click here to view the talk, “Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: A Non-Technical Overview.”
http://www.youtube.com/AuburnUniversity#p/a/u/0/dMjlQ2C2dk8
“CONSERVATION PHOTOGRAPHY” – AWARD WINNING SHORT FILM AVAILABLE ONLINE
The short film, “Conservation Photography,” by Auburn Student Hunter Nichols, which won the Local Filmmaker Contest in this year’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Birmingham, is now available for viewing. Nichols’ film brings us on a journey through the wild places of Alabama and gives us an insight into his motivations as a wildlife photographer.
View the five-minute short movie here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziLaI6mJeog
TUSCALOOSA NEWS – Longtime advocate Paul Davis resigns from Mental Health board. Davis said he stepped down when he learned from The Tuscaloosa News that the board’s meetings were not open to the public.
ANNISTON STAR – The Anniston Star says that Alabama is poised to overtake Louisiana as the state with “the highest corruption quotient.”
SHELBY COUNTY REPORTER – Quarry Company Files Zoning Application The company interested in mining limestone in Vincent has taken the next step towards obtaining the zoning status needed to build the quarry. White Rock Quarries last week filed an application to have 886 acres of land rezoned from rural agricultural to a special district zoning status.
Coal ash poses significant risk: EPA report says. A new EPA report says that the potentially toxic pollutants in coal ash – from mercury to arsenic – are of particular concern because they can concentrate in large amounts that are discharged to waterways or seep into groundwater. (Nashville Tennessean, Tennessee)
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Tree Commission – Three vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 3 City Council meeting.
*Parks and Recreation Advisory Board – Two vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 17 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Nov. 2, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATE – Oct. 28, 2009
ADDITIONAL EVENT
TONIGHT, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28, 6:30 – 8:00 PM — ACLU COMMUNITY MEETING – CIVIL LIBERTIES : DISCUSSION & ACTIVITY UPDATE http://www.aclualabama.org/
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) sanctuary, 450 E. Thach Ave. Open to all. www.auuf.net
The ACLU of Alabama will hold a community meeting which will include an update on their current work and a lively discussion on civil liberties. All are welcome.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm — AU H1N1 CLINIC / H1N1 VACCINATION VIDEO AVAILABLE
The next H1N1 vaccination clinic will be held Thursday, Oct. 29, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. in AU’s Student Center. The Harrison School of Pharmacy has developed a short video to answer questions about the 2009 H1N1 vaccine and the university’s vaccination efforts on campus. This informative video provides information about who can and cannot receive the vaccine, and what to expect when you get vaccinated. The video is available for viewing at this link ( http://www.auburn.edu/healthytigers ).
AGENDA DETAILS
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm — Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Energy
Held in the Joint Briefing Room (Star Wars Room), 8th Floor, Alabama State House.
Info: Kristen Rector, Exec. Assistant to Rep. Greg Wren, repgregwren@yahoo.com, 334-395-0123.
Agenda includes:
* Welcome & Opening Remarks-Senator Wendell Mitchell and Rep. Greg Wren
* Recognition of Special Guests
* Introduction of Energy Committee Legislative Members in Attendance
* Discussion of legislation passed during the 2009 Regular Session
* Discussion of Energy Package for 2010
* Green Fleet Review Committee Membership Announcement
* Energy Efficiency Reports from Around the State
-Susan Parker-Public Service Commission
-Chris Habig-Alabama Power
-DG Markwell- EcoMax
* Presentation from ADECA regarding energy Stimulus funds – Terri Adams
* Questions & Comments
* Closing Remarks
ADDITIONAL EVENT
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 3:30 – 5:00 PM — AAUP FORUM ON NEW LECTURER/SENIOR LECTURER POLICY
Held in AU’s Thach Hall, room 317. Free & open to all.
The Auburn chapter of the American Association of University Professors, or AAUP, will convene a forum on the proposed Lecturers/Senior Lecturers policy. Associate Provost Emmett Winn and others will help to facilitate a wide-ranging discussion of the policy currently under development. Instructors and tenured and tenure-track faculty are invited to attend.
AAUP defends academic freedom and tenure, advocates collegial governance and develops policies ensuring due process. For additional information about the event or any matters related to AAUP, contact Auburn chapter president David Carter at dcarter@auburn.edu. For more information on the Auburn AAUP chapter, visit this link ( http://www.auburn.edu/academic/societies/aaup/ ). Info on national AAUP: http://www.aaup.org/aaup
ADDITIONAL EVENT
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 7:00 PM — FILMMAKER TO SHOW, DISCUSS “PROM NIGHT IN MISSISSIPPI“
Held in the new AU Student Center, ballroom. Free & open to all.
This screening of the prize-winning 2009 documentary, “Prom Night in Mississippi,” which stars Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, is sponsored by AU’s Honors College.
Filmmaker Paul Saltzman and co-producer Patricia Aquino will offer introductory remarks prior to the film. There will be an opportunity to meet and talk with the filmmakers following the movie. The film derives from an offer made by Freeman in 1997 to pay all expenses for the senior prom at the public high school in his hometown of Charleston, Miss., but under one condition: the prom had to be racially integrated. Freeman’s offer was ignored. In 2008, he offered again. This time the school board accepted, and history was made. Charleston High School had its first-ever integrated prom in 2008. Until then, blacks and whites had gone to separate proms even though their classrooms had been integrated for decades. “When I saw the film on HBO,” said James Hansen, director of the Honors College, “I knew I wanted to bring it to campus for everyone to see. We are extremely fortunate that the producers of the film themselves will be on campus to show and talk with us about their remarkable film.” For more info, contact Hansen at 844-5862 or hansejr@auburn.edu.
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Auburn Stride Walkers Schedule for November
Auburn Arts Association to host “ArTrees”
AU’s INFO TECH OFFERS CYBER SECURITY WEEK TIPS – HOW TO SECURE USB DRIVES, LAPTOPS & EMAIL ON CELL PHONES
Cyber Security Week Four focuses on ways to keep mobile data safe and secure on laptops, USB drives and cell phones. Today’s smartphones can run programs and store documents and files. If lost or stolen, your unsecured phone grants access to your e-mail, address books, files and more. For tips on how to secure your mobile data and what to do to protect your e-mail if you should lose your cell phone, visit http://keepitsafe.auburn.edu/.
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(FLORENCE) TIMES DAILY – The Times Daily urges readers to go to state’s “open checkbook” web site to determine how state tax revenues are being spent.
(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Rob Young calls for Alabama to consider relocation and restricting development as options to battle coastal erosion.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – al.com — Jefferson County erosion plan concerns EPA
HUNTSVILLE TIMES – Home sales in Alabama decline while national sales figures show increase. Home sales in Alabama dropped 7 percent in September, compared with the same month last year, while selling prices remained fairly steady, the Alabama Center for Real Estate reported Friday.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR – No-bid bond financing schemes, like those at the center of corruption trial of Birmingham mayor, have cost taxpayers billions. (Note: The Birmingham Weekly has continuous coverage of the trial, including a Live Blog feature here.)
BLOOMBERG: Armageddon in Alabama Proves Parable for Local U.S. Governments
(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – City of Prichard again files for bankruptcy protection.
TUSCALOOSA NEWS – Alabama among the ten worst states for unemployment in September.
OPELIKA-AUBURN NEWS – Last 400 employees at Opelika’s BF Goodrich facility to lose jobs as plant closes on Friday.
TUSCALOOSA NEWS – Seafood industry threatened as FDA proposes ban on sale of Gulf Coast oysters.
NEW YORK TIMES – Alabama’s state retirement systems plow millions back into local real estate developments.
GREENER BUILDINGS – Modular Building Designs Take Top Prize in Lifecycle Building Challenge Awards – Greener Buildings, 2009.1013
GRIST e-newsletter — A $4 Billion Push To Make Affordable Housing Green
GRIST e-newsletter — New interactive map shows devastating effects of global temperature rise; The Guardian – interactive map
NEW YORK TIMES — Feud continues between wood certifiers – New York Times, 2009.1026
ASSOCIATED PRESS – WRAL — Activists meet with feds over environmental racism. Environmental and racial justice activists from six states met with federal Environmental Protection Agency officials Tuesday to demand a revamp of the agency they accuse of overlooking years of chronic environmental missteps in minority communities across the South.
NATURE BLOG — BIOFUEL WOES – Climate Feedback (Nature blog), 2009.1023 http://blogs.nature.com/climatefeedback/2009/10/biofuel_woes_1.html
New peer-reviewed research findings add important weight to the growing mountain of evidence against biofuels as an easy route to maintaining liquid-fuel-based lifestyles.
“Two papers in Science yesterday have poured cold water on the promise of second generation biofuels.
“Biofuels derived from the cellulosic, woody parts of plants are not having their greenhouse gas emissions properly accounted for, says Jerry Melillo from the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole. Melillo’s study suggests that changes in the way land is used, as a consequence of growing crops for biofuels, is not taken into account, and if it were then those biofuels would be shown to actually cause more greenhouse gases to be released than fossil fuels….
“In a related policy forum article, Timothy Searchinger from Princeton University and a bunch of colleagues point out flaws in the ways that carbon emissions are counted for cap-and-trade schemes in both Europe and the US.
“They say that the assertion that fuels made from biomass can be counted as carbon neutral is wrong. ‘Harvesting existing forests for electricity adds net carbon to the air,’ the report says. ‘If bioenergy crops displace forest or grassland, the carbon released from solid and vegetation, plus lost future sequestration, generates carbon debt, which counts against the carbon the crops absorb.’”
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Oct. 28, 2009
Comments Off
Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
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ADDITIONAL EVENTS TODAY – SATURDAY, OCT. 24
SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 9:30 am – 1:00 pm — FRIENDS OF THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / FALL USED BOOK SALE
Held at the pavilion, Town Creek Park, S. Gay Street. All are invited.
Friends of the Auburn Public Library’s Fall Used Book Sale will offer thousands of books at bargain prices. Hardbacks cost $1 and paperbacks cost 50¢. Come find a good book and support the library! (Rescheduled from Oct 10 due to inclement weather.)
SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 8:00 am — 5K TRAIL RUN / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE
Held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve.
Day-of-race registration – $20. https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/
Registration 6:30 – 7:45 am; race begins at 8:00 am.
This Saturday’s 5K trail run is on a carefully measured, well-marked course through the forest. Splits will be given at one- and two-mile marks. Proceeds will support development of the preserve. T-shirts and door prizes will be handed out.
SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 5:00 – 10:00 PM — OKTOBERFEST STREET PARTY / BY ALPEN CAFE, OPELIKA
Held in the street in front of Alpen Cafe, 913 South Railroad Ave, Historic Downtown Opelika. Free & open to all.
More info: contact Raymond Jackson at (334)705-0111 or rjackson@jacksonlawgroup.net.
SATURDAY, OCT 24 — INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE ACTION DAY
Please commemorate Saturday’s day of Climate Action by joining one of more than 4,000 events worldwide, in more than 170 countries. Although, the current atmospheric concentration is nearing 390 parts per million of atmospheric carbon dioxide, 350 parts per million is the upper limit on the concentration of CO2 which can sustain our global climate conditions, according to NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen’s report entitled “Target atmospheric CO2: Where should humanity aim?”
This Saturday, October 24th, people all over the world will be gathering as part of a global day of action to urge world leaders to take bold and immediate steps to address climate change and reduce carbon emissions. From capitol cities to the slopes of Mount Everest, and even underwater on dying coral reefs-people will come together to hold rallies aimed at focusing attention on the number 350. Visit www.350.org to learn more.
Visit www.aeconline.org/energy for additional information on Energy issues, including a recent presentation by AEC executive director Michael Churchman on environmental impacts of energy from the recent Energy Forum 2009 ( http://tinyurl.com/mc-energy-forum ).
Information courtesy of Alabama Environmental Council – www.aeconline.org.
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Week of Oct. 26, 2009 — Meetings, events & upates
ONGONG through FRIDAY, OCT. 30 — – AU COLLEGE OF AG’S LEARNING COMMUNITY COLLECTING SUPPLIES FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS
Collection boxes in AU’s Comer Hall foyer.
Budget cuts have affected all levels of education, including Lee County’s public schools. As part of its community service effort, the College of Agriculture’s Learning Community is providing desperately needed items for K-12 students and teachers in Beulah, Beauregard, Loachapoka and Smiths Station.
** Requested items range from paper products, markers and glue to first-aid supplies, hand sanitizers and children’s clothing.
** For a list of requested items or to find out how to contribute, call 844-4768 OR go to the Learning Community Web site http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/student/prospective/life/community.php .
COMMENTS ACCEPTED THROUGH MONDAY, NOV. 2: DRAFT FY2008-2011 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM – FY2010 REBALANCE (TIP)
Lee-Russell Council of Government’s Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Planning Organization (LRCOG/AOMPO) invites the public to review and comment upon the AOMPO’s prioritized list of transportation projects (the TIP) for the AOMPO planning area.
The draft TIP and comment forms are available for review during normal business hours at the LRCOG offices, Auburn Public Library, Opelika Public LIbrary, Auburn Housing Authority, Opelika Housing Authority and online at www.lrcog.com/mpo.html.
Comment forms should be submitted in person or via mail to:
Keith Bryan, LRCOG, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika, AL 36801.
Questions? Contact Keith Bryan at 334-749-5264 ext.214.
ONGOING THROUGH TUESDAY, NOV. 10 – ART EXHIBITION / WATER: THREE STATES (PHASE II)
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all
Gallery hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Mon-Fri (open through the lunch hour). Info: www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg
The College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Art, and the College of Agriculture presents the exhibition Water: Three States (Phase II). The exhibition is free and open to the public. Biggin Gallery is wheelchair accessible. More info: Kathryn Floyd, assistant professor of art history at 844-3393 or Katie Jackson, Head, Office of Ag Communications and Marketing at 844-5887.
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 20 - AUBURN-ALABAMA FOOD FIGHT / PLEASE DONATE!! FIVE DOLLARS BUYS TEN POUNDS OF FOOD!!
Collection barrels at local grocery stores & other locations. Monetary donations accepted by mail to Food Bank of East Alabama, 375 Industry Drive, Auburn AL 36832 and via secure online transactions at www.foodbankofeastalabama.com.
This is the largest food drive of the year. Last year an amazing 212,200 pounds of food were donated locally. This event has a huge impact on the Food Bank’s ability to provide food for needy families this holiday season and beyond. Follow the event and/or make donations at www.beatbamafooddrive.com.
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 20 – JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION / Photo XI
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Annual juried exhibition of photographs by regional artists and photographers.
ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.
MONDAY, OCT. 26, 4:00 – 5:00 PM — LECTURE: JULIE SHAFFER – SLOW FOOD / includes chocolate tasting
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3195. Free & open to the public.
Representative of Slow Food, Emory University, Ms. J. Shaffer, will hold a lecture about Slow Food to celebrate National Italian American Heritage Month and to inform students of healthy eating habits and environmental issues. Shaffer is founder of Slow Food Atlanta and southeastern regional governor for Slow Food USA. Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic organization founded in 1986 to counterattack the opening of the first McDonald’s in Rome, Italy. Shaffer is also Emory University’s sustainable food service education coordinator. Her lecture will include a video on Slow Food and chocolate tasting.
MONDAY, OCT. 26 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting October 13, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Update on TRUEbroadband – Commissioner Harris
b. Annual Personnel Policies Update – Kim Oas
c. “A Guide to Lee County Government” – Wendy Swann
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Updated Highway Reference Guide and Map – Neal Hall
b. Environmental Services Fund Budget Reduction – Roger Rendleman
c. Retail Beer License for Fish Bait / District 3
10. Adjourn
MONDAY, OCT. 26, 5:30 PM — BAT WALK
Held at AU’s Davis Arboretum. Free & open to all. Children welcome.
Beta Beta Beta, the National Biological Honor Society, will host its 32nd annual Bat Walk at the Davis Arboretum. There will be a short presentation on bats and their lifestyles, followed by a walk through the arboretum which will allow participants to hunt for bats using night vision goggles and bat detectors. There will also be live bats and door prizes. The event is free and open to all students, faculty, staff and members of the community. Children of all ages are welcome. More info:l Katheryn Walker walkek3@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, OCT. 26, 7:00 PM — GERMAN FILM SERIES: BERLIN IN GERMANY
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3242. Free & open to all.
The Fall of the Wall – Twenty Years After; Hannes Stöhr: Berlin is in Germany.
TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, OCT. 27 11:00 – noon — SFWS SEMINAR: INCORPORATING LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) PRINCIPLES IN BIOFUELS RESEARCH
Held in AU’s School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences (SFWS), Room 1101
Dr. Adam Taylor (UT) will give a seminar titled “Incorporating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Principles in Biofuels Research”.
TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 12:00 – 2:00 PM — FREE EPA WEBCAST ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE
Info & registration: http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/webcasts/register.html
The Watershed Academy is sponsoring the “Working Together to Address the Effects of Climate Change on Water Resources” Webcast on Oct. 27, 12:00 – 2:00 pm CST.
Presenters will be Michael Shapiro, deputy assistant administrator, U.S. EPA’s Office of Water; Karen Metchis, senior climate adviser, U.S. EPA’s Office of Water; and Lisa Beever, director, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, Fla.
Climate change has been identified as one of EPA’s top priorities and the agency is working to define strategies and actions to address climate change. EPA’s National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change provides basic information on climate change, the water-related effects of climate change, and the implications for EPA’s National Water Program.
The Webcast will cover the latest information about what EPA is doing as well as how Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program is developing climate change vulnerability assessments, adaptation plans, and indicators under EPA’s Climate Ready Estuary (CRE) program.
Participants are eligible to receive a certificate for their attendance.
The Webcast presentations are posted in advance and participants are encouraged to download them prior to the Webcast.
TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 2:30 PM — AUTHOR GIN PHILLIPS / PUBLIC READING: THE WELL AND THE MINE
Held in the auditorium, AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Writer Gin Phillips will read from her award-winning novel, “The Well and the Mine,” set in Depression-era Carbon Hill, Ala., a coal-mining town populated by hard-working people making do in a hard-scrabble life. The free, public event is hosted by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts and is cosponsored by the Osher Life Long Learning Institute (www.ollieatauburn.org). The AU Bookstore will have copies of “The Well and the Mine” available for purchase and signing. Phillips’ visit to Auburn will include working with a Dept of English creative writing class led by award-winning author and faculty member Judy Troy. More info: http://www.auburn.edu/cah or call 844-4946.
TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 3:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Agenda includes:
A. ADMINISTRATION SUBDIVISION (Ratify)
1.Pinecrest S/D, Corrective Plat Lots 19B & 20B, 2 lots, Cutler Ridge Court, J. Toland, Ratify
B. PLATS (preliminary and preliminary & final) – PUBLIC HEARING
2. Bottoms S/D, No.2, First Revision, 2 lots, 920 Lee Road 417, James M. Bottoms, P/F approval
3. Piney Woods S/D, 3 lots, 1121 Sauga hatchee Lake Rd., The Rhema Group, Inc., P/F approval
C. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
4. Goodwill Southern Rivers, 2217 Marvyn Parkway, C-3, GC-2, Goodwill donation center
5. Goodwill Southern Rivers, 1706 Columbus Parkway, C-3, GC-2, Goodwill donation center
6. Goodwill Southern Rivers, 2900 Pep perell Parkway, C-3, GC-2, Goodwill donation center
7. Sonam Consulting, Inc., 2000 block of Gateway Drive, C-2, GC-2, Revision of site plan (Studio 6 motel)
D. ANNEXATION AND ZONING RECOMMENDATION
8. WP Properties Opelika, LLC, 2401 First Avenue, 94 acres, M-1 zone recommended
E. AMENDMENT TO TEXT OF ZONING ORDINANCE – PUBLIC HEARING
9. Amend Section 7.4; Airport Hazard Area, by deleting the entire section and replacing same with a new Section 7.4, entitled Airport Overlay District
F. OTHER BUSINESS – RESOLUTION
10. City of Opelika Comprehensive Plan 2020 Resolution
G. OTHER BUSINESS
11. Discuss conceptual plan for Carmike movie theater. Conditional use review at November Planning Commission meeting.
12. Discuss Schedule for November and December Meeting Dates due to holidays
TUESDAY, OCT. 27 – JCSM ART TALK & MOVIE www.jcsm.auburn.edu
4:00 pm — ALICE JARDINE / I Like Ike, but I Love Lucy: Women in 1956
6:00 pm — MOVIE: Baby Doll
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY REPUBLICAN CLUB
SPEAKER: KAY IVEY – Alabama State Treasurer & gubernatorial candidate
Held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Auburn.
Meetings held on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Executive committee meeting at 7:00 pm, following regular meting.
TUESDAY, OCT.27, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.
TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 7:30 pm — HARPER LEE’S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD / OPELIKA PERFORMANCE SERIES EVENT
Held at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts.
More info & ticket purchase: ph: 334-749-8105 or email info@eastalabamaarts.org.
Note: Copies of To Kill a Mockingbird available at 20% discount at Books-A-Million TigerTown.
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, OCT. 28 & 29 — 2009 CLEAN WATER ALABAMA SEMINAR AND FIELD DAY
Held in the Bessemer Civic Center, Bessemer.
The 2009 Clean Water Alabama Seminar and Field Day provides an excellent opportunity to see the latest BMPs in the field and network with others. The events are offered by the Alabama Erosion and Sediment Control Partnership to help planners, designers, contractors, inspectors, and others learn more about erosion and sediment control practices and products. For more information contact: Katie Heath, Jefferson County, Soil & Water Conservation Foundation, 6267 Park South Drive, Bessemer, AL 35022; PH:205-424-9990, Ext 101; katie.heath@bham.rr.com
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28, NOON – 1:00 PM –GREEN LUNCH / MIKE KENSLER: Cultivating Sustainable Communities
Held in AU’s Student Center, Room 2223. Free & open to the public. Bring your lunch! http://www.auburn.edu/sustainability
Info: http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/projects/green_lunch.html“Cultivating Sustainable Communities: How to Ignite and Spread a Commitment to Sustainability.”
Mike Kensler, Outreach Programs Administrator for AU’s Water Resources Center, will present this month’s Green Lunch, which will take the form of an interactive presentation and will help participants develop their own philosophies and approaches to sustainability action and organizing. Mike has expertise in natural resources management, planning, and policy, as well as in the areas of organizational learning, team building, leadership development, and civic engagement. He has worked with communities and organizations at local and regional scales to cultivate a more sustainable future.
WEDNESDAY, OCT 28, 4:00 – 6:00 PM — NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH (Film Screening)
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3195. Free & open to all.
Film Screening: MAC by and with John Turturro.
A personal story but also a recount of the sacrifices, values, and customs of the Italian immigrants and their families. The film is in English. The event is free and open to the public to celebrate National Italian American Heritage Month.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28, 7:30 PM — AU PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE/STEEL BAND FALL CONCERT
Held in AU’s Goodwin Music Building Band Hall. Free & open to all.
Info: 334-844-4165; Music Dept. http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/.
THURSDAY, OCT. 29 — AU: CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS DAY
Held on AU’s concourse.
October is National Cyber Security Awareness month. The Office of Information Technology and campus information technology providers will offer tips and hints each week during October to help students, faculty and staff protect themselves and their computer and data. There will also be a Cyber Security Awareness Day on the concourse Oct. 29 with more tips, free T-shirts and goodies. The designs for this year’s campaign were created by Auburn graphic design majors Mary Grace Moseley, YunJung Choi, Grace Garrett and Cary Walker from professor John Morgan’s class. Visit the Web site ( http://keepitsafe.auburn.edu ) and follow the Office of Information Technology on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/auburnoit ) for more details.
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm — Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Energy
Held in the Joint Briefing Room (Star Wars Room), 8th Floor, Alabama State House.
Info: Kristen Rector, Exec. Assistant to Rep. Greg Wren, repgregwren@yahoo.com, 334-395-0123.
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, NOON — WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / LUNCHEON & ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON DIVORCE BASICS
Featured speakers: Beverlye Brady & Brenda Dozier
Held in the private dining room, AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center.
Seating is limited, so early registration is recommended. To register, call the WPB office at 844-3524 or e-mail wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
Cost: $18; includes luncheon buffet and speakers
The Women’s Philanthropy Board will host this luncheon and roundtable discussion featuring speakers Beverlye Brady and Brenda Dozier. For additional information, including speakers’ bios, please visit: http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/09Events/Brady_and_Dozier_combined_flyer.pdf
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 3:00 PM — DISCOVER AUBURN: THE HOUSE DETECTIVES
Held in AU’s Special Collections and Archives Department, Ralph Brown Draughon Library. Free & open to all. Reception follows program.
Ralph Draughon Jr, Delos Hughes, and Ann Pearson have dubbed themselves “The House Detectives”. They will discuss their ongoing quest for photos of Auburn’s past and houses that no longer exist.
Discover Auburn is a year-long series that features programs on research, history, and other topics of interest by Auburn faculty, staff and graduates. The series is 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. For more info: 334-844-4946; www.auburn.edu/cah.
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 6:00 – 8:00 PM — AUBURN DOWNTOWN TRICK OR TREAT
Come celebrate the 9th Annual Downtown Trick or Treat event! This is an event that encourages an alternative to house-to-house trick or treating. Last year more than 5,000 children participated in the fun filled festivities. This year’s festivities will include musical entertainment, face painting, costume contests and most importantly your involvement! More info: Alison Hall, 334-501-2930 or Jackie Zook, 334-501-2930, jzook@auburnalabama.org.
Carve A Bite Out of Hunger!
Bring your children, ghosts and goblins to trick or treat at the local downtown Auburn Businesses. There will be barrels setup around downtown for your costumed friends to place food donations for the Food Bank!
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ORGANIZATION (EAO)
Held in AU’s Student Union. room 2107. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/eao/index.html
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 6;00 – 9:00 PM — INTERNATIONAL ASIAN FILM: THREE. . . EXTREMES
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 1203. Free & open to all.
International Asian Film, “Three…Extremes”: Asian Film Series #6
FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 1:00 – 2:00 pm — FISHERIES SEMINAR: DAVID GLOVER (AU)
Held in AU’s Swingle Hall, rm 303. Free & open to all.
Topi: “Slow growth of coastal largemouth bass: consequence of an alternative life-history strategy?”
FRIDAY, OCT. 30 — AU CADC’S 21ST ANNUAL PUMPKIN CARVE
3:00 – 6:00 pm — face painting, cookie decorating, games and the public is invited to carve pumpkins
6:00 pm – LIGHTING OF CARVED PUMPKINS & children’s costume contest
Held in the courtyard of AU’s Dudley Hall. Free & open to all.
Students from AU’s College of Architecture, Design and
Construction will light up the courtyard of Dudley Hall with the glow of more than 400 jack-o-lanterns at the 21st annual Pumpkin Carve. Food and drinks, including hot dogs, burgers and chili, will be available for purchase. The event, sponsored by the Auburn chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students. More info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1225
9:00 am – pumpkins on sale to students & visitors; carving begins
9:30 – 11:00 am – visit from Aubie
12:00 noon – student costume contest
3:00 – 6:00 pm — face painting, cookie decorating, games and the public is invited to carve pumpkins
6:00 pm - children’s costume contest
6:00 pm – lighting of CADC students’ pumpkins
6:30 pm – pumpkin judging
7:00 pm – presentation of awards
7:30 pm – carved pumpkins available to purchase for $5 minimum donation to American Institute of Architecture Students.
FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 4:00 PM — AU RAPTOR CENTER / FOOTBALL, FANS & FEATHERS
http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1105
Held at AU’s Southeastern Raptor Center, Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater on Raptor Road off Shug Jordan Parkway. Directions are available at www.auburn.edu/raptor.
Admission: $5 each, free for children under age 3.
Group admission: $3 a person for school groups of 25 or more; those groups should contact the center ahead of time by calling (334) 844-6943.
Additional shows: 4:00 pm, Nov 6 / Also 9:00 am on Nov. 27, the day of the Alabama game.
Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center will host “Football, Fans and Feathers,” educational, birds-in-flight raptor programs this fall on Fridays before home football games. A variety of birds such as hawks, falcons and eagles will be free-flown from flight towers. Education specialists will inform the audience about each bird and their role in nature. Programs take place in the 350-seat amphitheater on Raptor Road just off Shug Jordan Parkway.
The Southeastern Raptor Center, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has a mission of rehabilitating injured or orphaned raptors and educating the public. All birds used in the educational programs are non-releasable due to prior injuries or human imprinting. Any bird capable of surviving in the wild must be released, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permits Auburn to house the birds.
FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 6:00 – 8:30 PM — DOWNTOWN AUBURN FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCK PARTY / Music by Miss Used
Held in Downtown Auburn. Live music & other events.
The Auburn Downtown Merchants Association will hold block parties every Friday in the streets of downtown Auburn this football season.Magnolia Avenue will be blocked off from College Street to Gay for the block parties. There is no cover to the events.
Upcoming Block Party & Music: Nov. 6 – Kidd Blue.
Questions? Contact the ADMA at auburnmerchants@gmail.com.
SATURDAY, OCT. 31, 11:00 am — AU HOME FOOTBALL GAME — AU vs. Mississippi
Game day info: http://www.auburn.edu/communications_marketing/gameday/index.html
SATURDAY, OCT. 31 — REMINDER: MOVE CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR TONIGHT
SUNDAY, NOV. 1, 3:00 – 4:30 PM – ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES / PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION: Energy Innovations by the City of Auburn – James Buston, Assistant City Manager/CIO, City of Auburn
Held in the Auburn City Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor, west of City Hall; entrance on side of building, behind Cheeburger Cheeburger parking lot. Free & open to all.
Co-hosted by AU’s Office of Sustainability; see http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/energy/talk_series.html for details on the series.
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CITY OF AUBURN OFFERS NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES PRESCRIPTION DISCOUNT CARD PROGRAM
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ed102309.asp
CITY OF AUBURN GOES SOCIAL
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm102309.asp
Citizens looking to stay up-to-date on the latest news and announcements from the City of Auburn have two new ways to stay informed. Visit the City of Auburn page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityofAuburnAL or follow the City of Auburn on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CityofAuburnAL to stay current on the latest news and announcements from your Auburn City Government. Citizens may continue to receive their updates via the e-Notifier, the city’s email subscription service providing free email notifications of press releases, meeting packet availability, Open Line announcements, trash pick-up schedule reminders, Library events, and much more. For more information, visit the City of Auburn online at www.auburnalabama.org or contact Auburn City Hall at 501-7260.
AU CENTER FOR GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES / ANALYSIS OF CENSUS BUREAU DATA – % OF TAX REVENUE DECLINE DURING RECESSION
AU’s Center for Governmental Services has unveiled its analysis of newly released U.S. Census Bureau data showing that during the current recession Alabama’s tax revenues have declined slightly less than the 14.2 percent average falloff for the nine Southeastern states.
The most recent data show that Alabama’s total tax revenues in the second quarter of 2009, collected from all sources, declined by 13 percent versus the same quarter in 2008. Alabama’s falloff was greater than that of Arkansas at minus 5 percent; Mississippi at minus 9 percent; Tennessee at minus 11 percent; and Florida at minus 12 percent. Alabama’s decline in tax revenue was exceeded by those of Georgia at minus 17 percent; Louisiana at minus 18 percent; South Carolina at minus 21 percent; and North Carolina at minus 22 percent.
ALABAMA VOICES: ADEM’s oversight too lax – Montgomery Advertiser
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20091022/OPINION0101/910210377/1006/opinion
The author, Michael W. Mullen, a certified professional in erosion and sediment control, is executive director of Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper Inc.
OXFAM CLIMATE CHANGE MAP – THE SOUTHEAST IMPACTS
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/10/climate-change-going-to-hurt-southeast-united-states.php
COMPREHENSIVE DATA PORTAL FOR GLOBAL CLIMATE INFORMATION
http://gosic.org
AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR AN ENERGY EFFICIENT ECONOMY RANKS ALABAMA 48TH IN THE COUNTRY in the implementation of energy efficient programs and policies. Scoring lower than Alabama (worse) were Mississippi, North Dakota, Wyoming and the District of Columbia.
Here is the report: http://www.aceee.org/press/e097pr.htm
Birmingham News Story – http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/10/alabama_ranks_48th_in_energy_e.html
SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER (SELC) REPORT SHOWS BIRMINGHAM METRO AREA #1 WORST SOOT POLLUTION IN URBAN SOUTH with levels high enough to put more than 400,000 children and adults directly at risk for heart and lung disease.
The SELC Report – http://www.southernenvironment.org/newsroom/press_releases/2009_10_20_bham_press_release/
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Tree Commission – Three vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 3 City Council meeting.
*Parks and Recreation Advisory Board – Two vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 17 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Oct. 24, 2009
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Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
ADDITIONAL AGENDA DETAILS
TODAY, TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Today’s meeting will be closed to the public. The committee will be holding additional stakeholder interviews.
More info: contact Auburn Planning Department at 501‐3040 or http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/Misc/Downtown%20Study%20Committee.pdf
MUSEUM CAFE OPEN DURING EVENING EVENT
TONIGHT, TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 4:45- 6:00 pm — JCS Museum Cafe www.jcsm.auburn.edu
The museum cafe will be open to serve its lunch menu from 4:45 – 6:00 p.m. between the 4:00 pm artist talk and 6:00 pm movie.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
TONIGHT, TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 6:30 PM — MUSICIANS MONTHLY JAM SESSION
Held at the Loachapoka United Methodist Church, Hwy 14 (on the right as you enter Loachapoka from Auburn).
Peck Rowell and a group of musicians will have their monthly Jam Session. Held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
CORRECTION
HEALTH CARE FORUM ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT, TUESDAY, OCT. 20 WILL BE HELD TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21. See below for details.
AGENDA CHANGE
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION
Held at 401 Adams Avenue, Mont. Ph: 334-242-5499. Open to the public.
Agenda: Regular meeting, includes:
Open Meeting
1. Roll call and Declaration of Quorum
2. Recognition of former Vice-Chairman Malcolm Steeves
Reports of Officers and Committees
3. Consideration of Minutes of July 28, 2009 meeting
4. Report from Division Director, ADECA Office of Water Resources
Old Business
5. Water Wars Update
New Business
6. Presentation by USGS on Basinwide Water Availability Tools
7. Recognition of Dr.Don C. Hines
Other Business
8. Schedule of Future Meetings
9. Adjourn
ADDITIONAL EVENT
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 3:30 PM — FACULTY OPEN FORUM ON LECTURER & SENIOR LECTURER POSITIONS
Held in AU’s RBD Library, room 1106, auditorium. Open to all.
Provost Mary Ellen Mazey will hold an open forum discussing the Lecturer and Senior Lecturer positions. The forum is open to anyone interested in attending.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 6:00 – 7:00 PM – LECTURE / DAVE MARTIN: DISABILITY RIGHTS AS CIVIL RIGHTS
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3195. Free & open to all.
Dave Martin, the W.T. Smith Professor and head of the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology, will present “Disability Rights as Civil Rights.” The lecture is sponsored by the Honors College and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. More info: contact Paul Harris, associate director of the Honors College, at pah0005@auburn.edu.
NEW DATE, TIME, LOCATION
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 7:30 PM — FORUM ON HEALTH CARE REFORM
Held in AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center, auditorium. Free & open to all.
More info: call AU SGA at 33-844-4240.
Alabama legislators representing both Democratic and Republican opinions on the issue and a panel consisting of health advisors, employees and constituents will be attending. The forum is a place where people will discuss both sides of the issue and gain knowledge of the consequences, both good and bad, and the impact this policy will have. A question-and-answer session will be provided at the end to deal with the misconceptions, rumors and technical questions surrounding the legislation and discourse of health care reform.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21 through FRIDAY, OCT. 30 — – AU COLLEGE OF AG’S LEARNING COMMUNITY COLLECTING SUPPLIES FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS
Collection boxes in AU’s Comer Hall foyer.
Budget cuts have affected all levels of education, including Lee County’s public schools. As part of its community service effort, the College of Agriculture’s Learning Community is providing desperately needed items for K-12 students and teachers in Beulah, Beauregard, Loachapoka and Smiths Station.
** Requested items range from paper products, markers and glue to first-aid supplies, hand sanitizers and children’s clothing.
** For a list of requested items or to find out how to contribute, call 844-4768 OR go to the Learning Community Web site http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/student/prospective/life/community.php .
RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE FOR UPCOMING EVENT
TUESDAY, OCT. 29, NOON — WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / LUNCHEON & ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON DIVORCE BASICS
Featured speakers: Beverlye Brady & Brenda Dozier
Held in the private dining room, AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center.
Seating is limited, so early registration is recommended. To register, call the WPB office at 844-3524 or e-mail wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
Cost: $18; includes luncheon buffet and speakers
The Women’s Philanthropy Board will host this luncheon and roundtable discussion featuring speakers Beverlye Brady and Brenda Dozier. For additional information, including speakers’ bios, please visit: http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/09Events/Brady_and_Dozier_combined_flyer.pdf
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(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Environmentalists say drop in ADEM penalties reflects diminishing enforcement of protections. [PLACE editorial note: For more info on the state of water quality and other environmental issues in Alabama, go to the Alabama Rivers Alliance website – http://www.alabamarivers.org/ and the website of David A. Ludder, Environmental Lawyer – www.enviro-lawyer.com/.
(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Two national reports find serious problems in Alabama’s health care systems.
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GADSDEN TIMES – Gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis to outline how he would pursue constitutional revisions if elected.
HUNTSVILLE TIMES – Gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis calls for rewrite of state’s 1901 constitution.
Information below courtesy of ACCR – Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform.
More info on all aspects of constitutional reform at ACCR’s website www.constitutionalreform.org.
ARTUR DAVIS CALLS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
Gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis held a press conference in Huntsville yesterday, where he pledged his support for a new constitution for Alabama. Davis endorsed a constitutional convention comprised of elected delegates who will draft a new constitution to be voted up or down by voters in a statewide referendum.
“Alabama’s 1901 Constitution is rooted in a 1901 value–the idea that local communities cannot be trusted to make their own choices, and that powerful special interests in Montgomery will always have the final say. Our old constitution protects the privileges of forces like out of state land owners, while it shortchanges families who pay taxes on baby milk and medicine,” said Davis. “Alabamians deserve the right to vote on a new document that speaks to our current values and our current needs as a state.”
Davis has previously proposed the toughest ethics reform plan ever considered in Alabama, reforms that far exceed anyone running for governor. Last week, Davis unveiled a Taxpayer Protection Plan to increase transparency and accountability and fight government waste.
Davis continued, “None of our recent governors have made a rewrite of the 1901 constitution a priority, and it is a fact that the other candidates in this race are all opposed to a constitutional convention. I would expect the opponents of constitutional reform to trot out the same tired arguments about why we should fear constitutional reform. But what they really mean is that they don’t trust the voters and they’re not prepared to defend the status quo in the light of day that a constitutional convention would provide. ”
With more than 800 amendments, Alabama’s 1901 Constitution is the longest and most convoluted state constitution in America. Among other things, the document bars local governments from participating in economic development activities and places local decisions in the hands of Montgomery politicians. According to Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform, Alabama is the only state in the southeast that deprives counties of local control.
More info on the Davis statement: www.reformALconstitution.com.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Oct. 20, 2009
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WEEK OF OCT. 19, 2009 — MEETINGS, UPDATES & EVENTS
Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
Oct. 16, 2009 column by Lisa Brouillette – Hard to believe nobody knew store’s stock
First Published: October 16, 2009 in the Opelika-Auburn News
http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/10/16/lisa-brouillette-oct-16-2009-column-hard-to-believe-nobody-knew-store%E2%80%99s-stock/
(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Alabama’s jobless rate increases to 10.7% in September.
CRIMSON WHITE – UA law professor Susan Pace Hamill campaigns for House District 63.
BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL – Alabama foreclosures up 22% in September.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Former Ethics Commission Chair Cameron Vowell calls for changes to give commission stronger powers.
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ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 7:45 am – 4:45 pm – DISPLAY OF WORK BY AU SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS
Held in AU’s Dudley Hall, on display on all four floors. Free & open to all.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s Landscape Architecture program in the School of Architecture is featured in an exhibit of student work from the last five years on all four floors of Dudley Hall. The exhibit consists of drawings, photographs, multimedia and more and will be on display through Oct. 23. It was compiled for the recent visit of the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board, which visits every few years to review and re-accredit the program. The public is welcome to visit Dudley Hall from 7:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m. to view the exhibit. For more information, contact Rod Barnett at rjb0012@auburn.edu.
COMMENTS ACCEPTED THROUGH MONDAY, NOV. 2: DRAFT FY2008-2011 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM – FY2010 REBALANCE (TIP)
Lee-Russell Council of Government’s Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Planning Organization (LRCOG/AOMPO) invites the public to review and comment upon the AOMPO’s prioritized list of transportation projects (the TIP) for the AOMPO planning area.
The draft TIP and comment forms are available for review during normal business hours at the LRCOG offices, Auburn Public Library, Opelika Public LIbrary, Auburn Housing Authority, Opelika Housing Authority and online at www.lrcog.com/mpo.html.
Comment forms should be submitted in person or via mail to:
Keith Bryan, LRCOG, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika, AL 36801.
Questions? Contact Keith Bryan at 334-749-5264 ext.214.
ONGOING THROUGH TUESDAY, NOV. 10 – ART EXHIBITION / WATER: THREE STATES (PHASE II)
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all
Gallery hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Mon-Fri (open through the lunch hour). www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg
The College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Art, and the College of Agriculture presents the exhibition Water: Three States (Phase II). The exhibition runs through November 10, 2009.
Phase II of Water: Three States continues the conversation from Phase I by contrasting the power of water to overwhelm human society to the hopeful potential for growth and restoration. Daniel Kariko, a Florida-based photographer, presents Storm Season, a series of pinhole photographs that document the on-going erosion of the Gulf coast in the aftermath of recent hurricanes. Similarly, Andy Behrle, a sculptor living and working in Alabama, deals directly with the corrosive forces of water on natural and synthetic materials in his large-scale installations. Their investigations of the persistent and sometimes devastating powers of water are quietly counterbalanced by the continued growth of Xavier Cortadas live mangrove seedlings begun in Water: Three States (Phase I).
Water: Three States (Phase II) is part of the interdisciplinary project Art in Agriculture. www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg
The exhibition is free and open to the public. Biggin Gallery is wheelchair accessible. More info: Kathryn Floyd, assistant professor of art history at 844-3393 or Katie Jackson, Head, Office of Ag Communications and Marketing at 844-5887.
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 20 - AUBURN-ALABAMA FOOD FIGHT / PLEASE DONATE!! FIVE DOLLARS BUYS TEN POUNDS OF FOOD!!
Collection barrels at local grocery stores & other locations. Monetary donations accepted by mail to Food Bank of East Alabama, 375 Industry Drive, Auburn AL 36832 and via secure online transactions at www.foodbankofeastalabama.com.
This is the largest food drive of the year. Last year an amazing 212,200 pounds of food were donated locally. This event has a huge impact on the Food Bank’s ability to provide food for needy families this holiday season and beyond. Follow the event and/or make donations at www.beatbamafooddrive.com.
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 20 — JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION / Photo XI
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Annual juried exhibition of photographs by regional artists and photographers.
MONDAY, OCT. 19, 7:00 PM — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Topic: Sprawl, Taxes and Planning in Lee County
Speaker: Wendy Swann, Govt. Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission
Held in the EAMC Health Resource Center, Pepperell Pkwy, Opelika. Open to all.
7:00 – meet & greet; 7:30 pm – program.
MONDAY, OCT. 19, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — BOOK-SIGNING/MUSICAL PERFORMANCE — AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. www.thegnusroom.com
Open to all. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. Free & open to all.
From 1980-2000, Toni Brown was owner and publisher of Relix Magazine, a bible amongst Deadheads and a visionary link to “intelligent music alternatives.” Relix propelled the Jamband scene, and Brown has taken her place as a performing participant.
Touring since 1995, Brown has shared the stage with many musical friends–including Vince Welnick/Tom Constanten and Donna Jean of the Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Hot Tuna, Big Brother & The Holding Co., Vassar Clements, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Merl Saunders, Bela Fleck, Yonder Mountain String Band, Peter Rowan, Melvin Seals & JGB, Flying Burrito Brothers, Commander Cody, Blues Traveler, Zen Tricksters, Leftover Salmon, David Nelson Band, ekoostik hookah, Crazy Fingers, Max Creek, String Cheese Incident, Juggling Suns and many others.
In addition to touring as a solo artist, Brown is a music journalist, lectures on the music industry and is a publicist for a variety of acts and events. Now living in Orlando, Florida, she has solidified her musical base locally and nationally, and appears regularly with guitarist Ed Munson as a folk rock duo. Brown and Munson will be performing their music, and signing copies of the recently published Relix: The Book. For more info, please visit www.tonibrownband.com.
MONDAY, OCT. 19, 7:30 PM — COOKIE WALK PLANNING MEETING
Held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 Church Drive, Auburn. Open to all.
Help plan the upcoming Cookie Walk (Dec 5 at Grace Methodist Church), the proceeds of which will benefit Habitat for Humanity.
TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 11:00 – noon — THE FORENSIC SCIENCE OF WOOD AND PAPER EVIDENCE
Held in AU’s School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences (SFWS) bldg, room 1101. Free & open to all.
SFWS Seminar – Dr. Terry Conners (UK) will give a seminar titled “The Forensic Science of Wood and Paper Evidence”.
TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St.
Agenda: TBA [view at http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/Misc/Downtown%20Study%20Committee.pdf or contact Auburn Planning Department at (334) 501‐3040.]
TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 3:30 PM — T. R. BIRKHEAD / DARWIN AND POST-COPULATORY SEXUAL SELECTION
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
AU’s Dept of Biological Sciences will host T.R. Birkhead, a professor at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom and is among the most prominent evolutionary and behavioral biologists in the world. He has the distinction of being Friend of the Royal Society, which is the equivalent of the National Academy of Sciences in the U.S.
TUESDAY, OCT. 20 — JCSM ARTIST TALK & MOVIE www.jcsm.auburn.edu
4:00 PM – MICHAEL BERTRAND / The King of Rock as Working-Class Hero: The Rise and Reign of Elvis Presley
6:00 pm — MOVIE / The Girl Can’t Help It
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 5:30 pm — DR. WAYNE FLYNT: HARPER LEE’S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Held at the Community Cultural and Conference Center of Opelika, 1103 Glenn St, Opelika. Free & open to all. Reception provided compliments of Jimmy’s.
Envision Opelika Foundation Inc and The Arts Association of East Alabama present AU Distinguished University Professor of History, Dr. Wayne Flynt. Copies of To Kill a Mockingbird available at 20% discount at Books-A-Million TigerTown.
More info: Envision Opelika 334-705-5138 or The Arts Assoc of East Alabama 334-749-8105.
TUESDAY, OCT. 20 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Resolution/agreement, ALDOT, resurfacing – ARRA funds.
b. Resolution, Federal funds for a Northern Perimeter Road Corridor study — Walter Dorsey
(2) - a. Resolution to approve ADA Fact Sheet and Grievance Procedures and designate a new ADA Coordinator — Lisa Seymour
(3) - a. Proposal for Broadband services — Commissioner John Andrew Harris
(4) - a. General updates – Mayor Fuller, John Seymour
(5) - Review/discuss the 10/20/09 CM agenda items — Mayor Fuller
(6) - General Discussion – - City Council / a. New / Old Business, b. Board appointments – Library Board, c. Other City business.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
a. EDPA certification of a N.E. Industrial Park site – Gary Faulkner.
b. Proclamation for Pro Bono Week – Robbie Treese.
c. Recognize two Police officers of the month – Ben Jones & David Veasey.
d. Recognition of the Opelika Police Department & Police officers for winning Regional Awards.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less)
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS
a. Request from AM-PM Food Mart for a retail wine/beer off-premise license.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
a. One (1) tractor with options for the WW Treatment Plant.
b. One (1) 2010 Ford F-150 extended cab pick-up for WW Treatment Plant.
c. IBM blade centers, storage devices and hardware for the IT department.
d. Power Series (iSeries) Server to replace current OPLCOM Server – IT dept.
e. Change order, remove soil materials under Hickory Lane – Eng.
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. Special appropriation contract with NeighborWorks Columbus.
2. Annual appropriation contact with J. W. Darden Foundation.
3. Annual appropriation contract with Valley Haven School.
4. Agreement with Cauthen, Forbes & Williams.
5. Designate and authorize disposal of surplus inventory.
6. Annual appropriation contract with E.A. Sickle Cell Foundation.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter (none)
1. Amend zoning ordinance, 411 N. 16th St., from R5 to C3 – 2nd reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS – a. Library Board.
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, OCT. 20 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 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:
3. REQUEST FOR REDUCTION OF LIEN. 360 Frazier Street. Discussion. City Manager Duggan.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses. Consideration.
(1) Hamilton’s On Magnolia LLC dba/Hamilton’s On Magnolia.
174 East Magnolia Avenue. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor
License.
(2) Alabama CVS Pharmacy LLC. 050 – Retail Beer (Off Premises Only) and 070 – Retail Table Wine (Off Premises Only).
(a) dba/CVS 1777. 1888 Ogletree Road.
(b) dba/CVS 8933. 1498 Opelika Road.
(3) ML Restaurants Inc. dba/Momma Goldbergs Deli. 040 – Retail Beer (On or Off Premises)
(a) 133 W. Longleaf Drive.
(b) 217 East Thach Avenue.
(c) 500 West Magnolia Avenue.
(4) Tiger Eye Entertainment LLC dba Homecoming Jam. 2065 Sandhill Road. 140 – Special Events Retail License.
b. Announcement of Board Vacancies. Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. Two Positions. Four Year Terms Expire November 30, 2013. Appointments at the November 17, 2009 Meeting.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexations. Planning Commission Recommendation. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) Marzine and Pamela Dumas. Property Located on east side of Lee Road 083 (Miracle Road). 1.09 Acres.
(2) Susan Snyder. Property Located on the west side of Alabama Highway 147 North (Heath Road) and north of U.S. Highway 280. 1.54 Acres.
(3) Outback Enterprises, LLC. Tom Cooksey (Authorized Representative). Property Located south of Lee Road 026 (AlaHill Drive) and west of Lee Road 054 (Society Hill Road). 3.00 Acres.
b. Zoning. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) Crosswoods Development, LLC and Sky is the Limit Homes, LLC. Gregory Forthofer (Authorized Representative). Property Located on the south side of Richland Road, east of the Cotswolds Subdivision and north of Willow Creek Subdivision. 10.25 Acres.
(a) Rezone from Neighborhood Conservation (NC-20) to Development District Housing (DDH).
(b) Amend Ordinance No. 2584. Expand Planned Development District (PDD) With Underlying Zone of Development District Housing (DDH).
(2) Amendment. Article IV (General Regulations, Section 424 (Bufferyards) – Section 432 (Landscape Submission Requirements).
c. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish “No Parking” Zones. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) Southeast Corner of Terrace Acres Drive and Dean Road.
(2) Southeast Corner of Magnolia Avenue and Gay Street.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) MG Holdings, LLC. Michael and Nick Davis (Authorized Representatives). Road Service Use – fast food restaurant w/drive through (Momma Goldberg’s) in the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) Zoning District. 133 West Longleaf Drive.
(2) Keith and Scott Pridgen, LLP. Patricia Davies (Authorized Representative). Road Service Use – scooter vehicle sales and service (The Scooter Groove) in the Redevelopment District (RDD) Zoning District. 203 Opelika Road, Suite B.
(3) 110, L.L.C. Frances P. Dillard (Authorized Representative). Commercial and Entertainment Use – restaurant (Waffle House) in the Urban Core (UC) Zoning District. 110 West Glenn Avenue. One-Time Six-Month Extension.
b. Patricia McDonald, Trustee for the Lenore V. Cloutier Revocable Trust (Russell Balch (Authorized Representative). McDonald Right-of-Way Opinion. Property Located east of Lee Road 042 and south of Lee Road 757. Planning Commission Recommendation.
c. Close City Street. Southern portion of Eagle Circle. Neighborhood Block Party. Saturday, October 24, 2009. 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
d. Corporate Limits Reduction. Lot 1, City Limits Subdivision. Alabama Highway 14. Holt Property.
e. Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). Federal Highway Administration. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign. Agreements.
(1) Preliminary Engineering. $5,000.
(2) Resurface Various Streets. $1,248,975.
f. Drainage and Utility, Ingress/Egress, and Utility Easements. Acceptance.
(1) Cleveland Brothers, Inc. Mimm’s Trail Subdivision. Property Located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Shell Toomer Parkway and Mill Creek Road (Lee Road 022). Drainage and Utility and Ingress/Egress Easements.
(2) South Hood, L. L. C. Tom Hayley (Authorized Representative). Lot 5-A, Golfview Subdivision. Utility Easement.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 7:00 PM — AUUF ENVIRONMENTAL MOVIE: FRESH, THE MOVIE
Held at Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF), 450 E. Thach Ave. www.auuf.net Free & open to all.
Fresh, the Movie (running time: 72 minutes)
Take a Fresh look at food, agriculture and sustainability across America! A celebration of small farmers and local food production, of ecologically sane practices, and of partnerships between growers and consumers, this documentary is inspiring and positive. “FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.” FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy. You can watch the trailer at http://www.freshthemovie.com.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 8:00 AM – LEE-RUSSELL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
Held at LRCOG office, 2207 Gateway Dr, Opelika. Open to all. Ph: 334-749-5264 http://www.lrcog.com/
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION
Held at 401 Adams Avenue, Mont. Ph: 334-242-5499. Open to the public.
Agenda: Regular meeting, includes:
1. Roll call and Declaration of Quorum
2. Recognition of Dr. Don C. Hines’ Contributions to AWRC
3. Recognition of former Vice-Chairman Malcolm Steeves
Reports of Officers and Committees
4. Consideration of Minutes of July 28, 2009 meeting
5. Report from Division Director, ADECA Office of Water Resources
Old Business
6. Water Wars Update
New Business
7. To be announced
Other Business
8. Schedule of Future Meetings
9. Adjourn
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities). All members are encouraged and invited to attend. www.auburnheritage.org
Note: Held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept to May.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 2:30 PM — CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. / CHINA’S DEVELOPMENT AND CHINA-U.S. RELATIONS
Held in AU’s new Student Center, ballroom, 3rd floor. Free & open to all.
The Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Wenzhong Zhou, will visit Auburn University Oct. 20-21 at the invitation of Auburn President Jay Gogue to promote international education partnerships. Ambassador Zhou will give a public presentation, “China’s Development and China-U.S. Relations.” His visit also will include campus tours as well as gatherings hosted by President and Mrs. Gogue, the Chinese Professional Association and the Chinese Student Organization.
About the speaker: Ambassador Zhou was born in Jiangsu Province, China. after studying at Bath University and London School of Economics of the United Kingdom for two years, he joined the Department of Translation and Interpretation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in 1975. From 1978 to 1983, he served as attaché and third secretary at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America in Washington, DC. in 1987, he was named Deputy Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco and was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Barbados and to Antigua and Barbuda in 1990. He then served as Consul General of China to Los Angeles in 1994 and as Minister and DCM of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC in 1995. he served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Commonwealth of Australia from 1998 to 2001. In 2003, he was named Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China. since 2005, he has served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the United States of America.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 4:00 – 5:00 PM — DR. KACZEK / RESISTING BODIES: NARRATIVES OF ITALIAN WOMEN PARTISAN
Held in room 2370, Haley Center, AU. Free & open to all.
The co-author of the book Resisting Bodies: Narratives of Italian Women Partisan will be in Auburn to celebrate National Italian American Heritage Month. Dr. Kaczek is Professor of Italian and Chair of the Language Department at Clemson University. The event is free and open to the public.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
NEW MEETING PLACE! Now held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road.
6:00 pm – buffet dinner ($11, tax & tip included)
6:50 pm -Speaker: JOSH SEGALL, candidate for Alabama’s 3rd US Congressional Disrict (v. Republican incumbent Mike Rogers)
Josh Segall has generated much excitement in the 3rd District by announcing that he is going after Mike Rogers again in the upcoming election. Segall shocked political onlookers last year when he raised almost $1 million and garnered over 46% of the vote against Rogers. This strong showing came despite a late-entry into the race with just a few months for the first time candidate to assemble a team, develop a fundraising base and build a district-wide grassroots operation. Many political commentators felt that Segall would have prevailed but for lack of time to get his message out. Josh graduated from Brown University and Alabama School of Law. He has worked on campaigns in Virginia, Texas, and Washington. While in law school, he started an organization called “Homegrown Alabama” to get the University to buy its food from Alabama farmers. He and students from a class he taught started a farmer’s market on campus, which helped the University community come together to support Alabama’s farmers while creating an economic benefit for Alabama.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 7:00 – 9:00 pm — ART IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY / outdoor video screening by The Layman Group & NY-based ART:21
Held at Chewacla State Park. All welcome to attend!
Admission: Regular Park fee $1(child) – $3(adult)
More info: contact Doc Waller, Ph: 206-338-3930, E-mail: public@thelaymangroup.org or visit www.thelaymangroup.org and join the mailing list for updates!
The Layman Group, East Alabama’s newest nonprofit Arts organization, in partnership with Art21, Inc. as part of its Art21 Access 09 initiative, presents a sneak preview of the fifth season of “Art:21Art in the Twenty-First Century,” the only prime time national television series focused exclusively on contemporary art,. And we’re doing it under the stars! Bring your blankets, the kids, and plenty of empty stomachs! We’ll have food, wine, a fire to roast delicious S’mores over, and an exclusive peak at an award-winning documentary series. See it before the rest of the world! Come join us for conversation with other arts lovers within the community! Bring friends!
Art21 Access 09 is an international screening initiative created to increase knowledge of contemporary art, ignite dialogue, and inspire creative thinking through hundreds of public screenings and events that tailor the ideas presented in the series to the interests and concerns of local audiences. The season premieres on PBS October 7th with a new episode each Wednesday during the month at 10pm (check local listings). Through in-depth profiles and interviews, the four-part series reveals the inspiration, vision and techniques behind the creative works of some of today’s most thought-provoking artists.
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 8:30 am – 2:30 pm — 4th ANNUAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE
Held at the Marriott Legends at Capitol Hill, Prattville.
Register on-line at: https://www.energyservicescoalition.org/chapters/AL/conference/2009/index.html
For Questions: Larry.Knox@adeca.alabama.gov or call 334-353-7556
General Session Speakers:
*Doni M. Ingram, Director of ADECA,
*Alabama Representative Greg Wren, Co-Chair,Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Energy,
*Dr. Eric G. Mackey, President of School Superintendents of Alabama, Superintendent of Jacksonville City Schools,
*Dale Hahs, Steve Sain, DOE, NASEO,TVA, AL Power, PowerSouth,
*ALAGASCO Breakout Presentations: Alabama Photovoltaic Study: Dr. Henry Brandhorst, Space Research Institute, Auburn
University/ Project Financing: Karen Keeler, AAIG/ Tennessee Valley Authority: Recent Developments in Renewable Energy Incentives/ Dr. Steve Taylor, Director, AU Center for Bioenergy & Bioproducts
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Open to all. ph: 334-242-2230
Agenda details at https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notices.aspx [search by name of board]
[ or go to: https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama+Home+Builders+Licensure+Board&submissiondatetime=10%2f9%2f2009+4%3a44%3a32+PM ]
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 11:30 AM CENTRAL (12:30 PM EDT) — LEGALLY GREEN: DELIVER THE GREEN YOU PROMISE / LIVE Webcast for Professional Builder
Live online seminar; free & open to all.
Registration required: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=162303&sessionid=1&key=1FD20361057E8AEF008282CA6AAAB331&sourcepage=register.
As more home builders and remodelers embrace green building, they find themselves in danger of making claims about home performance that can’t be delivered. Real liability issues surround green. Having systems in place to ensure your ability to deliver is essential, and making sure you don’t find yourself in hot water with a hard-charging lawyer requires more than just under-promising and over-delivering. Our two experts will educate you on execution and liability.
Details, including speaker bios, at http://www.housingzone.com/info/ca6312276.html.
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, noon – 1:00 pm — BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES / LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center, Auburn.
League members gather to discuss current local affairs each fourth Thursday of the month (third Thursday in November).
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, OCT. 22 , 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 4:00 pm - OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Note: Regular Planning Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 27, 3:00 pm, at the same location.
Agenda includes:
A. ADMINISTRATION SUBDIVISION (Ratify)
1.Pinecrest S/D, Corrective Plat Lots 19B & 20B, 2 lots, Cutler Ridge Court, J. Toland, Ratify
B. PLATS (preliminary and preliminary & final) – PUBLIC HEARING
2. Bottoms S/D, No.2, First Revision, 2 lots, 920 Lee Road 417, James M. Bottoms, P/F approval
3. Piney Woods S/D, 3 lots, 1121 Sauga hatchee Lake Rd., The Rhema Group, Inc., P/F approval
C. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
4. Goodwill Southern Rivers, 2217 Marvyn Parkway, C-3, GC-2, Goodwill donation center
5. Goodwill Southern Rivers, 1706 Columbus Parkway, C-3, GC-2, Goodwill donation center
6. Goodwill Southern Rivers, 2900 Pep perell Parkway, C-3, GC-2, Goodwill donation center
7. Sonam Consulting, Inc., 2000 block of Gateway Drive, C-2, GC-2, Revision of site plan (Studio 6 motel) D. ANNEXATION AND ZONING RECOMMENDATION
8. WP Properties Opelika, LLC, 2401 First Avenue, 94 acres, M-1 zone recommended
E. AMENDMENT TO TEXT OF ZONING ORDINANCE – PUBLIC HEARING
9. Amend Section 7.4; Airport Hazard Area, by deleting the entire section and replacing same with a new Section 7.4, entitled Airport Overlay District
F. OTHER BUSINESS – RESOLUTION
10. City of Opelika Comprehensive Plan 2020 Resolution
G. OTHER BUSINESS
11. Discuss conceptual plan for Carmike movie theater. Conditional use review at November Planning Commission meeting.
12. Discuss Schedule for November and December Meeting Dates due to holidays
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 6:00 PM — KIESEL PARK SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES / featuring Spoonful James
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all.
Info: www.auburnalabama.org/parks, click on Special Events.
Bring the family, a picnic supper, your lawn chairs & the family dog and enjoy a free, relaxing evening under the stars. More info: Alison Hall, 334-501-2930, ahall@auburnalabama.org.
THURSDAY, OCT 22, 6:30 PM – SAVE OUR SAUGAHATCHEE (SOS)
Held in AU’s Comer Hall Auditorium. Open to all.
Agenda: Syrup Soppin’ planning and potluck. 6:30 social hour, 7:00 program.
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 7:30 pm — AU THEATRE: A BEAUTIFUL END
Held at AU Theatre Upstairs. Additional performances Friday, Oct. 23 & Saturday, Oct 24, at 7:30 pm. http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
A Beautiful End — Book, Music and Lyrics by Christian Duhamel; Directed by Joseph Bates.
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 7:30 – 9:00 PM — AU CHAMBER WINDS & PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE CONCERT
Held at First Baptist Church, Opelika. Free & open to all.
Featuring members of the AU Symphonic Band.
More info: music@auburn.edu; ph: 844-4165; AU Music Dept http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/www.auburn.edu/music
FRIDAY, OCT. 23 through SUNDAY, OCT. 25 — HUNGER MARCH TO MONTGOMERY
Starts on AU Campus.
This is the second annual Hunger March to Montgomery. Students march from campus to the State Capital Building in Montgomery to raise political awareness of Hunger and to raise funds and support for Auburn’s War on Hunger Initiative. More info: http://www.auburn.edu/event/hunger/index.php
FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM — LRCOG/AARP SHREDDING DAY
Held at Lakeview Baptist Church, Auburn. Open to all.
LRCOG and AARP are partnering to sponsor a shredding day to protect your identity. The public is invited to bring documents to be shredded.
FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM— 2009 WAR EAGLE NATIVE AMERICAN FESTIVAL
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Join us as we celebrate Native American culture and history at the 2009 War Eagle Native American Festival.
FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 1:00 – 2:00 PM — FISHERIES SEMINAR: GREG MOYER, USFWS / USE OF EFFECTIVE POPULATION SIZE IN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
Held in AU’s Swingle Hall, rm 303. Free & open to all.
FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 7:00 PM — HOWL AND OTHER POEMS /AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Celebrate the anniversary of the October 1957 ruling by Judge Clayton W. Horn that Allen Ginsberg’s poem, Howl, was not obscene. Considered one of the principal works of the Beat Generation, Howl was originally written by Ginsberg as a performance piece. Steele Campbell will be presenting the poem in its entirety along with some other Beat Generation works.
FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 7:30 pm — AU THEATRE: A BEAUTIFUL END
Held at AU Theatre Upstairs. Additional performance Saturday, Oct 24, at 7:3o pm. http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
A Beautiful End — Book, Music and Lyrics by Christian Duhamel; Directed by Joseph Bates.
FRIDAY OCT. 23, 8:00 pm — MUSIC AT FRED’S IN LOACHAPOKA
Held at Fred’s, Hwy 14, 6434 Stage Road Loachapoka. Contact: Fred 334.502.6602
All welcome. Admission: $10 band donation / Kids Free
An evening for All Ages with THE LAZYBIRDS. Come on out for this great group of players.
SATURDAY, OCT. 24 — 2ND ANNUAL EAST ALABAMA FIGHT HUNGER FALL FOOD DRIVE
Held in the Opelika Wal-mart parking lot. For details, or to make online monetary donations: www.foodbankofeastalabama.com.
SATURDAY, OCT. 24 — JCSM ART EXHIBIT OPENS: SELECTIONS FROM ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM —– LOACHAPOKA SYRUP SOPPIN’ http://www.soppin.org/
Held in Loachapoka Park, downtown Loachapoka, just 7 miles west of Auburn down Hwy 14. Free admission.
Join us for this all-day festival celebrating the historical method of cane syrup development. Arts & crafts, entertainment, and great food round out this family event.
SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 1:30 – 5:00 PM — What Catches the Eye – From Darkroom to Lightroom, Photos in Conversation
Come view and converse about the photos taken by Judy, Laura, Susan, and Jolly.
Held at Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF), 450 E. Thach Ave. www.auuf.net
Showing photos from the darkroom of film developing to the light room of digital processing. Judy Booth’s work is 35mm film developed and hand processed in her own darkroom, Susan Ledbetter’s work is 35mm film processed in a photo lab, Jolly Roberts’ work is with a digital camera and processed by a photo lab printer, and Laura Kloberg’s work is with a digital camera and processed on a commercial digital ink printer.
While the methods and processes are different, what catches the eye of the photographers of this show has some common ground. Finding relationships that speak to one another, they have grouped the photos by titled categories on the individual wall spaces, and extended the conversation with a flow of context from one space to the next – hence the conversation of grouped photos and conversation between categories. We invite you to view them and converse about them too.
SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: A BEAUTIFUL END
Held at AU Theatre Upstairs. http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/season/index.cfm
A Beautiful End — Book, Music and Lyrics by Christian Duhamel; Directed by Joseph Bates.
SUNDAY, OCT. 25, 1:00 PM — THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS (CCC) IN LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA
Held in the University Chapel, corner of Thach Ave & College St. Free & open to all.
More info: Mary Lou Smith, 334-887-5796 or smithml@auburn.edu.
The Auburn Heritage Association will sponsor this talk by Bob Pasquill, Forest Heritage Program Manager/Archeologist, U.S. Forest Service. Pasquill will explain the creation of the CCC in 1933 and how it contributed to the development of the Alabama State Park System. Mr. Pasquill has also authored a book entitled, The Civilian Conservation Corps in Alabama, 1933-1942: A Great and Lasting Good.
Note: Unveiling of an historic marker at Chewacla State Park follows lecture at 3:00 pm.
SUNDAY, OCT. 25, 3:00 – 4:30 PM – ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES / PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION: Weatherization Saves Money and Energy – Jim Yount, JRB Home, Inc., and colleagues
Held in the Auburn City Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor, west of City Hall; entrance on side of building, behind Cheeburger Cheeburger parking lot. Free & open to all.
Subsequent presentations include energy innovations by the City of Auburn and solar power. Co-hosted by AU’s Office of Sustainability; see http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/energy/talk_series.html for details on the series.
SUNDAY, OCT. 25, 3:00 pm — CCC HISTORIC MARKER UNVEILING
Held in Chewacla State Park. Free & open to all.
An historic marker will be unveiled commemorating CCC Co 4448, SP-12, responsible for the infrastructure work at the park from 1935-1941. The CCC Co. 4447, SCS-9 is also recognized on the marker for their soil conservation improvement efforts in the County and support of Co. 4448. The marker is co-sponsored by the Auburn Heritage Assoc. & the Historic Chattahoochee Commission.
More info: Mary Lou Smith, 334-887-5796; smithml@auburn.edu.
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UPCOMING EVENT:
BOOTHS AVAILABLE!!
SATURDAY, NOV. 7, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM — NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION BENEFIT YARD SALE
Held at the old Lowe’s building, Opelika.
Donations at the door at requested to help fund NIE.
8:00 – 9:00 am: $2 requested; 9:00 am – 2:00 pm: $1 requested. All proceeds provide newspapers to area teachers, who request them for classroom use. NOTE: Booths still available. Call 749-6271 or go to www.oanow.com, key word YARDSALE.
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Tree Commission – Three vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 3 City Council meeting.
*Parks and Recreation Advisory Board – Two vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 17 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Oct. 18, 2009
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First Published: October 16, 2009 in the Opelika-Auburn News
What a ruckus flared about that new business, Kalli’s Love Stuff, on South College Street in Auburn.
I’ll leave to others the question of whether or not the store’s adult novelties and vibrators violate state laws.
I find it difficult to believe no one knew what the store’s contents would be. But I find it equally difficult to believe the uproar over those contents.
Underlying the controversy, believe it or not, is our zoning ordinance.
If a new business conforms to certain general categories, its location is permitted automatically in certain zoning districts.
That means no additional scrutiny for compatibility with its surroundings, no public hearings, no conditional use approvals from the planning commission or city council.
Often this is a good thing, as it allows landlords flexibility in finding suitable locations for business tenants, with little delay.
However it also can allow rapid changes of use, which can be problematic or surprising, as seems to be the case with Kalli’s.
But this is hardly the first time such a change in business type has occurred.
Remember Hooters? Its location, which was in the same shopping center that now houses Kalli’s, originally was approved for an oil change business. Then the plans switched, showing it as an unnamed restaurant, which ultimately became Hooters.
Some might consider that bait-and-switch. Others probably just consider it good business. Either way, it’s allowed under our zoning ordinance.
* * *
Bobby Lowder’s connection with Auburn University popped up in the national news again recently, this time in Fortune Magazine.
Along with a summary of the company’s collapse, the Oct. 12 article on the former Colonial Bancgroup CEO detailed his relationship with Auburn University.
Lowder, a current member of the university’s board of trustees, also still chairs its finance committee.
Makes you wonder what financial advice he’s providing AU, and where it will lead, doesn’t it?
* * *
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says it will no longer be endorsing political candidates. Instead it will provide “just the facts, ma’am” about those running for public office.
What a shame. What a waste of expertise and experience.
Reporters and editors know more than politicians’ public facades. They know the issues, the context, the background that gives meaning to political action or the lack thereof.
They know the stories that can’t be printed.
Facts are important and should fill the news pages. Editorial pages, however, should brim with informed opinion and, at election time, endorsements.
Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her Web site http://placeforum.org.
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Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
CHANGES/CORRECTIONS
LOCATION CHANGE — TONIGHT’S AUBURN ARTS ASSOCIATION PARTY
New location: Greystone Mansion, 434 E. Magnolia Ave, Auburn.
Tonight, Thursday, Oct. 15, 6:30 – 10:00 pm – Open to Auburn Arts Association Members and the public.
All are invited to attend and enjoy wine, food, music and prizes. More info: 887-2832.
TONIGHT – CONCERT CANCELLED
Sundown at Kiesel Concert Cancelled for Thursday, Oct. 15
Cancelled due to predicted inclement weather.
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UPDATES
AUBURN UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY GRADE SLIPS TO “C” AVERAGE
Auburn University’s sustainability efforts received a “C” on the 2010 Sustainability Report Card. The report cards were released Oct. 7, which included 332 colleges in all 50 states and Canada.
The purpose of this green report card is to identify colleges and universities that are leading with regard to sustainability efforts, according to www.greenreportcard.com. [read the full story "Auburn slips to 'C' Average' online at www.theplainsman.com]
PLACE editorial note: Judge for yourself AU’s progress towards sustainability; go to the AU Office of Sustainability website: http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/index.html. Prepare to be impressed . . . and to join their efforts!
COMMUNICATION LACKING AT ADEM / by MITCH REID, Program Director, Alabama Rivers Alliance
Published in the Montgomery Advertiser – posted at
http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/10/11/communication-lacking-at-adem-mitch-reid-in-montgomery-advertiser/
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UPCOMING EVENTS THIS WEEKEND – Mark your calendar!
There are lots of local events from which to choose this weekend. And on your way, drop off a contribution to the AUBURN-ALABAMA FOOD FIGHT benefiting the Food Bank of East Alabama. Details and online donations via credit card at www.foodbankofeastalabama.com.
THIS FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 6:00 – 8:30 PM — DOWNTOWN AUBURN FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCK PARTY / Music by Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces
Held in Downtown Auburn. Live music & other events.
The Auburn Downtown Merchants Association will hold block parties every home-game Friday in the streets of downtown Auburn this football season. Magnolia Avenue will be blocked off from College Street to Gay for the block parties. There is no cover to the events. Upcoming Block Parties & Music: Oct. 30 – Miss Used; Nov. 6 – Kidd Blue.
THIS FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING Ellis
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Ellis go to www.sundilla.org.
THIS SATURDAY, OCT. 17, 1:00 – 3:30 PM — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at AU’s Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Space limited. Pre-registration required, via email to Tia Gonzales gonzats@auburn.edu.
Cost: $25, payable on or before date of the workshop with correct cash or check made to ACES (Auburn Cooperative Extension Service).
Workshop participants will learn about watersheds, local watershed issues, storm water and it’s effects on water quality. We’ll introduce various forms of rain water harvesting and talk about why rain barrels can be an extremely valuable part of an integrated approach to rain water harvesting.
We’ll show you how to build a simple, inexpensive and easy to maintain rain barrel. Then you’ll be able to build your very own rain barrel, with the tools and materials provided. (Depending on your situation, you may need to purchase some additional
parts to make gutter connections.) There will be several trainers there to help folks that are unfamiliar with using power tools.
Be prepared to get a little dirty and have a lot of fun. And don’t forget that a 55 gal plastic barrel may not fit in your trunk.
Also, plan for a little time to visit the Forest Ecology Preserve – https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/. Meanwhile, check out the links on our website http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/raincatchers.
Upcoming workshop / pre-registration available soon:
Nov 14, 1:00 – 3:30 pm, at the Auburn University Arboretum
THIS SUNDAY, OCT. 18, 3:00 – 4:30 PM – ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES / PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION: Innovations in Biofuels – David Bransby, Dept. of Agronomy and Soils, Auburn University
Held in the Auburn City Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor, west of City Hall; entrance on side of building, behind Cheeburger Cheeburger parking lot. Free & open to all.
Series continues on Sundays through October & November. Subsequent presentations include weatherization, innovations by the City of Auburn, and solar power. Co-hosted by AU’s Office of Sustainability; http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/energy/talk_series.html .
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REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
TUESDAY, NOV. 17 & WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18 — 6TH ANNUAL ALABAMA RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE
Register today at https://ssl.acesag.auburn.edu/conference/adeca2009/registrationForm.php
Held at the Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.
Hosted by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and the Auburn University Natural Resources Management and Development Institute (NRMDI)
The conference will feature a series of panel discussions and speakers on topics that include, but are not limited to:
· Federal and State Policies Related to Renewable Energy and their Impact
· Federal Biomass Crop Assistance Program
· Carbon Sequestration Opportunities in Alabama
· Overview of Renewable Energy Initiatives in the Southeast, particularly involving public/private partnerships
· Current Technology Trends and Opportunities
· Profiles of Success – An overview of renewable energy projects around the state that successfully combine the resources and expertise of ADECA, Auburn University, local municipalities and/or local farmers to positively impact communities
Who should attend?
· Agricultural and renewable energy entrepreneurs
· Producers of agricultural and/or forest biomass
· Members of the academic community
· State and local government leaders
· Members of the private sector with an interest in renewable energy
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LEGISLATIVE SUPPORTERS OF A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Information courtesy of ACCR – ALABAMA CITIZENS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM http://www.constitutionalreform.org/
ACCR Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that supports holding a constitution convention. To that end, we like to inform supporters about those legislators who, like us, support this effort.
Senator Ted Little and Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton in the House are just such legislators. In fact, they have sponsored legislation to bring a convention to Alabama since 2002.
Both will be running for re-election in 2010 and because of their support of a convention, some organizations that oppose a convention will fund candidates to run against them. It is critical to note that no legislator can receive campaign funds for re-election while the Legislature is in Session. If any individual chooses to donate then he or she should do so before January of 2010.
If you would like to contact them to let them know you appreciate their support, that will help them let other legislators know that they have the support of the people of Alabama.
Senator Little at: tedlittle@mindspring.com or district office at 334-887-3472. or
Friends of Ted Little
P. O. Box 2366
Auburn, AL 36831-2366
Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton at home 205-324-6053 or district office 205-252-0203 or
Demetrius C. Newton Campaign
1820 7th Avenue North Suite 108
Birmingham, AL 35203
In addition, there were 39 legislators who signed on as co-sponsors of the 2009 Resolutions to allow the people to vote on holding a constitution convention. They also need your support because opponents of reform will work against them. Keep in mind that additional information about all legislators, and finding your own legislator is available at: http://www.legislature.state.al.us
In the House of Representatives, co-sponsors are:
(home phone numbers and e-mails are provided if available)
Marcel Black of Tuscumbia 256-381-5277
Barbara Bigsby Boyd of Anniston 256-236-7423 bboyd@calhouncounty.org
Merika Coleman of Midfield (work) 205-325-5308
Chris England of Tuscaloosa 205-759-9265 cengland1@hotmail.com
Bill Dukes of Decatur 256-353-1725
Senator Priscilla Dunn (had been a representative earlier this year…newly elected as a senator) of Bessemer 205-426-3795
Ronald Grantland of Hartselle 256-773-5796
Laura Hall of Huntsville 256-859-2234 laura.hall2@att.net
Alan Harper of Aliceville 205-373-2433 aharper@nctv.com
Earl Hilliard, Jr. of Birmingham 205-798-6976
Tammy Irons of Florence (work) 256-766-9201 tammy@ironslawfirm.com
Joseph Mitchell of Mobile 251-473-5020
John Robinson of Scottsboro (work) 256-218-3090
Yusuf Salaam of Selma 334-872-6334
Tommy Sherer of Jasper 205-387-1321 tommysherer@yahoo.com
Patricia Todd of Birmingham 205-599-2856 reptodd@gmail.com
Pebblin Warren of Tuskegee 334-727-9127 tiger9127@bellsouth.net
Lea Fite of Jacksonvillle 256-886-127
Ken Guin House Majority Leader Of Carbon Hill (work) 205-924-006 ken@kenguin.com
Jeff McLaughlin of Guntersville 256-582-5696 jeff@mcedlaw.com
Oliver Robinson of Birmingham 205-849-6765
Randy Hinshaw of Meridianville 256-539-5441
Joe Faust of Fairhope 251-928-5445 jfaust@co.baldwin.al.us
H. Mac Gipson, Jr. of Prattville 334-365-9529 macgipson@knology.net
Mike Hill of Columbia 205-669-6264 mhillcolum@aol.com
In the Senate, co-sponsors are:
Rodger Smitherman, Senate President Pro Tem, Birmingham 205-322-3768
Zeb Little, Senate Majority Leader, Cullman 256-734-6348 zeb@zeblittlelawfirm.com
Hinton Mitchem of Union Grove 256-498-6600 legislator@mclo.org
Wendell Mitchell of Luverne (work) 334-244-1877 wmitchell@faulkner.edu
Bobby Denton of Muscle Shoals 256-381-7449 bobby@bobbydenton.com
Hank Sanders of Selma 334-875-1395
Roger H. Bedford, Jr. of Russellville 256-332-7709 senbedford@aol.com
Bobby Singleton of Greensboro 334-624-5619 bsingle164@yahoo.com
Linda Coleman of Birmingham, 205-798-1045 lindacoleman60@bellsouth.net
Vivian Figures of Mobile (work) 251-208-5480
Larry Means of Attallia 256-538-2014
Quinton T. Ross of Montgomery 334-280-2963
Steve French of Birmingham 205-871-3881
Del Marsh of Anniston 256-237-1931
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Oct. 15, 2009
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Update – corrections & additions
FORTUNE – Fortune magazine profiles Bobby Lowder, former CEO of failed Colonial BancGroup.
NEW YORK TIMES – Alabama among states where coal-powered utilities dump toxic substances into waterways in effort to reduce air pollution.
ADDITIONAL MEETING
TODAY, TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 3:00 PM — AU GENERAL FACULTY MEETING
Held in AU’s Broun Hall auditorium.
Agenda includes: remarks from President Jay Gogue and Senate Chair Kathryn Flynn; updates by Provost Mary Ellen Mazey on current dean searches, the lecturer/senior lecturer positions and the provost forums; an update from George Flowers on graduate tuition remission; and an update from Don Large about the budget. The agenda is available at http://www.auburn.edu/administration/governance/senate/website/agendas/2009-2010/faculty_agenda_10_13_09.html .
CANCELLED
TODAY’S AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
There is no Auburn Historic Preservation Commission meeting scheduled for today.
ADDITIONAL MEETING
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 9:00 – 10:30 am — AU WOMEN’S FACULTY MENTORING & NETWORKING
Held in AU’s Women Resource Center conference room, room 312, Mary Martin Hall.
These gatherings give attendees a chance to meet other new faculty and share their experiences in negotiating the academic world. Throughout the year, we will have regular gatherings, on the first Fridays and third Thursdays of each month. We will also have brown-bag lunches that will have speakers or panels who will address specific topics, including surviving the first years, how to allocate family and work time, how to set goals, and promotion and tenure issues. We will also work with those new faculty members interested in finding mentors, and we’ll assist them through this process. Other fall semester gatherings are scheduled for: Friday, November 6th, 2009 & Thursday, November 19th, 2009.
ADDITIONAL MEETING
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, noon – 1:00 pm — WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER ‘CONNECTIONS’ GROUP
Held in AU’s Mary Martin Hall, room 312. Free & open to all.
Bring a brown bag lunch; drinks & dessert provided.
“Connections’ meetings are for anyone whose life has been affected by breast cancer, and they provide opportunities to talk with others who are facing issues related to breast cancer. Bring a brown bag lunch; drinks and dessert will be provided. More info: Women’s Resource Center at 844-4399.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 7:00 – 10:00 pm — SCREENING OF GUS VAN SANT’S FILM “MILK” & SHORT FILM “575 CASTRO STREET” / hosted by SPECTRUM ALLIANCE
Held in AU’s Student Center, room 2223. Free & open to all. Refreshments served.
Spectrum Alliance is hosting a screening of Gus Van Sant’s Academy Award winning film “MILK” in celebration of National Coming Out Day and LGBT History Month. The film will be accompanied by a short film entitled “575 Castro St.” by Jenni Olson.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Oct. 13, 2009
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Week of Oct. 12, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 7:45 am – 4:45 pm — DISPLAY OF WORK BY AU SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS
Held in AU’s Dudley Hall, on display on all four floors. Free & open to all.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s Landscape Architecture program in the School of Architecture is featured in an exhibit of student work from the last five years on all four floors of Dudley Hall. The exhibit consists of drawings, photographs, multimedia and more and will be on display through Oct. 23. It was compiled for the recent visit of the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board, which visits every few years to review and re-accredit the program. The public is welcome to visit Dudley Hall from 7:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m. to view the exhibit. For more information, contact Rod Barnett at rjb0012@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, OCT. 12 THROUGH TUESDAY, NOV. 10 — ART EXHIBITION / WATER: THREE STATES (PHASE II)
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all
Gallery hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Mon-Fri (open through the lunch hour). www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg
The College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Art, and the College of Agriculture presents the exhibition Water: Three States (Phase II). The exhibition runs through November 10, 2009.
Phase II of Water: Three States continues the conversation from Phase I by contrasting the power of water to overwhelm human society to the hopeful potential for growth and restoration. Daniel Kariko, a Florida-based photographer, presents Storm Season, a series of pinhole photographs that document the on-going erosion of the Gulf coast in the aftermath of recent hurricanes. Similarly, Andy Behrle, a sculptor living and working in Alabama, deals directly with the corrosive forces of water on natural and synthetic materials in his large-scale installations. Their investigations of the persistent and sometimes devastating powers of water are quietly counterbalanced by the continued growth of Xavier Cortadas live mangrove seedlings begun in Water: Three States (Phase I).
Water: Three States (Phase II) is part of the interdisciplinary project Art in Agriculture. www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg
The exhibition is free and open to the public. Biggin Gallery is wheelchair accessible. More info: Kathryn Floyd, assistant professor of art history at 844-3393 or Katie Jackson, Head, Office of Ag Communications and Marketing at 844-5887.
MONDAY, OCT. 12 THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 20 — AUBURN-ALABAMA FOOD FIGHT
Collection barrels at all local grocery stores. www.foodbankofeastalabama.com www.beatbamafooddrive.com
For the past fifteen years, Auburn University and the University of Alabama have competed against each other to see which school could raise the most food for their local food bank in the weeks prior to the big competition on the football field. This is the largest food drive of the year and last year an amazing 212,200 pounds of food were donated locally. This event has a huge impact on the Food Bank’s ability to provide food for needy families this holiday season and beyond. Collection barrels can be found at all local grocery stores. Visit www.foodbankofeastalabama.com for more information.
MONDAY, OCT. 12, 5:00 – 7:30 PM
LECTURE: ECO-ARTIST XAVIER CORTADA / PARTICIPATORY ART PROJECTS – GLOBAL AWARENESS/LOCAL ACTION
OPENING RECEPTION: WATER: THREE STATES (PHASE II)
Held in room 005 Biggin Hall (auditorium – lower level), AU. Free & open to the public. Reception follows lecture.
The College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Art, and the College of Agriculture present a lecture by eco-artist Xavier Cortada entitled Participatory Art Projects – Global Awareness / Local Action.
Miami-based artist Xavier Cortada will discuss his eco-art projects in which he engages the environment directly through actions that address climate change and environmental restoration. In addition to raising awareness of these issues, many of Cortadas works also invite the participation of individuals and communities to create change at the local level. Cortada will discuss his work as an eco-artist, especially his on-going efforts with the restoration of the Florida mangrove forests, a participatory art project featured in the exhibition Water: Three States.
Xavier Cortada has exhibited his work in cultural venues across the globe. Many of his community-based projects explore our ability to co-exist with nature. Cortada has created art for the White House, the World Bank, and the Florida Supreme Court. He has completed murals and community art projects in Switzerland, South Africa, Ireland, and Cyprus. Recently, Cortada has been exploring the ecologies of the North and South Poles. His work has been supported by the National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Program as well as the New York Foundation for the Arts. He holds a B.A., an M.A., and the J.D. from the University of Miami. For more information visit Xavier Cortadas website at: http://www.cortada.com/
Participatory Art Projects – Global Awareness / Local Action is part of the interdisciplinary project Art in Agriculture.
More info: www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg; Kathryn Floyd assistant professor of art history at 844-3393 or Katie Jackson, Head, Office of Ag Communications and Marketing at 844-5887.
TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY, OCT. 13 & 14 — ENERGY FORUM 2009: Challenges and Possibilities for Alabama
Held at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Hosted by the Interfaith Environmental Initiative of Alabama (IEIA) http://www.interfaithenvironmental.org/
– Energy Forum 2009 Schedule :
http://www.aeconline.org/uploads/file /IEIA%20Energy%20Forum%202009%20Schedule%20090709.pdf
Energy Forum 2009 participants include members of faith, science, education, the arts, environmental, business, government, energy providers, and consumer sectors…all coming together to learn and to encourage informed choices for the care of creation. IEIA is committed to facilitating collaboration and information sharing to produce workable decisions and outcomes for sustainability in Alabama.
TUESDAY, OCT. 13 , 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 11:00 – noon — DR. JEFF WRIGHT OF ARBORGEN / EUCALYPT PLANTATIONS FOR PULP AND BIOENERGY
Held in AU’s School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences Bldg, Room 1101. Free & open to all. Light refreshments will be served. Part of the School of Forestry & Wildlife Seminar Series.
TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
http://www.auburnalabama.org/greenspace/
TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE / DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Closed to the public.
Agenda: stakeholder interviews
CANCELLED – TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
TUESDAY, OCT. 13 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: http://www.leeco.us/co/agenda.html
TUESDAY, OCT. 13 — JCSM LECTURE & MOVIE www.jcsm.auburn.edu
4:00 PM — ELVIS: A LIFETIME OBSESSION – by Joni Mabe, the Elvis Babe
6:00 PM — 1956 film: INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. Sponsored by the College of Science and Mathematics, Auburn University. More info: www.jcsm.auburn.edu/edu/2009_tuesdays_fall.php
TUESDAY, OCT. 13 – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call
3. Approve Agenda
4. Recognitions — Auburn High School: National Merit Scholar Semifinalists; AP Scholars; AP Scholars with Honors
5. Hear Delegations
6. Approve Minutes : regular sessions – 09-08-2009 & 10-06-2009
7. Communications
8. Approve Payment of Bills and Salaries – September 2009
9. Unfinished Business
1. Auburn City Schools Policy Manual -
Policy Revision: GAMC Drug Free Workplace
and Drug and Alcohol Testing Administrative Procedure
2. Auburn City Schools Policy Manual -
Policy: IFAAA Textbook Inventory Control
Revision to Administrative Regulation IFAAA – R(1) (Info Only)
3. Unitary Status Resolution and Semi-Annual Staff Count 10. Superintendent’s Report and New Business
1. High Hopes/Credit Recovery Presentation by Davis Thompson; High Hopes Advisory Board Appointment
2. Update on Hal Moore Leadership Academy
3. Final Calendar for 2010-11 and Tentative Calendars for 2010-11 and 2011-12
4. Contingency Allowance Authorization #2 for Duck Samford Stadium Project
5. Bid Results: Buses
6. Energy Star Certification – Richland Elementary School
7. Selection of District 4 Director for Alabama Association of School Boards
8. Selection of Delegates for Alabama Association of School Boards 2009 Convention and Delegate Assembly
11. Personnel — Resignations, Termination, Retirement, Leave Requests, Contract Changes, Employment, Exit Surveys
12. Other
–Selection of dates to visit schools.
–Members of the Board of Education will attend the Alabama Association of School Boards Fall Conference on October 25 and 26, 2009, in Montgomery, Alabama.
–The Board of Education will meet for its next regular session on November 10, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School.
TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 6:00 – 8:00 PM — CITY OF AUBURN PUBLIC MEETING / CompPlan 2030 VISIONING www.auburnalabama.org/compplan2030
Held at Auburn Junior High School, 332 East Samford Ave. All invited to attend.
Share your ideas for Auburn’s future in a series of public meetings designed to give citizens a voice in the development of a new comprehensive plan for the City of Auburn. This first public meeting will begin with a presentation, followed by breakout groups where citizens will be able to offer input on this comprehensive plan for Auburn’s future.
More info: www.auburnalabama.org/CompPlan2030 or contact Justin Steinmann, Planning Dept, jsteinmann@auburnalabama.org or 501-3045.
TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 7:00 pm — OPELIKA HISTORICAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY
Held at the Brownfield House, Opelika. All invited to attend. Refreshments provided.
The Opelika Historical Preservation Society cordially invites you to an open meeting on October 13th, 7 pm at the Brownfield House in Opelika. Southern Paranormal will discuss their “ghostbusting” experiences, including an evaluation of Spring Villa! Please join for an entertaining speaker and refreshments. Info: 334-745-3713.
TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 7:30 – 9:00 PM — AU CHAMBER WINDS & PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE CONCERT
Held at First Baptist Church, Opelika. Free & open to all.
Featuring members of the AU Symphonic Band.
More info: music@auburn.edu; ph: 844-4165; AU Music Dept http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/www.auburn.edu/music
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14 & THURSDAY, OCT. 15 — FREE BIODIESEL WORKSHOP
October 14, 2009 from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
October 15, 2009 from 8:30 am – Noon
Held in EPA Region 4 offices, Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, 2nd Floor Bridge Conference Center, 61 Forsyth ST, SW Atlanta . Free & open to all. Registration required.
Registration: www.epa.gov/region4/clean_energy/conferences.html
Info: Ken Mitchell/EPA Region 4 – (404) 562-9065, mitchell.ken@epa.gov
EPA Region 4 will be hosting a Biodiesel Workshop that will focus on producing biodiesel from waste grease/oil that is targeted for schools and local municipalities. The workshop will provide information for county and municipal governments and school districts on using waste grease to produce cost- competitive biodiesel for use in their diesel fleets and equipment. This workshop will also assist teachers in developing curricula to instruct students on this “green job” technology, including the benefits of biofuels, and the safe production of biodiesel.
WORKSHOP TOPICS
- Technical Overview of the Biodiesel Production Process
- Discussions on Safety Concerns and Regulatory Requirements
- Setting up a Successful Grease Collection Program
- Myths & Challenges in Biodiesel Production and Use
- What are the Costs? Will you Save Money in the Long Run?
- Case Studies
- Exhibits from Vendors of Biodiesel Production Equipment
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14, 9:00 – 11:30 AM — HEIR PROPERTY VIDEO CONFERENCE
Held at AU’s Duncan Hall, room 112. Free & open to all. Register by email to centrcb@auburn.edu.
View also via video link through ACESAG IP Polycom (http://www.aces.edu/ctu/techref/video/manualpolycomdial.htm ), number 6413 or by connecting from a desktop computer at http://scopia.aces.edu?ID=6413. Publication that accompanies this program: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/H/HE-0852/.
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System will offer an Heir Property Video Conference. It features Craig Baab of the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice speaking on the benefits and risks of heir property ownership, factors that contribute to land loss and resources to help families manage and protect their land. Decision making and protection of heir property can be difficult for families due to legal issues and ownership by several individuals.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14, 1:00 PM — ADEM PUBLIC HEARING / PROPOSED REVISIONS TO WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
Held in the Alabama Room/Main Hearing Room at the ADEM Central Office, 1400 Coliseum Blvd, Mont. Open to all. http://www.adem.state.al.us/
Agenda: Public hearing for proposed revisions to Division 6 ADEM Administrative Code — 335-6-10-.09: Specific Water Quality Criteria and 335-6-11-.02: Use Classifications.
Amending rule 335-6-10-.09 to change the bacterial indicator organisms and associated criteria for non-coastal waters from fecal coliform to Escherichia coli (E. coli) to be consistent with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendations for protection against water-borne illnesses. The Department also proposes upgrades in use classifications (rule 335-6-11-.02) for segments of Hurtsboro Creek in the Chattahoochee River Basin and the Magnolia River in the Mobile River-Mobile Bay Basin, respectively.
Copies of the proposed rule and the summary of reasons (http://www.adem.state.al.us/PublicNotice/Aug09/pdfs/8waterquality.pdf) supporting the revisions are available online at http://adem.alabama.gov/PubHearings/PubHearings.htm.
Copy of public hearing notice: http://www.adem.state.al.us/PublicNotice/Aug09/8waterquality.htm
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14, 3:00 – 4:00 PM — LOCAL FOOD SECURITY AND THE AUBURN COMMUNITY GARDEN
Held in room 244 Spidle Hall, AU. Free & open to all.
Speaker: Michael Mulvaney
Any interested are welcome to attend. No registration is necessary.
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALK
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 5:00 – 8:00 PM – JCSM ARTIST TALK: JONI MABE THE ELVIS BABE www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
Followed by a reception and wine/beer tasting by Gus’ Fine Wine and Beer.
Joni Mabe, whose exhibition Elvis and Friends will be on display in Gallery C, October 10, 2009 – January 9, 2010, will talk about her work. A native of Georgia, Mabe graduated from the University of Georgia with an MFA in Painting and Drawing. She is also founder, collector, owner, and curator of The Panoramic Encyclopedia of Everything Elvis.
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 6:00 PM — KIESEL PARK SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES / featuring Auburn Road
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all.
Info: www.auburnalabama.org/parks, click on Special Events.
Bring the family, a picnic supper, your lawn chairs, the family dog and enjoy a free, relaxing evening under the stars.
Upcoming performance: October 22: Spoonful James
More info: Alison Hall, 334-501-2930, ahall@auburnalabama.org
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — ASIAN FILM SERIES / CHINESE FILM: SILK
Held in room 1203, Haley Center, AU. Free & open to all.
This month, Asian Film Series features three horror films from Asia. This second film is a 2006 Chinese film,”Silk” which won the Golden Horse Award for Best Visual Effects. Silk (Gui Si); Director: Chao-Bin Su; Main Cast: Chen Chang, Yosuke Eguchi, Kar Yan Lam, Barbie Hsu. For upcoming films, please check “events calendar” of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/EventCalendar/index.cfm
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ORGANIZATION (EAO)
Guest speaker: Alabama Water Watch
Held in AU’s Student Union. room 2107. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/eao/index.html
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 6:30 – 10:00 pm — AUBURN ARTS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP EVENT “Thrift Store Chic”
Held at Creekwood Castle, 1655 Creekwood Trail, Auburn.
Open to members and those interested in becoming a member. Wine, music, food, prizes. Info: http://www.auburnarts.org/, 334-887-2832.
THURSDAY, OCT 15, 7:00 PM — GERMAN FILM SERIES: GOOD BYE LENIN!
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3242. Free & open to all.
The Fall of the Wall – Twenty Years After; Wolfgang Becker: Good Bye Lenin!
FRIDAY, OCT. 16 — OPENING: JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION / Photo XI
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Annual juried exhibition of photographs by regional artists and photographers. Ongoing through November 20.
FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm — NATIONAL HUNGER DAY EVENT / LINE UP, STAND UP, SPEAK UP . . . AGAINST HUNGER: A WOMEN’S ISSUE
Held on AU’s Haley Center Concourse. All invited to attend & participate.
On National World Hunger Day, Friday, October 16, 2009, the Womens Resource Center will team up with the Auburn University Committee of 19 to host Line up. Stand up. Speak up. . . .Against Hunger: A Womens Issue. The event will be held on AU’s Haley Center concourse where people will line the walkway to stand up against hunger. It is estimated that 60 percent of the worlds chronically hungry people are women and girls. E-mail Amye Still (stillam@auburn.edu) for more information on how you can be a part of this amazing event to raise awareness about hunger-a womens issue.
FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Held in the Alabama Room/Main Hearing Room at the ADEM Central Office, 1400 Coliseum Blvd, Mont. Open to all. http://www.adem.state.al.us/
Agenda: http://www.adem.state.al.us/EMCInformation/emc_information.htm
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on August 21, 2009
2. Elections
3. Report from the Director
4. Report from the Commission Chair
5. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Division 6, Water Quality Program (Underground Storage Tank) Regulations, Chapter 335-6-15 – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Division 6, Water Quality Program (Underground Storage Tank) Regulations, Chapter 335-6-15, “Technical Standards, Corrective Action Requirements and Financial Responsibility for Owners and Operators of Underground Storage Tanks,” The amendments are being proposed to provide updated regulations to meet the requirements for cathodic protection testers and other necessary updates. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on September 11, 2009.
6. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Division 6, Water Quality Program (Underground Storage Tank) Regulations, Chapter 335-6-16 – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Division 6, Water Quality Program (Underground Storage Tank) Regulations, Chapter 335-6-16, “Administrative Guidelines and Procedures for the Alabama Underground and Aboveground Storage Tank Trust Fund” to establish the annual Trust Fund Charge and scope of Trust Fund coverage, effective January 1, 2010. The Trust Fund Charge is proposed at $0.0125 per gallon, and the scope of Trust Fund coverage is proposed at $1.1 million per incident. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on September 23, 2009.
7. Consideration of adoption of the proposed addition of Chapter 335-13-12 to ADEM Admin. Code Division 13, Solid Waste Program Regulations - The Commission will consider the proposed addition of Chapter 335-13-12 to ADEM Admin. Code Division 13, Solid Waste Program Regulations. Chapter 335-13-12 would establish the regulatory requirements necessary for the implementation of the Solid Waste landfill operator certification program. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed addition on August 26, 2009.
8. Consideration of adoption of the proposed addition of Chapter 335-13-13 to ADEM Admin. Code Division 13, Solid Waste Program Regulations – The Commission will consider the proposed addition of Chapter 335-13-13 to ADEM Admin. Code Division 13, Solid Waste Program Regulations. Chapter 335-13-13 would establish a statewide solid waste reduction and recycling goal. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed addition on September 23, 2009.
9. Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Inc. v. ADEM, and Shepherd Bend, L.L.C., EMC Docket No. 09-04 (NPDES-Related Matter) – The Commission will consider the Administrative Law Judge’s (ALJ) “Recommended Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” in which the ALJ recommends to the Commission that ADEM’s and Shepherd Bend’s motions for summary judgment be granted as to the issue of standing, particularly the issues expressed by Black Warrior are not ripe for appeal. The Commission will also consider the Petitioner’s Request for Oral Argument; the Petitioner’s Objections to the ALJ’s “Recommended Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law”; the Petitioner’s Alternative Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law; the Petitioner’s Proposed Order; the Intervenor’s Reply Brief in Response to the Petitioner’s Objections; the Petitioner’s Motion to Strike Portions of the Intervenor’s Reply Brief; the Intervenor’s Response to the Petitioner’s Motion to Strike; ADEM’s Motion to Extend Time to Respond to Petitioner’s Objections to Recommended Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law; ADEM’s Response to Petitioner’s Objections to Recommended Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law; and ADEM’s Proposed Order. The ADEM administrative action appealed under Docket No. 09-04 is ADEM’s issuance of NPDES Permit AL0079162 on July 21, 2008, to Shepherd Bend, L.L.C., Shepherd Bend Mine, Walker County.
10. Other business
11. Future business session
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Mitchell Reid, on behalf of Alabama Rivers Alliance, SUBJECT: Presentation by Mitchell Reid (Alabama Rivers Alliance) and Matt Rota (Gulf Restoration Network) of findings from the Clean Up Your Act! Report Card for gulf water quality standards (Chair Gardner will recommend approval of this request.) (This request to address the Commission is attached to the agenda.)
Mac Underwood, on behalf of the Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB), SUBJECT: Presentation by Patrick Flannelly, P.E. (designated speaker for the BWWB) regarding the Shepherd Bend Mine permit (Chair Gardner will recommend disapproval of this request.) (This request to address the Commission is not attached to the agenda because it pertains to an appeal on the agenda.)
*The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.
FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 4:00 PM — AU RAPTOR CENTER / FOOTBALL, FANS & FEATHERS
http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1105
Held at AU’s Southeastern Raptor Center, Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater on Raptor Road off Shug Jordan Parkway. Directions are available at www.auburn.edu/raptor.
Admission: $5 each, free for children under age 3.
Group admission: $3 a person for school groups of 25 or more; those groups should contact the center ahead of time by calling (334) 844-6943.
Additional shows: 4:00 pm Oct. 30 & Nov 6 / Also 9:00 am on Nov. 27, the day of the Alabama game.
Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center will host “Football, Fans and Feathers,” educational, birds-in-flight raptor programs this fall on Fridays before home football games. A variety of birds such as hawks, falcons and eagles will be free-flown from flight towers. Education specialists will inform the audience about each bird and their role in nature. Programs take place in the 350-seat amphitheater on Raptor Road just off Shug Jordan Parkway.
The Southeastern Raptor Center, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has a mission of rehabilitating injured or orphaned raptors and educating the public. All birds used in the educational programs are non-releasable due to prior injuries or human imprinting. Any bird capable of surviving in the wild must be released, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permits Auburn to house the birds.
FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 6:00 – 8:30 PM — DOWNTOWN AUBURN FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCK PARTY / Music by Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces
Held in Downtown Auburn. Free & open to all. Live music & other events.
The Auburn Downtown Merchants Association will hold block parties every Friday in the streets of downtown Auburn this football season. Magnolia Avenue will be blocked off from College Street to Gay for the block parties. There is no cover to the events.
Upcoming Block Parties & Music: Oct. 30 – Miss Used; Nov. 6 – Kidd Blue.
FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING Ellis
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Ellis go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, OCT. 17 , 1:00 – 3:30 PM — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at AU’s Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Space limited. Pre-registration required, via email to Tia Gonzales gonzats@auburn.edu.
Cost: $25, payable on or before date of the workshop with correct cash or check made to ACES (Auburn Cooperative Extension Service).
Workshop participants will learn about watersheds, local watershed issues, storm water and it’s effects on water quality. We’ll introduce various forms of rain water harvesting and talk about why rain barrels can be an extremely valuable part of an integrated approach to rain water harvesting. We’ll show you how to build a simple, inexpensive and easy to maintain rain barrel. Then you’ll be able to build your very own rain barrel, with the tools and materials provided. (Depending on your situation, you may need to purchase some additional parts to make gutter connections.) There will be several trainers there to help folks that are unfamiliar with using power tools.
Be prepared to get a little dirty and have a lot of fun. And don’t forget that a 55 gal plastic barrel may not fit in your trunk.
Also, plan for a little time to visit the Forest Ecology Preserve – https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/. Meanwhile, check out the links on our website http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/raincatchers.
Upcoming workshop / pre-registration available soon:
Nov 14, 1:00 – 3:30 pm, at the Auburn University Arboretum
SATURDAY, OCT. 17, 6:30 pm — AU HOME FOOTBALL GAME — AU vs. Kentucky
Game day info: http://www.auburn.edu/communications_marketing/gameday/index.html
SUNDAY, OCT. 18, 3:00 – 4:30 PM – ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES / PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION: Innovations in Biofuels – David Bransby, Dept. of Agronomy and Soils, Auburn University
Held in the Auburn City Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor, west of City Hall; entrance on side of building, behind Cheeburger Cheeburger parking lot. Free & open to all.
Series continues on Sundays through October & November. Subsequent presentations include weatherization, innovations by the City of Auburn, and solar power. Co-hosted by AU’s Office of Sustainability: http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/energy/talk_series.html .
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BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Larry Lee of the Center for Rural Alabama reminds us that infrastructure is necessary if technology is to reach rural areas.
(FLORENCE) TIMES DAILY – Citizens for Constitutional Reform to kick off statewide campaign for new constitution.
ANNISTON STAR – Alabama activists reflect on changes in society’s views of domestic violence.
TUSCALOOSA NEWS – Tuscaloosa officials considering incentives to lure retail investment. The amount would be based on the amount of sales tax generated, with a “substitution effect” factored in. Substitution is the amount of money a new development takes away from existing retailers. . . . It is not additional revenue for the city. So rebates are based on an estimated net gain, not the total tax money a development generates.
MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – Information on public employee salaries on state’s web site can be confusing.
City of Auburn Offers New Street Routing Web Application — http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/it100909.asp
First Public Input Meeting for CompPlan 2030 to be held October 13 http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl100909.asp
Magnolia Avenue – Ross Street Intersection to Close October 12 & 13 http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw100909.asp
Holiday Art Sale to be held Dec. 12 – http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr100809.asp
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Tree Commission – Three vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 3 City Council meeting.
*Parks and Recreation Advisory Board – Two vacancies will be filled at the Nov. 17 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Oct. 11, 2009
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by Katie Shaddix – last modified September 24, 2009 01:06 PM Mitchell Reid
Program Director, Alabama Rivers Alliance
mreid@alabamarivers.org — ph: 205-322-6395
To most people, “communication” means picking up a telephone, writing a letter, sending an email, or having a conversation. Communication is one of the most effective means of resolving conflicts and moving toward positive solutions, but does it always work?
Environmental organizations have been trying to communicate with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) for years. The Alabama Rivers Alliance and partners continuously submit written comments to ADEM on dozens of pollution permits and participate in public hearings. In 2002, a coalition of more than 40 organizations called the ADEM Reform Coalition developed the Blueprint for ADEM Reform designed to “communicate” the concerns of citizens across Alabama to ADEM regarding the lack of protection of their environment and the public health.
Beginning in 2005, after the hiring of the current ADEM Director, Trey Glenn, the ADEM Reform Coalition took every opportunity offered (and there were many) to meet with Mr. Glenn and ADEM staff. During these meetings, groups explicitly discussed their concerns and proposed solutions. Two key issues highlighted in these meetings were Environmental Justice and Enforcement. Despite these communication attempts by the ADEM Reform Coalition, Environmental Justice has moved forward at a snail’s pace at best and recent reports presented by the ARC to the Environmental Management Commission show that enforcement has taken an alarming downward trend in recent years.
The 600+ agency staff are not to blame for this communication problem;, the current ADEM administration has developed agency policies which effectively inhibit public participation with the agency.
The most recent example of this communication lapse can be seen in ADEM’s reaction to the Gulf Restoration Network’s Clean Up Your Act! Report Card for Gulf State Water Quality Standards. Released on September 2nd and endorsed by the Alabama Rivers Alliance, the report card is the most comprehensive independent assessment of Alabama’s water quality policies in decades.
The Report Card, which represents over five years of research from highly qualified engineers and scientists throughout the Gulf States, examined four categories – “Water Quality Standards,” “Public Health Protection,” “Phosphorous and Nitrogen Pollution,” and “Public Participation,”- comparing them to established requirements of the Federal Clean Water Act and EPA regulations. When evaluated according to these benchmarks, Alabama came out with a D+.
When asked about Alabama’s disappointing grade, ADEM continued an all too familiar policy of bait and switch rather than discussing the valid concerns brought up in the report. ADEM’s only answer was to claim that neither group behind the report had “made any effort to contact the department to find out about the work [we've] done.”
In fact, the information in the report came directly from ADEM, either through direct consultation or from the Agency’s reports to EPA. Beginning in 2007, Alabama Rivers Alliance and Gulf Restoration Network contacted officials throughout ADEM repeatedly to gather the documents necessary for or verify items within in the report.
Now, some in Alabama are suggesting that environmental groups are not doing enough to “communicate” with the agency, but evidence shows that repeated communication efforts have not worked.
To be fair, there have been instances of progress, including the implementation of nutrient criteria for major industrial facilities and in our major lakes, and the toughening of restrictions on carcinogens in our waters. These gains were the result of overwhelming pressure from concerned citizens and environmental groups.
To date, the Alabama Rivers Alliance is still waiting for a response to our most recent attempts to “communicate” with ADEM – triennial review public comments, the ADEM Reform Coalition’s enforcement presentation, and the aforementioned water quality report card. In the mean time, it is the responsibility of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, as a citizen-based organization, to voice the concerns of Alabama’s citizens publicly and, when necessary, to take action to hold government accountable for protecting Alabama’s environment.
Environmental groups are generally open to communicating and working with state agencies to solve environmental problems, but when communication results in continued failures to protect our environment and public health, waiting is not an option.
Mitchell Reid is the Program Director for the Alabama Rivers Alliance, Alabama’s statewide nonprofit river protection organization. A 1998 graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point and 2009 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, he has focused his studies in Environmental and International Law as well as Community Development. In addition to these achievements, Mitch has served for the past year as President of the University of Alabama School of Law’s Environmental Law Society. He also serves as a Captain with the 75th Division in Birmingham, Alabama.
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UPDATE — OCT. 6 — ADDITIONAL INFO & EVENTS
AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION:
WEST PACE VILLAGE REZONING & CONDITIONAL USE REQUESTS
West Pace items likely to be continued to Nov. 12 PC meeting.
The traffic study for West Pace Village is not yet finalized. Therefore the planning dept. staff recommended these items be continued (postponed) until the Nov 12 Planning Commission meeting. The applicant agreed. It is likely the public hearings for the items will be opened at this week’s meeting but continued to the Nov. 12 meeting. For more info on the individual agenda items, see the Oct. 8 meeting agenda & full packet online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx.
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ADDITIONAL EVENTS THIS WEEK:
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, NOON — ENVISION OPELIKA’S CULTURAL UNITY FOOD FOR THOUGHT LUNCHEON
Speaker: Terry Andrus
Topic: National Health Care Reform
Held at the Opelika Depot. Info: 705-5138.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 5:00 PM – PHILOSOPHY ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION “FREE WILL & DETERMINISM” / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn.
Free & open to all. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
The Philosophy Club of Auburn University will present a panel discussion on the topic: “FREE WILL & DETERMINISM.” The panel, composed of faculty and students, will consider whether as human beings, we are free to make decisions, or whether we are determined by nature, culture and other factors. The meeting will conclude with a time for open discussion. There is no charge for this event.
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 1:30 pm — GINN DISTINGUISHED LECTURER TO DISCUSS ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC POLICY
Held in AU’s Broun Hall, room 239. Free & open to all.
Reception follows lecture, to be held on the Shelby Center patio.
William Wulf, president emeritus of the National Academy of Engineering, will present a seminar on responsible citizenship in a technological democracy. As president of the academy, Wulf sat at the nexus of science, engineering and public policy. In this role, he learned that while much public policy has a technical dimension, this dimension is often neglected — often resulting in bad policy. Wulf will explore ideas to address this issue including an increase in the number of engineers in public office and improved education of citizens to ensure they know enough science and engineering to develop informed public policy. Wulf is a University Professor at the University of Virginia. Previously he was an assistant director of the National Science Foundation, founder and CEO of Tartan Laboratories Inc. and a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University. Auburn’s Samuel Ginn Distinguished Lecture Series, founded in 2005, brings distinguished leaders from the academic and business communities to campus to interact with faculty and students. A reception on the Shelby Center patio will follow the lecture.
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 7:00 PM – SCIENCE CAFE AUBURN / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn.
Free & open to all. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
The topic, “Sustainability Lessons from Native Americans,” will be presented by Philip Stroud. Stroud is an Environmental Engineer with the State of Alabama in the Auburn area. A time for Q&A will follow the presentation. There is no charge for this event.
SATURDAY, OCT. 10, 7:00 PM – POET & SPOKEN WORD ARTIST KOLAYAH KEEVAN / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn.
Open to all. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. Free & open to all. A suggested donation of $5.00 will go to the artist.
Kolayah’s Teleidoscope Effect – Local poet and spoken word artist, Kolayah KeeVan, will present an evening of Culturetainment at the Gnu’s Room. Kolayah will perform a set of his newest works along with familiar favorites.
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UPCOMING EVENT
MONDAY, OCT. 12 THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 20 — AUBURN-ALABAMA FOOD FIGHT
Collection barrels at all local grocery stores. www.foodbankofeastalabama.com
For the past fifteen years, Auburn University and the University of Alabama have competed against each other to see which school could raise the most food for their local food bank in the weeks prior to the big competition on the football field. This is the largest food drive of the year and last year an amazing 212,200 pounds of food were donated locally. This event has a huge impact on the Food Bank’s ability to provide food for needy families this holiday season and beyond. Collection barrels can be found at all local grocery stores. Visit www.foodbankofeastalabama.com for more information.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Oct. 6, 2009
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Week of Oct. 5, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
Meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
MONDAY, OCT. 5 through TUESDAY, OCT. 6 — DEMPSEY CENTER / ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Open to all.
Final two days of Special Works – an exhibition featuring artworks on loan from area residents.
ONGOING THROUGH NOV. 10 — Water: Three States (Phase I) Exhibition
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to the public.
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/ArtinAg/index.php
NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT DONAHUE DRIVE & BRAGG AVENUE IN OPERATION
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw092809.asp
CITY OF AUBURN’S DOWNTOWN TRICK-OR-TREAT TO BE HELD THURSDAY, OCT. 29
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr0928092.asp
OCTOBER IS NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY MONTH
October is National Cyber Security Awareness month. The Office of Information Technology and campus information technology providers will offer tips and hints each week during October to help students, faculty and staff protect themselves and their computer and data. There will also be a Cyber Security Awareness Day on the concourse Oct. 29 with more tips, free T-shirts and goodies. The designs for this year’s campaign were created by Auburn graphic design majors Mary Grace Moseley, YunJung Choi, Grace Garrett and Cary Walker from professor John Morgan’s class. Info: http://keepitsafe.auburn.edu and/or http://twitter.com/auburnoit.
LOST AUBURN / Photographs requested
Do you have photos, print or digital, of houses, businesses, etc., that are no longer standing in Auburn? AUUF member Ann Pearson, Ralph Draughon, Jr., and Delos Hughes, all Auburn natives, are compiling a book of photographs called LOST AUBURN and are looking for photos of the exteriors of structures. If anyone has any appropriate pictures, they may contact Ann Pearson at stonylonesome@earthlink.net or by phone at 821-3660.
UPCOMING MEETING:
TUESDAY, OCT 13, 6:00 PM - City of Auburn to Host Public Input Meeting for Future Land Use Plan – Public Meeting #1: Visioning
Held at Auburn Junior High School, 332 East Samford Ave. The public is invited to attend. www.auburnalabama.org/compplan2030
The first public meeting for Auburn’s CompPlan 2030 (Future Land Use Plan) will be held October 13 at 6pm at Auburn Junior High School. The meeting will begin with a presentation on the current state of the city. Participants will then break into small groups to share their ideas for the future of Auburn.
More info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl091809.asp
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MONDAY, OCT. 5, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
[Note: The regular PC meeting will be held Thursday, Oct. 9, 5:00 pm in the Auburn city council chambers.]
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Snyder Annexation PL-2009-00631
Applicant: Susan Snyder
General Location: 4921 AL Highway 147 North
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 1.54 acres
2. Dumas Annexation PL-2009-00649
Applicant: Marzine and Pamela Dumas
General Location: 1325 Lee Road 83
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 1.09 acres
3. Outback Enterprises Annexation PL-2009-00676
Applicant: Tom Cooksey for Outback Enterprises, LLC
General Location: South of Lee Road 026 (AlaHill Drive) and west of Lee Road 054 (Society Hill Road)
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 3 acres
NEW BUSINESS
4. Airport Overlay District - PUBLIC HEARING MS-2009-00040
Applicant: City of Auburn
General Location: City of Auburn
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to amend Sections 512 and 907 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance in order to create an Airport Overlay District
5. West Pace Village PDD – PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00660
Applicant: West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to apply the Planned Development District (PDD) designation to approximately 165.55 acres
6. West Pace Village – PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00670
Applicant: West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) [pending approval of Case PL-2009- 00660] with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for outdoor recreational uses, including a park and bicycle/jogging/hiking paths; for institutional uses, including private libraries and museums, and aquariums; for indoor recreational uses, including a skating rink (roller & ice), bowling alleys, billiards, gymnasium, and indoor athletic facilities; for office uses; for commercial and entertainment uses, including an auto accessory store, barbershop/beauty shop, building material sales, clothing stores, copy shop, electronics repair, florists, garden supply, general merchandise stores, health & personal care stores, hotel/motel/condotel, office supplies/stationary/gift stores, package store, pet/pet supply store, restaurant, restaurant-lounge, restaurant- pub, specialty food stores, sporting goods/hobby/book/music stores, tavern, lounge, banks, dry cleaners, grocery stores, professional studios, and theaters/indoor auditoriums; for road service uses, including ATM’s, auto dealerships, auto repair/paint/body work, convenience/small grocery stores, gasoline/service stations, bank with drive-thru, and fast food restaurant; for a commercial recreational use, specifically an amphitheater; for agricultural support uses, including farm equipment sales/rental/leasing, farm equipment sales/repair, and farm produce sales (permanent); for a nursery use, specifically retail; for a commercial support use, specifically a wholesale distributor; and for a regional shopping center use
7. Project Rollerball PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00673
Applicant: Industrial Development Board of the City of Auburn
General Location: 2375 Riley Street
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for an industrial use (manufacturing use)
8. Momma Goldberg’s West Longleaf - PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00674
Applicant: Michael and Nick Davis for MG Holdings, LLC
General Location: 133 West Longleaf Drive
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (fast food restaurant with drive-thru)
9. The Scooter Groove - PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00688
Applicant: Patricia Davies for Keith Pridgen
General Location: 203 Opelika Road, Suite B
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (scooter sales/service)
OTHER BUSINESS
10. McDonald Right-of-Way MS-2009-00042
Applicant: Casey Corley for Patricia McDonald
General Location: Lee Road 42
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Request for prescriptive right-of-way
11. Waffle House PL-2008-00247
Applicant: Charles Pick for 110, L.L.C.
General Location: 110 West Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: Request for an extension of conditional use approval granted for a commercial and entertainment use (restaurant)
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT
MONDAY, OCT. 5, 3:30 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY – KIDS’ PROGRAM / ALABAMA AUTHOR ROGER REID
Held at the Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave. Free & open to all.
Alabama author Roger Reid will give a presentation about his new book SPACE, for grades 4 and up. http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/youthservices.htm
MONDAY, OCT. 5, 3:30 pm — BIOFUELS CONVERSION / Biofuels from Biomass in Autothermal Reactors
Held in AU’s Shelby Center, room 1103. Free & open to all.
Auburn University’s Department of Chemical Engineering will host a lecture by Lanny Schmidt, professor of chemical engineering and materials science at the University of Minnesota. His presentation, “Biofuels from Biomass in Autothermal Reactors,” will cover various biofuels generated by autothermal reforming to produce synthesis gas, hydrogen and chemicals. He will also offer recent results on the production of syngas created by reactive flash volatilization of nonvolatile liquids and solids. Schmidt’s research examines fuels that are alcohols, esters, carbohydrates, biodiesel, vegetable oil and solid biomass. Schmidt’s seminar is the first in the department’s inaugural Basore Distinguished Lectureship series, which brings noted experts in chemical engineering to AU’s campus. The program is named for Cleburne Basore, who in 1929 became the first head of AU’s Department of Chemical Engineering.
MONDAY, OCT. 5, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
MONDAY, OCT. 5, 6:00 pm — AU/ 2009 INTERNATIONAL PEACE DINNER
Held in AU’s new Student Center ballroom. Free & open to the entire AU community.
The Office of International Student Life is hosting the 2009 annual Peace Dinner. All students, faculty and staff are invited to enjoy free food from around the world. The Peace Dinner is co-sponsored by Chartwell’s Catering, Division of Student Affairs, International Student Organization and Student Government Association.
TUESDAY, OCT. 6 — NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY / AUBURN OUT LOUD / ALLY WEEK (through Oct. 10)
Held on AU’s new concourse. All invited to participate.
A visual representation that encourages students and faculty to support Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) issues; to design t-shirts with LGBT relevant messages and to latch them to a clothesline for visibility. The day promotes awareness of a lifelong process of “coming out,” why it is done and exactly who does it. Because allies can face bigotry simply by being supportive of LGBT issues, voicing that support is itself a form of “coming out.” Sponsored by the Auburn Gay Straight Alliance (AGSA http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/agsa/links/), Auburn Feminist Alliance (AFA http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2224394927) and Spectrum Alliance (https://fp.auburn.edu/stuorgs/more_info.aspx?OrganizationID=257).
TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY, OCT. 6 & 7 — ALABAMA COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP NETWORK CONFERENCE
OCT 7, 10:30 – noon — Town Hall discussion: Kay Ivey, Ron Sparks, Sen Ted Little, Rep. Mike Hubbard –Wednesday morning’s town hall discussion will address today’s pressing issues and concerns with gubernatorial candidates Kay Ivey and Ron Sparks. Senator Ted Little and Representative Mike Hubbard will be in attendance. Contact: Arturo Menefee; (334) 844-2307.
Held at AU’s Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.
The Alabama Community Leadership Network is a group of organizations and individuals committed to building, supporting and enhancing community leadership programs through education, training and information sharing that will equip local leaders with necessary leadership skills for the betterment of Alabama. The conference is structured to help community leaders, state and local officials, economic and community developers, Chamber of Commerce members, nonprofit executives, community health specialists and other individuals improve leadership in their communities. Keynote speakers include David Bronner, CEO, Retirement Systems of Alabama, and David Wilson, chancellor, University of Wisconsin Colleges and UW-Extension. To read more of this article from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, visit its News Line https://sites.aces.edu/group/comm/newsline/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=77 .
TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 10:30 – noon — PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY
Held in the Joint Briefing Room (Star Wars Room), 8th Floor, Alabama State House,Mont. Open to all.
Info: Kristen Rector, Executive Assistant to Rep. Greg Wren, repgregwren@yahoo.com; 334-395-0123.
TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 11:00 am – noon — AU SCHOOL OF FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE SEMINAR
Held in AU’s School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences Bldg., Room 1101. Free & open to all. Light refreshments will be served.
Speaker: Dr. Latif Kalin, AU
Topic: Predicting Water Quality in Ungauged Watersheds using Artificial Neutral Networks (ANN)
TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM — RHETA GRIMSLEY JOHNSON TO ADDRESS OLLI AT AUBURN www.olliatauburn.org
Held at the Lexington Hotel, 1577 South College Street in Auburn. Free & open to all. Feel free to bring your lunch.
More info: OLLI office at 334-844-5100 or www.olliatauburn.org.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) will host a Brown Bag Lunch meeting featuring Rheta Grimsley Johnson, syndicated columnist and Auburn University graduate. She will be discussing her book Poor Man’s Provence, which is a rich examination of the colorful, cultural state of Louisiana, including Cajun family life, food, and celebrations. The talk is provided by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University, and all interested people are invited to bring a lunch and attend the talk. Copies of the book Poor Man’s Provence will be available for purchase.
TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 2:00 pm — Lecture / Q&A — FILMMAKER ELVIRA DONES http://www.elviradones.com/
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2222. Free & open to all. (All Women’s Studies Program events are free and open to the public.)
Info: Women’s Studies office 334-844-1974 or http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/
Albanian-born novelist, screenwriter & journalist Dones sought asylum in Switzerland while on assignment with Albanian State Television. Her award-winning documentary, Sworn Virgins, explores the lives of women in northern Albania who take an oath of virginity in order to enjoy the rights of men. This event is co-sponsored by the AU Women’s Studies Program and the University Lectures Committee.
TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 3:00 PM – AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St.
Agenda: TBA.
Info to be posted at : http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/Misc/Downtown%20Study%20Committee.pdf
TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 4:00 PM — AUBURN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB)
Held in the Auburn City Hall conference room. Open to all.
TUESDAY, OCT. 6 — JCSM LECTURE, DINNER & MOVIE www.jcsm.auburn.edu
4:00 pm — Lecture: Design ‘56 / Ashley Callahan
5:00 – 6:00 pm – dinner / Ursula’s Catering at the Museum Cafe
6:00 pm – Movie: SCTIF: Pants on Fire / Colin Campbell, producer-director
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Lecture & movie are free & open to all.
Event info: www.jcsm.auburn.edu/edu/2009_tuesdays_fall.php
Dinner info: serving lunch menu; details at www.jcsm.auburn.edu/cafe
Elvis’s America: 1956 is an eight-part series of lectures that takes as its broadest topic mid-twentieth-century America, its popular culture and the social and political atmosphere from which it emerged. The series is public programming related to Elvis at 21: New York to Memphis, an exhibition of silver gelatin print photographs taken by Alfred Wertheimer and organized in conjunction with Govinda Gallery, Washington D.C., on view at JCSM October 10, 2009 to January 9, 2010.
TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, OCT 6, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
TUESDAY, OCT. 6 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:35 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Request to advertise. Amend text of Zoning Ord. -airports in I-1 zone.
b. Request to advertise. Amend text of Zoning Ord. -parking for a movie theater – Jerry Kelley
(2) - a. General updates
(3) - Review/discuss the 10/06/09 CM agenda items
(4) - General Discussion - a. New / Old Business; b. Board appointments; c. Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
a. Employee service awards.
b. Recognize the Opelika Police officer of the month – Terri McCall.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS - Bob Shuman
a. Request from Alpen Café for an Oktoberfest Celebration at 913 S. Railroad Ave.
b. Request from Gohyong Gardens for a restaurant retail liquor and retail beer on-premise license.
c. Request from Gateway Food Mart for a retail wine & beer off-premise license.
d. Request from Waverly Parkway Store for a retail wine/beer off-premise license.
e. Request from Get it to Go for a retail wine/beer off-premise license.
f. Public Hearing for a weed violation at 2112 Crestview Street.
g. Public Hearing to amend Zoning Ordinance for 411 North 16th St. from R5 to C3.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
a. Five (5) 2010 marked Police package automobiles and One (1) 2010 Police package canine automobile.
b. Two (2) zero turn diesel mowers for P/W Groundskeeping.
c. Replacement of the A/C units at City Hall, P/R Denson St. and the Library.
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. Authorize abatement of weed violation at 2112 Crestview Street.
2. Updated Lee County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan.
3. Alabama Recycling Fund Grant Agreement.
4. Actuarial evaluation of the City’s Workers Compensatio
5. Refund of sewer service fees paid in error.
6. Annual appropriation contract, Alabama Council on Human Relations.
7. Annual appropriation contract, Employer’s Child Care Alliance.
8. Annual appropriation contract, Keep Opelika Beautiful
9. Annual appropriation contract, Lee County Humane Society.
10. Annual appropriation contract, Opelika Chamber of Commerce.
11. Annual appropriation contract, Jule Collins Smith Museum.
12. Annual appropriation contract, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County.
13. Annual appropriation contract, Envision Opelika Foundation.
14. To carry forward 2009 budgeted funds to the 2010 budget for various projects.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter (none)
1. Amend zoning ordinance, Hamilton Gables, from R3 to PUD – 2nd Reading.
2. Amend zoning ordinance, 1419 2nd Avenue, from C2 to C3 – 2nd Reading.
3. Project development agreement with Blackrock for a new Carmike Cinema – 2nd Reading.
4. Amend zoning ordinance, 411 N. 16th Street – 1st Reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS -
a. Re-appointment and new appointment to the Library Board.
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, OCT. 6 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 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:
3. THREE-WAY STOP SIGN – DONAHUE AND LONGLEAF. Discussion. Councilperson Dick Phelan.
4. AUBURN DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. Nominations. One Vacancy. Incumbent: Al Odell (resignation). Unexpired Term Ends July 18, 2011.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses. Consideration.
(1) JLK LLC dba/The Bank Vault. 101 North College Street. 010 – Lounge Retail Liquor – Class I License.
(2) The Independent Inc.dba/The Independent. 203 Opelika Road, Unit C. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License.
(3) India Garden Inc. dba/India Garden. 1251 Opelika Road. 040 – Retail Beer (On or Off Premises) and 060 – Retail Table Wine (On or Off Premises) Licenses.
b. Taxpayer Waiver. QualServ Corporation c/o Grant Thornton LLP. 201 S. College Street, Suite 2500, Charlotte, NC. $2,219.31.
c. Announcement of Board Vacancies. Tree Commission. Three Positions. Three Year Terms Expire November 7, 2013.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexation. Harvey and Barbara Gosser. Property Located on the south side of Ensminger Road (Lee Road 093), east of Heath Road (AL Hwy 147 North). 15 Acres. Planning Commission Recommendation. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish “No Parking” Zone. North Side of Magnolia Avenue between Wire Road and Hemlock Drive. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) Design Plaza, LLC. Greg Darden (Authorized Representative). Commercial Recreational Use-skate park (East Alabama Skate Park) in the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) Zoning District. 1901 East Glenn Avenue.
(2) Sky is the Limit Homes, LLC. Blake Rice (Authorized Representative). Lundy Chase Subdivision Amenities. Development District Housing (DDH) Zoning District w/an Overlay of the Planned Development District (PDD).
(a) Swimming pool and restroom facilities (Swimming Pool Amenity Lot). 754 Lundy Chase Drive.
(b) Playground and associated pavilion (Playground Amenity Lot).
778 Hunter Court.
b. Rename City Street. Portion of Bent Creek Road, north of the intersection of East Glenn Avenue. Mike Hubbard Boulevard.
c. Close City Streets. Auburn Chamber of Commerce. Annual Christmas Parade. Thursday, December 3, 2009.
d. City Depositories. Designate Financial Institutions Authorized to Receive Deposits of City Funds.
e. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Office of the City Manager. Bradley Arant Boult & Cummings, LLP. Governmental Affairs Representation Services. $90,000.
(2) Public Works Department. D & J Enterprises. FY09 Carlisle Drive Resurfacing Project. $25,325.
(3) Public Safety Department – Fire Division.
(a) Pro-Fire Equipment, LLC. Eight (8) Rapid Intervention Packs.
$19, 923.
(b) North America Fire Equipment Company. Mobile Breathing
Air Compressor. $46,979.
(4) Water Resource Management Department. Ben Atkinson Motors. 4-Wheel Drive 2010 Ford F150 Pickup Truck. State Contract. $23,417.
f. Drainage and Utility Easements and Sidewalk Easements. Acceptance and Conveyance.
(1) Drainage and Utility Easements. Acceptance.
(a) Bobby and Marilyn Mosley and WBB, LLC. Mosley Combination Plat. Property Located at the northwest intersection of Gentry Drive and Opelika Road.
(b) Rayford and Brenda Keel and Michael Keel. Water Oak Ridge Subdivision-Being a Redivision of Lot 2B of Longhorn Subdivision). Property Located on the east side of Alabama Highway 147, north of U. S. Highway 280.
(2 ) Donald Allen. 316 North Donahue Drive. Drainage and Utility Easement and Sidewalk Easement. Conveyance and Acceptance.
(3) Sidewalk Easements. Conveyance and Acceptance.
(a) South College Street Sidewalk Project.
(1) War Eagle Trail LLC. 1131 South College Street.
(2) Marshall Properties LTD. 1499 South College Street.
(b) Slaughter Avenue Sidewalk Project.
(1) Annie Ruth Epps. 747 Slaughter Avenue.
(2) Beverly Jelks and Priscilla Smith Johnson. 811 Slaughter Avenue.
(3) Marie Milford. 745 Slaughter Avenue.
g. Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority. One Position. Unexpired Term Ends July 18, 2011.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7 — INTERNATIONAL WALK TO SCHOOL DAY http://www.walktoschool-usa.org/
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 9:30 AM – ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION
Held in the 9th floor PSC Hearing Room, RSA Union Building, 100 N. Union Street, Mont. Ph: 334-242-2997. Open to all.
Agenda: In Open Session, to render Advisory Opinions requested by public officials/public employees. An Executive Session will be held to discuss matters relating to complaints filed with the Ethics Commission and the results of those investigations. These matters are covered by the Grand Jury Secrecy Act. No matters will be discussed which are outside the scope of the State guidelines for the holding of Executive Sessions. Matters discussed in Executive Session will be voted on in public.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 1:00 – 2:00 PM — DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH EVENT / CAROLYN COX – THE SILENT SECRET
Held in the auditorium, AU Hotel and Dixon Conference Center. Free & open to the public.
The Auburn University Women’s Resource Center, in partnership with Alpha Chi Omega, the Domestic Violence Intervention Center, and Safe Harbor will host an event to raise awareness about domestic violence. Carolyn Cox, nationally known Domestic Violence survivor and advocate will be the keynote speaker. Her talk will begin at 1:00p.m. and is free and open to the public. If you would like more information about this event please contact Amye Still at 844-4399.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 605.01A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00667
Applicant: Rakesh Patel for SAI Hospitality, LLC
General Location: 2283 South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Variance of 3.25 feet from the required minimum setback of 10 feet from any side lot line and 10 feet from the front or any street property line in order to allow a sign to be placed 6.75 feet from the side property line
Variance to Section 502.01, Table 5-1, of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00671
Applicant: North Auburn Housing Development Corporation
General Location: 721 and 724 Ellis Street
Zoning District: Limited Development District (LDD)
Action Requested: Variance of 10 feet to the required 25 foot front setback in order to allow a front setback of 15 feet for single-family residences on two lots (each lot is less than 10,000 sq. ft. in size)
OTHER BUSINESS
Request for Rehearing (110 West Glenn Avenue)
Applicant: Charles Pick for 110, L.L.C.
General Location: 110 West Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: Request to rehear Case PL-2008-00799. The request was for a variance from Section 516.02, Development and Design Standard Requirements within the Urban Core (UC). The applicant is asking to be able to have parking screened by a masonry wall rather than landscaping. The Ordinance requires that parking be screened by the principal structure.
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT
THURSDAY, OCT. 8 through SATURDAY, OCT. 10 — 2009 ALABAMA PRESERVATION CONFERENCE
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center, 241 S. College St. Registration & fee required.
Conference schedule, registration form: http://www.alabamatrust.info/2009ALPresConfE.pdf
The Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation (http://www.alabamatrust.info/), the Alabama Historical Commission, the Black Heritage Council, and the Auburn
Preservation League will host the 2009 Alabama Preservation Conference. Please join us as we explore the historic sites of the area, hear from a lineup of interesting speakers, and have fun just getting together!
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, NOON — AUTHOR BILL ELDER / Opelika library brown bag
Held in the board room, Lewis Cooper Memorial Library, 200 South 6th Street, Opelika. Free & open to all. Bring your lunch; refreshments provided.
Seating is limited; reservations required: call (334) 705-5380.
Info: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=435
Come meet author Bill Elder who with other students broke the racial barrier in college basketball.
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 1:00 PM — ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 100 N. Union Street Suite 382, Montgomery. Open to all. Ph 334-242-5568
Meeting info posted at https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notices.aspx.
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx (For details, see above, Monday, noon, Oct. 5, PC packet meeting)
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — KOREAN FILM: A TALE OF TWO SISTERS / ASIAN FILM SCREENING SERIES #3
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 1203. Free & open to all.
This month, the Asian Film Series features three horror films from Asia. The first is a 2003 Korean film, “A Tale Of Two Sisters” which won a number of international film awards.
A Tale of Two Sisters (anghwa, Hongryeon)
Director: Ji-woon Kim
Main Cast: Kap-su Kim, Jung-ah Yum, and Su-jeong Lim
Featured at the Cannes International Film Festival 2006.
For upcoming films, please check “events calendar” of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/EventCalendar/index.cfm
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 6:00 PM — KIESEL PARK SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES / featuring Old Soul
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all.
Info: www.auburnalabama.org/parks, click on Special Events.
Bring the family, a picnic supper, your lawn chairs, the family dog and enjoy a free, relaxing evening under the stars.
Upcoming performances: October 15: Auburn Road /October 22: Spoonful James.
More info: Alison Hall, 334-501-2930, ahall@auburnalabama.org
THURSDAY, OCT. 8 (& FRIDAY, OCT. 9), 7:00 – 9:00 pm — PINE HILL CEMETERY LANTERN TOUR / AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION www.auburnheritage.org
Held at PIne Hill Cemetery, 303 Armstrong Street, Auburn.
Tickets: $10 at the gate (includes the character script Tour Book).
Parking: at Auburn Junior High School, Samford Ave; trolley transportation available to the cemetery. Tiger Shaws available.
Open to all. Children welcome. Golf carts provided for the handicapped.
Pine Hill Cemetery, which dates back to 1837, is the oldest of Auburn’s five burying grounds. This is a luminary tour through the cemetery in the early evening hours of the day. Early inhabitants of Auburn come to life and tell tour goers who they were and what their significance to Auburn was. Proceeds from the tour will be sed for various Auburn Heritage Association project promoting Auburn’s history & preservation.
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 7:00 pm — EAST ALABAMA CYCLING CLUB
Held at the EAMC Health Resource Center, Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. Open to all.
The East Alabama Cycling Club (EACC) is a bicycle club for riders of all skill levels and riding styles. The club meets at 7:00 pm, on the second Thursday of each month. Info: mk1hgn@yahoo.com .
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 7:00 pm — RECEPTION: ALABAMA TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONFERENCE
Held at Pebble Hill (AU’s Carolyn Draughon Center for Arts & the Humanities). Ticket required; visit http://www.alabamatrust.info/ for more information.
OPENING FRIDAY, OCT. 9 — JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION / Photo XI
Held at Auburn’s Dempsey Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Annual juried exhibition of photographs by regional artists and photographers. Ongoing through November 20.
FRIDAY, OCT. 9 — 2009 ALABAMA PRESERVATION CONFERENCE See details above, Oct. 8.
FRIDAY, OCT. 9 — JCSM EXHIBITS OPEN www.jcsm.auburn.edu
–ELVIS AND FRIENDS: GLITTER MOSAICS BY JONI MABE
–ELVIS AT 21, NEW YORK TO MEMPHIS: PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALFRED WERTHEIMER
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 8:00 am – ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 100 N Union Street, Suite 382, Mont., ph: 334-242-5568. Open to all.
Agenda details at: https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama%20Board%20of%20Licensure%20for%20Professional%20Engineers%20and%20Land%20Surveyors&submissiondatetime=8/25/2009%2012:22:25%20PM
FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 9:00 – 11:00 AM — TOURS OF THE AU ARBORETUM
Held at AU’s Donald E Davis Arboretum; on Garden Drive, just west of S. College Street.
Meet in the Arboretum’s pavilion. Free & open to all.
Info: http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum/
Tours last one hour each and are scheduled on the hour from 9:00 – 11:00 am, the second Friday & Saturday of each month (except Jan & Feb 2010). Guides are members of the Lee County Master Gardeners. The Donald E. Davis Arboretum is maintained by the College of Sciences and Mathematics. For more information on the tours, call 844-5770 or visit the Web site ( http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum ).
FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — JCSM MEMBERS’ FALL OPENING & RECEPTION
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
This event is for JCSM members only. If you would like to join the museum please contact Cindy Cox at 334-844-3005 or coxcynh@auburn.edu. You may also purchase your membership online.
6:00 pm — Lecture by Chris Murray. Reception follows.
Opening reception for Elvis at 21: New York to Memphis, photographs by Alfred Wertheimer, organized in conjunction with Govinda Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Chris Murray is founder and director of Govinda Gallery and has organized over two hundred and fifty exhibitions of paintings, drawings, and photographs, many of which have traveled throughout the United States and abroad, including countries such as Germany, Spain, Ireland, England, the Netherlands, Mexico and Cuba. He has edited and authored over a dozen books and catalogues including Between Midnight and Day: The Last Unpublished Blues Archive (Action Publishing Group/ Insight Editions, 2003), Elvis at 21: New York to Memphis (Insight Editions, 2006), Knockout: The Art of Boxing (Insight Editions, 2008), and John and Yoko: A New York Love Story (Insight Editions, 2008).
Elvis will be in the building! Be sure to join us for the reception following Murray’s talk. Young Elvis will be entertaining members during the reception with song and dance.
This event is for JCSM members only. If you would like to join the museum please contact Cindy Cox at 334-844-3005 or coxcynh@auburn.edu. You may also purchase your membership online.
FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 7:00 – 9:00 pm — PINE HILL CEMETERY LANTERN TOUR / AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION www.auburnheritage.org
Held at PIne Hill Cemetery, 303 Armstrong Street, Auburn.
See other details above, Thursday, Oct. 8.
SATURDAY, OCT. 10 — 2009 ALABAMA PRESERVATION CONFERENCE See details above, Oct. 8.
SATURDAY, OCT. 10 — 5TH ANNUAL “THINK PINK” BREAST CANCER AWARENESS WEEK
Held in Downtown Auburn. Entry form & info: www.eamcfoundation.org or www.opelikamainstreet.org.
Join Breast Cancer Survivors from Lee, Russell, Chambers, Tallapoosa, Randolph, and Macon counties for the 4th Annual ‘Think Pink’ breast cancer awareness walk. Activities include a one-mile informational walk, walkers’ reception and breast cancer awareness information.
SATURDAY, OCT. 10, 9:00 – 11:00 AM — TOURS OF THE AU ARBORETUM
Held at AU’s Donald E Davis Arboretum; on Garden Drive, just west of S. College Street. See details above, Friday, Oct. 9.
SATURDAY, OCT. 10, 9:30 am – 1:00 pm — FALL USED BOOK SALE / FRIENDS OF THE AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY
Held at the pavilion, Town Creek Park, S. Gay Street.
All are invited. Rain date: Sat. Oct. 24.
Friends of the Auburn Public Library’s Fall Used Book Sale will offer thousands of books at bargain prices. Hardbacks cost $1 and paperbacks cost 50¢. Come find a good book and support the library!
SATURDAY, OCT. 10, 10:00 AM — FALL WILDFLOWER HIKE / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE
Held at AU’s Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Free & open to all.
Info & directions: http://https//fp.auburn.edu/preserve/ or call 334.844.8091.
Join Margaret Holler in exploring the preserve’s beautiful fall wildflowers.
SUNDAY, OCT. 11, 1:00 – 4:00 PM — JCSM / ART MUSEUM’S 6TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
Free & open to the public. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Come celebrate the museum’s sixth birthday with your family! Join the museum for children’s art activities, music, tour the exhibitions and enjoy birthday cake. This year we will focus on the exhibition Elvis at 21, and include Elvis tribute band Young Elvis and the Blue Suedes, and projects for children that connect the man, the music, and the artistic work of Al Wertheimer. Come join us October 11th to celebrate 6 years of JCSM, eat some cake, and shake those hips with the king of rock’n'roll! This event is part of our Educational programming offered to the community.This event is open and free for everyone!
SUNDAY, OCT. 11, 3:00 – 4:30 PM – SAVINGS IN BUILDING DESIGN / NORBERT LECHNER (retired), AU COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Held in the Auburn City Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor, west of City Hall; entrance on side of building, behind Cheeburger Cheeburger parking lot. Free & open to all.
This is the second of six presentations & discussions of opportunities and savings associated with energy efficiencies, energy conservation, and alternative fuels. Subsequent presentations on Sunday afternoons in October and November in the Auburn City Meeting Room include biofuels, weatherization, innovations by the City of Auburn, and solar power. Co-hosted by AU’s Office of Sustainability; see http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/energy/talk_series.html for series details.
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Tree Commission – three vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 6 City Council meeting.
*Parks & Recreation Advisory Board – two vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 20 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Oct. 4, 2009
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UPDATE: additional info & events
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
TONIGHT, TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.
Agenda includes:
Public Works Report Brandy Ezelle
• N. Donahue (~Bedell Av.) facility
• E. Samford lanes
Parks & Rec. Report Dee Watson
• Bike Bash 2010
Public Safety Report Tommy Carswell
Lake Wilmore facility Brad Hooks
BMX/skate/roller blade park Peter Wolf
CompPlan 2030 Kirk Iversen
Next Meeting October 27, 2009
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM — PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON WATER POLICY & MANAGEMENT
Held in the Joint Briefing Room ( 8th Floor) of the Alabama State House. Open to all.
Info: Pamela Averrett, Legislative Clerk/Assistant, (334) 242-7875
Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Water Policy and Management Committee members: Sen. Kim S. Benefield, CHAIR; Rep. Greg Canfield, VICE CHAIR; Sen. T.D. “Ted” Little; Sen. “Walking” Wendell Mitchell; Sen. Arthur Orr; Sen. Quinton T. Ross, Jr.; Sen. Harri Anne Smith; Rep. Chad Fincher; Rep. Thomas E. Jackson; Rep. Richard J. Laird; Rep. Artis J. “A.J.” McCampbell; Rep. W.F. “Frank” McDaniel; Rep. Jeffrey McLaughlin.
Agenda includes:
10:30 A.M. CALL TO ORDER
10:30 – 11:00 ROLL CALL, MINUTES
11:00 – 11:30 PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
11:30 – 12:00 PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
12:00 – 12:30 CLOSING REMARKS
12:30 P.M. ADJOURN
Presentations:
**Barbara Gibson, Executive Director, Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow Rivers Watershed Management Authority
**J. Charles Borden, President, Lake Martin Resource Association
AU THEATRE: PLAY – INTIMATE APPAREL
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre.
Performances: Sept.29-Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.
The play is the recipient of the 2004 New York Drama Critics Award and The Outer Critics Circle Award. Set in New York City in 1905, “Intimate Apparel” examines the strains that human-created boundaries — class, racial, ethnic and religious — place on love through the quest of the central character, Esther, to find love and fulfillment. As a 35-year-old African American seamstress known for sewing exquisite corsets, Esther moves fluidly between many different worlds: the boudoirs of both a wealthy white woman and an African American musician who relies on prostitution to pay the bills; the tenement storefront of a Jewish fabric merchant; and the boardinghouse for unmarried women in which she lives. The production is under the direction of Auburn University theatre professor Heather May.
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ADDITIONAL EVENTS:
TONIGHT, TUESDAY, SEPT. 28, 6:30 PM — TASTE OF DIVERSITY FORUM
Held in AU’s new Student Center ballroom. Free & open to all.
The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Student Ambassadors invite the entire campus — faculty, administrators, staff and students– to its first “Taste of Diversity” forum. The forum will provide an opportunity for an open discussion about diversity at Auburn University. The evening will start with a tasting of various diverse foods from various cultures. This will be followed by a panel discussion from David Carter, associate professor and history department graduate program officer, Overtoun Jenda, associate provost for diversity and multicultural affairs and Susana Morris, professor of contemporary African American literature, women’s studies and world literature. The evening will close with an chance for all to participate and share their opinions and views
about diversity here on campus. For more information, contact Charria Campbell at 844-5087 or campbcy@auburn.edu.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 4:00 PM — Architecture Lecture: CHIS GIATTINA / Frameworks
Held in THE Ray Parker Memorial Auditorium (B6), Dudley Hall, AU School of Architecture. Free & open to all.
Chis Giattina, AIA | Principal GA Studio — www.gastudio.com
THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 7:00 pm — FILM: CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY
Held at AU’s new Student Center, ballroom. Free & open to all.
The acclaimed 1995 film, “Cry, the Beloved Country, sponsored by AU’s Honors College, illuminates the rigid and racist structures of society in South Africa that would later give rise to apartheid. Overtoun Jenda, a native of Malawi and head of the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, will offer introductory remarks. A group discussion will follow the film. Based on Alan Paton’s classic 1948 novel, the film stars James Earl Jones and Richard Harris in their most memorable roles. Harris gives a sharply drawn performance as a hard-nosed, well-to-do landowner in 1946 South Africa with a negative attitude toward the native population. Jones gives a sensitive performance as a simple, country preacher who is described by a colleague as simply the “best man he ever met.” The film explores the detrimental effects of fear on human nature and society, not just in South Africa but everywhere. Paton wrote his novel just months before implementation of the apartheid political system in South Africa. His book enjoyed critical success around the world, except in South Africa, where it was banned. More info: James Hansen at 844-5862 or hansejr@auburn.edu.
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New Traffic Signal at Donahue Drive and Bragg Avenue in Operation
City of Auburn’s Downtown Trick-or-Treat to be held Oct. 29
(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – The Press-Register uses proposed funding of Loachapoka Syrup Sopping Festival as an example of why greater transparency of legislators’ community service grants is warranted. https://mail.google.com/mail/#drafts/12407f1124c1b256
MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – Alabama Rivers Alliance’s Cindy Lowry calls for cooperation among southeastern states in sustaining water resources and creating clean energy sources. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090928/OPINION0101/909270309/1006/opinion
EPA targets chemicals, estrogens. [http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/87/i39/8739news5.html] Pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and two major perfluorinated compounds are among the 104 chemicals EPA listed today for possible regulation in drinking water. This marks the first time the agency will consider pharmaceuticals for potential regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Chemical & Engineering News http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/87/i39/8739news5.html
ENVIRONMENTAL ‘GOOD NEWS’
Looking for a little ‘good news’ on the environmental front? Check out these articles:
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/topic.jsp?term=Topic/goodNews
==== ===
Items below courtesy of BEN / Bama Environmental News:
ADEM Reform Coalition releases report on critical of Alabama Department of Environmental Management compliance. — The report can be found at: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/NPDESReport.pdf
New York Times is running a series of articles on lax and worsening enforcement of the Clean Water Act nationwide. Here is an interactive map from the Times about Alabama’s violations: http://projects.nytimes.com/toxic-waters/polluters/alabama . Here is the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=water%20quality&st=cse
Link to complete NY Times series Toxic Waters: http://www.nytimes.com/toxicwaters
Alabama recieves a D+ water quality protection grade from the Alabama Rivers Alliance – Check out the report at http://www.healthygulf.org
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sept. 29, 2009
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Week of Sept. 28 – Meetings, events & updates
Meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
UPCOMING MEETING:
TUESDAY, OCT 13, 6:00 PM – City of Auburn to Host Public Input Meeting for Future Land Use Plan – Public Meeting #1: Visioning
Held at Auburn Junior High School, 332 East Samford Ave. The public is invited to attend. www.auburnalabama.org/compplan2030
The first public meeting for Auburn’s CompPlan 2030 (Future Land Use Plan) will be held October 13 at 6pm at Auburn Junior High School. The meeting will begin with a presentation on the current state of the city. Participants will then break into small groups to share their ideas for the future of Auburn.
More info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl091809.asp
LOST AUBURN — photos wanted
Do you have photos, print or digital, of houses, businesses, etc., that are no longer standing in Auburn? AUUF member Ann Pearson, Ralph Draughon, Jr., and Delos Hughes, all Auburn natives, are compiling a book of photographs called LOST AUBURN and are looking for photos of the exteriors of structures. If anyone has any appropriate pictures, they may contact Ann Pearson at stonylonesome@earthlink.
net or by phone at 821-3660.
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ONGOING THROUGH OCTOBER 6 — DEMPSEY CENTER / ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Open to all.
Special Works – an exhibition featuring artworks on loan from area residents.
ONGOING through NOV. 10 — Water: Three States (Phase I) Exhibition
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall.
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/ArtinAg/index.php
‘Art in Agriculture’ events begin with Biggin Hall exhibition. Free & open to the public.
MONDAY, SEPT. 28 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. Purchasing Policies and Procedures – Roger Rendleman
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting September 14, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. 2nd Reading of Lee County Recreation Board Appointments – Judge English
b. 1st Reading of Lee County Dept. of Human Resources Board – Judge English
c. FY 2010 Budget – Roger Rendleman
d. Ambulance Service Agreement – Judge English
e. Approve Travel Expenses for ACCA Board Meetings-Commissioner Lawrence
f. Highway Maintenance Bids – Neal Hall
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. TRUEbroadband Agreement – Commissioner Harris
b. Educational Reimbursement – Roger Rendleman
10. Adjourn
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 11:00 – 12:00 — DR ART CHAPPELKA: COMMUNITY/ECOSYSTEM LEVEL RESPONSES OF AIR POLLUTION
Held in room 1101, AU School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences. Free & open to all. Light refreshments served.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout September. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainstreet@aol.com for more information.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 3:00 PM — BOOK TALK BY BETH MAYNOR YOUNG AND JOHN HALL / HEADWATERS: A JOURNEY ON ALABAMA RIVERS
http://www.kingfishereditions.com/headwaters/phpslideshow.php?directory=.&auto=1¤tPic=1
Held in the Special Collections and Archives Department, AU’s Ralph Brown Draughon Library.. Free & open to all.
Info: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cah/events.htm
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE – stakeholder interviews
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St.
Agenda: stakeholder interviews. Closed to the public.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29 — JCSM LECTURE & MOVIE www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Open to all. Free.
4:00 pm — Lecture: Black and Blue – Elvis in Rock and Roll Lit / Barbara A. Baker
6:00 pm — Movie: The Bad Seed
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 5:00 PM — PANEL DISCUSSION: WATER ISSUES IN THE SOUTHEAST
Held in AU’s Biggin Hall, room 005.(auditorium, lower level) Free & open to the public.
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/ArtinAg/index.php
Accompanying exhibition — Water: Three States (Phase I) — runs through Nov. 10, in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall; open to the public.
A panel discussion on water issues in the Southeast, moderated by Katie Lamar Jackson of the College of Agriculture, will include Bill Deutsch of Alabama Water Watch, Eve Brantley of Alabama Cooperative Extension System, visual artist Xiaotian Wang and conservation photographer Beth Maynor Young.
This panel discussion is part of “Art in Agriculture,” a yearlong interdisciplinary initiative that will explore the intersections of art, culture, ecology and the environment. The fall 2009 focus of the project deals with responses to water issues in Alabama, Georgia and Florida. A complete schedule of events, including lectures, art exhibitions, receptions and workshops, as well as information about the spring 2010 focus on gardening, can be found at the Art in Agriculture Web site. More info: College of Liberal Arts at 844-4026, the Department of Art at 844-4373 or the Department of Agriculture at 844-5887 or http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/ArtinAg/index.php.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.
TUESDAY, SEPT 29, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: INTIMATE APPAREL
Additional performances: Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 7:30 pm
Held at AU’s Theatre Main Stage.
Ticket info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/boxoffice/index.cfm
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Directed by Heather May.
Info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM — PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON WATER POLICY & MANAGEMENT
Held in the Joint Briefing Room ( 8th Floor) of the Alabama State House. Open to all.
Info: Pamela Averrett, Legislative Clerk/Assistant, (334) 242-7875 [Check date/time before attending.]
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, NOON – 1:00 PM –GREEN LUNCH / CHRIS NEWLAND – ALUMNI PROFESSOR, AU DEPT OF PSYCHOLOGY: Cleaning the Air Has Made Us Smarter, Less Likely to Kill Each Other, and May Improve Mental Health
Held in AU’s Student Center, Room 2223. Free & open to the public. Feel free to bring your lunch. http://www.auburn.edu/sustainability
http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/projects/green_lunch.html
Dr. Newland’s talk will look at the effects of exposure to environmental contaminants on the human nervous system and the benefits of limiting our exposure to such contaminants. This event is free and open to students, staff, faculty and members of the community.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: INTIMATE APPAREL
Additional performances: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2:30 pm / Oct 1-Oct. 3, 7:30 pm
Held at AU’s Theatre Main Stage.
Ticket info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/boxoffice/index.cfm
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Directed by Heather May.
Info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/
THURSDAY, OCT. 1
8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALK
3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — JCSM: AU JAZZ & POETRY NIGHT
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all. Refreshments provided. Dress: dressy casual; please wear all black, no jeans or tennis shoes please.
Get ready to share your poetry, participate in the comedy & improv show and sing and dance to your favorite old to new school songs with Oya, Oracle and Swift! Jazz and Poetry Night like you have never seen it before.
THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 6:00 PM — KIESEL PARK SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES / featuring Satin Soul
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all.
Info: www.auburnalabama.org/parks, click on Special Events.
Bring the family, a picnic supper, your lawn chairs, the family dog and enjoy a free, relaxing evening under the stars.
Upcoming performances:
October 8: Old Soul
October 15: Auburn Road
October 22: Spoonful James
More info: Alison Hall, 334-501-2930, ahall@auburnalabama.org
THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ORGANIZATION (EAO)
Held in AU’s Student Union. room 2107. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/eao/index.html
THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: INTIMATE APPAREL
Additional performances: Oct 2 & Oct. 3, 7:30 pm
Held at AU’s Theatre Main Stage.
Ticket info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/boxoffice/index.cfm
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Directed by Heather May.
Info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/
FRIDAY, OCT. 2, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Location change this month: Held at the AU Arboretum; meet at the Pavilion. Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/trees/
Agenda: Dee Smith will present a brief overview of the Arboretum and after the meeting. A tour of the Arboretum for those interested will be held after the meeting.
FRIDAY, OCT. 2, 1:00 – 2:00 PM — FISHERIES SEMINAR: Complexity, productivity and the stability of aquatic food webs
Held in AU’sSwingle Hall, rm 303. Free & open to all.
Chris Steiner from Wayne State Univ will present the seminar “Complexity, productivity and the stability of aquatic food webs”.
FRIDAY, OCT. 2, 7:00 PM – EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. Free & open to all. Held the first Friday of each month.
Poets, authors, musicians, and storytellers are invited to perform their work for an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. The event is open to all and there is no charge for the event.
FRIDAY, OCT. 2, 7:30 PM —- EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, OCT. 2, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: INTIMATE APPAREL
Additional performance -Oct. 3, 7:30 pm
Held at AU’s Theatre Main Stage.
Ticket info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/boxoffice/index.cfm
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Directed by Heather May.
Info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 8:00 AM – NOON — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL (ABC) PANSY & MUM SALE
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr090309.asp
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave.
The Auburn Beautification Council will host a pansy and mum sale on Saturday, October 3 from 8 a.m. – Noon at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, located at 714 E Glenn Avenue. The sale will feature flats of pansies and Johnny Jump Ups and 8″ and 12″ potted mums. Prices range from $6 – 14. All proceeds from the sale go to support Auburn Beautification Council projects, including the downtown hanging baskets and plantings, Spring Azalea Trail, gardens at Kiesel Park, and beautification awards presented to Auburn homes and businesses.
More info: Auburn Chamber of Commerce at 887-7011 or the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Department at 501-2930.
Auburn Beautification Council Pansy and Mum Sale Flyer (PDF)
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr090309.pdf
SATURDAY, OCT. 3, 8:00 AM — JEAN DEAN RIF 2ND ANNUAL RUN TO READ 5K & FAMILY FUN WALK
Start at 1105 Fitzpatrick Ave- Opelika. http://www.jeandeanrif.org/
8:00 am – 1 Mile Fun Walk.
8:30 am – 5k Race
Door prize give aways, all walkers and runners receive chance to win North Carolina Vacation June 5 thru 12, 2010. One Mile Walk 8:00am and 5k 8:30am. All Proceeds benefit Jean Dean Reading is Fundamental.
Pre-Registration $15 & $10
Registration day of race $18 & $12
More info: Rich Bailey, Run Director at 334.663.2197 or richatAU@aol.com, Cathy Gafford, RIF Director at 334.749.5631 or jeandeanrif@bellsouth.net.
SATURDAY, OCT. 3 , 9:00 AM — AU ARBORETUM DAYS
Held at AU’s Davis Arboretum.
AU’s College of Sciences and Mathematics will host Arboretum Days on the first Saturday of October and November. Arboretum Days is an approximately one-hour educational event designed for children agespre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The program begins at 9 a.m. at the Davis Arboretum and features a nature-themed learning activity. More info: 844-5770 or http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum.
SATURDAY, OCT. 3, 1:00 – 5:00 PM (Central time) — MEET & GREET: CANDIDATES FROM LEE, RUSSELL, MACON & BARBER COUNTIES
Held at the City Senior Activity Center, (old Central High School), 14th Street, Phenix City .
Meet and Greet for Senate, House and Local Candidates. Candidates confirmed to attend: Artur Davis, Joshua Segall, Jeremy Sherer. [Note that event will be held from 2:00 - 6:00 pm Eastern time.]
SATURDAY, OCT. 3, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: INTIMATE APPAREL
Held at AU’s Theatre Main Stage.
Ticket info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/boxoffice/index.cfm
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Directed by Heather May.
Info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/
SUNDAY, OCT. 4, 3:00 – 4:30 PM – ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES / PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION
Held in the Auburn City Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor, west of City Hall; entrance on side of building, behind Cheeburger Cheeburger parking lot. Free & open to all.
“Alternative Energy Opportunities,” the first of six presentations on energy, will be presented at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, October 4 This presentation will be made by David Newton, retired member of the AU faculty, and Matthew Williams of the Office of Sustainability at AU. Other knowledgeable volunteers will make five additional presentations on Sunday afternoons in October and November in the Auburn City Meeting Room. These subsequent presentations include building design, biofuels, weatherization, innovations by the City of Auburn, and solar power. For additional information, contact David Newton at newton3117@bellsouth.net.
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Tree Commission – three vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 6 City Council meeting.
*Parks & Recreation Advisory Board – two vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 20 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sept. 28, 2009
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UPDATE
COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE — COME JOIN THE CIVIC DISCUSSION . . . EXCEPT YOU
http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/09/23/sept-18-2009-column-by-lisa-brouillette-come-join-civic-discussions-except-you/
[First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Sept. 18, 2009]
AU PHARMACY STUDENTS PROVIDE FREE HEALTH AND MEDICATION MONITORING SERVICES
Students in AU’s Harrison School of Pharmacy can help individuals from the community who are dealing with chronic health conditions and can use assistance in dealing with both their conditions and their medications. In routinely scheduled visits, student pharmacists can take blood pressure, check blood sugars, fill pill boxes and respond to questions or problems the participant may have with his or her condition or medications. In addition to the benefits the participant receives by having students monitor medications, participants are afforded the opportunity to mentor students and expose them to situations that will enhance their learning. For more information about this free service, contact Kathy Kyle at 844-8345 or kylekat@auburn.edu.
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ADDITIONAL EVENTS
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — RENE MCELDOWNEY / THE FIVE GREATEST MYTHS OF UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE
Held in AU’s Gordon Bond Auditorium, room 3195, Haley Center. Free & open to all.
Rene McEldowney, director of Auburn’s Health Services Administration program and AU associate professor of political science, will present a lecture, “The Five Greatest Myths of Universal Health Care.” The event is sponsored by the University Honors College and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. For further information, contact
Paul Harris, associate director, Honors College, at pah0005@auburn.edu.
THURSDAY & FRIDAY, SEPT. 24 & 25, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE: INTIMATE APPAREL
Additional performances: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2:30 pm / Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 7:30 pm
Held at AU’s Theatre Main Stage.
Ticket info & orders: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/boxoffice/index.cfm
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Directed by Heather May.
Info: http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org/
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM — NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY KICK-OFF CELEBRATION / TUSKEGEE NATIONAL FOREST
Held at Tuskegee National Forest.
Dedication ceremony: 1:00 pm / Taska Recreation site, Tuskegee Natl Forest.
This celebration honors the farmers and sharecroppers who were part of the Tuskegee Land Utilization Project. There will be a 1:00 pm dedication ceremony honoring Prairie Farm Descendents. Tuskegee National Forest was established Nov. 27, 1959. More info: Tuskegee Ranger District Office: 334-727-2652.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — JAPANESE FILM / SWAY: ASIAN FILM SERIES #2
Held at AU’s Haley Center, room 1203
Asian Film Series, Fall 2009! The second of the series is a Japanese film, Sway.
Sway (Yureru) 2006
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
Main Cast: Jo Odagiri, Teruyuki Kagawa
Featured at the Cannes International Film Festival 2006.
For more information and updates on the series, please visit http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/multimedia/index.cfm
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 2:00 PM — SEMINAR/RECEPTION: GLOBAL GENOMIC APPROACHES TO STUDY BIOLOGY AND DISEASE
Speaker: Rick Myers / President of HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
Held in AU’s Science Center, Classrooms Building room 115. Free & open to all. Reception follows seminar.
Rick Myers, director, faculty investigator and president of HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, will present a seminar titled “Global Genomic Approaches to Study Biology andDisease.” He will also speak about the vision and mission of theHudsonAlpha Institute. A reception will follow. His visit has been
coordinated by Marie Wooten, associate dean for research in the College
of Sciences and Mathematics.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — RECEPTION: FALL INVITATIONAL 2009 ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to the public.
Exhibition hours: through Oct. 14; 8:00 – 5:00, Monday – Friday.
Info: Dempsey Center 501-2963; www.auburnalabama.org/arts
The Auburn Arts Association currently has the Fall Invitational 2009 Special Works which will be on display through Oct. 14 at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. The exhibition features 31 works of art on loan from 17 area residents. The exhibition includes paintings, prints, works on paper, ceramics and a quilt representing 29 local and nationally known artists and craftpersons. The public is invited to a drop in reception on Friday, Sept. 25 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. to view the exhibition.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27, 4:00 PM — KIESEL PARK SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES / featuring Auburn Community Orchestra – Music from the Movies
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all.
In the event of rain, he concert will be moved to Goodwin Music Building Band Hall.
The Auburn University Community Orchestra, led by Howard Goldstein, music director, will present a free concert, “Music from the Movies.” The orchestra will perform classic film scores from films such as Gone with the Wind, E.T. and Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as classical pieces heard in films like Platoon and Breaking Away. More info: 844-3167.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sept. 24, 2009
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[First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009]
At this week’s Auburn City Council meeting, Auburn resident Clara Clothiaux asked a half dozen or so questions of clarification about the proposed West Pace project and its tax district, which were up for vote that night.
The questions were posed clearly, concisely and politely, within the time allotted for citizen communications. They referred to the hundred-plus pages of complicated legal documents and complex details of this major project.
Councilmember Arthur Dowdell’s reaction was to pepper her with questions: Was she at the previous council meeting? Did she hear the West Pace presentation given at that meeting? Why didn’t she ask her questions then? Why was she asking these questions now?
That’s right. He didn’t answer her questions. Instead his remarks implied she didn’t have the right to ask questions about an important issue on the night council was scheduled to vote on it.
Their interaction was relatively brief. But it was long enough to show anyone present how they might be treated if they asked questions of council.
Fortunately Councilmember Dulaney stepped in and assisted Dr. Clothiaux in getting answers to her questions. Those answers, by the way, made the proposed project more understandable to the general public.
This wasn’t the first time a citizen has been challenged publicly by one of our elected officials for exercising the right to ask questions of them. And, sadly, it probably won’t be the last.
But it should be.
I’ve said this before, but clearly it bears repeating.
Anyone who discourages citizens from asking questions and engaging in civic discussion shouldn’t be in public office. It’s that simple.
Our city has made great strides in providing information and documents to its citizens via its website and the public library. This aids citizens in understanding their government and its actions.
And, thankfully, incidents like the one described above happen less frequently now than in the past. But even once is too often.
Let’s keep moving in the right direction. Let’s encourage citizens to air their opinions and ask their questions and, as important, let’s treat them respectfully when they do.
Oh, for the record, not that it should matter, Dr. Clothiaux had attended the previous meeting and reviewed the relevant documents.
And, in an ironic twist, at the same meeting Councilmember Dowdell twice called for new people to come forward and serve on city boards.
Is it possible he doesn’t see the connection between his behavior towards a citizen asking questions and people’s reluctance to come forward and join the civic discussion?
Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com .
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Week of Sept. 21 – Meetings, events & updates
Meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
City of Auburn to Host Public Input Meeting for Future Land Use Plan – October 13
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl091809.asp
Stubb Avenue Closure Extended to September 21
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw091809.asp
Auburn Community Orchestra Presents a Free Concert Sunday, Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. at Kiesel Park
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr091809.asp
= == == = === === =
ONGOING through NOV. 10 — Water: Three States (Phase I) Exhibition
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall.
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/ArtinAg/index.php
ONGOING THROUGH OCTOBER 6 — DEMPSEY CENTER / ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Open to all.
Special Works – an exhibition featuring artworks on loan from area residents.
MONDAY, SEPT. 21, 7:00 PM — SKATE PARK MEETING
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to the public.
This meeting, organized by Greg Darden (Don Allen Development) and a coalition of local skaters/bikers, is being held to gauge interest in a proposed skate park at 1901 East Glenn Ave near the airport. The project would include a 2/3-acre ‘for-profit’ commercial facility, with a concrete ‘bowl’ style skate park, indoor recreational areas, outdoor eating kiosks, and adjacent retail & restaurants. It would be a recreational park style venue for the skate board, rollerblade, and biking community.
MONDAY, SEPT. 21, 7:00 PM — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, off S. Gay Street at end of Church Drive. Open to all. http://www.lwval.org/eastalabama/index.html
Agenda: 7:00 pm – “Meet & Greet”; 7:30 pm — Program: Alabama Can Get a New Constitution!
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 2:00 PM – AUBURN LIBRARY BOARD
Held in the Board room, 749 E. Thach Ave. Open to all.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout September. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainstreet@aol.com for more information.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Not open to the public. This committee meeting and next week’s (Sept. 29) with downtown stakeholders will be closed to the general public. Information on future meetings will be provided when available.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 3:00 PM — PUBLIC LECTURE: MIT PRESIDENT EMERITUS CHARLES M. VEST, PRESIDENT OF THE NATL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING / ENGINEERING EDUCATION & THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Held in AU’s Hartley Auditorium, 1103 Shelby Center. Open to the public.
Speaker: Charles Vest, president of the National Academy of Engineering and president emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Vest will discuss the impact that globalization and the changing nature of science and technology have on higher education, research, development and innovation, as well as the ways that our educational systems may have to transform to meet the greatest human challenges of this century. His lecture is part of the Samuel Ginn Distinguished Lecture series. To read more, see the news story (http://eng.auburn.edu/admin/marketing/newsroom/2009/august/vest-lecture.html).
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 3:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Approved minutes from previous planning commission meetings available online at http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=515.
Agenda includes:
PUBLIC HEARING/CompPlan 2020
A. PLATS (preliminary and prel. & final) – Public Hearing
1. Capps-Palmer S/D, First Addition Seventh Revision, 2 lots, Capps Landing, Opelika Land & Timber Inc, Preliminary and Final Approval
2. Raymond Murphy S/D, 7 lots, Lee Road 263, Betty McConnell, P/F Approval
3. Julia Martin S/D, Part 2, 3 lots, Lee Road 146, Julia Martin, P/F Approval
4. Tiger Town Corporate Park S/D, 25 lots, Corporate Park Drive, Slabco, LLC, P/F Approval
B. ADMINISTRATIVE SUBDIVSION (Ratify)
5. Jaunita Jones, S/D,2 lots, Lee Road 155, Jaunita Jones, Ratify
C.CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
6. Warren Hand & Marion Hicks, 1809 West End Court, C-3, Self-Serve Ice Machine
D. AMENDMENT TO TEXT OF ZONING ORDINANCE – Public Hearing
7. Amend Section 8.1 Off-Street Parking – parking requirements for theaters/auditoriums
8. Amend Section 7.3 Use Categories – Amend matrix table from Not Allowed (N) to Allowed (A) for an Airport in the I-1 (Institutional) zoning district
E. OTHER BUSINESS
9. Draft review of new Airport Overlay Zoning District
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 4:00 pm — CLA Reads! Pain is the Great Doctor / Barry Burkhart, AU Dept. of Psychology
Held in Tichenor 310 (CLA Dean’s Conference Room), AU. Free & open to all.
CLA Reads! is a series of informal discussions, faculty-led seminars, and related events focused around Lewis Nordan’s The Sharpshooter Blues (Algonquin Books, 1995).
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22– JCSM LECTURE & MOVIE www.jcsm.auburn.edu
4:00 pm — AMERICAN IN THE ‘50S – THE CULTURE OF THE COLD WAR / LARRY GERBER
6:00 pm — The Man Who Knew Too Much
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
Gerber, a specialist in 20th century American history, with a particular interest in public policy, political ideology and the role of government in society, is the author of “The Irony of State Intervention” and “The Limits of Liberalism.”
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY REPUBLICAN CLUB
Speaker: AL Republican Party Chairman and District 79 Rep. Mike Hubbard
Held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Auburn.
Meetings held on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Executive committee meeting at 7:00 pm, following regular meting.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 6:30 PM — THE TIANJIN SONG AND DANCE THEATER (CHINESE PERFORMING GROUP)
Held at Auburn United Methodist Church, 220 E. Magnolia Ave. Free & open to all.
The Auburn University Chinese Professional Association will host a top Chinese performing group, The Tianjin Song and Dance Theatre. The public is invited to attend; admission is free. The event is cosponsored by the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, Graduate School and Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. For more information, contact Zhongyang Cheng at chengzh@eng.auburn.edu, Ya-Xiong Tao at taoyaxi@auburn.edu or Zilun Fan at fanzilu@auburn.edu.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — YORK LECTURE/ SPEAKER: FABIEN COUSTEAU – One Water One People
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/dean-dir/yorklecture/
Held at AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Free & open to the public.
ET York Distinguished Lecture Series: Global Environmental Issues
Fabien Cousteau, grandson of the late undersea explorer and filmmaker Jacque-Yves Cousteau and an internationally known environmentalist and filmmaker in his own right, will present the E.T. York lecture, “One Water One People.” His presentation will focus on water-related environmental issues. Cousteau grew up exploring the sea and the world with his grandfather and his father, Jean-Michel. After earning a degree in environmental economics from Boston University, Cousteau meshed his family legacy of championing environmental protection with his business acumen by successfully spearheading the development of new environmentally sustainable products and business models. He also co-launched Natural Entertainment, which works on exploration and environmental awareness projects for television and other media. Cousteau’s recent adventures involve partnering with his father and sister to complete a three-year multi-hour series for PBS, Ocean Adventures, which explores such topics as the Pacific grey whale migration, the National Marine Sanctuaries, the Amazon, Beluga whales in the Arctic, and more. He will lecture on global environmental issues such as sustainable oceans and natural resource preservation. The College of Agriculture’s E.T. York Distinguished Lecturer Series features internationally known speakers addressing issues related to agriculture, food, the environment, or natural resources. For more information, read the AU news release ( http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1139 ) or go to http://www.fabiencousteau.org/.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 7:00 PM — VINCENT COUNCIL MEETING /Proposed Quarry
Held in the Vincent High School Auditorium. Open to the public.
The group “No Quarry in Vincent” is maintaining a presence at Vincent council & other meetings. They invite others who support their cause to attend with them. More info: No Quarry In Vincent quarryinfoinvincent@gmail.com
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23, 1:00 pm — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD – special/called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Mont. Ph: 334-242-2230.
Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting
Agenda details online at: https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama%20Home%20Builders%20Licensure%20Board&submissiondatetime=9/18/2009%205:41:21%20PM
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23, 7:00 PM — AUUF / ENVIRONMENTAL MOVIE: PULSE – A STOMP ODYSSEY
Held at the AUUF Hall, 450 E. Thach. Free & open to all. www.auuf.net
We will start the fall season with a musical celebration of the world with Pulse – A Stomp Odyssey. The movie (40 min) invites you to take a trip around the globe with the sights and sounds of distant countries and cultures. You will travel with dancers, musicians and percussion groups from Africa to Brazil to Japan. Their music removes all boundaries and shows the global spirit that unites all people. This is not the usual environmental movie, but beautifully illustrates the world that we are so trying to protect. Please come! There will be organic cookies as usual to sweeten your movie experience!
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD – special/called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Mont. Ph: 334-242-2230.
Agenda: The Board will meet to approve minutes from the previous month’s meeting, to approve applications for licensure, and to conduct the general business of the Board.
Agenda details online at: https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama+Home+Builders+Licensure+Board&submissiondatetime=9%2f21%2f2009+2%3a39%3a26+PM
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 12:00 – 1:00 pm — BOOK TALK BY DAVID CARTER / THE MUSIC HAS GONE OUT OF THE MOVEMENT: CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION
http://uncpress.unc.edu/browse/book_detail?title_id=1580
Held in AU’s Special Collections and Archives Department, AU’S Ralph Brown Draughon Library. Free & open to all.
Book Talk by David Carter, The Music Has Gone Out of the Movement: Civil Rights and the Johnson Administration, 1961-1964.
Info: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cah/events.htm
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 2:00 pm — AUBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Held in the Auburn University Hotel & Dixon Conference Center, Ballroom B. 334-844-4866. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html
Agenda includes:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2009
I. Committee Meeting (Ballroom B, AU Hotel)
A. Combined Committee/Agriculture, Finance and Property & Facilities/ Chairpersons Rane, Lowder and Blackwell/2:30 p.m.
1. Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center, Approval of Office Annex Lease (Joint Item)
2. MRI Research Center, Approval of Program Requirements, Budget, Funding Plan, and Schematic Design
3. Naming of Campus Streets and Concourses: Approval of Names
4. Band Building: Approval of Project Initiation & Initiation of Design Consultant Selection Process
5. Center for Advanced Science, Innovation and Commerce, Approval of Project Initiation: Initiation of the Design Consultant Selection Process, Initiation of the Construction Manager Selection Process
6. Equine Plasma Storage Building, North Auburn Campus, Approval of Project Initiation: Initiation of the Design Consultant Selection Process
7. Status Reports (For Information Only) (Property and Facilities)
A. Current Status of New Construction/Renovation/Infrastructure, Budgets of $750,000 and Greater
B. Quarterly Report for Projects Costing More than $500,000 But Less than $750,000, Fourth Quarter FY 2009
C. Status of Projects
AGENDA for FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2009
I. Committee Meetings (Ballroom B, AU Hotel)
**Committee Meetings will begin at 9:00 a.m.– all other meetings are subject to change in starting time, depending upon the length of individual meetings.
A. Student Affairs Committee/Chairperson Franklin/9:00 a.m.
1. Presentations on Student Life, Student Health and Student Safety (For Information Only)
B. Audit Committee/Chairperson McCrary/9:30 a.m.
1. Approval of Independent Auditors for Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2009
C. Finance Committee/Chairperson Lowder/9:45 a.m.
1. Approval of 2009-2010 Budget
D. Compensation Committee/Chairperson Ginn/10:00 a.m.
1. Budget Development and Annual Compensation Changes for Current Employees
E. Academic Affairs Committee/Chairperson Thompson/10:15 a.m.
1. Proposal Formal Option in Marriage and Family Therapy in Existing MS in Human Development and Family Studies
2. Proposed Degree Nomenclature Changes for the College of Education
3. Proposed Certificate in College/University Teaching
4. Proposed Certificate in TESL/TEFL (Teaching English as a Second Language/Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
5. Proposed Certificate in Automotive Manufacturing Systems
6. Update on U.S. News and World Report Ratings
7. Academic Affairs Update
F. Executive Committee/Chairperson Lanier/10:45 a.m.
1. Presidential Assessment
2. 2009-2010 Committee Assignments (For Information Only)
3. 2009-2010 College/School Assignments (For Information Only)
4. Proposed Awards and Namings
II. REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 11:00 A.M.
A. Proposed Executive Session (Meeting Room A, AU Hotel)
III. REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 11:30 A.M. (Ballroom B, AU Hotel)
(Agenda items are determined primarily based upon committee actions.)
12:30 P.M. – LUNCHEON – BALLROOM A, RIGHT (AU HOTEL)
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 6:00 PM — KIESEL PARK SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES / featuring The Syncopation Corporation
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all.
Bring the family, a picnic supper, your lawn chairs, the family dog and enjoy a free, relaxing evening under the stars. (No alcohol, please.)
Upcoming performances:
September 27: Auburn Community Orchestra (Sunday Performance at 4 p.m.)
October 1: Satin Soul
October 8: Old Soul
October 15: Auburn Road
October 22: Spoonful James
More info: Alison Hall, 334-501-2930, ahall@auburnalabama.org; www.auburnalabama.org/parks, click on special events.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ORGANIZATION (EAO) Meeting
Held in AU’s Student Union. room 2107. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/eao/index.html
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — JAPANESE FILM / SWAY: ASIAN FILM SERIES #2
Held at AU’s Haley Center, room 1203
Asian Film Series, Fall 2009! The second of the series is a Japanese film, Sway.
Sway (Yureru) 2006
Director: Miwa Nishikawa
Main Cast: Jo Odagiri, Teruyuki Kagawa
Featured at the Cannes International Film Festival 2006.
For more information and updates on the series, please visit http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/multimedia/index.cfm
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH CLASS / OPELIKA LIBRARY
Held at Opelika’s Lewis Cooper Jr Memorial Library, 200 South 6th Street
Opelika. Phone: (334) 705-5380.
Free & open to all. Space limited, registration required to reserve use of a computer.
On Sept 24th, there will be a class on genealogical research using Ancestry.com. There will be limited space as we will be using the computer lab. Anyone that signs up for the class will have their own computer to be able to follow along with the instructor.
NOTE: The library, with the help of the Genealogical Society of East Alabama, maintains a Genealogy Room on the 3rd floor.
Upcoming course: October 15th, 6:00 – 7:00 pm - beginning computer skills and Internet class; same location. Space limited, please register.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 6:30 – 8:30 PM — CLASSICAL GUITAR PERFORMANCE
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 901 South College Street. Admission: JCSM Members $5, Non-Members $10
Info: www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Performer: Lukasz Kuropaczewski
Kuropaczewski, born in 1981 in Gniezno, Poland, has toured extensively throughout Europe, the United States, Canada, South America and Japan. Most notably, he has performed solo recitals in London’s Royal Festival Hall, The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, National Philharmony Hall and National Radio Hall in Warsaw, and Carnegie Hall in New York.This performance is co-sponsored by the Chattahoochee Valley Classical Guitar Society.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 7:00 PM — SCIENCE CAFE AUBURN / THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Biology professor, Debbie Folkerts will be our guest speaker on the topic “Pitcher Plants and Insects.” Science Cafes bring a wealth of information to the layperson from an expert in one of the scientific disciplines. A short presentation of the topic is followed by a time for Q&A.
THURSDAY, SEPT 24, 7:00 PM — BOOK SIGNING PARTY / THOM GOSSOM JR – AUTHOR OF WALK-ON: MY RELUCTANT JOURNEY TO INTEGRATION AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Held at the Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave; ph: 501-3190. Free & open to all.
Info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp
Thom Gossom, Jr. did not set out to be a groundbreaker. He did not apply to Auburn University with the goal of being the first black athlete to graduate from the almost all-white college. He just knew that he wanted to play football and he wanted to play at Auburn. Walk-On, a memoir by television and film actor Thom Gossom, details his experiences as the first black athlete to graduate from Auburn University. Walk-On not only tells the story of how Gossom earned a spot on Auburn’s fooball team, but it also offers a unique perspecive on the major social change sweeping college athletics during the 1970’s.
–Entry in Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0331699/
He was a cast member of the TV series In the Heat of the Night. He has made appearances in the 2003 sequel to Jeepers Creepers and Fight Club; as well as guest roles in CSI, Boston Legal, Jack and Bobbie, The West Wing and many other TV shows.
–Youtube video interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YGE_gb7s_c
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 2:00 pm — AUBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Held in the Auburn University Hotel & Dixon Conference Center, Ballroom B. 334-844-4866. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html
Agenda includes:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2009
I. Committee Meetings (Ballroom B, AU Hotel)
**Committee Meetings will begin at 9:00 a.m.– all other meetings are subject to change in starting time, depending upon the length of individual meetings.
A. Student Affairs Committee/Chairperson Franklin/9:00 a.m.
1. Presentations on Student Life, Student Health and Student Safety (For Information Only)
B. Audit Committee/Chairperson McCrary/9:30 a.m.
1. Approval of Independent Auditors for Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2009
C. Finance Committee/Chairperson Lowder/9:45 a.m.
1. Approval of 2009-2010 Budget
D. Compensation Committee/Chairperson Ginn/10:00 a.m.
1. Budget Development and Annual Compensation Changes for Current Employees
E. Academic Affairs Committee/Chairperson Thompson/10:15 a.m.
1. Proposal Formal Option in Marriage and Family Therapy in Existing MS in Human Development and Family Studies
2. Proposed Degree Nomenclature Changes for the College of Education
3. Proposed Certificate in College/University Teaching
4. Proposed Certificate in TESL/TEFL (Teaching English as a Second Language/Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
5. Proposed Certificate in Automotive Manufacturing Systems
6. Update on U.S. News and World Report Ratings
7. Academic Affairs Update
F. Executive Committee/Chairperson Lanier/10:45 a.m.
1. Presidential Assessment
2. 2009-2010 Committee Assignments (For Information Only)
3. 2009-2010 College/School Assignments (For Information Only)
4. Proposed Awards and Namings
II. REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 11:00 A.M.
A. Proposed Executive Session (Meeting Room A, AU Hotel)
III. REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 11:30 A.M. (Ballroom B, AU Hotel)
(Agenda items are determined primarily based upon committee actions.)
12:30 P.M. – LUNCHEON – BALLROOM A, RIGHT (AU HOTEL)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 4:00 PM — AU RAPTOR CENTER / FOOTBALL, FANS & FEATHERS
http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1105
Held at AU’s Southeastern Raptor Center, Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater on Raptor Road off Shug Jordan Parkway. Directions are available at www.auburn.edu/raptor.
Admission: $5 each, free for children under age 3.
Group admission: $3 a person for school groups of 25 or more; those groups should contact the center ahead of time by calling (334) 844-6943.
Additional shows: 4:00 pm on Oct. 16 & 30; Nov 6 / Also 9:00 am on Nov. 27, the day of the Alabama game.
Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center will host “Football, Fans and Feathers,” educational, birds-in-flight raptor programs this fall on Fridays before home football games. A variety of birds such as hawks, falcons and eagles will be free-flown from flight towers. Education specialists will inform the audience about each bird and their role in nature.
The Southeastern Raptor Center, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has a mission of rehabilitating injured or orphaned raptors and educating the public. All birds used in the educational programs are non-releasable due to prior injuries or human imprinting. Any bird capable of surviving in the wild must be released, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permits Auburn to house the birds.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 4:30 – 6:30 PM – RECEPTION: SKETCH EXHIBITION IN DUDLEY GALLERY
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery. Free & open to all.
Exhibition runs Sept. 20 – Oct. 4; gallery hours 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Monday – Friday.
AU’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s Dudley Gallery is featuring the exhibition, “SKETCH: Drawing Inspiration from the World Around U.” It has selected drawings and illustrations from the sketchbook of Alabama Cooperative Extension System artist Bruce Dupree and focuses on his colorful travel sketches, observations of life, detailed architectural renderings and whimsical personal thoughts. A reception will take place in the gallery Friday, Sept. 25, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Dudley Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Tammie Gourdouze at cooktab@auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 6:00 – 8:30 PM — DOWNTOWN AUBURN FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCK PARTY
Held in Downtown Auburn. Hosted by the Auburn Downtown Merchant Association.
Live music & other events. Free & open to all.
The Auburn Downtown Merchants Association will hold block parties every home-game Friday in the streets of downtown Auburn this football season.
The block party is a way to invite our customers and visitors to enjoy what Auburn has spent a lifetime developing: tradition and community, celebrated with music and football. Creating a venue for celebration in the heart of our city lays the foundation for future events, enriching our traditions while showcasing our southern hospitality.
Magnolia Avenue will be blocked off from College Street to Gay for the block parties.
Music Schedule:
Sept. 25 – The Spiccolis
Oct. 16 – Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces
Oct. 30 – Miss Used
Nov. 6 – Kidd Blue
For additional information on the Friday Night Block Party, contact the ADMA at auburnmerchants@gmail.com .
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — DINNER AND DANCING FEATURING THE AUBURN KNIGHTS
6:00 pm — swing lessons
7:00 pm — dinner & dancing
Held in AU’s new Student Center Ballroom.
Tickets are $5 for students and $15 for the public ($25 couple) and are available in suite 3130, AU Student Center.
Dinner and Dancing featuring the Auburn Knights. Swing lessons at 6 pm and Dinner and Dancing beginning at 7 pm. For more information, please call 844-4788.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 7:00 PM — FILM SCREENING / THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Curator Kerry Weldon brings another group of short films to the Gnu’s Room. This series presents award-winning short films as well as the works of local filmmakers. A short discussion follows the final film. No admission fee.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING Roy Bookbinder
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Roy Bookbinder go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26, 7:00 AM — 7TH ANNUAL JOHNNY RAY CENTURY BIKE RIDE / benefits the Northwest Parkinsons Foundation
Starts at Trinity United Methodist Church, 800 2nd Ave, Opelika.
More info: Angela Lakwete; 334-332-3440; lakwete@auburn.edu
The 7th Annual Johnny Ray Century, benefitting the Northwest Parkinsons Foundation and held in memory of Cindy Wall, will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2009. Ride registration opens at 7 a.m., with the ride starting at 8 a.m.; the ride starts at Trinity United Methodist Church located at 800 2nd Avenue in Opelika. The Johnny Ray Century bicycle tour follows the lightly traveled rural roads of Lee, Chambers, and Talladega Counties in East Alabama. The Century began as a way to bring attention to a Central of Georgia railroad line that ran between Opelika, Lafayette, and Roanoke. Johnny Ray was the name of a popular engineer of the line who is believed to be buried in a Roanoke cemetery. Riders on most routes will also pass Storybook Farm-a Hope on Horseback rehabilitation center, historic homes and churches, and farming communities. The century option passes through Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, which commemorates the 1814 Creek War. There are four ride options: 20 miles – Cusseta & Back ; 34 miles – The Twin Silos ; 62 miles – Johnny Ray Metric ; and 101 miles – Horseshoe Bender. Registration and ride information can be found at http://www.auburn.edu/~lakwean/brochure2009_registration.pdf.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26, 9:00 am – 2:00 PM – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE PROGRAM: GOURD ART WITH TALITHA NORRIS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve. Meet at the Pavilion. Bring a sack lunch.
Fee: $25. Registration required & limited to ten participants.
Register by email (preserve@auburn.edu) or by phone (334-844-8091).
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
Gourds can be made into a variety of useful and beautiful objects. Coil or pine needle weaving incorporated into the design adds interest, texture, and beauty. For the class project, you will make a gourd bowl or basket with a woven pine needle rim. Learn how to prepare the gourd to start your project, how to get it ready for weaving, and how to weave and decorate the rim. You will complete the class with a gourd bowl of your own design. Everything you need to complete the project is included in the $25 fee.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26, 1:00 – 3:30 PM — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at Auburn’s Kiesel Park. Space limited. Pre-registration required, via email to Tia Gonzales gonzats@auburn.edu.
Cost: $25, payable on or before date of the workshop with correct cash or check made to ACES.
We are very pleased to announce a new series of Rain Barrel Workshops.
Workshop participants will learn about watersheds, local watershed issues, storm water and it’s effects on water quality. We’ll introduce various forms of rain water harvesting and talk about why rain barrels can be an extremely valuable part of an integrated approach to rain water harvesting.
We’ll show you how to build a simple, inexpensive and easy to maintain rain barrel. Then you’ll be able to build your very own rain barrel, with the tools and materials provided. There will be several trainers there to help folks that are unfamiliar with using power tools.
Be prepared to get a little dirty and have a lot of fun. And don’t forget that a 55 gal plastic barrel may not fit in your trunk.
Upcoming workshops / pre-registration required:
Oct 17, 1:00 – 3:30 pm, at The Forest Ecology Preserve
Nov 14, 1:00 – 3:30 pm, at the Auburn University Arboretum
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26, 6:00 pm — AU HOME FOOTBALL GAME — AU vs. Ball State
Game day info: http://www.auburn.edu/communications_marketing/gameday/index.html
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27, 4:00 PM — KIESEL PARK SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES / featuring Auburn Community Orchestra
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all.
Bring the family, a picnic supper, your lawn chairs and maybe even the family dog and enjoy a free, relaxing evening under the stars. (No alcohol, please.)
Upcoming performances:
October 1: Satin Soul
October 8: Old Soul
October 15: Auburn Road
October 22: Spoonful James
All performances are held on Thursday evenings and begin at 6 p.m., unless otherwise noted. For more information, please contact Alison Hall at 501-2930.
More info: Alison Hall, 334-501-2930, ahall@auburnalabama.org; www.auburnalabama.org/parks, click on special events.
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UPCOMING EVENT
AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL (ABC) PANSY & MUM SALE – TO BE HELD OCTOBER 3, 8:00 AM – NOON
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr090309.asp
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave.
Advance sales: accepted until Tuesday, Sept 15; see details below.
The Auburn Beautification Council will host a pansy and mum sale featuring flats of pansies and Johnny Jump Ups and 8″ and 12″ potted mums. Prices range from $6 – 14. All proceeds from the sale go to support Auburn Beautification Council projects, including the downtown hanging baskets and plantings, Spring Azalea Trail, gardens at Kiesel Park, and beautification awards presented to Auburn homes and businesses.
More info: Auburn Chamber of Commerce at 887-7011 or the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Department at 501-2930.
Auburn Beautification Council Pansy and Mum Sale Flyer (PDF) -
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr090309.pdf
Advance Sale Order Form (PDF) -
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr0903092.pdf
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Tree Commission – three vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 6 City Council meeting.
*Parks & Recreation Advisory Board – two vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 20 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sept. 21, 2009
Comments Off
Update 9-15-09: corrections/additions
CORRECTION
TODAY’S AUBURN URBAN CORE / DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC
Today’s meeting (9/15) will not be open to the public. Neither will next week’s (9/22) meeting. Information on future meetings will be provided when available. [Note: According to city staff, this committee's meetings are not subject to the Alabama Open Meetings law and therefore are not required to be open to the public.]
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ADDITIONAL EVENTS THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 3:00 PM – DR. PATRICIA DUFFY: DO FOOD STAMPS IMPROVE HOUSHOLD FOOD SECURITY? RESULTS FROM A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF FOOD PANTRY CLIENTS
Held in AU’s Poultry Science Bldg, room 102B. Free & open to all.
The lecture, presented by AU professor Patricia Duffy, Dept of Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology, is the first installment of a new Hunger Seminar Series. The series will focus on people on campus who are addressing hunger through research and interventions. For more information, contact Alexis Sabol at ans0017@auburn.edu.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 4:00 PM – LECTURE: DAVID CALLIES – PUBLIC USE / PUBLIC PURPOSE AFTER KELO V. CITY OF NEW LONDON
Held in AU’s Dudley Auditorium, room B6 (basement). Free & open to the public.
The School of Architecture, within the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, will host the lecture, “Public Use/Public Purpose after Kelo V. City of New London”. Speaker David Callies is the Benjamin Kudo Professor of Law in the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and teaches land use, state and local government and real property. He is a graduate of DePauw University, the University of Michigan Law School and the University of Nottingham, and is a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. More info: Justin Miller at justin.miller@auburn.edu or 844-5171.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 6:45 – 7:30 PM — IFTAR DINNER / AU DIVERSITY AND TOLERANCE ORGANIZATION
Held in AU’s new Student Center, Room 2223. Free & open to all.
AU’s Diversity and Tolerance Organization will host an Iftar dinner this Wednesday. Come and enjoy the free Turkish food and learn more about the month of Ramadan.
Diversity and Tolerance Organization: www.auburn.edu/dto
AU Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/odma/ [includes links to diversity organizations, multicultural efforts and events on campus]
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16 through FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 — STREET CLOSING / AUBURN
Stubb Avenue to close Wednesday, Sept. 16 – Friday, Sept. 18
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw091409.asp
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CONSTITUTION WEEK EVENTS
In addition to the Thursday, Sept. 17, 3:30 pm Constitution Day lecture “We the People? Slavery and the U.S. Constitution” (held in room 2222 of AU’s new Student Center), luncheon events are being held locally by both the Martha Wayles Jefferson Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Light Horse Harry Lee Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). [see details below]
Additional information about Constitution Week may be found at the National Society- Daughters of the American Revolution website: http://www.dar.org/natsociety/content.cfm?ID=1318&hd=n.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 11:30 AM — CONSTITUTION WEEK – PATRIOT’S DAY LUNCHEON / Martha Wayles Jefferson Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
Theme: Honoring the American Patriots who Defend Our American Way of Life.
Speaker: Mayor Gary Fuller
Lunch buffet $10/person. Limited seating – RSVP/guest invitations required; contact Linda Shabo (887-6659 or ljshabo@charter.net) by tonight (Tues. Sept. 15).
For more information about attending a local DAR chapter meeting or joining the chapter, please contact Linda Shabo – ljshabo@charter.net;
Martha Wayles Jefferson DAR chapter info: http://webpages.charter.net/mwjdaropelikaal/index.html
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 11:30 AM — CONSTITUTION DAY PROGRAM / LUNCHEON & LECTURE BY CLIFTON PERRY ON ELECTION LAW
Sponsored by SAR-SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION,
Held at the Saugahatchee Country Club.
Speaker courtesy of AU’s College of Liberal Arts Speakers Bureau. is a members & guests only event of the Light Horse Harry Lee chapter of the SAR – Sons of the American Revolution. NOTE: This event is open to members & invited guests only..
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Montgomery Advertiser: AllKids expands to provide insurance coverage to children in families with up to 300% of the federal poverty level. http://alarise.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=240c7e734daf1ec3aa049379f&id=62d3a0bda3&e=7a56c3886e
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sept. 15, 2009
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WEEK OF SEPT 14, 2009 – Meetings, events & updates
Meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
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WEST PACE VILLAGE UPDATE:
Sept 1 Auburn City Council presentation and Items on Sept 15 Auburn City Council agenda
Sept. 1 City Council meeting — Members of the West Pace Village development team made a presentation to the Auburn City Council on Sept. 1 concerning the overall project and the proposed Alabama Improvement and Cooperative Districts to facilitate using a portion of taxes derived from the project to fund infrastructure construction bonds. In addition, documents pertaining to the proposed Districts and an Infrastructure Development Agreement between the city and West Pace LLC were included in the 9-1-09 Council packet.
WEST PACE VILLAGE PRESENTATION TO AUBURN CITY COUNCIL 9-1-09:
http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/viewFile.aspx?FileID=1307
SEPT. 1 AUBURN CITY COUNCIL PACKET (includes West Pace documents):
http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/viewFile.aspx?FileID=1302
Sept. 15 City Council meeting — Four West Pace items are scheduled for consideration & vote at the Council’s Sept. 15 meeting, including annexation & rezoning of the project parcels, the development agreement, and the Improvement District. The Cooperative District is scheduled for consideration after approval/creation of the Tax Improvement District.
SEPT. 15 AUBURN CITY COUNCIL PACKET (includes agenda documents for West Pace annexation, rezoning Rural to CDD, Alabama Improvement District and Infrastructure Development Agreement):
http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/viewFile.aspx?FileID=1317
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Ongoing through OCTOBER 6 — DEMPSEY CENTER / ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Open to all.
Special Works – an exhibition featuring artworks on loan from area residents.
Ongoing through NOV. 10 – Water: Three States (Phase I) Exhibition / Art in Agriculture event
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall.
Art in Agriculture info: http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/ArtinAg/index.php
‘Art in Agriculture’ events begin with Biggin Hall exhibition. Free & open to the public.
The College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Art and the College of Agriculture are working together to present “Art in Agriculture,” a yearlong interdisciplinary initiative that will explore the intersections of art, culture, ecology and the environment. The fall 2009 focus of the project deals with a variety of responses to water issues in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
Events began Monday, Aug. 24, with the opening of the exhibition, “Water: Three States,” in Biggin Gallery. The exhibition will run through Nov. 10 and includes work by tri-state artists Xavier Cortada, Xiaotian Wang, Martha Whittington, Daniel Kariko and Andy Behrle.
An accompanying panel discussion on water issues in the Southeast, moderated by Katie Lamar Jackson of the College of Agriculture, will be held Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. in 005 Biggin Hall. Panelists will include Bill Deutsch of Alabama Water Watch, Eve Brantley of Alabama Cooperative Extension System, visual artist Xiaotian Wang and conservation photographer Beth Maynor Young.
Biggin Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment.. A complete schedule of events, including lectures, receptions and workshops, as well as information about the spring 2010 focus on gardening, can be found at the Art in Agriculture Web site (http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/ArtinAg/index.php). More info: College of Liberal Arts at 844-4026, the Department of Art at 844-4373 or the Department of Agriculture at 844-5887.
MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 8:30 am — OLLI AT AUBURN INFORMATION FAIR, FREE CLASS AND GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Held at the Lexington Hotel, 1577 S. College St., Auburn. Free & open to all. No registration required. Coffee & cookies served at 9:30 am.
Classes start Monday, Sept. 21. For more info: 334-844-5100, email ollie@auburn.edu, or go to olliatauburn.org.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University, or OLLI at Auburn, is holding an information fair Monday, Sept. 14, at 8:30 a.m. at the Lexington Hotel, 1577 S. College St., Auburn. Everyone is welcome to attend and learn about OLLI at Auburn, including its programs, classes, trips and socials. Participants will sample an OLLI at Auburn class taught by John Tidwell, who will present “A Snapshot of America’s Most Notorious Crimes.” No registration is required and the program is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about the non-credit classes and other activities. After the information fair, everyone is invited to attend the fall general membership meeting at 10 a.m., also at the Lexington Hotel.
More info: 844-5100 or visit the Web site olliatauburn.org
MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2:00 PM — GERMAN CONSUL GENERAL / THE FALL OF THE WALL: 20 YEARS AFTER
Held in AU’s Eagles Nest South, top floor of Hayley Center.
Lutz Gorgens, German consul general in Atlanta, will speak about “The Fall of the Wall: 20 Years After”. On Nov. 9, 1989, jubilant crowds gathered on both sides of the Berlin Wall to celebrate the opening of border crossings between the eastern and western parts of the city. Germany’s postwar division was over and national unity came less than a year later. Gorgens will talk about the two decades following this historic occasion and a question-and-answer session will follow. All students and faculty are welcome to attend. The lecture will be delivered in English. It is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in the College of Liberal Arts.
MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
MONDAY, SEPT. 14 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting August 31, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims and Procurement Card Transactions
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. First Reading of Lee County Recreation Board Appointments-Judge English
*b. FY 2010 Preliminary Budget – Roger Rendleman
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Lee County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan Resolution – Erin Stephens
b. Accept Wildberry Estates for Maintenance – Neal Hall
c. Accept Blue Ridge Subdivision for Maintenance – Neal Hall
d. Demolition of Building behind Highway Department – Roger Rendleman
e. Auburn Satellite Change Order #1 and Contract Close Out – Roger Rendleman
10. Adjourn
TUESDAY, SEPT 15,, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALK
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15, 9:00 AM — AL BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at the Hampton Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites, 4520 Galleria Blvd,
Hoover, AL 35244 Pelham, AL. Ph: 334-242-5568.
Agenda: regular meeting: available members of the Board will conduct a work session concerning possible changes to the Board’s admininstrative code and/or law
Changes to this meeting will be posted at https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notices.aspx.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15 — OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS / BOARD OF EDUCATION
2:00 – 4:00 pm: FINAL PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING
4:00 pm — BOARD MEETING
Held in the conference room, Opelika City Schools Board of Education offices, 300 Simmons Street. Public budget hearing, followed by board meeting. More info: 745-9700; http://www.opelikaschools.org/.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St.
NOTE: The committee may close some or all of their meetings to the general public. It’s possible that this meeting (Sept 15) will be closed to the public; if you plan to attend, check first with the Planning Dept at 501-3040.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout September. Produce is grown by local farmers.More info: call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainstreet@aol.com .
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15 — JCSM DINNER & A MOVIE
5:00 pm — dinner
6:00 pm — SCTIF: Dare Not Walk Alone
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Free screening and discussion of the independent documentary Dare Not Walk Alone with producer/director Jeremy Dean; part of the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers series.
This award-winning film about the Civil Rights Era centers around a June 18, 1964, incident in which a white hotel owner in St. Augustine, FL, poured acid in a swimming pool filled with black and white youth conducting a civil rights demonstration. Photographs of this horrific incident were on the front page of every major newspaper around the world and broke a filibuster in the Senate, leading to passage of the Civil Rights Act of that year. With rarely seen news footage and revealing interviews, the film describes the St. Augustine incident and its pivotal role in American history. The film also looks at the aftermath of desegregation and the grim realities of life today on streets where those campaigns were fought.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
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 (also available, 2009 Lee County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan – http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/viewFile.aspx?FileID=1318)
Committee of the Whole agenda includes:
3. DOWNTOWN PARKING. Presentation by Assistant City Manager Kevin Cowper and Assistant City Engineer Brett Peterson.
4. LEE COUNTY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER. Nominations. One Vacancy. Incumbent: Tracie West (appointed to another board). Four Year Term Expires September 30, 2013.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. $15.2 Million. General Obligation Refunding Warrant. The Frazer Lanier Company. Sewer Fund. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. Annexations. Planning Commission Recommendation. Unanimous Consent
Necessary.
(1) Joseph and Debbie Armstrong. Property Located at 9600 U S. Highway 280 West. 7.0 Acres.
(2) David and Tracey Phillips. Property Located on west side of Lee Road 394 (Whispering Pines Road). 1.26 Acres.
(3) West Pace, LLC. Annexation – 150.89 Acres. Terry Holdridge (Authorized Representative). Property Located between Interstate 85 and Shell Toomer Parkway, East of South College Street (US Highway 29). TABLED FROM AUGUST 4, 2009 MEETING.
c. Zoning. West Pace, LLC. Terry Holdridge (Authorized Representative). Property Located between Interstate 85 and Shell Toomer Parkway, east of South College Street (US Highway 29). Rezone from Rural (R) (pending annexation) to Comprehensive Development District (CDD). 150.89 Acres. Planning Commission Recommendation. Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary. TABLED FROM AUGUST 18, 2009 MEETING.
d. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish “No Parking” zone on the south
side of Old Stage Road from the railroad crossing to Summerhill Road. Unanimous
Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Lee County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. Adopt Revised Plan.
b. West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc. West Pace Village. Creation of Alabama Improvement District. 165.5 Acres.
c. Development Agreement and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City
Manager to Sign.
(1) West Pace, LLC. West Pace Village. Infrastructure Development Agreement.
(2) Agreements.
(a) Office of the City Manager. Replace Bridge on North Donahue Drive over Saugahatchee Creek and Widen and Resurface North Donahue Drive from the Bridge to Farmville Road. Joint Funding Agreement with Lee County.
(b) Public Works Department. Maintenance of Traffic Calming Circles on Brookwood Drive.
(c) Public Safety Department. East Alabama Healthcare Authority dba/ East Alabama Medical Center. 2010 Emergency Response, Rescue and Ambulance Services. $289,476.
(3) Boykin Community Center Tenants. Lease Agreements. Auburn Day Care Center, Inc., Joyland Child Development Center, Lee Russell Council of Governments – Senior Citizens Center, East Alabama Services for the Elderly (EASE), Alabama Council on Human Relations (Head Start), and Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County.
d. Lee County Youth Development Center. One Position. Four Year Term Expires September 30, 2013.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:35 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Agenda includes:
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan – EMA/LRCOG …….Erin Stephens
(2) - a. General updates
(3) - Discuss/review CM agenda items of 9/15/09
(4) - Discussion –a. New / Old Business; b. Board appointments – Lee County Youth Development.; c. Other City business.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
a. Proclamation to Frances Roberts, Manager of SCSEP Program.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less)
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS
a. Request from Opelika Mainstreet for their annual “Think Pink” Breast Cancer Walk.
b. Request from Opelika Mainstreet for their annual “Howloween ” dog event & parade.
c. Public Hearing, amend zoning ordinance, Hamilton Gables, from R3 to PUD.
d. Public Hearing, amend zoning ordinance, 1417 2nd Ave., from C2 to C3.
e. Public Hearing, $1.5M project development agreement, new Carmike Cinema.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
a. Oral recommendation – Two/Three zero turn diesel mowers for P/W.
b. Oral recommendation – Two/Three zero turn gas mowers for P/W.
c. One (1) new F-150 truck for L&P.
d. One (1) cab & chassis 55 ft. aerial device for L&P.
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. Employee to purchase military service through the RSA.
2. Contract for City’s Excess Loss Insurance coverage – H/R.
3. Authorizing demolition at 1109 Magnolia Street.
4. Authorizing demolition at 1213 Tatum Avenue.
5. Authorizing demolition at 617 Meadow Avenue.
6. Annual contract with American Red Cross.
7. Annual contract with EASE.
8. Annual contract with Storybook Farm.
9. Annual contract with the Lee County Youth Development Center.
10. Annual contract with the East Al. Healthcare Authority.
11. Annual contract with the OIDA.
12. To reserve the current year City Council discretionary balances.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter (none)
1. Amend zoning ordinance, Orr Estates, R3 GC1 to C2 GC1 – 2nd reading.
2. Amend zoning ordinance, Hamilton Gables, R3 to PUD. – 1st reading.
3. Amend zoning ordinance, 1417 2nd Avenue, C2 to C3 – 1st reading.
4. $1.5M Project development agmt, Blackrock LLC / Carmike Cinema – 1st reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS -
a. Re-appointment of Ozell Preston to the Lee County Youth Development Board.
16) ADJOURN
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).
All members are encouraged and invited to attend. www.auburnheritage.org
Note: Held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept to May
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 3:00 PM — CLA Reads! Performing Lewis Nordan’s The Sharpshooter Blues
Held in Tichenor 310 (CLA Dean’s Conference Room), AU. Open to all members of the AU Community.
CLA Reads! is a series of informal discussions, faculty-led seminars, and related events focused around Lewis Nordan’s The Sharpshooter Blues (Algonquin Books, 1995). From The Orlando Sentinel: The Sharpshooter Blues contains the ‘portrayal — without the slightest bit of sentimentality — of human beings who have every right to give up on life but who, with a few notable exceptions, not only find a way to live but also discover within themselves the grace to help someone else.’
Be on the lookout for more events in this series. Copies of The Sharpshooter Blues may be purchased in the AU Bookstore. (ISBN 1-56512-182-1)
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 3:00 PM — AU OPEN FORUM AND Q&A
Speaker: AU Provost Mary Ellen Mazey
Topic: Structure of University Promotion & Tenure Committee & other subjects
Held in AU’s Draughon Library, room 1106. Open to all.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
NEW MEETING PLACE! Now held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road.
6:00 pm – buffet dinner ($11, tax & tip included)
6:50 pm -program
Speaker: Dr. Rene McEldowney, Associate Professor in Political Science and internationally recognized health care expert
Rène McEldowney is an Associate Professor and past Director of the Health Administration Internship program. She is a faculty member in the Physicians’ Executive MBA in the College of Business and past Director of the undergraduate Health Administration Internship program. An internationally recognized expert on health care, she holds a PhD from Virginia Tech University and completed a post-doctorate at Oxford University. After an eight-year career in the healthcare field, both as a practicing health physicist and as a Certificate of Need (CON) coordinator, she joined the faculty at Auburn University in 1993. She has published numerous articles and presented papers at a number of international and regional meetings. Dr. McEldowney is an award winning teacher and researcher who has been an invited lecturer internationally in Great Britain, The Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. Research interests include health care policy, comparative health care systems, and health care economics. She received the Oxford Nuffield scholarship for health policy studies in 1990 and has been active in following and participating in the European debate on health care policy. Dr. McEldowney has appeared on panels and presented papers at conferences of the Academy of Management, American Society for Public Administration, International Health Care Management Association, Holland’s Health Care Forum, and Oxford’s Wroxton Health Care Reform Consortium. In the Health Administration Program, she teaches Health Policy, Health Care Planning and Regulation, Managed Care, and the Capstone Seminar.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 8:00 am — AUBURN DOWNTOWN MERCHANT ASSOCIATION (DMA)
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger). http://www.downtownauburnal.org/
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 3:00 PM — DISCOVER AUBURN LECTURE SERIES / LYNN LOCKROW: SET DESIGN
Speaker: Lynn Lockrow, AU Dept of Theatre.
Held in Special Collections and Archives Department, AU’s Ralph Brown Draughon Library. Free & open to all.
Info: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cah/events.htm
This year-long series features programs on AU research, history, and other topics of interest. The series is co-sponsored by the Auburn University Libraries, the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities and the Auburn University Bookstore.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 3:30 PM — CONSTITUTION DAY LECTURE: WE THE PEOPLE? – SLAVERY AND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2222. Free & open to everyone. Reception follows lecture.
Speaker: Dr. Kelly M. Kennington, the Law & Society Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Legal Studies, University of Wisconsin Law School.
In this talk, Dr. Kennington will examine the key constitutional articles relating to the institution of slavery and the interpretation of these elements by the Supreme Court during the seventy-five years from the birth of the United States to the American Civil War. The lecture is sponsored by the Auburn University Provost Office, Department of History and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities, both located in the College of Liberal Arts.
More info: Charles A. Israel, Chair, Department of History Auburn University, 310 Thach Hall, cisrael@auburn.edu; 334-844-6768.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17 , 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 4:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Approved minutes from previous planning commission meetings available online at http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=515.
Agenda includes:
A. PLATS (preliminary and prel. & final) – Public Hearing
1. Capps-Palmer S/D, First Addition Seventh Revision, 2 lots, Capps Landing, Opelika Land & Timber Inc, Preliminary and Final Approval
2. Raymond Murphy S/D, 7 lots, Lee Road 263, Betty McConnell, P/F Approval
3. Julia Martin S/D, Part 2, 3 lots, Lee Road 146, Julia Martin, P/F Approval
4. Tiger Town Corporate Park S/D, 25 lots, Corporate Park Drive, Slabco, LLC, P/F Approval
B. ADMINISTRATIVE SUBDIVSION (Ratify)
5. Jaunita Jones, S/D,2 lots, Lee Road 155, Jaunita Jones, Ratify
C. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
6. Warren Hand & Marion Hicks, 1809 West End Court, C-3, Self-Serve Ice Machine
D. AMENDMENT TO TEXT OF ZONING ORDINANCE – Public Hearing
7. Amend Section 8.1 Off-Street Parking – parking requirements for theaters/auditoriums
8. Amend Section 7.3 Use Categories – Amend matrix table from Not Allowed (N) to Allowed (A) for an Airport in the I-1 (Institutional) zoning district
E. OTHER BUSINESS
9. Draft review of new Airport Overlay Zoning District
NOTE: PUBLIC HEARING/SEPT 22 – CompPlan 2020 — A public hearing on the proposed CompPlan 2020 will be held at the Opelika PC’s regular meeting, Sept 22, 3:00 pm, at the same location (700 Fox Trail, Opelika).
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 5:00 – 8:00 PM — ART LECTURE / BILL STEINER: THE BIRD ARTISTS – WHY AUDUBON IS BEST
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Followed by a reception and wine/beer tasting by Gus’s Fine Wine and Beer.
Bill Steiner is author of Audubon Art Prints: A Collector’s Guide to Every Edition (University of South Carolina Press, 2003). He is a field ecologist and expert bird-watcher who has compiled one of the most significant private collections of Audubon prints in the United States. An accomplished entomologist, herpetologist, and horticulturist, he holds degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. His talk will include a presentation of prints by other ornithological artists such as Alexander Wilson, John Gould, J.W. Hill, and several others.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — 2009 AUBURN CITIZENS’ PLANNING ACADEMY BEGINS
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross Street, Auburn. Open to Auburn residents. Current session enrollment full.
More info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl070609.pdf, or contact Erin Swindall, Auburn Planning Department, 501-3036 or eswindall@auburnalabama.org.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 6:00 – 8:00 PM — LEE COUNTY LITERACY COALITION / NEW TUTOR ORIENTATION
Open to anyone who would like to volunteer as a literacy tutor. More info: Debby 334-705-0001.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 6:00 PM — KIESEL PARK SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES / featuring Auburn Knights Orchestra
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all.
Bring the family, a picnic supper, your lawn chairs and maybe even the family dog and enjoy a free, relaxing evening under the stars. (No alcohol, please.)
For details of upcoming performances & more info: www.auburnalabama.org/parks, click on special events, or contact Alison Hall, 334-501-2930, ahall@auburnalabama.org.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 6:30 PM — EAST ALABAMA CHAPTER – SAVE ALABAMA PACT / meeting and Q&A forum
Held at the Grove Hill Subdivision Clubhouse (located off Moores Mill Road).
Info & RSVP: Melissa Bagley 334-257-3063, melissa.bagley@bank-trustonline.com or Terry Calcote 334-826-7829, terrycalcote@hotmail.com.
The East Alabama Chapter of SaveAlabamaPACT invites local PACT contract holders to a meeting, including question/answer forum.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 — WORLD WATER MONITORING DAY
www.WorldWaterMonitoringDay.org
More info: http://wwn-online.com/articles/2009/09/07/world-water-monitoring-day-can-be-an-inhome-activity.aspx
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 8:00 am — AUBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES / Special-called meeting
Held in the Governor’s Office, Alabama State House, Montgomery. ph:334-844-4866. Open to all.
Agenda: District 1 Nominees for AU Board of Trustees
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, NOON — DAR/SAR Constitution Day Program / DR. CLIFTON PERRY: ELECTION LAW
Held at the Saugahatchee Country Club.
Speaker: Dr. Clifton Perry is the J.D. Hudson Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics, Dept of Political Science, AU.
Participation in the democratic practice of voting is a hallmark of good citizenship, but knowledge of the laws and processes that guide the elections process is necessary for an informed and active citizenry. The issues surrounding elections are as fascinating as they are controversial, and they reveal just how complicated democracy can be. This introduction to election law will cover topics such as the rights of political parties, gerrymandering, corporate contributions to political candidates, political action committees, legal state barriers on voting, the Voting Rights Act, and the Help America Vote Act.
Dr. Perry appears courtesy of the AU College of Liberal Arts Speakers Bureau, which is administered by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, the outreach office of the College. More info about the Speakers Bureau is online at http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cah/SpeakersBureau.htm#perry.
For more information about attending a DAR chapter meeting or joining the local DAR chapter, please contact Linda Shabo – ljshabo@charter.net.
Opelika DAR chapter — http://webpages.charter.net/mwjdaropelikaal/index.html
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 4:00 PM — AU RAPTOR CENTER / FOOTBALL, FANS & FEATHERS
http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1105
Held at AU’s Southeastern Raptor Center, Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater on Raptor Road off Shug Jordan Parkway. Directions are available at www.auburn.edu/raptor.
Admission: $5 each, free for children under age 3.
Group admission: $3 a person for school groups of 25 or more; those groups should contact the center ahead of time by calling (334) 844-6943.
Additional shows: 4:00 pm on Sept. 25; Oct. 16 & 30; Nov 6 / Also 9:00 am on Nov. 27, the day of the Alabama game.
Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center will host “Football, Fans and Feathers,” educational, birds-in-flight raptor programs this fall on Fridays before home football games. A variety of birds such as hawks, falcons and eagles will be free-flown from flight towers. Education specialists will inform the audience about each bird and their role in nature.
The Southeastern Raptor Center, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has a mission of rehabilitating injured or orphaned raptors and educating the public. All birds used in the educational programs are non-releasable due to prior injuries or human imprinting. Any bird capable of surviving in the wild must be released, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permits Auburn to house the birds.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 6:00 – 8:30 PM – DOWNTOWN AUBURN FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCK PARTY
Held in Downtown Auburn. Hosted by the Auburn Downtown Merchant Association.
Live music & other events. Free & open to all.
On home-game Fridays through Nov. 7, Auburn patrons, fans and visitors will be treated to a series of Auburn University pep rallies and live entertainment while showcasing The Loveliest Village on the Plains and what its merchants have to offer.
Magnolia Avenue will be blocked off from College Street to Gay Street in order to remain pedestrian friendly. College Street will remain open to allow traffic to easily access the downtown area and university campus.
“The block party is a way to invite our customers and visitors to enjoy what Auburn has spent a lifetime developing: tradition and community, celebrated with music and football,” said Eric Stamp, President of the Downtown Merchants Association. “Creating a venue for celebration in the heart of our city lays the foundation for future events, enriching our traditions while showcasing our southern hospitality.”
The Auburn Downtown Merchants Association is looking to give Auburn people just one more opportunity to reconnect with each other and come out and enjoy the historical, commercial and cultural center of life in Auburn.
For additional information on the Friday Night Block Party, contact the Auburn DMA at auburnmerchants@gmail.com .
Upcoming block parties: Sept. 25; Oct 16, 30; Nov. 6
SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, — FREE FREDONIA EVENTS www.savefredonia.com
7:30 AM EASTERN til ?– COMMUNITY YARD SALE (Fundraiser)
Held Indoors – Rain or Shine. Fredonia Community Clubhouse
7798 County Road 222 – 1 town block west of County Rd. 267
Huge community yard sale & fundraiser. From antiques to electronics to collectibles.
7:00 – 9:00 PM EASTERN — BLUEGRASS & MORE — Clifford Moncus and Billy Turner with The Alabama Stringalong Band
Held at The Fredonia Community Clubhouse
Admission Individuals $10, Couples $16, Children 6-12 $5, 5 and under free.
Concessions available – hot dogs, soft drinks, chips etc.
Join the fun and help fund-raise for legal fees to try to regain the charter of this oldest town in Chambers County. Sponsored by Free Fredonia Community. Help us save our town! Help Save Fredonia! For event information/directions/donations see: www.savefredonia.com or call 334-499-0400.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 6:45 PM — AU HOME FOOTBALL GAME (vs. West Virginia)
Game day info: http://www.auburn.edu/communications_marketing/gameday/index.html
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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Lee County Youth Development Center Board – one vacancy to be filled at the September 15 City Council meeting.
*Tree Commission – three vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 6 City Council meeting.
*Parks & Recreation Advisory Board – two vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 20 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sept. 14, 2009
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ADDITIONAL EVENTS:
TODAY, TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE / DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the Development Services Building Conference Room, 171 N. Ross Street. Open to all.
Note: The committee will meet Tuesdays, 3:00 pm, at this location, for the next month or two.
TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9, 5:00 PM — GNU’S ROOM / PHILOSOPHY ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay St. Auburn. Ph: 821-5550. Free & open to the public. www.thegnusroom.com
The Philosophy Club at Auburn University, led by Dr. Keren Gorodeisky will begin holding monthly meetings at the Gnu’s Room. The format will be a discussion of different topics by a panel comprised of professors and students, The first topic to be discussed by the panel is “Philosophy, Art and Beauty” with Dr. James Shelley, Dr. Guy Rohrbaugh, and Dr. Arata Hamawaki, and three of Dr. Gorodeisky’s students. The public is encouraged to attend.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, 7:00 PM — GNU’S ROOM / CONCERT: LOCAL SINGER-SONGWRITER JOHN PETERSON
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay St. Auburn. Ph: 821-5550. Free & open to the public. www.thegnusroom.com
Local singer/songwriter John Peterson will be on hand for a two-set performance of his original bluesy/folk music. You can sample Peterson’s music at myspace.com/alabamahog or come to the Gnu’s Room where his CD is often in rotation in the music we play! There is no admission fee but a suggested donation of $5.00 will go to the performer.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sept. 8, 2009-1
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WEEK OF SEPT 8, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
Meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
Ongoing through NOV. 10 — Water: Three States (Phase I) Exhibition / Art in Agriculture event
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall.
Art in Agriculture info: http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/ArtinAg/index.php
‘Art in Agriculture’ events begin with Biggin Hall exhibition. Free & open to the public.
The College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Art and the College of Agriculture are working together to present “Art in Agriculture,” a yearlong interdisciplinary initiative that will explore the intersections of art, culture, ecology and the environment. The fall 2009 focus of the project deals with a variety of responses to water issues in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
Events began Monday, Aug. 24, with the opening of the exhibition, “Water: Three States,” in Biggin Gallery. The exhibition will run through Nov. 10 and includes work by tri-state artists Xavier Cortada, Xiaotian Wang, Martha Whittington, Daniel Kariko and Andy Behrle. An accompanying panel discussion on water issues in the Southeast, moderated by Katie Lamar Jackson of the College of Agriculture, will be held Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. in 005 Biggin Hall. Panelists will include Bill Deutsch of Alabama Water Watch, Eve Brantley of Alabama Cooperative Extension System, visual artist Xiaotian Wang and conservation photographer Beth Maynor Young.
Biggin Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment.. A complete schedule of events, including lectures, receptions and workshops, as well as information about the spring 2010 focus on gardening, can be found at the Art in Agriculture Web site. More info: College of Liberal Arts at 844-4026, the Department of Art at 844-4373 or the Department of Agriculture at 844-5887.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 10:00 am — CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE / AUBURN-OPELIKA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (CAC/A-O MPO)
Held in the LRCOG conference room, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika. Open to all.
http://www.lrcog.com/mpo.html
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/greenspace/
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Phillips Annexation PL-2009-00503
Applicant: David and Tracey Phillips
General Location: North of Beehive Road and west of Cox Road (285 Lee Road 394 [Whispering Pines Road])
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 1.26 acres
2. Armstrong Annexation PL-2009-00521
Applicant: Joseph and Debra Armstrong
General Location: 9600 US Highway 280 West
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 7.0 acres
3. Outback Enterprises Annexation PL-2009-00532
Applicant: Tom Cooksey for Outback Enterprises, LLC
General Location: South of Lee Road 026 (AlaHill Drive) and west of Lee Road 054 (Society Hill Road)
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 1.78 acres
4. Gosser Annexation PL-2009-00570
Applicant: Harvey and Barbara Gosser
General Location: On the south side of Lee Road 093 (Ensminger Road) and east of AL Hwy 147 North (Heath Road)
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 15.0 acres
NEW BUSINESS
5. Landscape and Bufferyard Amendments to the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PUBLIC HEARING MS-2009-00036
Applicant: City of Auburn
General Location: City of Auburn
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to amend Article IV, Sections 424-432 (dealing with landscape requirements) of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance
6. Lundy Chase Rezoning PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00557
Applicant: Civil Design and Consulting, Inc., for Crosswoods Development, LLC and Sky is the Limit Homes, LLC
General Location: South of Richland Road, east of the Cotswolds Subdivision and north of Willow Creek Subdivision
Zoning District: Neighborhood Conservation (NC-20)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to rezone approximately 10.25 acres to Development District Housing (DDH)
7. Lundy Chase PDD Amendment PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00558
Applicant: Civil Design and Consulting, Inc., for Crosswoods Development, LLC and Sky is the Limit Homes, LLC
General Location: South of Richland Road, east of the Cotswolds Subdivision and north of Willow Creek Subdivision
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to amend Ordinance 2584 that amended the Planned Development District (PDD) designation on 98.87 acres in order to expand the PDD designation to include an additional 10.25 acres with an underlying zone of Development District Housing (pending Case PL-2009-00557)
8. Lundy Chase Phase II PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00574
Applicant: Barrett-Simpson, Inc. for Sky is the Limit Homes, LLC
General Location: South of Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase One and north of Willow Creek Subdivision
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 37-lot performance residential subdivision
9. Lundy Chase Pool PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00573
Applicant: Barrett-Simpson, Inc. for Sky is the Limit Homes, LLC
General Location: 754 Lundy Chase Drive
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a subdivision amenity (swimming pool and restroom facilities)
10. Lundy Chase Playground PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00580
Applicant: Barrett-Simpson, Inc. for Sky is the Limit Homes, LLC
General Location: 778 Hunter Court (Lot 58, 59, and 60 of Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase One
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a subdivision amenity (playground and pavilion)
11. Mosley Combination Plat PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00561
Applicant: Alva Webb for Bobby and Marilyn Mosley and WBB, LLC
General Location: At the northwest corner of Gentry Drive and Opelika Road
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD) and Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a lot consolidation (six lots into one)
12. Mosley Combination Plat PL-2009-00562
Applicant: Alva Webb for Bobby and Marilyn Mosley and WBB, LLC
General Location: At the northwest corner of Gentry Drive and Opelika Road
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD) and Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a lot consolidation (six lots into one)
13. East Alabama Skate Park PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00560
Applicant: Greg Darden
General Location: 1901 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a commercial recreational use (skate park)
14. SunSouth PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00559
Applicant: SunSouth, LLC
General Location: 1780 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Waiver to Sections 426.02, Street Frontage Landscaping Requirements of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance
15. Street Renaming Bent Creek Road PUBLIC HEARING MS-2009-00034
Applicant: City of Auburn
General Location: Bent Creek Road, north of the intersection at East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for renaming a portion of Bent Creek Road to Mike Hubbard Boulevard
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
16. CompPlan 2030 Update – Justin Steinmann, Principal Planner
ADJOURNMENT
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 1:00 pm CST– LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION / PUBLIC BUDGET HEARINGS
Held at the Lee County Board of Education Technology Center, 2410 Society Hill Rd, Opelika. The public is invited to attend.
A second hearing will be held at 6:00 pm CST at Beulah High School.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 1:30 pm — TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE / AUBURN-OPELIKA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (TAC/A-O MPO)
Held in the LRCOG conference room, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika. Open to all.
http://www.lrcog.com/mpo.html
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout September. Produce is grown by local farmers. More info: Velinda at 334.745.0466 or opelikamainstreet@aol.com.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
Note: No agenda/packet for this meeting has yet been posted. If you plan to attend, you might wish to confirm the meeting date/time via 501-3040.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8 – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION / REGULAR MEETING AND FY-2010 BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING
www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – regular meeting & budget public hearing, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd.
Open to all. Agenda includes:
3. Approve Agenda
4. Recognitions
–Susie Criswell, Venture Teacher, Wrights Mill Road Elementary School, 2009 Jenice Riley Memorial Scholarship by the Alabama Humanities Foundation
–Fredna Grimmett, 5th grade Teacher, Ogletree Elementary School, 2009 Jenice Riley Memorial Scholarship by the Alabama Humanities Foundation
–Richland Elementary School, 2009 ING Run for Something Better Grant Recipient
5. Public Hearing (FY2010 Annual Budget)
6. Hear Delegations
7. Approve Minutes: 8-11-09 Reg Session; 8-26-09 & 8-31-09 Special Sessions
8. Communications
9. Approve Payment of Bills and Salaries – August 2009
10. Unfinished Business
1. Auburn City Schools Policy Manual -
Policy Revision: GAMC Drug Free Workplace, and
Drug and Alcohol Testing Administrative Procedure
11. Superintendent’s Report and New Business
1. FY 2010 Annual Budget
2. Unitary Status Resolution and Semi-Annual Staff Count
3. Change Order #2 for Auburn High School Fine Arts Renovation
4. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009
5. Pest Control Services
6. Lease Agreement with City of Auburn / Property at Duck Samford Stadium
7. Contingency Allowance Authorization for Duck Samford Stadium Project
8. Job Description Modifications:
Bus Assistant; Bus Driver; Public Relations/FACES Director
9. Auburn City Schools Policy Manual -
—Policy: IFAAA Textbook Inventory Control
—Revision to Administrative Regulation IFAAA – R(1)
12. Personnel
– Resignations; Job Abandonment; Leave Requests; Contract Changes; Summer Employment; Employment; Exit Surveys
13. Other
** Members of the Board of Education will attend the Alabama Association of School Boards District IV meeting on Oct. 1st at 6:00 p.m. in Auburn, Alabama.
** The Board of Education will meet for its next regular session on October 13, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 6:00 pm CST– LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION / PUBLIC BUDGET HEARINGS
Held at Beulah High School. The public is invited to attend.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9, 9:00 pm — LRCOG MPO POLICY BOARD (Lee-Russell Council of Govts – Metropolitan Planning Organization)
Held in the LRCOG conference room, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika. Open to all.
http://www.lrcog.com/mpo.html
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9, 10:00 am — ALABAMA ELECTRONIC VOTING COMMITTEE (AEVC) – special-called meeting
Held in the Capitol Auditorium, 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery; ph:334-242-4337.
Agenda: The Alabama Electronic Voting Committee (AEVC) will meet for examination and certification by the State of Alabama of the Unity 3.2.0.0 Election Management System and further requesting approval of an ECO for the Model 650. The Unity 3.2.0.0 Election Management System and Model 650 are electronic vote counting systems provided by Elections Systems & Software (“ES&S”), a vendor of electronic vote counting systems in Alabama.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT 9, 3:30 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / ALABAMA AUTHOR & POET CHARLES GIGNA
Held at the Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave. Free & open to all.
Youth of all ages are invited to meet Alabama author and poet Charles Ghigna, affectionately known as “Father Goose”. http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/youthservices.htm
More info:
Father Goose’s Website http://www.charlesghigna.com/index.html
Father Goose Video Interview on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBsLzlkCh1A
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10 — DEMPSEY CENTER / ART EXHIBITION OPENS
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center. Open to all.
Special Works – an exhibition featuring artworks on loan from area residents – will run through October 6.
THURSDAY & FRIDAY, SEPT. 10 & 11 — 23RD ANNUAL ALABAMA WATER RESOURCES CONFERENCE
Also Wednesday, Sept 9 – Alabama section, AWRA Syposium
Held at the Perdido Beach Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Orange Beach, Alabama.
Registration, accommodation & conference details: www.auei.auburn.edu/conference
The 23rd Annual Alabama Water Resources Conference will be held Thursday & Friday, September 10-11. In conjunction with the conference, the Alabama Section of AWRA Symposium will be held Wednesday, September 9. Both will provide an excellent forum for stimulating discussion regarding the many multi-disciplinary aspects of current and future water use, management, and conservation issues.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10 & FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM — HVAC SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES WORKSHOP
Held in AU’s Gorrie Center Conference Room.
Registration Fee: $195 includes: two day workshop, tour of Gorrie Center, two lunches and a continental breakfast.
To register: visit www.auburn.edu/outreach/hvac or call 334-844-5100
Earn 11 contact hours from AIA and 1.3 continuing education hours from AU.
Join the Outreach Program Office at Auburn University for an HVAC Sustainable Practices Workshop on September 10 and 11, 2009.
To update your knowledge of cutting edge industry practices, Building and Design Professionals share their expertise in: LEED overview; HVAC Systems; Lighting Applications; Onsite Renewable Sources; Energy Codes Update; Commissioning; EQ- ASHRAE Systems and Applications.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 8:30 am – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE WALKS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also Discovery Hikes at 3:00 pm Thursdays. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 10:00 am — ALABAMA ELECTRONIC VOTING COMMITTEE (AEVC) special-called meeting
Held in the Capitol Auditorium, 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery; ph: :334-242-4337.
Agenda: If necessary, the Alabama Electronic Voting Committee (AEVC) will meet for examination and certification by the State of Alabama of the Unity 3.2.0.0 Election Management System and further requesting approval of an ECO for the Model 650. The Unity 3.2.0.0 Election Management System and Model 650 are electronic vote counting systems provided by Elections Systems & Software (“ES&S”), a vendor of electronic vote counting systems in Alabama.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10 ,CORRECTION –11:00 AM — 4:00 pm — AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD – SPECIAL CALLED MEETING/ BUDGET WORK SESSION
http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. [Note: The Board's regular meeting is on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.]
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, SEPT 10, 4:00 – 6:00 PM — BOOK SIGNING PARTY / KEVIN BELL
Held at the Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave; ph: 501-3190.
Free & open to all. Refreshments served.
Info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp
Kevin Bell, an Auburn native, will be signing copies of his autobiography, I DO WHAT I CAN. At age 7, Kevin Bell was diagnosed with Friedrieich’s Ataxia, a degenerative muscular disorder. By age 10, he was confined to a wheelchair and could no longer write. Despite these challenges, he graduated from high school at age 16 and from Auburn University at age 19. HIs inspirational story recounts how his courageous spirit allowed him to overcome adversity. Refreshments will be served. The public is invited to attend and congratulate Kevin on his achievements. Books may be purchased for $20 with profits going to The Kevin Bell Fund, which pays for sitters to assist him at Arbor Springs Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 4:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION / PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING
Held in the conference room, Opelika City Schools Board of Education offices, 300 Simmons Street. More info: 745-9700.
Upcoming budget hearing: The final budget hearing will be held Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, at the same location, followed by the Sept. board meeting.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx (For details, see above, Tuesday, noon, Sept. 8 PC packet meeting)
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 6:00 PM — KIESEL PARK SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES / featuring Auburn Knights Orchestra
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all.
Bring the family, a picnic supper, your lawn chairs, the family dog and enjoy a free, relaxing evening under the stars.(No alcohol, please.)
Upcoming performances:
September 17: The Auburn Knights Orchestra
September 24: The Syncopation Corporation
September 27: Auburn Community Orchestra (Sunday Performance at 4 p.m.)
October 1: Satin Soul
October 8: Old Soul
October 15: Auburn Road
October 22: Spoonful James
More info: Alison Hall, 334-501-2930, ahall@auburnalabama.org; www.auburnalabama.org/parks, click on special events.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 6:00 – 7:00 PM — ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ORGANIZATION (EAO) Meeting
Held in AU’s Student Union. room 2107. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/eao/index.html
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — CIRQUE D’OR FEATURING THE GOLDEN DRAGON ACROBATS
Held in AU’s Student Activities Center. Open to students, faculty, staff & the general public.
AU’s UPC proudly presents Cirque D’Or featuring the Golden Dragon Acrobats. More info: 844-4788.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 7:00 pm — EAST ALABAMA CYCLING CLUB
Held at the EAMC Health Resource Center, Pepperell Pkwy, Opelika. Open to all.
The East Alabama Cycling Club (EACC) is a bicycle club for riders of all skill levels and riding styles. The club meets at 7:00 pm, on the second Thursday of each month. More info: mk1hgn@yahoo.com
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, NOON — FORUM: HEALTH CARE REFORM / Opelika Chamber of Commerce & the Business Council of Alabama
Held in the Health Science Bldg, Southern Union State Community College, Opelika.
Sponsored by the Opelika Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee. This event is specifically advertised as a forum, not a town hall meeting.
Featured speakers:
Moore Hallmark, exec. dir. for Southeastern Region, US Chamber of Commerce.
Suzanne Repress, lobbyist for Children’s Health System, Birmingham, and chairperson of the Federal Affairs Committee for the Business Council of Alabama.
PLACE editorial note:
This event is billed as a Chamber of Commerce ‘forum’, not a panel discussion which would offer differing points of view. It appears from the information below that the speakers’ organizations hold similar points of view on the topic.
Info on the US Chamber of Commerce’s positions on health care reform, including their opposition to government-run or employer-mandated health care: http://www.uschamber.com/healthcare.htm.
Info on the Business Council of Alabama’s positions on health care reform, their focus on the impact on business, and their opinions on recent Alabama health care legislation: http://www.bcatoday.org/event_detail.aspx?id=598 and http://www.ciclt.net/sn/leg/l_list.aspx?ClientCode=bcatoday&SearchType=LC_Code&LC_Code=25860&L_State=al&L_Session=2009&L_Prior=2008
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, NOON – 2:00 PM — AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD LUNCHEON / FEATURED SPEAKER: AU ALUMNA & OLYMPIC SWIMMER KIRSTY COVENTRY
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Registration required (see details below).
More info: http://www.humsci2.auburn.edu/wpb/kirstycoventry.pdf
The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in the College of Human Sciences, will host its fall luncheon with featured speaker will be Auburn alumna and Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry, a world-record holder and winner of Olympic bronze, silver and gold medals. In 2006, Coventry earned a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from the College of Human Sciences.
REGISTRATION: $50 (includes lunch). Reserved tables for eight: $400. Seating is limited; early registration recommended.
To register, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan at 844-9199 or e-mail wpbchs1@auburn.edu. Make checks payable to the Auburn University WPB for the fall luncheon and mail to: College of Human Sciences, Women’s Philanthropy Board, 210 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, AL 36849.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, 2:00 PM — KEVIN PLANK – CEO, UNDER ARMOUR & EXECUTIVE-IN-RESIDENCE, AU COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCES / FROM THE BASEMENT TO THE BOARDROOM: THE STORY OF UNDER ARMOUR
Held in the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Free & open to the public.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, 4:00 PM — AU RAPTOR CENTER / FOOTBALL, FANS & FEATHERS
http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1105
Held at AU’s Southeastern Raptor Center, Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater on Raptor Road off Shug Jordan Parkway. Directions are available at www.auburn.edu/raptor.
Admission: $5 each, free for children under age 3.
Group admission: $3 a person for school groups of 25 or more; those groups should contact the center ahead of time by calling (334) 844-6943.
Additional shows: 4:00 pm on Sept. 18, 25; Oct. 16 & 30; Nov 6 / Also 9:00 am on Nov. 27, the day of the Alabama game.
Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center will host “Football, Fans and Feathers,” educational, birds-in-flight raptor programs this fall on Fridays before home football games. A variety of birds such as hawks, falcons and eagles will be free-flown from flight towers. Education specialists will inform the audience about each bird and their role in nature.
The Southeastern Raptor Center, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has a mission of rehabilitating injured or orphaned raptors and educating the public. All birds used in the educational programs are non-releasable due to prior injuries or human imprinting. Any bird capable of surviving in the wild must be released, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permits Auburn to house the birds.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, 6:00 – 8:30 PM — DOWNTOWN AUBURN FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCK PARTY
Held in Downtown Auburn. Hosted by the Auburn Downtown Merchant Association.
Live music & other events. Free & open to all.
On home-game Fridays through Nov. 7, Auburn patrons, fans and visitors will be treated to a series of Auburn University pep rallies and live entertainment while showcasing The Loveliest Village on the Plains and what its merchants have to offer.
Magnolia Avenue will be blocked off from College Street to Gay Street in order to remain pedestrian friendly. College Street will remain open to allow traffic to easily access the downtown area and university campus.
“The block party is a way to invite our customers and visitors to enjoy what Auburn has spent a lifetime developing: tradition and community, celebrated with music and football,” said Eric Stamp, President of the Downtown Merchants Association. “Creating a venue for celebration in the heart of our city lays the foundation for future events, enriching our traditions while showcasing our southern hospitality.”
The Auburn Downtown Merchants Association is looking to give Auburn people just one more opportunity to reconnect with each other and come out and enjoy the historical, commercial and cultural center of life in Auburn.
For additional information on the Friday Night Block Party, contact the ADMA at auburnmerchants@gmail.com .
Upcoming block parties: Sept. 18, 25; Oct 16, 30; Nov. 6
SATURDAY, SEPT. 12, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS – Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
On the second Saturday of every month, a group of history re-enactors gather at the LCHS Museum in period attire to demonstrate their arts and crafts. Blacksmiths are usually working at the forge, spinners and weavers are in the log cabin, and someone is always cooking up a meal in the fireplace or outdoors. The Museum is always open on Second Saturdays.
1:00 pm — The Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer group. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcomed. Bring your dulcimer or other instrument and join in the pickin’.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 12, 6:00 PM — AU HOME FOOTBALL GAME (vs. Mississippi State)
Game day info, including parking & traffic details: http://www.auburn.edu/communications_marketing/gameday/index.html
SUNDAY, SEPT. 13, 3:00 PM — FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE / FAMILY DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Free & open to all.
Also try the Preserve’s weekly walks at 8:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website - http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
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WEST PACE VILLAGE UPDATE: 9-1 Council presentation / Items on 9-15 Council agenda
Members of the West Pace Village development team made a presentation to the Auburn City Council on Sept. 1 concerning the overall project and the proposed Alabama Improvement and Cooperative Districts to facilitate using a portion of taxes derived from the project to fund infrastructure construction bonds. In addition, documents pertaining to the proposed Districts and an Infrastructure Development Agreement between the city and West Pace LLC were included in the Council packet.
Various West Pace items are scheduled for consideration at the Council’s Sept. 15 meeting, including annexation & rezoning of the project parcels, the development agreement, and the Improvement District. The Cooperative District is scheduled for consideration on Sept. 16, after creation of the Tax Improvement District.
See link below to presentation & council packet materials.
WEST PACE VILLAGE PRESENTATION TO AUBURN CITY COUNCIL 9-1-09:
http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/viewFile.aspx?FileID=1307
WEST PACE VILLAGE DOCUMENTS IN 9-1-09 AUBURN CITY COUNCIL PACKET:
http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/viewFile.aspx?FileID=1302
CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS
http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp
ADVANCE SALES THROUGH SEPT 15:
AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL (ABC) PANSY & MUM SALE – TO BE HELD OCTOBER 3, 8:00 AM – NOON
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr090309.asp
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave.
Advance sales: accepted until Tuesday, Sept 15; see details below.
The Auburn Beautification Council will host a pansy and mum sale featuring flats of pansies and Johnny Jump Ups and 8″ and 12″ potted mums. Prices range from $6 – 14. All proceeds from the sale go to support Auburn Beautification Council projects, including the downtown hanging baskets and plantings, Spring Azalea Trail, gardens at Kiesel Park, and beautification awards presented to Auburn homes and businesses.
Advance orders accepted until Tuesday, Sept. 15; order forms available online at www.auburnalabama.org, at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce and from ABC members. Payment must be submitted with advance sale orders at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce or by mail to the address on the order form. Orders may be picked up the morning of Saturday, October 3.
More info: Auburn Chamber of Commerce at 887-7011 or the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Department at 501-2930.
Auburn Beautification Council Pansy and Mum Sale Flyer (PDF) –
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr090309.pdf
Advance Sale Order Form (PDF) –
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr0903092.pdf
FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAPS & FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY UPDATE / 90-DAY APPEAL AND PROTEST PERIOD UNDERWAY
Info: www.auburnalabama.org/fema/ or Auburn Public Works Dept 501-3000 or webpw@auburnalabama.org.
FEMA proposed maps: www.auburnalabama.org/fema/maps.asp
FEMA has now initiated the 90-day appeal and protest period of the updated FEMA Floodplain Maps & Flood Insurance Study; the appeal period ends Nov. 2, 2009. The proposed maps are scheduled to go into effect in July 2010. Property owners interested in drafting an appeal or protest are encouraged to contact the City of Auburn Public Works Dept prior to submitting their appeal.
ACCR FOUNDATION CAMPAIGN
ACCR Foundation’s new monthly campaign $7 on the 7th day for the 7th constitution asks you to make a tax-deductible donation of $7 in support of the effort to hold a constitutional convention in Alabama. That’s less than 25 cents per day!
Giving is secure and simple: just go to https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/260/donate.asp?formid=ACCRfdnDON . Every dollar supports ACCR Foundation’s important work and brings Alabama closer to a more efficient and just government. By contributing just $7 on the 7th of each month (or as often as possible), you will play an important role in educating other Alabamians about the need for constitutional reform.
Encourage friends and family to join our $7 for 7 Campaign by clicking the “Get Involved” button at the top of ACCR’s home page: www.constitutionalreform.org.
Together we can make a difference for our state’s future!
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CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Lee County Youth Development Center Board – one vacancy to be filled at the September 15 City Council meeting.
*Tree Commission — three vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 6 City Council meeting.
*Parks & Recreation Advisory Board — two vacancies will be announced at the Oct. 20 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sept. 8, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATE – SEPT. 1, 2009
REMINDER: WEST PACE VILLAGE DISCUSSION AT AUBURN COUNCIL - TUESDAY, SEPT. 1
6:00 pm – committee of the whole meeting: West Pace Village presentation by Phillip Dunlap, Economic Development Dept Director.
7:00 pm – regular council meeting – discussion of:
(1) Creation of Alabama Improvement District. West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc. West Pace Village. 165.5 Acres. INFORMATION ONLY
(2) Infrastructure Development Agreement. West Pace, LLC. West Pace Village. INFORMATION ONLY.
The full Council agenda and packet is online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/.
NOTE: West Pace Village items are scheduled for vote at the next Auburn City Council meeting, on Sept. 15.
NEW EVENT — JUST ANNOUNCED
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 2, 3:30 – 4:30 PM — CONGRESSMAN MIKE ROGERS TO VISIT AUBURN
HEALTHCARE FORUM / MEET YOUR CONGRESSMAN
Held in the meeting room, Monarch Estates, 1550 East University Drive, Auburn. (Meeting room entrance is just off the left rear section of the parking lot. If parking lot is full, space available across the street in former Bruno’s parking lot.)
Come speak with Mike Rogers in this just-announced “Congress on Your Corner” event. Share with him your ideas and opinions about current issues such as healthcare reform.
Note: As this event hasn’t been widely publicized, please share information about this event with others who might be interested.
MOORES MILL (INTERSTATE) BRIDGE PLANS AND PUBLIC COMMENT SHEET / AVAILABLE ONLINE / COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY SEPT. 2
Info: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp; City of Auburn Public Works Department at 501-3000.
The City of Auburn and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) held a public involvement meeting for citizens regarding the Moores Mill (Interstate) Bridge Project on Thursday, August 20. Alternate designs for the project and a public comment sheet from the meeting are available for review on the City of Auburn’s website at www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp. A copy of the designs and comment sheets are also available at the City of Auburn Public Works Department, located in the Development Services Building of the Douglas J. Watson Municipal Complex on Ross Street.
Citizens are encouraged to view the designs and submit a comment sheet. Comments may be submitted by email to webpw@auburnalabama.org or by regular mail to
org or by regular mail to:
Jeffery L. Ramsey, P.E., Director of Public Works/City Engineer
City of Auburn, 171 N Ross Street, Suite 200, Auburn, AL 36830,
ATTN: Brett Peterson, P.E.
All comments must be received or postmarked by Wednesday, September 2.
Alternate designs and comment sheet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE:
Ross Street Railroad Crossing to Remain Closed
AUBURN DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION HOSTS FRIDAY NIGHT KICK-OFF BLOCK PARTY — STARTS THIS FRIDAY, SEPT. 4, 6:00 – 8:30 PM
The Auburn Downtown Merchants Association is kicking off football season with a Friday Night block party in the streets of downtown Auburn. Scheduled for September 4 is The Answer Band. The Answer Band is a family-friendly party act that performs classic Motown, Funk and Disco music along with popular hits from today.
Auburn patrons, fans and visitors will be treated to a series of Auburn University pep rallies and live entertainment while showcasing The Loveliest Village on the Plains and what its merchants have to offer. The event will begin on Friday Sept. 4 and run through Nov. 7, coinciding with the Auburn University home football games. It will be held from 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and is open to everyone with no entrance fee. Magnolia Avenue will be blocked off from College Street to Gay Street in order to remain pedestrian friendly. College Street will remain open to allow traffic to easily access the downtown area and university campus.
“The block party is a way to invite our customers and visitors to enjoy what Auburn has spent a lifetime developing: tradition and community, celebrated with music and football,” said Eric Stamp, President of the Downtown Merchants Association. “Creating a venue for celebration in the heart of our city lays the foundation for future events, enriching our traditions while showcasing our southern hospitality.”
The Auburn Downtown Merchants Association is looking to give Auburn people just one more opportunity to reconnect with each other and come out and enjoy the historical, commercial and cultural center of life in Auburn.
For additional information on the Friday Night Block Party, contact the ADMA at auburnmerchants@gmail.com .
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sept. 1, 2009
Comments Off
WEEK OF AUG. 31, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
AU ART MUSEUM NOW OFFERS FREE ADMISSION TO ALL www.jcsm.auburn.edu
AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art now offers free admission for all visitors. The free admission is sponsored by the JCSM Business Partners.
CITY OF AUBURN MID-BIENNIUM BUDGET HEARING / THIS TUESDAY
Mid-Biennium Budget Document and Presentation Posted Online
At the 7:00 pm, Tuesday, Sept. 1 Auburn city council meeting, there will be the first reading and public hearing for the mid-biennium budget adjustment. Documents and a presentation are available online for review at http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm081209.asp.
The full FY2009 & 2010 biennial budget is online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/budget/.
THROUGH MONDAY, AUG. 31 — Hickory Dickory Park Closed Monday, Aug. 31
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr082709.asp
The park will reopen Tuesday, Sept. 1 unless otherwise announced. For more information regarding the park closing, please contact the Dean Road Recreation Center at 501-2930.
THROUGH MONDAY, AUG. 31 — Portion of Wire Road Between Cox Road and Chadwick Lane Closed
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/wrm082809.asp
The portion of Wire Road between Cox Road and Chadwick Lane is closed for emergency road repairs, effective immediately. Repairs are expected to continue through the weekend. Officials plan to reopen the road by the end of the day on Monday, August 31. More details at http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/wrm082809.asp.
MONDAY, AUG. 31 & TUESDAY, SEPT. 1 — CSX TO CLOSE ROSS STREET RAILROAD CROSSING
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw082509.asp
CSX has notified the City of Auburn it will close the Ross Street railroad crossing for repair beginning Monday, August 31 at 8 a.m. The crossing is expected to remain closed until 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1. Citizens are encouraged to seek alternate routes during this time. Traffic will not be able to cross the tracks at Ross Street. Citizens are encouraged to visit the City of Auburn’s website at www.auburnalabama.org to view the latest news on traffic updates and street closings. Construction schedules are subject to change. For more information, please contact John Bourda in the City of Auburn Public Works Department at 501-3024.
ONGOING, THROUGH NOV. 10 — Water: Three States (Phase I) Exhibition
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall.
‘Art in Agriculture’ events begin with Biggin Hall exhibition. Free & open to the public.
The College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Art and the College of Agriculture are working together to present “Art in Agriculture,” a yearlong interdisciplinary initiative that will explore the intersections of art, culture, ecology and the environment. The fall 2009 focus of the project deals with a variety of responses to water issues in Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Events begin with the opening of the exhibition, “Water: Three States,” in Biggin Gallery, which willl run through Nov. 10 and includes work by tri-state artists Xavier Cortada, Xiaotian Wang, Martha Whittington, Daniel Kariko and Andy Behrle. An accompanying panel discussion on water issues in the Southeast, moderated by Katie Lamar Jackson of the College of Agriculture, will be held Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. in 005 Biggin Hall. Panelists will include Bill Deutsch of Alabama Water Watch, Eve Brantley of Alabama Cooperative Extension System, visual artist Xiaotian Wang and conservation photographer Beth Maynor Young.
Biggin Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment.. A complete schedule of events, including lectures, receptions and workshops, as well as information about the spring 2010 focus on gardening, can be found at the Art in Agriculture Web site. For more information, contact the College of Liberal Arts at 844-4026, the Department of Art at 844-4373 or the Department of Agriculture at 844-5887.
MONDAY, AUG. 31 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Recognition of Commissioner Longs’ Completion of Mandatory Education
b. Recognition of Information Services Department – Sheriff Jay Jones
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. Report on ACCA Annual Convention – English, Harris, Lawrence
b. Flood Plain Map Update – Judge English
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting August 10, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Public Hearing on Petition to Vacate a Portion of Lee Road 265-Attorney Larry Ray
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Lee County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan Resolution – Erin Stephens
b. Authorization of Auburn Satellite Office Opening – Judge English
c. ACEA “TIGER” Grant Resolution- Neal Hall
d. Lee County “TIGER” Grant Resolution – Neal Hall
e. Highway Department Administrator Position – Neal Hall
10. Adjourn
MONDAY, AUG. 31, 7:00 PM — BLACK STUDENT UNION CELEBRATES 20 YEARS ON CAMPUS
Held in front of Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum, AU.
The Auburn University Black Student Union is inviting all Auburn students and employees to its celebration of 20 years on campus. The Black Student Union and other National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations will promote unity while performing traditional stepping style to showcase their talent and support.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1 AND WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 2 —- STREAM RESTORATION CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP
Held in Montgomery, in the conference room, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc, 2660 East Chase Lane, Ste 200, Montgomery; Tel: 334.271.3200.
More info: http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm or contact Eve Brantley at brantef@auburn.edu.
Registration deadline – August 24, 2009. Limited to first 30 registrants.**
This workshop will be conducted during construction of an urban stream restoration project in a town park — White Slough, an urban stream in City of Montgomery’s Ida Belle Young Park. Participants will learn about plan sheet development, construction specifications, permitting, and construction oversight while observing channel grading and structure installation. Instructors will emphasize urban stream conditions specific to the southeastern U.S. Workshop instructors have experience working on more than 40 stream assessments and restoration projects throughout the Southeast. The workshop will be split between classroom and extensive field work, including project / data summaries evening work sessions.
** Completion of the Introduction to Stream Restoration or another basic natural channel design workshop is a requirement for participation in this advanced workshop.
Cost is $350 for general registration $150 for government / nonprofit. Sorry, no purchase orders. Make checks payable to Alabama Cooperative Extension System, or to register online & pay with credit card, go to: https://ssl.acesag.auburn.edu/conference/stream2009/registrationForm.php .
These workshops are made possible through partnerships and funding from City of Montgomery, Auburn University, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc., Jennings Environmental, LLC, Upper Alabama River Clean Water Partnership, Young Meadows Presbyterian Church, North Carolina State University, and the USDA CSREES Southern Region Water Program.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1, 11:30 AM — CITY OF AUBURN’S NEW URBAN CORE / DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
[Note: Tentative date - subject to change.]
Held in the Development Services Bldg conference room, 171 N. Ross St.
The Auburn City Council’s newly formed Urban Core/Downtown Study Committee will hold its first meeting on September 1. This committee was formed in response to a Downtown Study by the Auburn Chamber of Commerce-Commercial Business Focus Group which was presented to the council. Contained in the Chamber study are proposed changes to current Downtown/Urban Core zoning regulations.
The purpose of the Sept. 1 meeting will be to determine the committee’s official name, scope/focus of the committee, meeting days/times, and a timeline for completion of work.
Committee: Auburn city council members Sheila Eckman, Dick Phelan and Brent Beard; Planning Commission chair Emily Sparrow & members Warren McCord & Kim Harrison (Harrison also was a member of the Chamber committee which created the study); Forrest Cotten, Planning Dept Director and Megan McGowen, Economic Development Dept Deputy Director.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainstreet@aol.com for more information.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1, 5:00 pm – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION / BUDGET WORK SESSION
Held at the Lee County Courthouse, Commission Chambers, 215 South 9th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
Additional budget work sessions: 5:00 pm, Sept. 2 & 3, same location.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:00 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
Agenda includes:
Committee of the whole agenda includes:
3. WEST PACE VILLAGE. Presentation. Phillip Dunlap, Director of Economic Development.
4. GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD. Nominations. One Vacancy. Incumbent: Eric Cox (resignation). Unexpired Term Ends August 7, 2011.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses. Consideration.
(1) Ping Du dba/Fuji Sushi Bar and Japanese Cuisine. 1499 South College St, Suite E-F. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License. Change in Application Type.
(2) 010 – Lounge Retail Liquor – Class I License.
(a) Tiger Package Inc.
(1) dba/Tiger Package I. 1631 South College Street.
(2) dba/Tiger Package II. 815 East Glenn Avenue.
(b) Divya Inc. dba/Tiger Lounge. 1577 South College Street.
(3) Divya Inc. dba/The Lexington. 1577 South College Street. 160 – Special Retail – More Than 30 Days License.
b. West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc. West Pace Village. Creation of Alabama Improvement District. 165.5 Acres. INFORMATION ONLY
c. West Pace, LLC. West Pace Village. Infrastructure Development Agreement. INFORMATION ONLY.
d. Announcement of Board Vacancy. Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority. One Position. Unexpired Term Ends August 18, 2011.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexation. Virginia B. Ward and Thomas L. Pace, III. Keith Maxwell (Authorized Representative). Property Located south of Sandhill Road and west of Lee Road 023. 151.2 Acres. Planning Commission Recommendation. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. FY2009-FY2010 Biennial Budget. Mid-Biennium Amendment. Public Hearing. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Bishop Frank McLeod. God’s House of Prayer. Expansion of Parking Lot. 573 Harper Avenue in the Redevelopment District (RDD) Zoning District. Amend Resolution 07-04. Public Hearing Required. Conditional Use Approval.
b. $16,000,000. Frazer Lanier Company. Warrant Purchase Agreement. G. O. Refunding Warrants, 2009.
c. Public Records Request Policy. Adoption.
d. Close City Streets. Annual Downtown Trick-or-Treat. Thursday, October 29, 2009.
e. $25,000. Economic Development Department – Community Development Division. 2009 CDBG Action Plan Amendment. Oak Park Auxiliary.
f. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) $92,465. Economic Development Department – Community Development Division. J & L Contractors. Construct Housing Unit at 1226 Combs Avenue.
(2) Public Works Department. D & J Enterprises, Inc.
(a) $28,420.40. Alberta Street – Judd Avenue Drainage Improvement Project.
(b) $15,080. Stubb Avenue Drainage Improvement Project.
(3) Water Resource Management Department.
(a) $70,000. CH2M Hill, Inc. Amendment 4 to Task Order 1. Phase II SDC Task.
(b) $43,048.04. ADS Environmental Services. Sewer System Evaluation Survey. Southside Sewer Basins 4 and 14A.
(4) Parks and Recreation Department. Auburn City Schools. Lease Agreement for Property at Duck Samford Park.
g. Tax Abatement. Industrial Development Board. Arkal Plastic North America, Inc. and Weidmann Plastics Technology North America, Inc. 204 Enterprise Drive.
h. Statutory Warrant Deeds, Temporary Construction Easements and Drainage and Utility Easements. Conveyance, Vacation, and Acceptance.
(1) North Auburn Housing Development Corporation. Lots 1,3,4,5,7,10, and 29. Northwest Village Subdivision. Conveyance.
(2) Sky is the Limit Homes, LLC. Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase 1, Third Revision. Southern terminus of Lundy Chase Drive, north of Willow Creek Subdivision and south of Richland Road. Drainage and Utility Easements. Vacation of easements.
(3) Ed Simon. 302 Oak Street. Temporary Construction Easement. Oak Street Sidewalk Project. Acceptance.
i. Greenspace Advisory Board. One Position. Unexpired Term Ends August 7, 2011.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Presentation of a proposed road project by the Opelika Utilities Board — Dan Hilyer
(2) - a. Request to advertise, rezoning, 411 N. 16th St., R5 to C3.
b. FYI, 2020 Comprehensive Plan. — Jerry Kelley
(3) - a. FYI – fact sheet, existing contract for negotiating pole attachment agreements, AT&T and Charter – Derek Lee
(4) - a. General updates – Mayor Fuller, John Seymour
(5) - Discuss/review CM agenda items of 9/01/09: a. Remarks by Mayor; b General business; c. Bids; d. Resolutions; e. Ordinances; f. Board Appointments
(6) - Discussion - City Council: a. New / Old Business; b. Board appointments; c. Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) - Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS - Bob Shuman
a. Request by Opelika Mainstreet for annual On the Tracks event on Oct 9th.
b. Request by Adams Beverages Inc. for a beer/wine wholesale license.
c. Public Hearing – to fix assessment for cost of demolition at 3409 Chilton Avenue.
d. Public Hearing – to fix assessment for cost of demolition at 621 Martin Luther King Blvd.
e. Public Hearing – to fix assessment for cost of demolition at 1718 Bulloch Street.
f. Public Hearing – to amend zoning ordinance, Orr Estates, R3 GC1 to C2 GC1.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
a. Resurfacing a portion of Garden Hills Cemetery – P/W
b. Purchase one (1) reel mower – P/W
c. Purchase two (2) new vehicles – OPD
d. Lease two (2) copy machines – P/R
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. To set the public hearing date for a weed violation at 2112 Crestview Street.
2. To designate BB&T as an official bank depository of the City of Opelika.
3. Annual contract with J. Smith Lanier for various insurance policies.
4. Contract for a sewer rate study with PRMG.
5. To fix the assessment of cost for demolition at 3409 Chilton Avenue.
6. To fix the assessment of cost for demolition at 621 Martin Luther King Blvd.
7. To fix the assessment of cost for demolition at 1718 Bulloch Street.
8. Refund of wholesale gasoline tax paid in error.
9. Refund of occupational license fee paid in error.
10. Renewal of annual radio advertising contract with Quantum – L/P.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter (none)
1. Amend zoning ordinance, section 2.2 – family – 2nd Reading.
2. Lease agreement with the Opelika Chamber of Commerce – 2nd Reading.
3. Amend City Code, partial exemption of severance/termination pay – 2nd Reading.
4. Amend zoning ordinance, Orr Estates, R3 GC1 to C2 GC1 – 1st Reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1, 7:00 – 8:30 PM — SPECTRUM ALLIANCE
Held at Arricia Restaurant at The Hotel at Auburn University
Topic: Welcome back/Membership. More info: spectrum@auburn.edu
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 2, 8:00 – 9:00 AM — AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION / CITY SCHOOLS FY-2010 BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING
Held in the Multi-Media Room (800 Bldg), Auburn High School. Open to all.
Agenda: first public hearing for the FY 2010 budget
Archived financial reports: http://www.auburnschools.org/Finance/financial_reports.html
[The Board of Education will meet for its next regular session and the second public hearing for the FY 2010 budget on September 8, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School.]
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 2, 9:30 – 11:30 AM — WOMEN’S STUDIES OPEN HOUSE
Held at AU’s Haley Center, room 3227.
Meet new faculty at the Women’s Studies Open House. Drop by any time between 9:30 to 11:30 for coffee, juice, and pastries. Please bring along interested graduate students. [note: the Women's Studies graduate minor has been approved]
AUBURN BZA CANCELLED — The Auburn Board of Zoning Adjustment meeting for September has been cancelled.
CANCELLED WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 2, 5:00 pm – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION / BUDGET WORK SESSION
Held at the Lee County Courthouse, Commission Chambers, 215 South 9th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
Additional budget work session: 5:00 pm, Sept. 3, same location.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 3, NOON — WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD LUNCHEON ROUNDTABLE – EIGHT BIGGEST MISTAKES INVESTORS MAKE
Held in the private dining room, Ariccia Restaurant, AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center.
Registration required, seating limited, dutch treat luncheon. To register, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan at 844-9199 or wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in the College of Human Sciences, will host a roundtable discussion on “The Eight Biggest Mistakes Investors Make”. The featured speaker will be Leah Dubberly of The Dubberly Group/Merrill Lynch. She has been a business owner, corporate marketing executive, political action committee fundraiser and Capitol Hill congressional staffer. She joined Merrill Lynch in 1994 with a focus on public speaking and retirement planning education. In 1999, she became a certified financial planner, and since concentrates on estate planning strategies; concentrated stock strategies for corporate executives; and retirement plans. In 2008, she earned the designation of certified divorce financial analyst.
More details: http://www.humsci2.auburn.edu/wpb/RoundtableDubberly.pdf
THURSDAY, SEPT. 3, 3:00 pm – FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE PROGRAM: FAMILY DISCOVERY HIKE
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
CANCELLED THURSDAY, SEPT. 3, 5:00 pm – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION / BUDGET WORK SESSION
Held at the Lee County Courthouse, Commission Chambers, 215 South 9th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 4, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 4, 4:00 PM — AU RAPTOR CENTER / FOOTBALL, FANS & FEATHERS http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1105
Held at AU’s Southeastern Raptor Center, Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater on Raptor Road off Shug Jordan Parkway. Directions are available at www.auburn.edu/raptor.
Individual admission: $5 each; free for children under age 3.
Group admission: $3/person for school groups of 25 or more; those groups should contact the center ahead of time by calling (334) 844-6943.
Additional upcoming shows: 4:00 pm on Sept. 11, 18, 25; Oct. 16 & 30; Nov 6 / Also 9:00 am on Nov. 27, the day of the Alabama game.
Auburn University’s Southeastern Raptor Center will host “Football, Fans and Feathers,” educational, birds-in-flight raptor programs this fall on Fridays before home football games. A variety of birds such as hawks, falcons and eagles will be free-flown from flight towers. Education specialists will inform the audience about each bird and their role in nature.
The Southeastern Raptor Center, part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has a mission of rehabilitating injured or orphaned raptors and educating the public. All birds used in the educational programs are non-releasable due to prior injuries or human imprinting. Any bird capable of surviving in the wild must be released, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permits Auburn to house the birds. www.vetmed.auburn.edu
FRIDAY, SEPT. 4, 6:00 – 8:30 PM — DOWNTOWN AUBURN FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCK PARTY
Held in Downtown Auburn. Live music & other events. Come enjoy the fun!
Upcoming Friday Night Block Parties: Sept. 11, 18, 25; Oct 16, 30; Nov. 6
FRIDAY, SEPT. 4, 7:00 PM – EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Doc Waller, Creative Director for The Layman Group and multi-talented artist, will be kicking off his new book of poetry with a LIVE Spoken Word Recording at the Gnu’s Room. There is no charge for this event.
Note: Expressions Cafe is held the first Friday of each month.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 4, 7:30 PM —- EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab. Free & open to all.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 5, 6:00 pm – AU HOME FOOTBALL GAME (vs. Louisiana Tech)
Game day info: http://www.auburn.edu/communications_marketing/gameday/index.html
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TRAFFIC REROUTED TO NEW PORTION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DRIVE / AL HWY 14
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw0825092.asp
The ALDOT contractor for the Donahue Drive – Bragg Avenue Project has rerouted traffic to the new portion of Martin Luther King Jr Drive/AL Highway 14. A four-way stop is now in effect at the intersection of North Donahue Drive and Bragg Avenue/Martin Luther King Jr Drive until traffic signals have been installed and are operational. Motorists are advised to be alert to the new stop conditions. Temporary lane closures may be necessary as crews begin paving this week. Motorists should be alert for flagmen directing traffic.
The portion of road east of North Donahue Drive will be referred to as Bragg Avenue. The new road west of Donahue Drive will be referred to as Martin Luther King Jr Drive in the City limits and AL Highway 14 beyond the City limits. Citizens are encouraged to visit the City of Auburn’s website at www.auburnalabama.org to view the latest news on traffic updates and street closings. Construction schedules are subject to change. For more information, please contact the City of Auburn Public Works Department at 501-3000.
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AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY HOSTING SHRIMP SALE FUNDRAISER / Order deadline 4:00 pm, Sept 11.
To place an order, send an e-mail to kleinvw@auburn.edu or call 844-4667.
The Auburn University chapter of the American Fisheries Society is preparing to host its annual shrimp sale fundraiser. Fresh, farm-raised, Pacific white shrimp will be available by pre-order/pre-pay only in 25- to 30-count, heads-on, unfrozen 5-pound lots at $4.50 a pound. Orders of 100 pounds or more will be sold at $4 a pound.
Place orders: Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Order deadline: 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11.
Order pickup: Tuesday, Sept. 14, from 3-6 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 15, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Auburn University Fish Market on North College Street, weather permitting.
ASK ALABAMA POLL SHOWS MANY SKIPPING MEALS, EATING LESS TO COPE WITH ECONOMY
http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1098
Auburn University’s Center for Governmental Services released statewide polling results today showing that many Alabama residents could be going hungry because of the prolonged recession. A statewide survey of adults found that 27 percent believe that “a lot” of Alabama families are cutting the size of meals or are skipping mealtime altogether because of financial considerations. Another 36 percent said that “a fair number” of other families could be doing the same. Only one-third of those surveyed feel that eating habits have been generally unaffected by the economy.
PLACE editorial note: Want to help eliminate food insecurity in East Alabama? Donate or volunteer at the Food Bank of East Alabama. http://www.foodbankofeastalabama.com/
COMMITTEE SELECTS RANDY CAMPBELL TO FILL VACANT AUBURN UNIVERSITY TRUSTEE SEAT
http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1103
Randy Campbell of Shoal Creek, Ala., was unanimously selected by the Auburn University Trustee Selection Committee to fill the District 6 position on the Auburn Board of Trustees currently held by Paul Spina of Pelham.Campbell is president of Campbell Financial Partners and Harlan Partners, both in Birmingham. He graduated from Auburn in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial operations management, has served as co-chair of the Birmingham region for the “It Begins at Auburn” capital campaign and is a member of the Planned Giving Advisory Council and the Auburn Athletic Advisory Council. While in school, he played quarterback for the football team and received the Cliff Hare Award, the highest award presented to a student-athlete. Gov. Bob Riley, president of the Auburn Board, will send the selection to the Alabama Senate, which must confirm the selection.
TRUSTEE NOMINATION RAISES DIVERSITY QUESTION
http://www2.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/trustee_nomination_raises_diversity_question/89458/
ANNISTON STAR CALLS FOR ADEM TO ‘PAY ATTENTION’ TO REPORT FROM ADEM REFORM COALITION
The Anniston Star calls for Department of Environmental Management to “pay attention” to report from ADEM Reform Coalition that reports that enforcement actions are down while environmental violations increase.
http://www.annistonstar.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Pay+attention+to+our+environment%20&id=3252314-Pay+attention+to+our+environment&instance=home_opinion
REFORM NEEDED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT-SITING PROCESS
Adam Snyder of the Conservation Alabama Foundation outlines a process for community involvement in economic development plans.
http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-commentary/2009/08/reform_needed_for_economic_dev.html
EPA TAKES COMMENTS AGAIN ON PERCHLORATE
http://wwn-online.com/articles/2009/08/21/epa-takes-comments-again-on-perchlorate.aspx
CLASH IN ALABAMA OVER TENESSEE COAL ASH
Decision by Perry County officials to accept coal ash dump splits community.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/us/30ash.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=alabama&st=cse
[note: Registration, but no fee, is required to view the NYTimes online.)
MEASURING THE DAMAGE OF OUR ‘WATER FOOTPRINT’
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,644867,00.html
A Dutch hydro engineer has come up with a way to measure the “water footprint” of various products, individuals, and countries: 140 liters of water for one cup of coffee, and 10,000 liters for one pair of jeans. How can we stop wasting our most precious resource?
FACING SOUTH / ONLINE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTE FOR SOUTHERN STUDIES http://www.southernstudies.org/
The August 2009 issue has a variety of articles focused on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast areas hit by Hurricane Katrina, four years after the storm. Also included are articles on other social, political and environmental issues involving the South.
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CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCY:
Lee County Youth Development Center Board – one vacancy to be filled at the September 15 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Aug. 31, 2000
Comments Off
Update: Aug. 25, 2009
NEW EVENTS & INFO:
LEE COUNTY COMMISSION BUDGET WORK SESSIONS START TONIGHT
Work sessions to be held the next two weeks, at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, AUG. 25, 26 & 27 / SEPT. 1, 2 & 3.
Held at the Lee County Courthouse, Commission Chambers, 215 South 9th Street, Opelika.
AGENDA DETAILS / TONIGHT’S AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE
TUESDAY, AUG. 25, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.
Preliminary agenda includes:
Call to Order – Kirk Iversen
Secretary’s Report – Vicky van Santen –Approval of July minutes
Public Works Report – Brandy Ezelle
Parks & Rec. Report – Dee Watson
Public Safety Report – Tommy Carswell
Committee Logo – Stacy Wood
AU Wire Road Facilities – Cathy Love
Lake Wilmore mountain bike facility update – Brad Hooks
Safe Passing Distance Ordinance presentation – Tommy Eden
Next meeting: September 29, 2009
TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26, NOON – 1:00 PM — GREEN LUNCH / Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: A Nontechnical Overview -James Lowery
Held in AU’s Student Center, Room 2216. Free & open to the public. http://www.auburn.edu/sustainability
James Lowery, former Director of Management Support Services at UAB, will give a talk entitled, “Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: A Nontechnical Overview.” Lowery’s talk will look at how constructed and natural wetlands are being used around the world to treat wastewater from many types of facilities from municipalities, mining operations and landfills, to schools, homes and farms. He will examine the environmental and aesthetic advantages of wetlands compared to conventional wastewater treatment plants. Lowery, who currently serves on the board of directors of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, Alabama Water Watch Association and several other conservation groups, has spent many years working for natural resource conservation and has received many awards and recognitions. In 2005 and 2006 he received the Outstanding Individual award from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and in 1999 received the Friend of the Wetlands Award from the EPA.
Info: Office of Sustainability, 200 Langdon Annex, AU; ph: 334.844.7777; http://www.auburn.edu/sustainability
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE: City of Auburn Adventures in Art 2009: Narratives in Alabama
“TOOMER’S TEN” UNDERWAY / AU’S NEW LATE NIGHT TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/parking_transit/transit/latenight.php
The Student Government Association has partnered with the university’s Tiger Transit system to present Toomer’s Ten, the Auburn University night transportation system. Toomer’s Ten consists of 10 buses running seven routes Wednesday through Saturday from 10 p.m.-2:30 a.m. The buses will be transporting students from the library, residence halls, fraternity houses, Toomer’s Corner, dining facilities, off-campus residences and other stops in between those locations. The buses will leave the main hub of the Toomer’s Corner stop every 30 minutes. All students are encouraged to take advantage of this new system. Track bus locations via http://www.auburn.edu/transit .
More info: SGA President Jacob Watkins at watkija@auburn.edu.
REGISTRATION OPEN
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, NOON – 2:00 PM — AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD LUNCHEON / FEATURED SPEAKER: AU ALUMNA & OLYMPIC SWIMMER KIRSTY COVENTRY
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Registration required (see details below).
More info: http://www.humsci2.auburn.edu/wpb/kirstycoventry.pdf
The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in the College of Human Sciences, will host its fall luncheon Friday, Sept. 11, from noon-2 p.m. Featured speaker will be AU alumna and Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry, a world-record holder and winner of Olympic bronze, silver and gold medals. In 2006, Coventry earned a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from the College of Human Sciences.
REGISTRATION: $50 (includes lunch). Reserved tables for eight: $400. Seating is limited; early registration recommended.
To register, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan at 844-9199 or e-mail wpbchs1@auburn.edu. Make checks payable to the Auburn University WPB for the fall luncheon and mail to: College of Human Sciences, Women’s Philanthropy Board, 210 Spidle Hall, Auburn University, AL 36849.
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Information courtesy of the Alabama Rivers Alliance
ACTION ALERT – SURVEY DEADLINE: THIS FRIDAY, AUG. 28
EPA WATER QUALITY ENFORCEMENT & COMPLIANCE SURVEY
**TELL EPA ABOUT ALABAMA’S NEED FOR IMPROVED WATER QUALITY ENFORCEMENT AND PERMIT COMPLIANCE**
Online survey — http://blog.epa.gov/cwaactionplan
The EPA has created an online discussion forum which allows citizens and grassroots organizations to share ideas and provide feedback to the EPA. This discussion forum can be found at http://blog.epa.gov/cwaactionplan.
Throughout the webpage there are a series of multiple bold headings under which you will find a set of questions which invite you to respond by clicking on a link. You can participate in the survey by adding your comments to the ongoing discussion.
Given the lack of enforcement of our environmental laws, the sad state of our water quality and stormwater programs and ADEM’s aparant unwillingness to stand up on our behalf, The Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Alabama Stormwater Partnership feel that we should all take advantage of Administrator Jackson’s invitation to provide feedback on how ineffective ADEM’s enforcement strategy and compliance record is in Alabama. If you have local ADEM enforcement complaints, we urge you to include those, as well.
While you do not have to respond to every question, each one that you do provides more opportunities for EPA to understand the situation that we face here in Alabama. We encourage you to take the opportunity of this online forum to share your thoughts and experiences with the EPA and share with them the challenges that each of us face in protecting our waters in Alabama.
Your ideas will be considered for recommendations to the EPA Administrator about the future direction for EPA’s water enforcement program. Throughout this discussion, EPA will pay special attention to the need to focus on the most important work for protecting water quality and improving compliance with the Clean Water Act, given resource constraints that require a premium on innovation and efficiency.
For more enforcement and compliance news and information, visit http://www.epa.gov/compliance/.
Please take this opportunity today!
Elizabeth L. Salter, Watershed Organizer, Alabama Rivers Alliance
(205)322-6395, ext 100
Support ARA and Help Save Rivers! www.alabamarivers.org
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Background: Enforcement of the Clean Water Act is severely lacking in Alabama and is one of the 6 major threats listed in the Alabama Water Agenda. On July 2, 2009, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson asked Cynthia Giles, as the head of EPA’s enforcement and compliance program, to examine EPA’s water enforcement program in light of information showing that water quality goals are not being met and that there are too many violations in too many places. Administrator Jackson asked Cynthia Giles to report back in ninety days with recommendations to improve transparency, strengthen clean water enforcement performance, and expand the use of technology to increase efficiency and to provide useful information to the public. In doing so, EPA’s recommended action plan should address the need to improve compliance with a focus on those problems that are having the biggest impact on water quality.
ADEM response to ADEM Reform Coalition’s Aug. 21 presentation:
On Friday, August 21, 2009, David Ludder, on behalf of the ADEM Reform Coalition, presented information to Alabama’s Environmental Management Commission demonstrating disturbing downward trends in inspections and enforcement actions taken by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) over the last four years culminating in an 80 percent reduction in enforcement actions for 2009.
Mr Ludder’s presentation came on the heels of a stunning visual presentation from Mike Mullen, the Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper, showing undeniable evidence of flagrant stormwater violations of the Clean Water Act and Alabama’s water quality laws from throughout the Choctawhatchee River Watershed.
Following each of these presentations, ADEM director, Trey Glenn, when given the opportunity to respond, offhandedly dismissed these presentations and adamantly refused to address these concerns which many of you have expressed over the last several years. Mr Glenn even went so far as to challenge EPA to show him a state which is doing more to protect the quality of its environment. The EPA should not have to look very hard in forming their response.
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PLACE editorial note:
– Auburn’s own Laurel Gardner. D.V.M, currently is chair of ADEM’s governing body, the Environmental Management Commission (EMC).
– ADEM public meetings are videotaped. Archives available online at http://www.adem.state.al.us/EMCInformation/emc_information.htm.
Information courtesy of the League of Women Voters of the United States www.lwv.org
ACTION ALERT: Urge Your Senators to Support CEDAW – The Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
Background: CEDAW is the most comprehensive international treaty promoting the advancement of women worldwide. It establishes a legal framework to which all governments must adhere, to ensure the equality of women in various areas of life including politics, law, employment, education, health care, commerce and domestic relations. The United States remains the only democracy in the world that has not ratified the CEDAW Treaty, putting our country in the dishonorable company of states such as Iran, Somalia and Sudan.
The CEDAW Treaty provides a universal standard for women’s human rights. It provides a fundamental framework for ending international violence against women, ensuring girls access to education, and promoting economic opportunity and political participation for women. The United States should strive to be a leader and set an example for the rest of world in its commitment to women and expanding women’s rights by ratifying CEDAW.
TO TAKE ACTION:
1. Call your Senators at 202-224-3121. Urge them to support ratification of the CEDAW Treaty for the Rights of Women today!
2. Send this alert to other concerned citizens – your grassroots network, your friends and coworkers. Encourage them to contact their Senators today!
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Aug. 25, 2009
Comments Off
Week of Aug. 24, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
MONDAY, AUG. 24 THROUGH FRIDAY, AUG. 28 — ROAD PAVING / DONAHUE DRIVE – BRAGG AVE PROJECT
The ALDOT contractor for the Donahue Drive – Bragg Avenue Project plans to begin paving the week of August 24 – 28. Temporary lane closures may be necessary. Motorists should be alert for flagmen directing traffic.
Donahue Drive – Bragg Avenue Update http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw081909.asp
ONGOING THROUGH THIS FRIDAY, AUG. 28 — AU’S DUDLEY GALLERY EXHIBIT / CRAFT, THE SLOW FOOD OF DESIGN
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery, hours 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Mon-Fri. Free & open to all.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s Dudley Gallery will feature the exhibit, “Craft, the Slow Food of Design,” showing work from the 2009 interior architecture thesis studio which focused on materials and the craft of making as a generative mechanism for the form and use of the design work. The craft of experience and procedure was enhanced through research of design/craft workshops. Slow design, a derivative of the Slow Food International movement, places emphasis on design that supports small-scale production, artisan expertise and regional culture. The students’ design work was inspired by slow design concepts such as natural time cycles, human behavior and environmental responsibility. More info: Sheri Schumacher at 844-5440 or schumsl@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, AUG. 24 through NOV. 10 — Water: Three States (Phase I) Exhibition
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to the public.
‘Art in Agriculture’ events begin with Biggin Hall exhibition. The College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Art and the College of Agriculture are working together to present “Art in Agriculture,” a yearlong interdisciplinary initiative that will explore the intersections of art, culture, ecology and the environment. The fall 2009 focus of the project deals with a variety of responses to water issues in Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Events begin Monday, Aug. 24, with the opening of the exhibition, “Water: Three States,” in Biggin Gallery. The exhibition will run through Nov. 10 and includes work by tri-state artists Xavier Cortada, Xiaotian Wang, Martha Whittington, Daniel Kariko and Andy Behrle. An accompanying panel discussion on water issues in the Southeast, moderated by Katie Lamar Jackson of the College of Agriculture, will be held Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. in 005 Biggin Hall. Panelists will include Bill Deutsch of Alabama Water Watch, Eve Brantley of Alabama Cooperative Extension System, visual artist Xiaotian Wang and conservation photographer Beth Maynor Young. Biggin Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment.. A complete schedule of events, including lectures, receptions and workshops, as well as information about the spring 2010 focus on gardening, can be found at the Art in Agriculture Web site. For more information, contact the College of Liberal Arts at 844-4026, the Department of Art at 844-4373 or the Department of Agriculture at 844-5887.
MONDAY, AUG. 24, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm — OLLI AT Auburn / Summer Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Program: Emily Mann and Kimberly Braxton-Lloyd – AU Pharmaceutical Care Center- Pharmacists Caring for Your Health
Held at the Health Resource Center (HRC), 2027 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. No charge; all are welcome to attend.
Everyone is invited to bring a lunch and drink. http://www.olliatauburn.org/
MONDAY, AUG. 24, 3:30 – 4:30 PM — RAP SESSIONS PRESENTS: THE POST RACISM GENERATION?
Held in AU’s Student Center, room 2222/2223.
Join us for a provocative Panel Discussion featuring Bakari Kitwana (author, The Hip-Hop Generation), Adam Mansbach (Professor of Fiction and Author of The End of the Jews), Lisa Fager Bediako (President, Industry Ears, Inc.), Oliver Wang (Professor of Sociology and Author, Classic Material: The Hip-Hop Album Guide) and Joan Morgan (author, When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost).
For more information about Rap Sessions please go to http://rapsessions.org/
MONDAY, AUG. 24, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION AND LEE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION / JOINT WORK SESSION
Held at held at the old Johnson Gallery Building located directly behind the County Courthouse in Opelika.
Agenda: discussion of the Lee County Master Plan www.leeco.us
TUESDAY, AUG. 25, 3:00 pm—OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
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. Teel S/D, Resubdivision, 3 lots, Lee road 262, Charles M. Teel, Preliminary and Final Approval
2. Teel S/D, 3rd Revision of Lots 2A &5, 2 lots, Lee Road 265, Durwood Helms, P/F Approval
3. Silver Oak, S/D, 83 lots, Lee Road 266, Preliminary Approval
B. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
4. Rusty Nix, 3829 Pepperell Parkway, C-3, GC-2, Farmers Market
5. Allan & Lisa Campfield, 2905 Frederick Road, C-2, GC-1, Contractors office without equipment yard and outside storage
C. REZONING – PUBLIC HEARING
6. Plainsman Warehouse LLC, 411 North 16th Street, (3.4 acres) from R-5 to C-3
D. OTHER BUSINESS – PUBLIC HEARING
7. City of Opelika Comprehensive Plan 2020
Note: Approved minutes from previous planning commission meetings available online at http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=515.
TUESDAY, AUG. 25, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26, 9:00 AM — AUBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES / SPECIAL-CALLED MEETING
Held at the Governor’’s Office, State House, Montgomery; Phone:334-844-4866
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/
Agenda for special/called meeting: District 6 Nominees for the Auburn University Board of Trustees Interviews
*See note below
9:00 – 9:30 a.m. Trustee Selection Committee Meeting / Trustee Selection
9:30 – 9:45 a.m. Thomas R. (Randy) Campbell
9:45 – 10:00 a.m. Timothy A. (Tim) Martin
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. Fred Daniel Primm, II
10:15 – 10:30 a.m. James M. (Mike) Cooper
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. R. Mack Freeman
10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Break
11:00 – 11:15 a.m. Wilson Hassell (Hal) Shepherd
11:15 – 11:30 a.m. James W. (Jim) Martin
11:30 – 11:45 a.m. William C. (Bill) Braswell, Jr.
11:45 – 12:00 noon Lindsey J. Allison
12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Lunch Break
12:30 - 12:45 p.m. Amy Holt Echols
12:45 - 1:00 p.m. Michael D. Smith
1:00 – 1:15 p.m. Carol P. Zippert
1:15 p.m. – Trustee Selection Committee Meeting
*Times are estimated and may be subject to change, depending on length of individual interviews.
THURSDAY, AUG. 27, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery; ph: 334-242-2230.
THURSDAY, AUG. 27, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM — AU MULTICULTURAL CENTER OPEN HOUSE
Held in AU’s Student Center, room 1330.
Please join us as we highlight the Multicultural Center for the 2009-10 school year.
THURSDAY, AUG. 27, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM — ACCR’S BAILEY THOMSON AWARDS LUNCHEON / KEYNOTE SPEAKER: RICK BRAGG
Held at the Von Braun Center – South Hall Ballroom, 700 Monroe Street, Huntsville.
For more info, to purchase tickets (or make tax deductible donation) online at http://www.constitutionalreform.org/2009Luncheon.shtml. All donations are tax deductible and can be made online or mailed to the following address: ACCR Foundation, P. O. Box 10746, Birmingham, AL 35202.
THURSDAY, AUG. 27, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue.
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm–6:00 pm, May 21–Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/ . For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park’s pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
SATURDAY, AUG. 29, 9:30 AM — 8TH ANNUAL BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
Held at the Capri Theatre www.capritheatre.org Free admission.
Film festival presented by A.S.U. National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African American Culture. Films start at 9:30am and run all day. Featuring: American Violet * Stormy Weather * The Express plus documentaries and student films. Free popcorn and drink for the first 100 people.
SATURDAY, AUG. 29, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM — SOUTHSIDE VILLAGE BLOCK P[ART]Y
Held at the Southside Village, 400 block of S. Gay Street, at corner of Samford Ave. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
The Gnu’s Room, along with the other shops on the block, will be hosting a fun-filled day of local art, music and other entertainment, with food and fun for all ages. Southside Village shops will offer special discounts on merchandise and services for the day, and a full slate of indoor and outdoor events are planned. Participating stores are: Amsterdam Cafe, The Gnu’s Room, Perch Beads, Yoga Ananda, ReInvent, and Shenanigans, located at the corner of Samford and S. Gay St. Valet parking will be available.
Local artists will be displaying their work throughout the day. A limited amount of booth space is available at no charge. Please contact Tina at 334-821-5550 to reserve a space and get additional details.
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CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES
Online at: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/
Donahue Drive – Bragg Avenue Update
Hickory Dickory Park Closed Monday, Aug. 24
City of Auburn Pool Schedule effective Aug. 24
Moores Mill (Interstate) Bridge Plans and Public Comment Sheet Available Online
Mid-Biennium Budget Document and Presentation Posted Online
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CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCY:
Lee County Youth Development Center Board – one vacancy to be filled at the September 15 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Aug. 24, 2009
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ADDITIONAL EVENTS
TUESDAY, AUG. 18, NOON — GREEN LUNCH SERIES: Carlos Morera Beita - “The relationship between protected areas, local development and conservation in Costa Rica.”
Held in AU’s Student Center, room 2216. The Office of Sustainability’s Green Lunch Series kicks off on Tuesday, Aug. 18 with Carlos Morera Beita. A renowned expert on conservation tourism, Beita will give a talk titled, “The relationship between protected areas, local development and conservation in Costa Rica.” Beita is currently visiting Auburn’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences as a Fulbright Scholar. A professor at the National University of Costa Rica in the School of Geography, Beita received his doctorate from the University of Barcelona, Spain, and is the author of numerous articles and books about the relationships between the environment, tourism and conservation. www.auburn.edu/sustainability
TUESDAY, AUG. 18 through SATURDAY, AUG. 29 — BOOK SALE AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House/Coffee-Books-Community, 414 S Gay St; ph: 334.821.5550; www.thegnusroom.com
Starting on Tuesday, August 18th, the Gnu’s Room will be offering a book sale. All used paperbacks will be half off the marked price and all hardbacks will be $2.00 off the marked price. We have received quite a selection of books through customer trades over the summer and next to clear out some inventory, so be sure to take advantage of the special pricing! The book sale will end on Saturday, August 29th when we will be participating in the Southside Village Block P[art]y.
UPCOMING EVENT
SATURDAY, AUG. 29, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM — SOUTHSIDE VILLAGE BLOCK P[ART]LY
On August 29th, all the stores in Southside Village will host an open house and will offer discounts on merchandise and services. Participating shops are: The Gnu’s Room, Amsterdam Cafe, Perch Beads, Yoga Ananda, ReInvent, and Shenanigans.
**Local artists will have booths set up to display their work. Localmusicians will perform throughout the day with other events planned toentertain all ages. The schedule of events is still being finalized but will be available for preview later this week at www.thegnusroom.com.
**Parking in front of the stores will be blocked to allow room for performances and booth space. Amsterdam Cafe has offered valet parking for all stores on the 29th for any customers who wish to use the service.
Please mark your calendars and invite your friends for the first annual Southside Village Block P[art]y. It promises to be a fun-filled day for everyone!
Booth space is limited but still available. To reserve a space or ask questions regarding the event, please contact Tina at 821-5550 or at tina@thegnusroom.com.
Info: The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House/Coffee-Books-Community, 414 S Gay St; ph: 334.821.5550; www.thegnusroom.com
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AUBURN CENTER HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES LEARN ABOUT AMERICAN RECOVERY CAPITAL LOAN PROGRAM
Small business owners in Alabama can benefit from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by applying for the American Recovery Capital Loan Program, says Jackie DiPofi, director of the Small Business Development Center in Auburn University’s College of Business. The $350 million loan program offers small business owners up to $35,000 interest-free toward existing debt and includes 12 months deferment of payments with a five-year term. Only existing businesses at least two years old are eligible. She says the owner must be able to show the business was viable in prior years, that it suffered a financial hardship and, with the help of a American Recovery Capital loan, it can reach viability again. For more information, visit http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1080.
SPECTRUM ALLIANCE RECEIVES AWARD; SCHEDULES FALL EVENTS
This summer, Spectrum Alliance, an all-campus social and activist group for LGBT* and allies, received national recognition from Campus Progress (Center for American Progress) in Washington, D.C. They were awarded the “Best Student Organized Event” nationally for hosting Daniel Helminiak’s presentation of “What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality.” They received the award not only for their well coordinated event but also for their ability to draw in a large, diverse crowd despite Auburn’s social climate.
Fall events: Several fun social activities such as a football tailgate, movie night, and pool parties will be organized this Fall. To kick off the semester, Spectrum is hosting a “Back to School LGBT and Allies’ Pool Party” August 22 from 5-7PM at the on campus indoor instructional pool. Everyone is welcome to bring friends and fun pool games. Food will be provided, and door prizes will be given away! Don’t miss out on the fun! [*LGBT = Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender] Info: spectrum@auburn.edu
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Aug. 18, 2009
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WEEK OF AUG. 17 — MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES
UPDATE
DOWNTOWN AUBURM MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION / DAMA http://www.downtownauburnal.org/
Thanks to the Downtown Auburn Merchants Association, Downtown Auburn is becoming an even more inviting place to shop, dine and enjoy entertainment. Watch for upcoming events, including sidewalk sales and street parties. Check out the DAMA website – www.downtownauburnal.org – for a map of downtown businesses and parking. There’s even a blog – http://downtownauburnalabama.vox.com/ – to keep you up-to-date on new businesses & other news.
Keep your tax dollars local — shop Downtown Auburn.
ONGOING THROUGH FRIDAY, AUG. 28 — AU’S DUDLEY GALLERY EXHIBIT / CRAFT, THE SLOW FOOD OF DESIGN
Reception: Monday, Aug. 3, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery, hours 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Mon-Fri. Free & open to all.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s Dudley Gallery will feature the exhibit, “Craft, the Slow Food of Design,” showing work from the 2009 interior architecture thesis studio which focused on materials and the craft of making as a generative mechanism for the form and use of the design work. The craft of experience and procedure was enhanced through research of design/craft workshops. Slow design, a derivative of the Slow Food International movement, places emphasis on design that supports small-scale production, artisan expertise and regional culture. The students’ design work was inspired by slow design concepts such as natural time cycles, human behavior and environmental responsibility. More info: Sheri Schumacher at 844-5440 or schumsl@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, AUG 17 — AU FALL SEMESTER CLASSES BEGIN
MONDAY, AUG. 17, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm — OLLI AT Auburn / Summer Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Program:
Bob Couch and Joe Harrington – Enduring Spiritual Legacies: 100 years old Alabama Wooden Churches
Held at the Health Resource Center (HRC), 2027 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. No charge; all are welcome to attend.
Everyone is invited to bring a lunch and drink. http://www.olliatauburn.org/
OLLI at Auburn summer schedule: http://olliatauburn.org/documents/summerseries.pdf
Upcoming program:
August 24 - Emily Mann and Kimberly Braxton-Lloyd - “AU Pharmaceutical Care Center- Pharmacists Caring for Your Health”
MONDAY, AUG. 17, 11:30 am and 7:00 pm — PRESENTATIONS: OPTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE REFORM
Held at H. Grady Bradshaw Library, 3419 20th Ave., Valley AL. Free & open to all.
(Directions for out-of-towners: from I-85, take AL Exit 79; turn south onto 20th Ave/US 29. Go about 1 mi. Library will be on your right with parking behind it. Meeting room is at the far end of the building).
Sponsored by Chambers Co. Chapter, Alabama New South Coalition. Info: Judy Collins or Jim Allen at 334-499-2380
11:30 a.m—12:00 EDT—Optional “Chat and Chew”—Bring sack lunch; lemonade will be provided.
12:00 Noon EDT—Presentation & Q&A: Dr. Wally Retan, Coordinator of Health Care for Everyone–Alabama, followed by question/answer period
7:00 p.m EDT— Panel & Q&A: Differing perspectives presented by panelists including local physicians Dr. Bob Mullins and Dr. J David Harris, Arise Citizen Policy Analyst Atty. Anna Blair and Dr. Wally Retan. Each panelist will speak for approximately 5 minutes at the end of which they will address questions from the floor. Citing escalating confusion and concerns about healthcare issues, ANSC state president Robert Avery, moderator for the evening forum, explains, “Alabamians deserve plain talk about a subject impacting all of us. Through these two presentations our Chambers County chapter seeks to help citizens learn what the various options mean for them and their families.” Chapter president Mattie Boddie, whose job at Uniroyal has just ended with the company’s closure adds, “Everyone needs good, affordable health care but during this time of high unemployment, many of us have lost it, and we hear such conflicting perspectives on how to meet the need.” Inviting the public to attend the August 17th events Pres. Boddie says, “We want people to bring their various thoughts and concerns in a spirit of respect for different viewpoints as we listen to and question the presenters and then try to figure out which option seems best.”
TUESDAY, AUG. 18 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Res/agreement to install a sewer main under I85 … Walter Dorsey
(2) - a. Review 2010 Budget Resolution on CM agenda …… City Council
(3) - a. General updates ……….. Mayor Fuller
(4) - Discuss/review CM agenda items of 8/18/09 ………Mayor Fuller
–Remarks by Mayor, General business, Bids, Resolutions, Ordinances, Board Appointments
(5) - Discussion: New / Old Business, Board appointments, Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
a. Recognize Billy Smith as the Police Officer of the Month.
b. Recognize Ashley Thomas.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS – Bob Shuman
a. Request from Big J’s for a retail beer on-premise license.
b. Request from Target Store for a retail wine/beer off-premise license.
c. Request from 8th Street Café for a restaurant retail liquor and retail beer on-premises license.
d. Public hearing, amend text of zoning ordinance, Section 2.2 – Family** (definitions)
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
a. Four different new pick-up trucks for the L&P department
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. Travel advance for an OPD officer.
2. 2010 City Budget.
14) ORDINANCES – Guy Gunter (none)
1. Temporary moratorium, sewer assessment fees, existing commercial buildings – 2nd Reading.
2. Amend zoning ordinance, section 2.2 – family (definitions)** – 1st Reading.
3. Lease agreement with the Opelika Chamber of Commerce – 1st Reading.
4. Amend City Code, partial exemption of severance/termination pay – 1st Reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS
16) ADJOURN
**SYNOPSIS OF ZONING NOTICE/PUBLIC HEARING The City Council of the City of Opelika will hold a public
hearing on Tuesday, August 18, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 204 S. 7th Street, Opelika, Lee County, Alabama, to consider the adoption of an ordinance to amend Ordinance Number 124-91 (entitled Zoning Ordinance of the City of Opelika ) by amending the definition of FAMILY in Section 2.2 DEFINITIONS to read as follows: Family: Two or more persons residing in a single dwelling unit where all members are related by blood, marriage, adoption, or guardianship in common ancestry, plus two (2) unrelated persons in the Rural District (R-1), Residential Transition District (R-1-A), or the Low Density Residential District (R-2). For the purpose of this definition
common ancestry means husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces, first cousins, and also includes foster care and other forms of legal guardianship. In all other zoning districts where residential units are permitted, the term family shall include no more than four (4) unrelated persons occupying a singly dwelling unit. (This definition of Family does not contradict with the language in the definition of a Group Home). Public Notice of this Public Hearing with insertion of the proposed ordinance was first published on July 19, 2009 in the Opelika-Auburn News. This Notice is given pursuant to Section 11-52-78, Code of Alabama (1975).
TUESDAY, AUG. 18 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:40 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:
3. TOOMER’S TEN EVENING TRANSIT SHUTTLE SERVICE. Jacob Watkins, Auburn University SGA President.
4. STREET RENAMING. Mayor Ham.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage License. Milanos of Auburn Inc. dba/Milanos Italian Grill. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License. 1658 South College Street.
b. Announcement of Board Vacancy. Lee County Youth Development Center. One Position. Four Year Term Expires September 30, 2013.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Zoning. West Pace, LLC. Terry Holdridge (Authorized Representative). Property Located between Interstate 85 and Shell Toomer Parkway, east of South College Street (US Highway 29). Rezone from Rural (R) (pending annexation) to Comprehensive Development District (CDD). 150.89 Acres. Planning Commission Recommendation. Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. City Code Section 12-247. Sidewalk Sales. AU Fall Semester 2009. Auburn Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Merchants.
b. Auburn University Student Government Association. Toomer’s Ten Evening Transit Shuttle System. Parking Space Lease Agreement. Loading/Unloading Zone on West Magnolia Avenue.
c. Downtown Merchants Association and Auburn University Student Government Association. Close Magnolia Avenue between Gay Street and College Street. Friday evenings prior to Auburn University Saturday Home Football Games. Friday Night Football Kickoff Event.
d. Diane and Ronald Cooper. Sean Snow (Authorized Representative). Commercial and Entertainment Use-graphic design studio (Advanced Graphics) in the Commercial Conservation (CC) Zoning District. Property Located at 939 Opelika Road. Planning Commission Recommendation. Public Hearing Required. Conditional Use Approval.
e. Public Works Department. Whatley Construction Company. Renovations to the Frank Brown Recreation Center Project. $460,587. Contract. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
f. Ronald and Silvia Phelps. 310 Oak Street. Temporary Construction Easement. Oak Street Sidewalk Project. Acceptance.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all interested in in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
NEW MEETING PLACE! Now held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road.
All are invited to attend.
6:00 pm – buffet dinner ($11, tax & tip included)
6:50 pm –Speaker: U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, Democratic Candidate for Governor, State of Alabama
Artur Davis has represented Alabama’s 7th congressional district in Congress since 2003. It encompasses
Choctaw, Sumter, Greene, Perry, Hale, Dallas, Wilcox, and Marengo and parts of Jefferson, Tuscaloosa,
Pickens and Clarke Counties. Born and raised in Montgomery, he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard
and cum laude from Harvard Law School. After working as an intern at the Southern Poverty Law Center and
then as a civil rights lawyer, he served as an assistant United States Attorney. In 2007, he became the first
congressman outside Illinois to endorse Barack Obama for President and made the seconding speech for his
nomination.
As Congressman, he has emerged as a leader on issues related to housing, education, and health care.
He won major battles to restore funding for minority land grant institutions (such as Tuskegee) and won a floor
fight to restore funds for public housing renovation, convincing 60 Republicans to join him. He received an
A– grade on his voting record relating to veteran’s issues from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
He announced his candidacy for Governor in February and has since been running a vigorous campaign.
Nationally prominent trial lawyer Jere Beasley endorsed him and is serving as his campaign chair. If he wins the
election, he will be first black Governor of Alabama and just fifth in entire U.S. history after P. B. S. Pinchback of
Louisiana, Douglas Wilder of Virginia, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and David Paterson of New York.
THURSDAY, AUG. 20, 8:30 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD / SPECIAL-CALLED MEETING
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery; Ph:334-242-2230
Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting
THURSDAY, AUG. 20, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm–6:00 pm, May 21–Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website: http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/. For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park’s pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, AUG 20 , 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
THURSDAY, AUG. 20, 4:00 – 6:00 PM — PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT MEETING FOR MOORES MILL (INTERSTATE) BRIDGE PROJECT
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw0807092.asp
Held in the City of Auburn Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor Avenue. (entrance off side of the building, across parking lot from back door of Cheeburger)
Hosted by the City of Auburn and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). Members of the public are encouraged to drop in anytime between 4 and 6 p.m. Officials will have project information sheets and two alternate project designs available for the public to review. More info: City of Auburn Public Works Department 501-3000.
THURSDAY, AUG. 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. Teel S/D, Resubdivision, 3 lots, Lee road 262, Charles M. Teel, Preliminary and Final Approval
2. Teel S/D, 3rd Revision of Lots 2A &5, 2 lots, Lee Road 265, Durwood Helms, P/F Approval
3. Silver Oak, S/D, 83 lots, Lee Road 266, Preliminary Approval
B. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
4. Rusty Nix, 3829 Pepperell Parkway, C-3, GC-2, Farmers Market
5. Allan & Lisa Campfield, 2905 Frederick Road, C-2, GC-1, Contractors office without equipment yard and outside storage
C. REZONING – PUBLIC HEARING
6. Plainsman Warehouse LLC, 411 North 16th Street, (3.4 acres) from R-5 to C-3
D. OTHER BUSINESS – PUBLIC HEARING
7. City of Opelika Comprehensive Plan 2020
Note: Approved minutes from previous planning commission meetings available online at http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=515.
THURSDAY, AUG. 20, 5:00 PM — JCSM HOSTS WELCOME BACK TO CAMPUS
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum – 901 S College St. Open to all. www.jscm.auburn.edu
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art will host ‘Welcome back to campus.’ Organize your new school supplies, breathe in that newly-sharpened- pencil smell perm eating the air, don your back-to-school shoes, and join JCSM for a celebration of the new term. The event includes entertainment, FREE BBQ, light snacks , a cash bar, a schedule of the acaemic year’s exhibitions and programming, information on how to book tours, and a membership table. The galleries will be open, and museum staff will be on hand to answer your questions. Don’t miss this opportunity to have some fun and be in the know about how to use the museum as a resource for your teaching and student projects. This event is part of a Membership Drive; all new members will receive a free limited edition Art Changes Lives t-shirt.
THURSDAY, AUG 20, 6:300 PM – SAVE OUR SAUGAHATCHEE (SOS)
Held in AU’s Comer Auditorium. Open to all. Please invite your bird loving friends to join us!
6:30 pm/social time
7:00 pm/program: Gene Hunter will present a program & project update on a project he and others are working on — the Opelika Wood Duck Heritage Preserve & Siddique Nature Park.
FRIDAY, AUG. 21, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION (EMC)
Held in the Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, Mont. PH: 334-271-7706. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on June 19, 2009**
2. Election – The Commission will hold an election of Personnel Committee members.
3. Report from the Director
4. Report from the Commission Chair – Included in the report from the Commission Chair will be the following:
A. Discussion of Greenhouse Gas Emissions – The Commission will discuss greenhouse gas emissions and various stances taken on the impact that reductions of said emissions will make and consider taking a formal stance on the issue.
B. Discussion of proposal for the ADEM Operating Plan for a methodology to quantify compliance rates for major ADEM programs – The Commission will discuss and consider the Director’s proposal for the ADEM Operating Plan for a methodology to quantify compliance rates for major ADEM programs.
5. Canaan Systems, Inc. v. ADEM, EMC Docket No. 09-06 – The Commission will consider Respondent ADEM’s “Amended Motion to Sever and Stay” (dated July 23, 2009); the “Petitioner’s Response in Opposition to Respondent’s Motion to Sever and Stay” (dated July 28, 2009); the “Petitioner’s Supplemental Response in Opposition to Respondent’s Motion to Sever and Stay” (dated August 6, 2009); the “Petitioner’s Request for Oral Argument” (dated August 10, 2009); and the “Amendment to ADEM’s Reply Brief to Petitioner’s Opposition to ADEM’s Motion to Sever and Stay” (dated August 12, 2009). The ADEM administrative actions appealed under Docket No. 09-06 are ADEM’s denial of Class V injection well permits to Canaan Systems, Inc. for The Cottages of Bethune Lake Subdivision, The Water’s Edge Subdivision, and Lawrence Landing Subdivision.
6. Russell D. Lippert, Lippert Bank Services, L.L.C. v. ADEM, and Santek Environmental of Alabama, L.L.C., EMC Docket No. 09-05 – The Commission will consider the Hearing Officer’s “Order on Motion for Summary Judgment” (dated July 6, 2009), which is construed as the Hearing Officer’s recommendation to the Commission to grant the Intervenor’s Motion for Summary Judgment and dismiss with prejudice the Request for Hearing filed by Russell D. Lippert. The Commission will also consider for adoption and incorporation in a final order on the Hearing Officer’s recommendations the “Order on Motions to Dismiss” (dated May 19, 2009) for incorporation in a final order on the Hearing Officer’s recommendations The May 19th “Order on Motions to Dismiss” was a preliminary order by the Hearing Officer dismissing the Requests for Hearing by Lippert Bank Services, L.L.C. and Jennifer J. Lippert. The administrative action appealed under Docket No. 09-05 is ADEM’s approval of the modification of the permit for Mt. Olive Landfill located on Mary Buckelew Drive in Jefferson County, Alabama.
7. Friends of Hurricane Creek and John Wathen v. ADEM, and SDW, Inc., EMC Docket No. 09-02 (NPDES-Related Matter) – The Commission will consider the “Recommendation of Hearing Officer” (dated July 27, 2009); the “Intervenor’s Response (Objections and/or Comments to Hearing Officer’s Recommendation” (dated August 4, 2009); “ADEM’s Objection to the Hearing Officer’s Recommendation and Proposed Alternate Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” and Proposed Orders (dated August 6, 2009); the Petitioners’ Request for Oral Argument, “Objections to Hearing Officer’s Recommendation and Supporting Brief,” “Alternative Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and Discretion,” and Proposed Order (dated August 7, 2009); and the “Intervenor’s Replies to Objections” (dated August 11, 2009). The administrative action appealed under Docket No. 09-02 is ADEM Administrative Order 08-203-MNPS issued on September 5, 2008, to SDW, Inc., Williamsburg Subdivision, Cottondale, Tuscaloosa County, NPDES ALR165846.
8. Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Inc. v. ADEM, and Shepherd Bend, L.L.C., EMC Docket No. 09-04 (NPDES-Related Matter) – The Commission will consider the Intervenor’s motion to table consideration of the Hearing Officer’s Recommended Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law until the next scheduled meeting of the Commission. The ADEM administrative action appealed under Docket No. 09-04 is ADEM’s issuance of NPDES Permit AL0079163 on July 21, 2008, to Shepherd Bend, L.L.C., Shepherd Bend Mine, Walker County.
9. Other business
10. Future business session
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD (If the Commission grants the public comment period requests, comments from the requestors are heard following adjournment of the Commission meeting. The requests from the public to address the Commission are attached to the agenda posted on the ADEM website.) Request 1 – Michael William Mullen, Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper, Subject: ADEM’s general lack of effectiveness on construction stormwater compliance enforcement. Request 2 – David A. Ludder, on behalf of the ADEM Reform Coalition, Subject: Compliance and enforcement in the Alabama NPDES (Water Pollution Control) Program.
FRIDAY, AUG. 21, 5:00 – 9:00 PM — 2009 WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL
Held at the Harbert Center, 2019 Fourth Ave, Birmingham.
Mark your calendars for the 2009 Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival. Call the Alabama Rivers Alliance for details – 205-322-6395 or visit http://www.alabamarivers.org
FRIDAY, AUG. 21, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING Noah Earle
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Noah Earle go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, AUG. 22, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM — AUUF & LIFESOUTH BLOOD DRIVE www.auuf.net
Held in the AUUF Sanctuary. (Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall, 450 E. Thach. )
Info: Debbie Sneed – deborasneed@alltel.blackberry.com.
The AUUF & LifeSouth Blood Drive will be held Saturday, August 22 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the AUUF sanctuary. With hurricane season upon us and the shortage of blood donors, this is an important time to donate blood. We’ve been promised enough staff, so no long lines!
SATURDAY, AUG. 22, 2:00 PM — GNU KIDS ON THE BLOCK – CHILDREN’S BOOK READING & ART PROJECT / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Local teaching artist Laurie Brenden will present a reading of the children’s favorite “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” by Crockett Johnson for this month’s Gnu Kids on the Block. The reading will be followed by an art project involving monochromatic drawings. Ages pre-K to 2nd grade will appreciate the story of Harold and what he accomplishes with his oversized purple crayon!
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CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCY:
Lee County Youth Development Center Board – one vacancy to be filled at the September 15 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Aug. 16, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATE – ADDITIONAL INFO & EVENTS
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES:
Portion of Cox Street Converts to Two-Way Traffic
Frank Brown Recreation Center Closed for Renovations
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AGENDA DETAILS / TODAY’S LEE COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING
MONDAY, AUG. 10 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. Report on NACo Conference – Commissioner Harris
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting July 27, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims & Procurement Card Purchases
c. Announcement of Board Appointments
8. OLD BUSINESS:
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Comprehensive Development Strategies Proposal – Commissioner Harris
b. Grant Funding Initiative Process – Commissioner Lawrence
c. Railroad Crossing Improvement Agreement on Lee Road 676- Neal Hall
d.Pre-clearance of Act No. 2009-329 & Act No. 2009-381 – Roger Rendleman
e. Alternative Sentencing Board Establishment – Roger Rendleman
f. Schedule Budget Work Sessions – Roger Rendleman
g. EECBG Solicitation II Resolution/JC Solar Hot Water Project-Wendy Swann
h. AU-Auburn/Opelika Area Community Profile Advertisement Request-Wendy Swann
10. Executive Session
11. Adjourn
AGENDA DETAILS / TOMORROW’S AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, AUG 11 – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd.
Open to all.
Agenda includes:
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ROLL CALL
III. APPROVE AGENDA
IV. HEAR DELEGATIONS
V. APPROVE MINUTES
July 14, 2009, Regular Session
July 30, 2009, Special Session
VI. COMMUNICATIONS
VII. APPROVE PAYMENT OF BILLS & SALARIES – JULY 2009
VIII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Annual Discipline Report – Clarification of Information
IX. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT AND NEW BUSINESS
1. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Report, Dr. Janet Womack
2. Enrollment Update
3. Auburn City Schools Policy Manual -
Policy Revision: GAMC Drug Free Workplace
and Drug and Alcohol Testing Administrative Procedure
4. Medicaid Administrative Claim Program Contract
5. Purchasing Card Agreement
6. Energy Star Certification – Yarbrough Elementary School
X. PERSONNEL
1. Resignations
2. Leave Requests
3. Summer Employment
4. Employment
5. Exit Surveys
XI. OTHER
** The first public hearing for the FY 2010 budget will be held on Wednesday, September 2, 2009, from 8 – 9 a.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School.
** The Board of Education will meet for its next regular session and the second public hearing for the FY 2010 budget on September 8, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School.
SATURDAY, AUG. 15, 5:00 PM — OTAKU FUSION BELLYDANCE / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
No admission fee, but donations for the performer are appreciated.
Presentation of Otaku Fusion Bellydance by local performer Seraphina. Members of the new Auburn troupe, Gypsy Blues Bellydance, will also be in attendance.
SATURDAY, AUG. 15, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — SINGER-SONGWRITER JOHN PETERSON / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
No admission fee but $5 suggested donation for the performer is appreciated.
Local singer/songwriter and Gnu’s Room favorite John Peterson will be in concert. He will perform some new tunes from his upcoming CD as well as songs from his previous recordings.
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INFORMATION COURTESY OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE U.S.
Your Senators and Representative are in their district offices for Congressional recess. Now is the time to contact them on the issues that are most important to you. Health care and climate change, the League’s highest priority issues, lie in the balance. When they return to Washington in September, your elected officials will determine how these issues take shape in ways that will affect our country forever. Opponents are ramping up their efforts to fight quality reform-your voice is needed more than ever. The League has been on the front lines on these issues. Health Care: Contact your Senators and Representative on health care by clicking here and entering your zip code. Click here to visit the League’s main health care page to learn more, and here to read the letter LWVUS sent to the House of Representatives urging reform. Climate Change: Contact your Senators on climate change by clicking here and entering your zip code. LWVUS recently sent a letter to the House of Representatives and the Senate urging reform. Click here to visit the League’s main climate change page to learn more.
To contact your Senators and Representative by phone or mail, click here and enter your zip code to find their contact information, including locations of their offices.
***** ******** ****** ********* ******
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Aug. 10, 2009
Comments Off
Especially during the summer, meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
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ROAD UPDATES – AUBURN
Citizens are encouraged to visit the City of Auburn’s website at www.auburnalabama.org to view the latest news on traffic updates and street closings. For more information, please contact the City of Auburn Public Works Department at 501-3000.
Milling and Repaving Work Along Magnolia Avenue Between College Street and Cox Street to Begin Immediately
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw080709.asp
The City of Auburn has just received notice from the contractor for the Donahue Drive – Magnolia Avenue Intersection Improvement Project that milling and repaving work along the portion of Magnolia Avenue between College Street and Cox Street will begin immediately. Magnolia Avenue will remain open to traffic. Motorists are advised to be alert for flagmen directing traffic. As a reminder, the intersection of Donahue Drive and Magnolia Avenue will be closed intermittently on Saturday, August 8 and Monday and Tuesday, August 10 and 11, while crews complete work in preparation for the reopening of Magnolia Avenue.
Magnolia Avenue Update
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw0806092.asp
The contractor for the Donahue Drive – Magnolia Avenue Intersection Improvement Project will be working in the intersection on Saturday, August 8. The intersection may also be subject to intermittent closures on Monday, August 10 and Tuesday, August 11 as construction continues. Motorists are advised to exercise caution in the area and be alert for flagmen directing traffic. The portion of Magnolia Avenue that has been closed for work is expected to reopen by Friday, August 14. Despite weather delays, work on the Donahue – Magnolia project is on track for completion in the next two weeks.
The City of Auburn appreciates citizens’ and businesses’ patience as crews work to complete this project in time for the start of Auburn University’s fall semester.
Portion of Cox Street to Convert to Two-Way Traffic
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw080609.asp
In response to requests from citizens and businesses in the area, the Auburn City Council has authorized the conversion of Cox Street between Glenn Avenue and Magnolia Avenue to two-way traffic. The new traffic flow will be in effect once striping is in place. As part of this measure, the City Council also authorized the elimination of parking along Cox Street. Crews will be painting yellow curb in the next few days. Citizens are asked to move any cars parked along Cox Street to comply with the new law and to allow for restriping. Motorists are advised to exercise caution in the area and be alert to the change in traffic flow.
Map of Cox Street Two-Way Traffic (PDF) http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw080609.pdf
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THROUGH FRIDAY, AUG. 14 — FREE METERED PARKING IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/rev072209.asp
In conjunction with the Sales Tax Holiday Weekend, the Auburn City Council has suspended parking meter operations in downtown on Friday, August 7. Due to the Auburn University semester break, everyone may enjoy free parking in metered spaces from August 7 – 14. A map of all metered spaces in the downtown area is available on the City’s website at www.auburnalabama.org/maps/Gallery. Click on the downtown parking map to view all available metered spaces.
THROUGH FRIDAY, AUG. 28 — AU’S DUDLEY GALLERY EXHIBIT / CRAFT, THE SLOW FOOD OF DESIGN
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery, hours 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Mon-Fri. Free & open to all.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s Dudley Gallery will feature the exhibit, “Craft, the Slow Food of Design,” Aug. 3-28. The exhibit will feature work from the 2009 interior architecture thesis studio which focused on materials and the craft of making as a generative mechanism for the form and use of the design work. The craft of experience and procedure was enhanced through research of design/craft workshops. Slow design, a derivative of the Slow Food International movement, places emphasis on design that supports small-scale production, artisan expertise and regional culture. The students’ design work was inspired by slow design concepts such as natural time cycles, human behavior and environmental responsibility. More info: Sheri Schumacher at 844-5440 or schumsl@auburn.edu.
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MONDAY, AUG. 10, 7:30 am — AUBURN-OPELIKA ROBERT G. PITT’S AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the Meeting Room located of the Hampton Inn & Suites, 3000 Capps Way, Opelika. Open to all.
The Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport’s Advisory Board will hold a meeting to discuss airport related issues.
MONDAY, AUG. 10, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm — OLLI AT Auburn / Summer Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Programs – Terry Ley “Writing Our Lives”
Held at the Health Resource Center (HRC), 2027 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. No charge; all are welcome to attend.
Everyone is invited to bring a lunch and drink. http://www.olliatauburn.org/
OLLI at Auburn summer schedule: http://olliatauburn.org/documents/summerseries.pdf
Upcoming programs:
August 17 – Bob Couch and Joe Harrington – “Enduring Spiritual Legacies: 100 years old Alabama Wooden Churches”
August 24 - Emily Mann and Kimberly Braxton-Lloyd - “AU Pharmaceutical Care Center- Pharmacists Caring for Your Health”
MONDAY, AUG. 10, NOON – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all. [note: regular Planning Commission meeting will be held Thursday, Aug. 13, 5:00 pm, in the council chambers 141 N. Ross St.]
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Ward-Pace Annexation PL-2009-00393
Applicant: Thomas L. Pace, III
General Location: South of Sandhill Road and west of Lee Road 023
Zoning District: Outside of City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 151.2 acres
2. University Station Annexation PL-2009-00482
Applicant: Mathan and Jill Holt
General Location: 3160 Martin Luther King Drive
Zoning District: Outside of City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 10.70 acres
NEW BUSINESS
3. God’s House of Prayer PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00436
Applicant: Bishop Frank McLeod
General Location: 573 Harper Avenue
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for an amendment Resolution 07-04 that granted conditional use approval for the expansion of the existing church building in order to allow conditional use approval for the expansion of the church property to be used for a parking lot
4. Advanced Graphics PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00487
Applicant: Sean Snow for Diane Cooper (Phillips Family Partnership)
General Location: 939 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a commercial and entertainment use (graphic design studio)
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. STAFF COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT
MONDAY, AUG. 10, 2:00 – 4:00 PM — AU GRADUATION
Held at AU’s Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.
Details: http://www.auburn.edu/administration/registrar/helpful-resources/graduation/
MONDAY, AUG. 10 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda to be posted Monday at www.leeco.us.
TUESDAY, AUG. 11, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
TUESDAY, AUG. 11, NOON – 1:00 PM —- OPELIKA PUBLIC LIBRARY BROWN BAG SERIES / Dr. Glen Browder
Held in the Library Board room, Lewis Cooper Memorial Library, 200 South 6th Street, Opelika. http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=435
Dr. Glen Browder: former congressman, Alabama Secretary of State, and Alabama legislator; author of The South’s New Racial Politics: Inside the Race Game of Southern History.
Bring your lunch; lemonade, water & coffee provided. Open to all. Limited seating requires reservations: call 705-5380.
TUESDAY, AUG. 11, 1:00 – 5:00 PM – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION / Special meeting: budget work session
Held at the Board of Education office, 855 East Samford Ave. Open to all.
Agenda: budget work session www.auburnschools.org
TUESDAY, AUG. 11, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. More info: Velinda, 334.745.0466, opelikamainstreet@aol.com
TUESDAY, AUG. 11, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
TUESDAY, AUG 11 – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org / http://www.auburnschools.org/about.htm
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd.
Open to all.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12, 6:00 – 8:00 PM — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL / MID-BIENNIUM BUDGET WORK SESSION
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm080709.asp
The Auburn City Council will hold its Mid-Biennium Budget Work Session on Wednesday, August 12 from 6 – 8 p.m. in the City of Auburn Meeting Room, located at 122 Tichenor Avenue. Council members will evaluate the FY 2009 & FY 2010 Biennial Budget at its mid-point. The public is invited to attend. The first reading and public hearing for the Mid-Biennium Budget Ordinance is scheduled for the Tuesday, September 8 City Council meeting.
For more information, please contact the Office of the City Manager at 501-7260.
City of Auburn Budget Documents: http://www.auburnalabama.org/budget/
Auburn City Council Agenda & e-Packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/
THURSDAY, AUG. 13, 8:00 am — DOWNTOWN AUBURN MERCHANT ASSOCIATION (DAMA) http://www.downtownauburnal.org/
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger).
THURSDAY, AUG. 13, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/ . For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, AUG. 13, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, AUG. 13, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx (For details, see above, Monday, noon, Aug. 10, PC packet meeting)
FRIDAY, AUG. 14, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM — SUMMER TREE WORKSHOP / ALABAMA URBAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION
Held at the Nunn-Winston House at Keisel Park. All are invited to attend. Lunch is provided. Info: contact James Jennings, City of Auburn/Beautification and Urban Forestry, (334) 501-2938, jjennings@auburnalabama.org.
The workshop will feature 1-hr presentations on soils, diseases and insects, protecting trees from construction.
Topics:
*Underground Research at the National Soil Dynamics Laboratory – Dr.
Steve Prior, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory
*Common Disease, Insect and Cultural Problems of Urban Trees – Dr. Scott
Enebak, Associate Professor& Director/Auburn University Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
*Tree Protection During Construction & Landscaping – Chris Francis,
Chris Frances Landscapes
*Using the Resistograph for Structural Analysis of Trees – Gary Ickes,
Ickes Tree Service
SATURDAY, AUG. 15 — SUMMER 2009 ALABAMA WATER WATCH (AWW) WATER QUALITY MONITORING WORKSHOPS / Chemistry & Bacteria
General AWW info: www.alabamawaterwatch.org
Workshop registration & info: https://fp.auburn.edu/icaae/WorkShopRegC.aspx
Chemistry Monitoring — 8:30 am – 2:30 pm
Workshop Location: 246 Upchurch Hall, AU
Workshop Contact Phone: 334-844-4785
Please wear clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet or dirty because we will go to the Arboretum Pond (weather permitting) to practice water sampling techniques. You might want to wear sunscreen and a hat as well. We will have a short lunch break, but you might want to bring water or pack a lunch/snack.
Bacteria Monitoring — 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Workshop Location: 246 Upchurch Hall, AU
Workshop Contact Phone: 334-844-4785
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CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCY:
Lee County Youth Development Center Board – one vacancy to be filled at the September 15 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Aug. 8, 2009
Comments Off
Update: corrections & additions — Aug. 3, 2009
CORRECTION – AUBURN BZA AGENDA
The BZA agenda shown in the previous PLACE email was incorrect. Below is the correct agenda for this Wednesday’s meeting. Apologies for the error.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 605.01(A) of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00453
Applicant: Jones Sign Shop for Sun South Properties, LLC
General Location: 1780 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Variance to allow two (2) freestanding signs on one (1) parcel and to allow the combined freestanding signs to exceed the 100 square foot maximum of freestanding signs
Variance to Section 515.02, Table 5-3 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00459
Applicant: B.D.B. Capital
General Location: 121 North College Street
Zoning District: College Edge Overlay District (CEOD) with Urban Core (UC) underlying
Action Requested: Variance of 4.07 square feet to the maximum signage allowance of 23 square feet in order to allow 27.07 feet of building signage
Variance to Section 502.02(A) of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00466
Applicant: Emil and Chadwick Jordan
General Location: 674 Carpenter Way
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Limited Development District (LDD) underlying
Action Requested: Variance of 12′ to the required 20′ rear setback to allow a rear setback of 8′ for an elevated rear deck and stairs
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT
2009 AUBURN CITIZENS’ PLANNING ACADEMY FULL
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl080309.asp
Due to an overwhelming response, all spaces in the City of Auburn Planning Department’s 2009 Citizens’ Planning Academy have been filled. The Planning Department will accept names for a waiting list on a first come, first serve basis in the event that a participant cancels their reservation prior to the first class on September 17. City staff will explore the possibility of offering additional academies in the future because of the positive response from citizens. More info: Erin Swindall, City of Auburn Planning Department, 501-3036.
AUBURN SCHOOLS PREPARE FOR MORE BUDGET CUTS
http://www2.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/auburn_schools_prepare_for_more_budget_cuts/85699/
The Auburn City Schools Board of Education is preparing to face more budget reductions before the fiscal year is over.
After a brief special session Thursday to approve personnel requests before the school year begins Aug. 10, assistant superintendent and chief financial officer Dennis Veronese said the board will spend a planned budget work session on Aug. 11 discussing its options to reduce its existing budget before Oct. 1, as well as its options for the 2010 fiscal budget.
Both budgets face reductions because of proration, the process of cutting appropriations when revenues fall short of projections. Gov. Bob Riley recently increased the level of proration from 9 percent to 11 percent for the remainder of the fiscal year. Veronese said he expects the 2010 budget to be hit with a 6 percent cut from the onset.
The work session is scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. in the board office. The board’s regular meeting will follow at 6 p.m. in the multi-media room at Auburn High School.
STRESSING THE RULES: COUNTY BOARDS MEET TO DISCUSS ETHICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
PLACE editorial note: This article from the Press-Register describes the ongoing, annual ethics and environmental regulations training given to volunteer members of Baldwin county groups such as the Planning and Zoning Commission, boards of adjustment, Environmental Advisory Board and the Architectural and Preservation Review Board. Such training updates on environmental and ethics regulations would benefit board & commission members in all counties.
http://www.al.com/news/press-register/baldwin.ssf?/base/news/1249204540200130.xml&coll=
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Aug. 3, 2009
Comments Off
Week of Aug. 4, 2009
MAGNOLIA AVENUE UPDATE — http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw072909.asp
ONGOING – THROUGH FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 — ART EXHIBIT / SUMMER INVITATIONAL 2009
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all. Monochromatic works in a variety of media by local and regional artists.
MONDAY, AUG. 3, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm — OLLI AT Auburn / Summer Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Programs — John Carvalho – “Sports and Media: Teammates or Adversaries?”
Held at the Health Resource Center (HRC), 2027 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. No charge; all are welcome to attend.
Everyone is invited to bring a lunch and drink. http://www.olliatauburn.org/
OLLI at Auburn summer schedule: http://olliatauburn.org/documents/summerseries.pdf
Upcoming programs:
*August 10 Terry Ley- “Writing Our Lives”
*August 17 – Bob Couch and Joe Harrington – “Enduring Spiritual Legacies: 100 years old Alabama Wooden Churches”
*August 24 - Emily Mann and Kimberly Braxton-Lloyd - “AU Pharmaceutical Care Center- Pharmacists Caring for Your Health”
MONDAY, AUG. 3, 3:00 – 5:00 PM — RECEPTION / ART EXHIBIT
MONDAY, AUG. 3 – FRIDAY, AUG. 28 — AU’S DUDLEY GALLERY EXHIBIT / CRAFT, THE SLOW FOOD OF DESIGN
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery, hours 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Mon-Fri. Free & open to all.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s Dudley Gallery will feature the exhibit, “Craft, the Slow Food of Design,” Aug. 3-28. The exhibit will open with a reception Monday, Aug. 3, from 3-5 p.m. and will feature work from the 2009 interior architecture thesis studio which focused on materials and the craft of making as a generative mechanism for the form and use of the design work. The craft of experience and procedure was enhanced through research of design/craft workshops. Slow design, a derivative of the Slow Food International movement, places emphasis on design that supports small-scale production, artisan expertise and regional culture. The students’ design work was inspired by slow design concepts such as natural time cycles, human behavior and environmental responsibility. More info: Sheri Schumacher at 844-5440 or schumsl@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, AUG. 3, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, AUG 4 — OLD NEWSBOYS DAY / BENEFIT FOR THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF LEE COUNTY
Old Newsboys Day is a one day fundraising event during which local volunteers serve as ” Old Newsboys” by selling a special edition of the Opelika-Auburn News. This special edition will feature Back-to-School news, coupons and other specials, discounts, and fall school information. Volunteers need only donatea few hours of time on August 4, 2009. This Fundaraising opportunity allows all of Lee county to become involved in supporting The Boys& Girls Clubs of Lee County for only a $2 donation. To volunteer , call 334.502.1311 or e-mail oldnewsboysdayvolunteer@gmail.com or to have your business as a selling location for this special edition email erinstephens@gmail.com.
TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 8:30 am — SUMMER DISCOVERY HIKES FOR CHILDREN / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE
Held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, located off Highway 147 North, past the Auburn University fish ponds.
For children aged 5-12 years. Meet at the Pavilion. No fee or registration required. Cancelled in event of rain.
Info & directions: http://www.auburn.edu/preserve or contact Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512.
Children can spend the hour discovering birds, bugs, reptiles and other amazing and interesting features of the preserve with a trained naturalist.
TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainstreet@aol.com for more information.
TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 4:00 pm – AUBURN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB)
Held in the City Manager’s Conference Room, Auburn City Hall, 144 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 6:00 PM — PAUL REED SMITH with David Grissom & Emil Werstler
Held at the Auburn Guitar Shoppe. Contact the Guitar Shoppe at 334-821-6818 if you are interested in attending.
TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 7:00 – 8:30 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APJ) www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, 508 Auburn Drive (the 2nd house behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 450 E. Thatch Ave). Park behind the Fellowship. The Busch Center is the small building to the left. Open to all.
TUESDAY, AUG. 4 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:10 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Overview of the City’s 2010 Budget -.Mayor Fuller, John Seymour
(2) - a. Resolution/contract, applicant tracking system – Lisa McLeod.
(3) - a. Request to advertise for public hearing -
- rezoning Hamilton Gables property, R3 to Pud.
- rezoning 1419 2nd Ave. property, C2 to C3 - Jerry Kelley
(4) - a. General updates - Mayor Fuller, John Seymour
(5) - Discuss/review CM agenda items of 8/04/09 - Mayor Fuller
Remarks by Mayor; General business; Bids; Resolutions; Ordinances; Board Appointments
(6) - Discussion - City Council
New / Old Business; Board appointments; Other City business.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) – Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS - Bob Shuman
1. Request by Parkway Package Store for a retail beer off-premise license.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
1. Heavy duty truck / loader and trash trailer for the Solid Waste division.
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. Travel advance for an OPD officer.
2. Travel advance for an OPD officer.
3. Contract, OPD services during special events on AU campus.
4. Refund request for sewer fees from P/W.
5. Authorize demolition 409 Fair Avenue.
6. Authorize demolition 302 3rd Street.
7. Authorize demolition 17 Oak Court.
8. Authorize demolition 106 Dover Street.
9. Authorize demolition 1300 Lowndes Street.
10. Set public hearing to fix and assess cost of demolition at 3409 Chilton Avenue.
11. Set public hearing to fix and assess cost of demolition at 621 Martin Luther King Blvd.
12. Set public hearing to fix and assess cost of demolition at 1718 Bulloch Street.
13. Settlement agreement with URVI Corporation and Auburn Bank.
14. Agreement with AL DOT, North RR Ave. Streetscape Phase 2.
15. Agreement for road construction on N/S Uniroyal Rd.
16. CDBG PY 2009 Action Plan
17. Agreement with Tiger Town TIF / Bank Trust.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter (none)
1. Lease agreement with Scenic Oaks Development – 1st Reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, AUG. 4 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 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:
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. Nominations.
a. Greenspace Advisory Board. One Vacancy. Incumbent: Cliff Webber (has served one partial term). Four Year Term Expires August 7, 2013.
b. Water Works Board. One Vacancy. Incumbent: James Baird, Jr. (has served one partial term). Six Year Term Expires August 7, 2015.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Announcement of Board Vacancy. Greenspace Advisory Board. One Position. Unexpired Term Ends August 7, 2011.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexations. Planning Commission Recommendations. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) Donahue Land, LLC. Terry Holdridge (Authorized Representative). Property Located off North Donahue Drive, east of Camden Ridge Subdivision and south of West Farmville Road.
(a) 33.63 Acres.
(b) 13.8 Acres.
(2) West Pace, LLC. Terry Holdridge (Authorized Representative). Property Located between Interstate 85 and Shell Toomer Parkway, East of South College Street (US Highway 29). 150.89 Acres.
[Place editorial note: This West Pace annexation request includes the same parcels/acreage as previously submitted. The West Pace LLC parcel adjacent to Whippoorwill Subd still is not included for annexation.]
b. Zoning. Donahue Land, LLC. Terry Holdridge (Authorized Representative). Property Located off North Donahue Drive, east of Camden Ridge Subdivision and south of West Farmville Road. Rezone from Rural (R) (pending annexation) to
Development District Housing (DDH). 33.63 Acres. Planning Commission Recommendation. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
c. Cox Street. Convert One-Way to Two-Way Street and Establish Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Eliminate Parallel Parking and Install No Parking Signs. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Water Resource Management Department. Stream Gauging Station on Saugahatchee Creek at County Road 188 and Chewacla Creek. 2009-2010. $30,900. Joint Project with Water Works Board and City of Opelika. Contract. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
b. Auburn University. Student Government Association. Close City Streets. Toomer’s Corner. Tiger Paw Painting.
c. Industrial Development Board. Cylpro Auburn, Inc. 2175 Pumphrey Avenue. Industry Incentive Loan. Concurring Resolution.
d. Temporary Construction Easements and Sidewalk Easements. Acceptance and Conveyance.
(1) Temporary Construction Easements.
(a) Cary and Amy Way. 306 Oak Street. Oak Street Sidewalk Project.
Acceptance.
(b) Don Allen Development, Inc. Grading in Felton Little Park for Parkside Apartments. Conveyance.
(2) Sidewalk Easements. Acceptance.
(a) Stephen and Dorothy Marcinko. 843 Sanders Street. Safe Routes to School Sidewalk Project.
(b) John and Donna Duran. 101 Bridle Court. Lot 47A Woodland Park Subdivision, Phase One. Woodland Park Sidewalk Project.
e. Boards and Commissions. Appointments.
(1) Greenspace Advisory Board. One Position. Four Year Term Expires August 7, 2013.
(2) Water Works Board. One Position. Six Year Term Expires August 7, 2015.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 5, 9:30 AM – ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION
Held in the 9th floor PSC Hearing Room, RSA Union Building, 100 N. Union Street, Mont. Ph: 334-242-2997. Open to all.
Agenda: In Open Session, to render Advisory Opinions requested by public officials/public employees. An Executive Session will be held to discuss matters relating to complaints filed with the Ethics Commission and the results of those investigations. These matters are covered by the Grand Jury Secrecy Act. No matters will be discussed which are outside the scope of the State guidelines for the holding of Executive Sessions. Matters discussed in Executive Session will be voted on in public.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 5,, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes: SEE AGENDA DETAILS IN UPDATE POST OF AUG. 3
OLD BUSINESS
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00150
Applicant: The Concrete Company
General Location: 294 Beehive Road
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Variance of 173.5′ to the required 300′ between curb cuts on an arterial street in order to allow a curb cut 126.5′ from the adjacent curb cut to the west
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00151
Applicant: The Concrete Company
General Location: 310 Beehive Road
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Variance of 173′ to the required 300′ between curb cuts on an arterial street in order to allow a curb cut 127′ from the adjacent curb cut to the west, and a variance of 173′ to allow a curb cut 127′ from the adjacent curb cut to the east
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 502.02A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00229
Applicant: JoAnn Perkins
General Location: 680 Kalypso Circle
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Variance of 12 feet to the required 20 foot rear setback in order to allow a rear setback of 8 feet for a single-family residence
Variance to Section 502.02A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00230
Applicant: Lane Pearce
General Location: 159 Solamere Lane
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Variance of 14 feet to the required 20 foot rear setback in order to allow a rear setback of 6 feet for a single-family residence
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 5, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
THURSDAY, AUG. 6, 8:30 am — SUMMER WALKS! / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
Held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Meet at the Pavilion. No fee or registration required. Cancelled only for rain.
Starting July 7, 2009, join us for walks every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Enjoy some exercise and observe the Preserve as the beauty of spring unfolds on this one-hour walk with a trained naturalist on the preserve’s beautiful property. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, AUG. 6, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/ . For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
AUG. 7 – AUG. 14 — FREE METERED PARKING IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/rev072209.asp
In conjunction with the Sales Tax Holiday Weekend, the Auburn City Council has suspended parking meter operations in downtown on Friday, August 7. Due to the Auburn University semester break, everyone may enjoy free parking in metered spaces from August 7 – 14.
**A map of all metered spaces in the downtown area is available on the City’s website at www.auburnalabama.org/maps/Gallery. Click on the downtown parking map to view all available metered spaces.**
FRIDAY, AUG. 7 – SUNDAY, AUG. 9 — AUBURN SALES TAX HOLIDAY WEEKEND
The Auburn City Council has authorized this sales tax holiday weekend. A complete list of items exempt from sales tax during the weekend, go to www.auburnalabama.org/taxholiday. More info: City of Auburn Revenue Office 334-501-7239.
FRIDAY, AUG.7, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all.
FRIDAY, AUG.7, 7:00 PM – EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. Free & open to all. Held the first Friday of each month.
Poets, authors, musicians, and storytellers are invited to perform their work for an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. The event is open to all and there is no charge for the event.
FRIDAY, AUG.7, 7:30 PM —- EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, AUG. 7 & SATURDAY, AUG. 8, 8:00 pm — FOLK FESTIVAL / SONG WRITERS SHOWCASE
Festival to be held at the Strutting Duck, Auburn. www.myspace.com/struttingduckpub
Tickets are on sale now for the Strutting Duck Pub’s first Folk Festival and Songwriters Showcase. The event features Todd Snider, David Olney, Sergio Webb, Will Kimbrough, Ralph Roddenberry, Gary Nichols, Tony Brook and Will Dooley. Weekend passes are on sale at the Duck and the Auburn Guitar Shoppe in the Glenn Dean Shopping Center. Get your weekend passes before Friday, August 7 for $27. Day passes will be available at the door. Call 334-821-7277 for more information.
SATURDAY, AUG. 8, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS – Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
On the second Saturday of every month, a group of history re-enactors gather at the LCHS Museum in period attire to demonstrate their arts and crafts. Blacksmiths are usually working at the forge, spinners and weavers are in the log cabin, and someone is always cooking up a meal in the fireplace or outdoors. The Museum is always open on Second Saturdays. Also on Secord Saturdays, the Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer group meets at the Museum at 11:00am. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcomed. Bring your dulcimer or other instrument and join in the pickin’.
SATURDAY, AUG. 8, 2:00 – 3:30 PM — 47TH ANNUAL ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL TOUR / at the Capri Theatre
Held at the Capri Theatre, Mont. http://capritheatre.org
One show only. Tickets: $5/Capri members; $7/non-members.
Featuring 7 of the best entries from the Ann Arbor Film Festival, the Festival will tour the globe visiting theaters, art house cinemas, museums, universities and microcinemas. The AAFF tour is a collection of the finest cutting-edge, independent and artistically-inspired short films from the 47th Ann Arbor Film Festival across all genres: experimental, documentary, animation and narrative. For more info: Capri Theatre at 334.262.4858 or online at http://capritheatre.org. To learn more about the Ann Arbor Film Festival Tour, go online at http://www.aafilmfest.org/tour/.
SATURDAY, AUG. 8, 6:00 PM — WeHELP COALITION SPONSORS GOSPEL SING / Benefit for Habitat for Humanity
Held at True Deliverance Holiness Church, North Donahue, Auburn.
No admission charged, but all donations to support WeHelp Coaltion of Churches of Habitat for Humanity.
Come enjoy the singing and deserts afterward (including ice cream and blueberries). Several Habitat Homeowners organize the program and will talk about what a Habitat House has meant to them and their families.
SATURDAY, AUG. 8, 8:00 pm — FOLK FESTIVAL / SONG WRITERS SHOWCASE
Festival to be held at the Strutting Duck, Auburn. www.myspace.com/struttingduckpub
See additional details above, Friday, Aug 7.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
THURSDAY, AUG. 27, 11:30 – 1:00 pm — THIRD ANNUAL BAILEY THOMSON AWARDS LUNCHEON / Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform
Held at the Von Braun Center, South Hall Ballroom, 700 Monroe St, Huntsville.
Keynote Speaker: Pulitzer Prize winning author Rick Bragg
Tickets: $50. Purchase via check to ACCR Foundation, PO BOX 10746, Birmingham AL 35202, or via secure site online https://www.constitutionalreform.org. If you are not able to come to the Awards Luncheon, the ACCR Foundation Board hopes that you will make a tax deductible contribution in support of our grassroots efforts so critical to the success of the Constitutional Reform Movement. Any amount-especially given our tight economic times-would be greatly appreciated and wisely spent.
UPCOMING EVENT / REGISTER NOW
2009 AUBURN CITIZENS’ PLANNING ACADEMY BEGINS SEPT. 17
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross Street, Auburn. Open to Auburn residents. Free, but limited seating; register early.
The City of Auburn’s Planning Department will begin the 2009 Citizens’ Planning Academy on Thursday, September 17. The class will consist of six Thursday evening sessions, from 5:30 – 7 p.m, on Sept. 17, Sept 24, Oct. 1, Oct. 8 (Planning Commission meeting), Oct. 22 and Nov. 5.
During the training period, participants will learn how different departments, developers, and individuals interact in the planning process. Participants will also learn about the City of Auburn’s comprehensive planning process (CompPlan 2030) and other ongoing projects. Topics include:
–Planning in Auburn (Requirements and Responsibilities of the Planning Department)
–The Roles and Responsibilities of Auburn’s Planning Related Boards (Planning Commission, Board of –Zoning Adjustment, Historic Preservation Commission)
–Long-Range Planning in the City of Auburn
–The Role of Other City Departments in Planning
–A Professional Engineer’s View of Planning in Auburn
–Auburn University Planning
–Historic Preservation
–Zoning Enforcement
For more information, including an application, go to http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl070609.pdf or contact Erin Swindall in the City of Auburn Planning Department at 501-3036 or eswindall@auburnalabama.org.
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Articles re: Proposed White Rock Quarry in Vincent
VINCENT QUARRY SINKHOLE THREAT
http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/Vincent-Quarry-Sinkhole-Threat/1cZpCaZdLEeg3vZzkPL6yw.cspx
(includes short news video clip)
EBSCO EXPLAINS INITIAL QUARRY POSITION (includes comments re: risk of sinkholes)
http://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/news/2009/jul/28/ebsco-explains-initial-quarry-position/
VINCENT QUARRY OPPONENT GROUP HOSTS PANEL OF EXPERTS
http://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/news/2009/jul/31/vincent-quarry-opponents-host-panel-experts/
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Articles re: Child Poverty Rates in Alabama
KIDS COUNT / RECENT DATA RE: CHILD POVERTY IN ALABAMA
http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/bystate/StateLanding.aspx?state=AL
24% OF ALABAMA KIDS LIVING IN POVERTY
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090729/NEWS/907289915/1007?Title=24-of-Alabama-kids-living-in-poverty
POVERTY LEVELS IN ALABAMA ARE UNACCEPTABLE
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090730/NEWS/907299953/1012/OPINION?Title=Poverty-levels-in-Alabama-are-unacceptable
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Articles re: Sustainablility & Clean Energy issues
BuidingGreen and USGBC Launch LEEDuser Website
LEEDuser.com provides credit-by-credit guidance for anyone working on LEED certification.
http://www.interiordesign.net/article/CA6672704.html?nid=2068
NRDC Map details number of jobs created by the American Clean Energy and Security Act
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/media/Job%20creation%20map1.pdf
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LEE COUNTY FORMS ‘COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE’ FOR 2010 CENSUS www.leeco.us
The 2010 Census is quickly approaching and to help spread the word about the Census’ importance, the Lee County Commission announces the formation of a Complete County Committee. The CCC will be comprised of citizens and public agencies and will assist with outreach efforts within the community. Having an accurate count of Lee County citizens is vital to federal funding the county may receive to assist with improving and expanding services. Interested citizens may contact Wendy Swann at 334-737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us for more information. www.leeco.us
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
* Greenspace Advisory Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent Cliff Webber has served one partial term & is eligible for reappointment.)
* Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent James Baird has served one partial term & is eligble for reappointment.)
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Aug. 1, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATE — July 28, 2009
PORTION OF PARKING SPACES ALONG MAGNOLIA AVENUE TO REMAIN CLOSED WEDNESDAY, JULY 29 http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw072809.asp
ADDITIONAL EVENT THIS WEEK
THURSDAY, JULY 30TH, 6:30 PM — VINCENT QUARRY INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Held at the Vincent Revival Center, Vincent, AL. All are encouraged to attend.
The Vincent Historical and Environmental Society encourages all those interested in the effects of quarries to come hear unbiased experts in Geology, Toxicology, Blasting, & Acoustics (noise pollution), provided by EBSCO/VIP, present information and answer questions. Those living near quarries in other areas are encouraged to come to this meeting and support the Vincent area’s fight against a proposed quarry.
Driving directions from Auburn: Take US Hwy 280 to Harpersville. Turn right at Jacks Hamburgers on Highway 231. Go approximately 2 miles to a flashing caution light, turn right on county road 62, go to the 4 way intersection, turn left on county road 85, the Revival Center will be about 1 block on the left.
ADDITIONAL EVENT THIS WEEK
SATURDAY, AUG. 1, 3:00 – 5:00 PM — C. A. R. E. S. FORUM ON NATIONAL HEALTHCARE REFORM / How Healthcare Reform Impacts Us
Held at the Linn Henley Library, 3rd Floor Auditorium, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham.
Hosted By Jefferson County Chapter of Alabama New South Coalition.
C.A.R.E.S: Concern, Accountability, Responsiveness, and Education on the State of Alabama. More info: James Laster, president, 205-788-4042.
Alabama New South Coalition will host this healthcare forum to discuss the state and local impact of healthcare reform. Leading medical, business and policy experts will be available to field questions from residents about this incredibly important issue.
Guest panelists will represent medical industry, state and local government, and small businesses.
This forum, facilitated by Yenu Wodajo, has the following panelists:
* Dr. Sandral Hullett, CEO and Medical Director, Cooper Green Mercy Hospital
* Rep. Merika Coleman, State Representative, District 57
* Dr. Wally Retan, State Coordinator, Health Care for Everyone- Alabama
* Anthony Underwood, Owner, Anthony Underwood Automotive
* Dr. Thomas Ellison, Medical Service Director, Project H.E.L.P.
UPCOMING EVENT / NEXT WEEK
SATURDAY, AUG. 8, 6:00 PM — WeHELP COALITION SPONSORS GOSPEL SING / Benefit for Habitat for Humanity
Held at True Deliverance Holiness Church, North Donahue, Auburn.
No admission charged, but all donations to support WeHelp Coaltion of Churches of Habitat for Humanity.
Come enjoy the singing and deserts afterward (including ice cream and blueberries). Several Habitat Homeowners organize the program and will talk about what a Habitat House has meant to them and their families.
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Auburn researchers help install first solar power system on state building
Researchers with Auburn University’s Space Research Institute have played an integral role in installing a solar power system at Lee County’s T.K. Davis Justice Center, the first public building in the state to be outfitted with such a system. After months of research and
analysis, the Auburn team managed the installation of a 16.56 kW grid-connected solar-powered system on the new addition to the center. The system will offset the energy costs of electricity the building uses. “The Lee County Commission contracted with Auburn University to procure and install the system, to develop and manage a Web site and to
conduct systems analysis and modeling,” said Henry Brandhorst, director of Auburn’s Space Research Institute. “We want to show that solar power is successful and to have others invest in it.” The photovoltaic power system at the justice center utilizes 72 of the highest-efficiency solar panels currently available on the market, with eight of the panels
mounted to a pole on the ground and the rest of the panels mounted on the center’s roof. The system can withstand hurricane force winds up to 110 miles-per-hour and is certified for use on rubber roofs. To read more, see the news release http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1061 .
Environmental Protection Agency to look at effects of waste facilities on poor, minority communities. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-greenspace27-2009jul27,0,3801152.story
Alabama ranked 39th for business climate, quality of life and education pull score down. http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2009/07/27/daily3.html
Census data reveals Alabama ranked 37th in per pupil education expenditures. http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2009/07/27/daily2.html
Alabama among 15 states with unemployment rates of more than 10 percent. http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2009/07/27/daily2.html
City of Auburn Receives Funds for Recycling Programs from ADEM http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/es072809.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
July 28, 2009
Comments Off
Especially during the summer, meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
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AUBURN POLICE DIVISION ANNOUNCES NEW TRAFFIC UNIT
Press release: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ps072409.asp
A NEW FIGHT OVER POLLUTION CURBS TAKES ROOT http://newsletters.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/27468/25474/35699/0/
How much pollution can a tree absorb? The question is at the center of a high-stakes fight over how much it will cost to curb climate change — and who will foot the bill. Wall Street Journal – http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124839162543777499.html
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – National study finds Alabama among top states sentencing felons, especially black juveniles, to life terms.
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/metro.ssf?/base/news/1248336915
ALABAMA FORECLOSURES HITTING MORE LOW-RISK LOANS http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090726/BUSINESS/907260303/1007/news01/Foreclosures+hit+low-risk+loans
HOUSING STARTS INCREASE IN ALABAMA IN JUNE
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090724/NEWS/90724030/Housing+starts+increase+in+Alabama+in+June+&referrer=LATEST
A new report from the Alabama Center for Real Estate at the University of Alabama provides hopeful signs for home construction in Alabama. The center reports that 938 building permits for single-family homes were issued in Alabama in June. That’s a 31 percent increase from May. The center’s executive director, Grayson Glaze, said Alabama has experienced growth in five out of the last six months. He said that’s encouraging, but Alabama has a long way to go before it’s back to the level of housing starts in 2008. Alabama’s housing starts in June were down 16.8 percent from June 2008.
WANT AN EASY WAY TO HELP MONITOR WATER QUALITY? ADOPT AN ALABAMA WATER WATCH MONITOR!
If you would like to help but don’t have a couple of hours a month to physically monitor local water quality, you can still make a difference by adopting an AWW monitor! AN AWW membership pays for the annual costs associated with monitoring: annual training, supplying chemical refills, and replacing broken glassware. Sign up at www.alabamawaterwatch.org.
UPCOMING EVENT / REGISTER NOW
2009 AUBURN CITIZENS’ PLANNING ACADEMY BEGINS SEPT. 17
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross Street, Auburn. Open to Auburn residents. Free, but limited seating; register early.
The City of Auburn’s Planning Department will begin the 2009 Citizens’ Planning Academy on Thursday, September 17. The class will consist of six Thursday evening sessions, from 5:30 – 7 p.m, on Sept. 17, Sept 24, Oct. 1, Oct. 8 (Planning Commission meeting), Oct. 22 and Nov. 5.
During the training period, participants will learn how different departments, developers, and individuals interact in the planning process. Participants will also learn about the City of Auburn’s comprehensive planning process (CompPlan 2030) and other ongoing projects. Topics include:
*Planning in Auburn (Requirements and Responsibilities of the Planning Department)
*The Roles and Responsibilities of Auburn’s Planning Related Boards (Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Adjustment, Historic Preservation Commission)
*Long-Range Planning in the City of Auburn
*The Role of Other City Departments in Planning
*A Professional Engineer’s View of Planning in Auburn
*Auburn University Planning
*Historic Preservation
*Zoning Enforcement
For more information, including an application (http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl070609.pdf), please contact Erin Swindall in the City of Auburn Planning Department at 501-3036 or eswindall@auburnalabama.org.
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THROUGH FRIDAY, JULY 31 — WACHOVIA BANK FOOD DRIVE TO BENEFIT THE FOOD BANK OF EAST ALABAMA
Through this Friday, Wachovia Bank is sponsoring a food drive for the Food Bank of East Alabama. Please drop your donations by any of the following Wachovia Bank Locations:
Alexander City: 4316 Hwy 280
Alexander City: 15 Jefferson St
Auburn: 307 North Gay
Opelika: 603 South Sixth Street
Village Mall: 2001 East University Drive
THROUGH FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 — ART EXHIBIT / SUMMER INVITATIONAL 2009
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all. Monochromatic works in a variety of media by local and regional artists.
MONDAY JULY 27 – TUESDAY JULY 28 —- SECTION OF MAGNOLIA AVE PARKING SPACES CLOSED
The parking spaces located along Magnolia Avenue between College Street and Gay Street will be closed. Magnolia Avenue will remain open to traffic. http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw072309.asp
MONDAY, JULY 27, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm — OLLI AT Auburn / Mary Carol Moran – “Complexity”
Held at the Health Resource Center (HRC), 2027 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. No charge; all are welcome to attend.
Summer Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Program. Everyone is invited to bring a lunch and drink. http://www.olliatauburn.org/
OLLI at Auburn summer schedule: http://olliatauburn.org/documents/summerseries.pdf
Upcoming programs:
August 3 – John Carvalho – “Sports and Media: Teammates or Adversaries?”
August 10 – Terry Ley- “Writing Our Lives”
August 17 – Bob Couch and Joe Harrington – “Enduring Spiritual Legacies: 100 years old Alabama Wooden Churches”
August 24 - Emily Mann and Kimberly Braxton-Lloyd - “AU Pharmaceutical Care Center- Pharmacists Caring for Your Health”
MONDAY, JULY 27 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
TUESDAY, JULY 28 and WEDNESDAY, JULY 29 — Southeast Regional GREEN BUILDING FOCUS CONFERENCE & EXPO www.greenbuildingfocus.com
Held in Birmingham. Registration required; fee discounted for members of co-sponsoring groups. For details & registration visit: http://greenbuildingfocus.com/default.aspx?id=681
Associations:
The event is co-hosted by the USGBC, AIA, ABC, and the ICC and will be an opportunity to bring together general contractors, architects, engineers, property owners and government officials throughout the southeast. Additional associations represented are:
- Associated General Contractors (AGC)
- National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
- Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
- Home Builders Association of Greater Birmingham (HBAGB)
- American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
- Certified Planners Association (CPA)
- Association of Landscape Architects (ALA)
- American Planning Association (APA)
- American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
Speakers:
The speaker panel will consist of some of the world’s leading experts on sustainability…Dr. Charles Kibert (University of Florida), Mick Pierce (Design Inc, Melbourne, Australia), Pooran Desai (BioRegional Development Group, London), Llewellyn van Wyk (CSIR South Africa), Robert Pitt (University of Alabama), Kathy Roper (Georgia Institute of Technology), to name a few. There will be ten key-note sessions which will focus on the motivating “Why” of sustainability and then sixteen break-out sessions that will address the practical “How” to pursue a greater degree of sustainability relative to today’s market and the southeast region.
LEED Eligibility & Continuing Education:
There will be opportunities to earn Continuing Education Units and an optional one-day LEED v3 course that will satisfy the education option for eligibility to take the test to become a LEED Green Associate.
Expo:
There will be over two hundred companies/organizations represented on the expo floor such as contractors, designers, architects, engineers, municipal leaders, manufacturers, suppliers, etc… This will present an excellent opportunity to network and cultivate business relationships as well as learn about new offerings on the market.
TUESDAY, JULY 28 — TAKE PRIDE STATEWIDE 2009 CONFERENCE
Held at Samford University, Birmingham.
Keynote speaker: Ed Begley Jr.
For registration info visit http://www.auntielitter.org/takepridestatwide.html or call 205-879-3009.
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 8:30 am — SUMMER DISCOVERY HIKES FOR CHILDREN / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE
Held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, located off Highway 147 North, past the Auburn University fish ponds.
For children aged 5-12 years. Meet at the Pavilion. No fee or registration required. Cancelled in event of rain.
Info & directions: http://www.auburn.edu/preserve or contact Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512.
Children can spend the hour discovering birds, bugs, reptiles and other amazing and interesting features of the preserve with a trained naturalist.
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION / regular meeting
Held at the Alabama Center for Commerce Building, 401 Adams Avenue, Room 342, Montgomery; ph: 334-242-5499.
OPEN MEETING
1. Roll Call and Declaration of Quorum
2. Introduction of New Commission Members
3. Recognize Outgoing Members and Resolutions
REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
4. Consideration of Minutes of December 11, 2008 meeting
5. Report from Division Director, ADECA Office of Water Resources
OLD BUSINESS
6. Water Wars update
NEW BUSINESS
7. Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Water Policy and Management Update
OTHER BUSINESS
8. Comments from the Public
9. Schedule of Future Meetings
10. Adjourn
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 11:00 am — CELEBRATE ALABAMA IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT/ CELEBRATE ALABAMA COOPERATIVE DISTRICT
PUBLIC HEARINGS TO CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2009/2010 BUDGETS AND NOTICE OF REGULAR BOARDS OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS.
Held at the Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel and Conference Center at Grand National, 3700 Robert Trent Joes Trail, Opelika. Open to the public.
The Boards of Directors of the Celebrate Alabama Improvement District and the Celebrate Alabama Cooperative District will hold their public hearings for the purpose of hearing comments and objections on the adoption of the budgets of the Districts for Fiscal Year 2009/2010. Regular board meetings of the Districts will also be held at that time where the Board may consider any other business that may properly come before it. A copy of the agendas and budgets may be obtained at the office of the District Manager, 120 Richard Jackson Blvd., Suite 220, Panama City Beach, FL 32407, phone:850-334-9055 during normal business hours. The public hearings and meetings are open to the public and will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Alabama law for Improvement Districts. The public hearings and meetings may be continued to a date, time, and place to be specified on the record at the meeting. There may be occasions when staff or other individuals may participate by speaker telephone. Any person requiring special accommodations at these meetings because of a disability or physical impairment should contact the District Office at (850) 334-9055 at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Alabama Relay Service at 1-800-6763777, for aid in contacting the District Office. *Each person who decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at the public hearings or meetings is advised that person will need a record of proceedings and that accordingly, the person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which such appeal is to be based.*
TUESDAY, JULY 28, NOON – 1:00 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES: EFFECTIVE CYCLING
Held in the programming room, Youth Services Building, Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave.
Free & open to all. Water & coffee provided; bring your lunch.
Speaker: Brandy Ezelle, City Traffic Engineer / Topic: Effective Cycling
Join the Auburn Public Library’s new Brown Bag Lunch series. More information: Reference desk at 501-3195 or visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp#brown.
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 12:00 – 2:00 pm — EPA WEBCAST: MANAGING WET WEATHER WITH GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE / Retrofits: Green Streets. Chris Kloss, Low Impact Development Center Operation & Maintenance . Tracy Tackett, Seattle Public Utilities
http://cfpub2.epa.gov/npdes/outreach.cfm?program_id=0&otype=1
Note: Your computer must have the capability of playing sound in order to attend these webcasts. Registration will open approximately two weeks before each scheduled event. Please visit www.epa.gov/npdes/training to register.
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainstreet@aol.com for more information.
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 3:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Agenda includes:
A. PLATS (preliminary and prel & final – P/F) – Public Hearing
1. Capps-Palmer S/D, 1st Addition, 7th Revision, 2 lots, Gateway Drive, Opelika Land & Timber Inc, Preliminary & final approval.
2. Rolling Hills S/D, 3 lots, Lee Road 748, Marshall Carter, P/F approval.
3. Hamilton Gables S/D, 61 lots, Hamilton Road, P/F approval.
4. Hancock S/D, 2 lots, 312 Lee Road 122, P/F Approval.
B. ADMINISTRATIVE PLAT – Ratify
5. Northeast Opelika Industrial Park S/D, 11th Revisions, 2 lots, North Park Drive, Opelika Industrial Development Authority, Ratify.
C. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
6. Alison Kovak, 823 venue A, C-1, Residential In downtown district (C-1)
7. Twin Oaks Properties LLC, 1900 Market Street, M-1, GC-2, Sales & Contractors office
8. Emanuel Temple Church, 28 Samford Avenue, C-2 GC-2, New Church
D. REZONING – Public Hearing
9. Hamilton Gables, Hamilton Road, 7 acres, from R-3 to PUD (Tabled at June 23rd PC meeting)
10. David Cannon, Jr., 1419 Second Avenue, 1 lot (15,000 sf), from C-2 to C-3
E. OTHER BUSINESS – Public Hearing
11. City of Opelika Comprehensive Plan 2020
F. OTHER BUSINESS
12. Tally Avenue & Porter Drive property owners concerning church on Cunningham Drive
13. Draft review of new Airport Overlay Zoning District
14. Rezoning proposal for the Bence-Harley property on 2nd Avenue
15. Amend Section 9.5, General Requirements Applicable to All Signs by adding a new subsection, Traffic Hazards.
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
THURSDAY, JULY 30, 8:00 AM – 7:00 — JAN DEMPSEY COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION & RECEPTION
8:00 am – 5:00 pm — art exhibitions & displays
5:00 – 7:00 pm — reception
Held at the Dempsey Center. Free & open to all.
More info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr072109.asp
The Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center will celebrate its 10th Anniversary Thursday, July 30 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. with a reception following from 5 – 7 p.m. A ceremony recognizing a decade of community partnerships will be held at 6 p.m. The celebration will consist of day-long activities including art exhibitions and displays by the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association, Auburn Area Community Theatre (AACT), Auburn Chamber Music Society and Auburn Community Orchestra.
THURSDAY, JULY 30, 8:30 am — SUMMER WALKS! / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
Held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Meet at the Pavilion. No fee or registration required. Cancelled only for rain.
Starting July 7, 2009, join us for walks every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Enjoy some exercise and observe the Preserve as the beauty of spring unfolds on this one-hour walk with a trained naturalist on the preserve’s beautiful property. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, JULY 30, NOON – 1:00 PM —- OPELIKA PUBLIC LIBRARY BROWN BAG SERIES / Peter Huggins: acclaimed local poet and author of children’s books
Held in the Library Board room, Lewis Cooper Memorial Library, 200 South 6th Street, Opelika.
Bring your lunch; lemonade, water & coffee provided. Open to all. Limited seating requires reservations: call 705-5380.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1:00 PM — FREE WEBCAST: RED HOT TRENDS IN GREEN ROOFS
Registration required; register online at: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=148393&sessionid=1&key=E11D05E72011B0513F0156CF7A6419D6&sourcepage=register
The free online webcast – Red Hot Trends in Green Roofs — provides architects, contractors, building owners, and other professionals & interested persons with a top-level discussion of current issues and approaches to sustainable roof applications and products. Attention is given to how sustainability affects design, specifying and procurement of roof materials. Specifically, the webcast offers an understanding of the successful applications of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs), vegetative roofs and cool roofs. Key issues include energy use and ratings, roof performance, maintenance and code compliance.
TOPICS AND SPEAKERS:
“Keys to a Successful Vegetated Roof System”- Laura M. Cavanaugh, LEED AP, Staff Engineer, Facility Engineering Associates, P.C. (Fairfax, VA.)
“Building-Integrated Solar Technologies” - Elie Rothschild, CEO, Principal, Sustainable Energy Partners (San Francisco, CA.)
“Energy Ratings for Cool Roofs” - Sherry Hao, Administrative Manager, Cool Roof Rating Council (Oakland, CA.)
THURSDAY, JULY 30, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/. For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, JULY 30, 4:00 PM – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION / Special session: personnel
Held at the Board of Education office, 855 East Samford Ave. Open to all.
Agenda: to approve personnel for the 2009-10 school year – www.auburnschools.org
SATURDAY, AUG. 1 — 4TH ANNUAL MAYOR’S BALL / BENEFIT FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF LEE COUNTY
Held at the Marriott at Grand National. More info: 334.502.1311.
Admission:Individual tickets $100. Corporate tables $1,000 (ten seats).
Want to have a lot of fun and benefit a wonderful cause? Then consider the Mayor’s Ball which benefits The Boys and Girls Clubs of Lee County. Cocktails are at 6:00pm with Dinner at 6:30pm. Kidd Blue will be the entertainment for the night.
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LEE COUNTY FORMS ‘COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE’ FOR 2010 CENSUS www.leeco.us
The 2010 Census is quickly approaching and to help spread the word about the Census’ importance, the Lee County Commission announces the formation of a Complete County Committee. The CCC will be comprised of citizens and public agencies and will assist with outreach efforts within the community. Having an accurate count of Lee County citizens is vital to federal funding the county may receive to assist with improving and expanding services. Interested citizens may contact Wendy Swann at 334-737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us for more information. www.leeco.us
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
* Greenspace Advisory Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent Cliff Webber has served one partial term & is eligible for reappointment.)
* Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent James Baird has served one partial term & is eligble for reappointment.)
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
July 27, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATES
LOCATION CHANGE
TUESDAY, JULY 21, 4:00 pm – AUBURN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB)
NEW LOCATION: City of Auburn Meeting Room, 122-130 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear of Cheeburger)
REMINDER: TUESDAY, JULY 21 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
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:
***PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST POLICY. Presentation. Assistant to the City Manager, David Dorton.***
ADDITIONAL EVENT — THURSDAY, JULY 23, 5:30 – 7:30 PM – LITERACY COALITION BENEFIT / THE GREAT GROWN-UP SPELLING BEE
Held at the Saugahatchee Country Club. Tickets: $15 (includes a drink ticket
and food)
Raffle tickets available for $5 for prizes such as golf, gift baskets and restaurant gift certificates.
A variety of Auburn University groups are helping sponsor The Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee to benefit the Lee County Literacy Coalition. Representing AU with teams are the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative in the College of Human Sciences; AU Libraries; College of Liberal Arts; and the Office of Communications and Marketing. The event is hosted by the East Alabama Chapter of the Public Relations Council of Alabama. For more information or to register a team to participate, contact Pam Powers-Smith at 737-1474 or pam@flipflopfoto.com.
**The Lee County Literacy Coalition helps Lee County residents become independent
readers, writers and thinkers. More than 100 tutors provide free literacy services throughout the county. Most of these are provided to adults who want to learn to read, or who need help with achieving their GED. The coalition also works with students.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
July 20, 2009
Comments Off
Note: Especially during the summer, meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
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COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE: WHY CAN’T WE DISAGREE WITHOUT SPEWING HATE?
First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, July 17, 2009.
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PROPOSED QUARRY IN VINCENT www.noquarry.org
Citizens in Vincent, Alabama, and the Vincent Historical and Environmental Society –opposed to a proposed quarry in their area — have a new website: www.noquarry.org .
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CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES / Road & intersection construction
Visit the City of Auburn’s website www.auburnalabama.org to view the latest news on traffic updates and street closings. For more information, please contact the City of Auburn Public Works Department at 501-3000.
Update on Magnolia Avenue – Donahue Drive Improvements
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw071409.asp
Construction on the Magnolia Avenue – Donahue Drive Intersection Improvements Project continues. Crews are currently finishing up construction along Magnolia Avenue and expect to reopen the closed portion of Magnolia within the next two weeks. Milling and repaving along Magnolia Avenue are expected to begin the week of July 20 – 24. Officials do not anticipate closing any additional portions of road, however, traffic may be reduced to one lane at times during repaving. Motorists are advised to use caution in the area and be alert for flagmen directing traffic. At this time, officials anticipate the project to be complete in time for the start of the fall semester at Auburn University.
Construction also continues along portions of Donahue Drive and Bragg Avenue. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is working to realign Bragg Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr Drive/Alabama Highway 14. The new road is expected to open at the first of September. Officials anticipate the project being complete by the end of October. Citizens are advised to continue to exercise caution in the area and be alert to temporary lane closings and flagmen directing traffic.
New Crossing Signals at Gay Street – Magnolia Avenue Intersection
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw0714092.asp
Citizens may have noticed construction at the Gay Street – Magnolia Avenue Intersection over the last several days. City crews are installing underground utilities for new pedestrian crosswalk signals at all four crossings of the intersection. Construction is expected to continue for the next several weeks as crews set poles in place and install the signals. Work is expected to be complete by mid-August. Motorists are advised to exercise caution in the area. Periodic lane closures may be necessary.
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THROUGH MONDAY, JULY 27 – ART ON THE INSIDE: ALABAMA PRISON ART AND EDUCATION PROJECT EXHIBITION
Held in 101 Biggin Hall, Biggin Gallery, AU. Exhibit open from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.
THROUGH JULY 31 – FOOD DRIVE FOR THE FOOD BANK OF EAST ALABAMA/ Sponsored by Wachovia Bank
Drop off donations at any Wachovia Bank location.
THROUGH FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 — ART EXHIBIT / SUMMER INVITATIONAL 2009
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Monochromatic works in a variety of media by local and regional artists.
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MONDAY, JULY 20, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm — Henry Stern – The Last Jewish Holocaust Survivor in Lee County Speaks / OLLI AT Auburn – Summer Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Program
Held at the Health Resource Center (HRC), 2027 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. No charge; all are welcome to attend.
Everyone is invited to bring a lunch and drink. http://www.olliatauburn.org/
OLLI at Auburn summer schedule: http://olliatauburn.org/documents/summerseries.pdf
Upcoming programs:
July 27 – Mary Carol Moran – “Complexity”
August 3 – John Carvalho – “Sports and Media: Teammates or Adversaries?”
August 10 Terry Ley- “Writing Our Lives”
August 17 – Bob Couch and Joe Harrington – “Enduring Spiritual Legacies: 100 years old Alabama Wooden Churches”
August 24 - Emily Mann and Kimberly Braxton-Lloyd - “AU Pharmaceutical Care Center- Pharmacists Caring for Your Health”
MONDAY, JULY 20, 4:00 PM — LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT-VIDEO ARTIST MATHEW DAVIS / THE CINESTHETICS OF LANDSCAPE
Held in AU’s Dudley Hall, auditorium room B-6 (basement). Free & open to to the public.
The AU College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s School of Architecture and the Office of the Provost will host this lecture by visiting landscape architect and video artist Mathew Davis. The broad nature of subjects, ideas and methods covered in film and video historically lend themselves to a multiplicity of design approaches. The lecture will advance the use of videography as an operational path toward design analysis, intervention and representation of the landscape. By borrowing the operations of filmic montage, and the assemblage of thought inherent in the medium, designers have an opportunity to translate these methods into design interventions, and ultimately built projects. More info: Jocelyn Zanzot jez0002@auburn.edu or 844-5438.
TUESDAY, JULY 21, 8:30 am — SUMMER DISCOVERY HIKES FOR CHILDREN / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE
Held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, located off Highway 147 North, past the Auburn University fish ponds.
For children aged 5-12 years. Meet at the Pavilion. No fee or registration required. Cancelled in event of rain.
Info & directions: http://www.auburn.edu/preserve or contact Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512.
Children can spend the hour discovering birds, bugs, reptiles and other amazing and interesting features of the preserve with a trained naturalist.
TUESDAY, JULY 21, 8:30 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD / SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Phone: 334-242-2230. Open to all.
Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting
TUESDAY, JULY 21, 9:00 AM — ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at Hampton Inn & Suites, 232 Cahaba Valley Road, Pelham. ph: 334-242-5568. Open to all.
Agenda: The Nominating Committee of the Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors will meet to discuss applications for the recently approved additional Board Member positions of (1) professional engineer and (1) professional land surveyor. The Board will not be present.
TUESDAY, JULY 21, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainstreet@aol.com for more information.
TUESDAY, JULY 21, 4:00 pm – AUBURN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB)
NEW LOCATION: City of Auburn Meeting Room, 122-130 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear of Cheeburger) Held in the City Manager’s Conference Room, Auburn City Hall, 144 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
TUESDAY, JULY 21, 4:00 – 6:00 PM —- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION / LANDSCAPE REGULATIONS
Held in the conference room, Development Services Building, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/triennial.asp
TUESDAY, JULY 21 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:35 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. CDBG Action Plan, PY 2009 — Luis Gallardo Rivera, Jerry Kelley
(2) - a. General updates – Mayor Fuller, John Seymour
(3) - Discuss/review CM agenda items of 7/21/09 – Mayor Fuller
Remarks by Mayor - John Seymour; General business – Dept. Heads; Bids; Resolutions; Ordinances; Board Appointments
(4) - Discussion - City Council: New / Old Business; Board appointments; Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
1. Police Officer of the Month – James Daniel.
2. City Financial Summary report – June 2009.
3. Appreciation resolution for Shirley Flora.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS - Bob Shuman
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
1. Contract, Hwy 51 lift station upgrade.
2. Contract, custodial services for P/R, L&P and P/W.
3. Automated side-loading refuse collection truck for the Solid Waste Division.
4. Two hundred (200) – 95 gallon refuse containers.
5. Contract, three year, auditing services.
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. Refund occupational license fees – Revenue Dept.
2. Budget adjustment, appropriation to Lee Russell Council of Governments.
3. Budget adjustment, jail contractual services – OPD
4. Designate certain City personal property as surplus and authorize disposal.
5. Fire alarm system for the Opelika Chamber of Commerce.
6. Security alarm system for the Sportsplex.
7. Various equipment for Sportsplex.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter
1. Amend text of zoning ordinance, Section 9.2 B, signs – 2nd reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, JULY 21 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
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:
PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST POLICY. Presentation. Assistant to the City Manager Dorton.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage License. LA LLC dba/Bad Habits. 010 – Lounge Retail Liquor – Class I License. 1655-E South College Street. Change in Application Type.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexations. Planning Commission Recommendations. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) James Dell Crosby. Property Located south of Lee Road 056 (Wimberly Road) and east of Beehive Road. 14.156 Acres.
(2) Paramount Development, LLC. Property Located north of the intersection of Nash Creek Drive and Lee Road 054 (Society Hill Road). 0.48 Acres.
b. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) Establish Four (4) Yield Signs, Two (2) Stop Signs, and One (1) Speed Limit Sign. Beehive Road, West Tech Lane, and Innovation
Drive. Auburn Technology Park West.
(2) Eliminate Parallel Parking Spaces. South Side of Magnolia Avenue from Intersection of Magnolia Avenue/Wire Road moving west to Intersection of Magnolia Avenue/north driveway of Sigma Nu Fraternity.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. City Code Section 22-54. Suspend Parking Meter Operation. Friday, August 7, 2009. 2009 Sales Tax Holiday Weekend.
b. Bicycle Facility Naming Policy. Adoption.
c. LA LLC. Terry Holdridge (Authorized Representative). Commercial and Entertainment Use-Lounge (Bad Habits) in the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) Zoning District. Property Located at 1655 South College Street, Suite E. Planning Commission Recommendation. Conditional Use Approval.
d. $91,900. Alabama Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Construct South College Street Sidewalk Project. Agreement. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
e. Drainage and Utility Easement, Temporary Construction Easements, and Sidewalk Easements. Acceptance.
(1) O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. 1102 Opelika Road. Property Located at the northeast corner of Lot 1A of M & J Enterprises Subdivision.
Installation of water meter vault. Drainage and Utility Easement.
(2) Oak Street Sidewalk Project.
(a) Louise M. Pope as trustee of the Louise M. Pope Trust. 950 Tisdale Circle. Sidewalk Easement.
(b) Jack and Janet Rogers. 276 Oak Street. Temporary Construction Easement.
(3) James Randall Rogers. 100 Carriagehouse Lane. Lot One Woodland Park Subdivision Phase Two. Sidewalk Easement. Woodland Park Sidewalk Project.
(4) Joey and Dana Shaw. 5102 Cress Lake Road. Temporary Construction Easement. FY09 Streets Resurfacing Project.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22 , 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 8:30 am — SUMMER WALKS! / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
Held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Meet at the Pavilion. No fee or registration required. Cancelled only for rain.
Starting July 7, 2009, join us for walks every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Enjoy some exercise and observe the Preserve as the beauty of spring unfolds on this one-hour walk with a trained naturalist on the preserve’s beautiful property. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 9:00 am – ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 100 N Union Street, Suite 382, Mont., ph: 334-242-5568. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
I. MINUTES
A. Review Agenda and Approval of Minutes
1. Review Meeting Agenda
2. Approve Meeting Minutes
3. Action items from Board meeting
II. HEARINGS
B. Public Hearings
C. Formal Hearings
III. COMMITTEE REPORTS
D. Applications -
1. Without personal appearance
2. With personal appearance
E. Law Enforcement Committee
1. Complaints/Investigations
F. Certificates of Authorization
1. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorizations
2. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorization with Exceptions
G. Communications and Publications
H. Legislative
I. Continuing Professional Competency
J. Finance/Personnel
K. Land Surveying – Education & Examinations
L. Engineering – Education & Examination
III. OTHER REPORTS
M. Chair’s Report
N. Executive Director’s Report
IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND CORRESPONDENCE
O. Unfinished Business
P. Correspondence – action required
Q. Information only – no action required
V. NEW BUSINESS
R.
VI. OPEN FORUM – Time during which anyone who may be attending meeting as a member of the public can ask questions or make comments.)
CLOSING REMARKS
Review of Calendar
THURSDAY, JULY 23, NOON – 1:00 PM —- OPELIKA PUBLIC LIBRARY BROWN BAG SERIES / INTERNET SAFETY
Held in the Library Board room, Lewis Cooper Memorial Library, 200 South 6th Street, Opelika. http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=435
Bring your lunch; lemonade, water & coffee provided. Open to all. Limited seating requires reservations: call 705-5380.
Upcoming topic: July 30 – Peter Huggins: meet acclaimed local poet and author of children’s books
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1:00 – 2:30 pm —- FREE WEBCAST: TURNING POINTS IN CONSTRUCTION/ ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Register online at http://email.reedconstructiondata.com/cgi-bin7/DM/y/hBI5g0QrhIC0DOu0HfMN0Ec.
Join economists Jim Haughey, Ken Simonson and Kermit Baker for this free, 90-min. webcast focused on the key factors affecting the recovery of the construction industry. Analysis includes a look at current trends and a forecast of residential and nonresidential construction activity including the institutional, commercial, industrial and heavy engineering sectors.
Topics Include:
When will stimulus spending be enough to stop the construction decline?
Will credit stay cheap long enough to permit a good start to the recovery?
When will confidence be high enough to sustain a recovery?
Is the housing market ready to recover?
Sponsored by GPDens.com, presented by Reed Construction Data, AGC of America, and the American Institute of Architects.
More info: http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/events/2009/07/construction-forecast-webinar-july-23-2009/?nid=4805
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/ . For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 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 – P/F) – Public Hearing
1. Capps-Palmer S/D, 1st Addition, 7th Revision, 2 lots, Gateway Drive, Opelika Land & Timber Inc, Preliminary & final approval.
2. Rolling Hills S/D, 3 lots, Lee Road 748, Marshall Carter, P/F approval.
3. Hamilton Gables S/D, 61 lots, Hamilton Road, P/F approval.
4. Hancock S/D, 2 lots, 312 Lee Road 122, P/F Approval.
B. ADMINISTRATIVE PLAT – Ratify
5. Northeast Opelika Industrial Park S/D, 11th Revisions, 2 lots, North Park Drive, Opelika Industrial Development Authority, Ratify.
C. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
6. Alison Kovak, 823 venue A, C-1, Residential In downtown district (C-1)
7. Twin Oaks Properties LLC, 1900 Market Street, M-1, GC-2, Sales & Contractors office
8. Emanuel Temple Church, 28 Samford Avenue, C-2 GC-2, New Church
D. REZONING – Public Hearing
9. Hamilton Gables, Hamilton Road, 7 acres, from R-3 to PUD (Tabled at June 23rd PC meeting)
10. David Cannon, Jr., 1419 Second Avenue, 1 lot (15,000 sf), from C-2 to C-3
E. OTHER BUSINESS – Public Hearing
11. City of Opelika Comprehensive Plan 2020
F. OTHER BUSINESS
12. Tally Avenue & Porter Drive property owners concerning church on Cunningham Drive
13. Draft review of new Airport Overlay Zoning District
14. Rezoning proposal for the Bence-Harley property on 2nd Avenue
15. Amend Section 9.5, General Requirements Applicable to All Signs by adding a new subsection, Traffic Hazards.
ADDITIONAL EVENT – THURSDAY, JULY 23, 5:30 – 7:30 PM – LITERACY COALITION BENEFIT / THE GREAT GROWN-UP SPELLING BEE
Held at the Saugahatchee Country Club. Tickets: $15 (includes a drink ticket
and food)
Raffle tickets available for $5 for prizes such as golf, gift baskets and restaurant gift certificates.
A variety of Auburn University groups are helping sponsor The Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee to benefit the Lee County Literacy Coalition. Representing AU with teams are the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative in the College of Human Sciences; AU Libraries; College of Liberal Arts; and the Office of Communications and Marketing. The event is hosted by the East Alabama Chapter of the Public Relations Council of Alabama. For more information or to register a team to participate, contact Pam Powers-Smith at 737-1474 or pam@flipflopfoto.com.
**The Lee County Literacy Coalition helps Lee County residents become independent
readers, writers and thinkers. More than 100 tutors provide free literacy services throughout the county. Most of these are provided to adults who want to learn to read, or who need help with achieving their GED. The coalition also works with students.
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 6:00 PM — CHEWUP / Friends of Chewacla Creek & the Uphapee Watershed
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve on N. College. (Directions: https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/ )
Speaker: Kedric Nutt of Southeastern Pond Management / Topic: recreational fisheries & pond management
This meeting will be of interest to all who love to fish and want to know how to best manage a pond for good fishing. Kedric Nutt will give a program on recreational fisheries and the services offered by Southeastern Pond Management. Kedric is a senior fisheries biologist and one of the co-owners of SPM. Kedric earned a B.S. and M.S. in Fisheries Biology from AU. He also conducted two years of Ph.D. research at Virginia Tech University. SPM has been in business since 1989 and has 2 offices in Alabama, one in West Tennessee and one in Canton, MS. Visit their web site at: http://www.sepond.com/main.html to learn more about their services.
FRIDAY, JULY 24, 8:00 am – ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 100 N Union Street, Suite 382, Mont., ph: 334-242-5568. Open to all. Agenda includes:
I. MINUTES
A. Review Agenda and Approval of Minutes
1. Review Meeting Agenda
2. Approve Meeting Minutes
3. Action items from Board meeting
II. HEARINGS
B. Public Hearings
C. Formal Hearings
III. COMMITTEE REPORTS
D. Applications -
1. Without personal appearance
2. With personal appearance
E. Law Enforcement Committee
1. Complaints/Investigations
F. Certificates of Authorization
1. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorizations
2. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorization with Exceptions
G. Communications and Publications
H. Legislative
I. Continuing Professional Competency
J. Finance/Personnel
K. Land Surveying – Education & Examinations
L. Engineering – Education & Examination
III. OTHER REPORTS
M. Chair’s Report
N. Executive Director’s Report
IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND CORRESPONDENCE
O. Unfinished Business
P. Correspondence – action required
Q. Information only – no action required
V. NEW BUSINESS
R.
VI. OPEN FORUM – Time during which anyone who may be attending meeting as a member of the public can ask questions or make comments.)
CLOSING REMARKS
Review of Calendar
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm — PEACH FESTIVAL / Benefiting the East Alabama Food Bank
2nd Annual Peach Run – forms at www.auburnrunning.org (1 mile fun run + 5K race)
Held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 446 S. Gay St, Auburn. Moe info : 334-887-3901.
Chilton County peaches, whole peach pies, peach tortes and individual servings of pie, cobbler and ice cream will be for sale. In addition, this will be a collection point for donations to the East Alabama Food Bank (food goods & other unperishable items). Co-sponsored by Trinity Lutheran Church & Thrivent for Lutherans.
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1:00 – 3:30 PM — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at the AU Arboretum. Open to all. Cost is $25 per rain barrel.
Pre-registration is required. To register email Tia Gonzales…. gonzats@auburn.edu
Registration is open for the fourth Rain Barrel Workshop. You will take home a completed rain barrel. Depending on your situation, you may need to purchase some additional parts to make gutter connections.
Registration fees may be paid on the day of workshop. Correct cash or check, made to ACES (Auburn Cooperative Extension
Service).
The Workshop:
–Why Rainwater Harvesting is important, useful and practical.
–Some local watershed issues.
–Anatomy of a Rain barrel
–Build your Own Rain barrel
Be prepared to be inspired, get dirty and have some fun. And don’t forget, a 55 gal barrel may not fit into the trunk of your car. Also, plan for a little time to visit the Arboretum. Aside from the natural beauty, you can also see examples of pervious pavement, rain
gardens, a 500 gal cistern and rain barrels in action. Meanwhile, check out the links on the website http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/raincatchers.htm. See you at the downspout!
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UPCOMING EVENT / REGISTER NOW
2009 AUBURN CITIZENS’ PLANNING ACADEMY BEGINS SEPT. 17
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross Street, Auburn. Open to Auburn residents. Free, but limited seating; register early.
The City of Auburn’s Planning Department will begin the 2009 Citizens’ Planning Academy on Thursday, September 17. The class will consist of six Thursday evening sessions, from 5:30 – 7 p.m, on Sept. 17, Sept 24, Oct. 1, Oct. 8 (Planning Commission meeting), Oct. 22 and Nov. 5. During the training period, participants will learn how different departments, developers, and individuals interact in the planning process. Participants will also learn about the City of Auburn’s comprehensive planning process (CompPlan 2030) and other ongoing projects.
Topics include:
Planning in Auburn (Requirements and Responsibilities of the Planning Department)
The Roles and Responsibilities of Auburn’s Planning Related Boards (Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Adjustment, Historic Preservation Commission)
Long-Range Planning in the City of Auburn
The Role of Other City Departments in Planning
A Professional Engineer’s View of Planning in Auburn
Auburn University Planning
Historic Preservation
Zoning Enforcement
For more information, including an application, go to: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl070609.pdf or contact Erin Swindall, City of Auburn Planning Department, 501-3036 or eswindall@auburnalabama.org.
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LEE COUNTY FORMS ‘COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE’ FOR 2010 CENSUS www.leeco.us
The 2010 Census is quickly approaching and to help spread the word about the Census’ importance, the Lee County Commission announces the formation of a Complete County Committee. The CCC will be comprised of citizens and public agencies and will assist with outreach efforts within the community. Having an accurate count of Lee County citizens is vital to federal funding the county may receive to assist with improving and expanding services. Interested citizens may contact Wendy Swann at 334-737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us for more information. www.leeco.us
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
* Greenspace Advisory Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent Cliff Webber has served one partial term & is eligible for reappointment.)
* Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent James Baird has served one partial term & is eligble for reappointment.)
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
July 20, 2009
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JULY 17, 2009 COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE
First published in the Opelika-Auburn News
WHY CAN’T WE DISAGREE WITHOUT SPEWING HATE?
“The Last Jewish Holocaust Survivor in Lee County Speaks.” Oh, the thoughts and emotions that sentence evokes.
On the most basic level, it’s merely the topic of next Monday’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Auburn program. (Event info: 334-844-3102, www.olliatauburn.org).
On a deeper level, though, that simple declarative sentence reminds us of the power of free speech and the sacrifices made for it.
Finally, it reminds us the rights of all people must be protected. Not just the rights of those similar to us, or those with whom we agree — the rights of all.
When differing views aren’t tolerated, dialogue becomes monologue. Communication becomes diatribe. Worst of all, a healthy contrast of ideas becomes an unhealthy attack on individuals.
We’ve all been guilty of this at times. Over the past few months, though, way too many of us have been guilty of it.
This showed in the recent disputes over the Confederate flag and the talk given by Matthis Chiroux, an Iraq War resister who grew up in Auburn.
Disturbingly harsh and venomous remarks, even threats, cropped up in conversations and the online comments to this paper’s news articles on those subjects. Must we actually be reminded that free speech does not excuse hate speech?
The paper itself came under fire because it had the audacity to do its job and cover the news by reporting on those stories.
I’m fortunate. I was brought up in a culture of free speech and a free press. But I don’t take for granted the American right to free expression – public or private, spoken or written.
That’s not surprising, as I’ve lived in places where expressing your views could be dangerous, even life-threatening.
I lived in the Philippines during Ferdinand Marcos’ regime. In that time and place, whether local or foreign-born, you had to be careful what you said.
Similarly, the need for a free press was unmistakable after experiencing Indonesia’s repressive government censorship. The impenetrable black ink rolled across great swaths of ‘inappropriate’ newspaper and magazine pages shocked me.
But that was years ago, an ocean away. Not now. Not in my country.
Here, now, free speech is protected by law. Whether it’s protected from intolerance, ignorance and just plain mean-spiritedness remains to be seen.
However we’ve overcome challenges to free speech before. We’ve tried to address the practical ways free speech might be limited by class, race, lack of job security, etc. We’ve learned that with free speech comes the responsibility to speak up for those whose voices aren’t being heard.
I’m hopeful we’ll come to our collective senses, that we’ll remember how much we can learn from listening to those who disagree with us.
In the meantime, I remain, respectfully, ‘willing to agreeably disagree.’
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CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS / this week’s events
ADDITIONAL INFO
AGENDA FROM TODAY’S AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION / Full packet online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
1. CALL TO ORDER. Anne Shaw, Chair.
– Approval of Minutes – June 9, 2009
2. CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE DESIGN REVIEW STANDARDS FOR THE NORTH COLLEGE HISTORIC DISTRICT (CONTINUATION FROM PRIOR MONTH)
– Public comment
– Consideration/action
3. OTHER BUSINESS
Including:
– Alabama Preservation Conference Planning update
– Listing of the Webster House (2484 AL Hwy 14) to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
– Recent Certificates of Appropriateness issued administratively
– Upcoming Historic Preservation Events
4. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS
5. ADJOURNMENT
CORRECTION / NO JULY AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL MEETING
The ABC doesn’t meet in either July or December. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
LOCATION CHANGE — DAMA / Downtown Auburn Merchants Association
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 8:00 am — New location: back room, Zazu Eclectic Eatery, 149 E Magnolia Ave.(formerly Buffalo’s).
CORRECTION / NO OPELIKA PC WORK SESSION THIS WEEK.
The next Opelika PC work session is on Thursday, July 23.
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CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES / Road & intersection construction
Visit the City of Auburn’s website www.auburnalabama.org to view the latest news on traffic updates and street closings. For more information, please contact the City of Auburn Public Works Department at 501-3000.
Update on Magnolia Avenue – Donahue Drive Improvements
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw071409.asp
Construction on the Magnolia Avenue – Donahue Drive Intersection Improvements Project continues. Crews are currently finishing up construction along Magnolia Avenue and expect to reopen the closed portion of Magnolia within the next two weeks. Milling and repaving along Magnolia Avenue are expected to begin the week of July 20 – 24. Officials do not anticipate closing any additional portions of road, however, traffic may be reduced to one lane at times during repaving. Motorists are advised to use caution in the area and be alert for flagmen directing traffic. At this time, officials anticipate the project to be complete in time for the start of the fall semester at Auburn University.
Construction also continues along portions of Donahue Drive and Bragg Avenue. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is working to realign Bragg Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr Drive/Alabama Highway 14. The new road is expected to open at the first of September. Officials anticipate the project being complete by the end of October. Citizens are advised to continue to exercise caution in the area and be alert to temporary lane closings and flagmen directing traffic.
New Crossing Signals at Gay Street – Magnolia Avenue Intersection
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw0714092.asp
Citizens may have noticed construction at the Gay Street – Magnolia Avenue Intersection over the last several days. City crews are installing underground utilities for new pedestrian crosswalk signals at all four crossings of the intersection. Construction is expected to continue for the next several weeks as crews set poles in place and install the signals. Work is expected to be complete by mid-August. Motorists are advised to exercise caution in the area. Periodic lane closures may be necessary.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
July 14, 2009
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Note: Especially during the summer, meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
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PRE-REGISTRATION OPEN NOW!
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1:00 – 3:30 PM — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at the AU Arboretum. Open to all. Cost is $25 per rain barrel.
Pre-registration is required. To register email Tia Gonzales…. gonzats@auburn.edu
Registration is open for the fourth Rain Barrel Workshop. You will take home a completed rain barrel. Depending on your situation, you may need to purchase some additional parts to make gutter connections.
Registration fees may be paid on the day of workshop. Correct cash or check, made to ACES (Auburn Cooperative Extension
Service).
The Workshop:
–Why Rainwater Harvesting is important, useful and practical.
–Some local watershed issues.
–Anatomy of a Rain barrel
–Build your Own Rain barrel
Be prepared to be inspired, get dirty and have some fun. And don’t forget, a 55 gal barrel may not fit into the trunk of your car. Also, plan for a little time to visit the Arboretum. Aside from the natural beauty, you can also see examples of pervious pavement, rain gardens, a 500 gal cistern and rain barrels in action. Meanwhile, check out the links on our website http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/raincatchers.htm. See you at the downspout!
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THROUGH FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 — ART EXHIBIT / SUMMER INVITATIONAL 2009
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Monochromatic works in a variety of media by local and regional artists.
ALL WEEK / MONDAY, JULY 13 – FRIDAY, JULY 17, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm — YOUNG ARTIST ATELIER FOR YOUNG TEEN STUDENTS
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. To register, call the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.
Young Artist Atelier is a collaborative art program in its fourth summer, provided by the Jule Collins Smith Museum, the City of Auburn/Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center and the Auburn Arts Association. The week-long program meets 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with museum and studio experiences for artists 12-18 years of age. Visits to the museum include age appropriate gallery talks and sketching activities utilizing the museum’s collections and space. The first session will be held June 8-12, and the second session July 13-17. Studio, “atelier” in French, experiences are held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center and are taught by artists and art educators. Lessons are inspired by the museum’s exhibitions. Chichi Lovett, assistant professor in Auburn University’s art department, directs the program. There will be an exhibition of the students’ works at Jule Collins Smith Museum in the fall. More info: Colleen Bourdeau at 844-7075 or cbourdeau@auburn.edu.
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MONDAY, JULY 13 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Recognition of Employee of the Month for April & May – Sheriff Jay Jones
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting June 29, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims & Procurement Card Purchases
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Petition to Vacate a Portion of Lee Road 265 – Ed Wilder/Attorney Larry Ray
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Lee County Dept of Human Resources/Housing Issues – Theresa Davis
b. **Public Hearing on Garbage Fee Increase – Judge English
c. Consideration of Garbage Fee Increase – Roger Rendleman
d. Letter of Support for Northeast Opelika Industrial Park/AdvantageSite-Judge English
e. Update on EDAA & ACCMA Conferences – Commissioner Lawrence
f. Update on ACCA Board Meetings – Commissioner Lawrence
g. Schedule Joint Work session with the Lee County Planning Commission-Wendy Swann
10. Adjourn
**GARBAGE FEE INCREASE – PUBLIC HEARING: The Lee County Commission is considering enacting a garbage fee increase for citizens of Lee County currently using Lee County Convenience Centers. The current rate was set on Oct. 1, 1995. The County Commission is considering increasing the current garbage disposal rate from $12 a month to $16 a month for residential users and from $24 a month to $48 a month for commercial users. The rate would then be adjusted yearly based upon the Consumer Price Index. A public hearing on the proposed rate increase will be held during the July 13, 2009, Lee County Commission meeting after which the County Commission will take action on the proposed increase. If enacted the rate increase would become effective Oct. 1, 2009 to be first collected starting Oct. 1, 2010.
TUESDAY, JULY 14, 7:00 – 9:00 AM —- ORGANIC LOCAL BLUEBERRIES FOR SALE/ PROCEEDS BENEFIT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Held at the parking lot of Walgreens, Magnolia Ave at Dean Road, Auburn.
Organic local blueberries for sale again this year by the WeHelp Coalition, with a donation on each quart going to Habitat for Humanity. More info: Mike Kosolapoff 334-821-4859.
TUESDAY, JULY 14, 8:30 am – SUMMER WALKS! / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve. Meet at the Pavilion. No fee or registration required. Cancelled only for rain.
Starting July 7, 2009, join us for walks every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Enjoy some exercise and observe the Preserve as the beauty of spring unfolds. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, JULY 14, 9:00 AM – OPELIKA BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT (BZA)
Held in the Public Works Facility, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Agenda includes:
A. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL
1. Doug Higgins, America’s Home Place, 1250 Fox Run Avenue. An administrative appeal to determine a freestanding sign in a C-2 zoning district, based upon Section 11.1 Interpretations and Purposes of the Zoning Ordinance.
TUESDAY, JULY 14, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
TUESDAY, JULY 14, NOON – 1:00 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES: ALABAMA’S STATE PARKS – VACATION OPPORTUNITIES
Held in the programming room, Youth Services Building, Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave.
Free & open to all. Water & coffee provided; bring your lunch.
Speaker/Topic: Randy Jinks of the Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources will present vacation opportunities at Alabama’s state parks. More information: Reference desk at 501-3195 or visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp#brown.
TUESDAY, JULY 14, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainstreet@aol.com for more information.
TUESDAY, JULY 14, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
TUESDAY, JULY 14 - AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. 2009-10 PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN/STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES
2. 2009-10 Salary Schedules
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT AND NEW BUSINESS
1. Annual School Discipline Reports
2. Attendance/Social Services Reports
3. Substitute Academic Credit for Foundations of Health Science Course
4. Auburn City Schools Policy Manual – Revision to Policy IHF: Graduation Requirements
PERSONNEL — Resignations, Leave requests, Contract changes, Summer employment, Employment, Exit surveys
Other:
–Members of the Board of Education will attend the Alabama Assoc. of School Boards summer conference, July 26-28, 2009, Orange Beach, Alabama.
–The Board of Education will meet for a special session to approve personnel for the 2009-10 school year on July 30, 2009, at 4:00 p.m., at the Board of Education Office.
–The Board of Education will meet for a budget work session on August 11, 2009, from 1 – 5 p.m. at the Board of Education Office.
–The Board of Education will meet for its next regular session on August 11, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 8:00 AM – LEE-RUSSELL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
Held at LRCOG office, 2207 Gateway Dr, Opelika. Open to all. Ph: 334-749-5264. http://www.lrcog.com/
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm — EMERGENCY SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF WORKSHOP
Held at the AU Hotel and Conference Center, Ballroom B. Attendees may come and go as their schedules allow.
Free & open to owners of existing businesses. (Business must have existed two years or more. Start-ups do not qualify.)
Register today by calling 334-844-4220 or email woodaca@auburn.edu.
Learn if you qualify and how to apply for the American Recovery Capital (ARC) Loan. Business owners will be provided U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan checklists, completing SBA loan application forms, and preparing necessary information to meet with bankers who are participating in the ARC loan program. Program conducted by Jackie DiPofi, Ph.D. and David Ramp, Lender Relations Specialist, Small Business Administration (SBA).
This is an all day, intense program where individuals may come and go at anytime to participate as their schedules allow, picking up information and leaving, or staying and actually working on the application process. For maximum benefit, business owners should plan to participate for the full day.
8:00 A.M. Registration and morning coffee and pastries
9:00 – 11:00 Session I
11:00 – 1:00 Working Lunch Session (provided only to pre-registered attendees.)
1:00 -3:00 Session II (Repeat of Session I)
3:00-4:00 Wrap- up and afternoon snacks
Dr. DiPofi has served as Director of the Small Business Development Center, College of Business, Auburn University, since 2001. She earned her Ph.D. from Auburn University (‘03) and Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Business Administration from The University of Alabama (‘79, ‘88).
The SBDC is an institutional member of the Alabama Small Business Development Centers Network. The ASBDC is an accredited member of the Association of Small Business Development Centers. The SBDC is partially funded by the U. S. Small Business Administration. SBA’s funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinion, or services. SBA funded programs are extended to the public on nondiscriminatory basis. This program is offered in partnership with the Institute of Commerce. Go to www.sba.gov/recovery/arcloanprogram/index.html for more information concerning the American Recovery Capital Loan program.
NO AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL MEETING IN JULY WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15 , 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
WEDNESDAY -LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB / no meeting this month
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 7:00 – 9:00 AM —- ORGANIC LOCAL BLUEBERRIES FOR SALE/ PROCEEDS BENEFIT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Held at the parking lot of Walgreens, Magnolia Ave at Dean Road, Auburn.
Organic local blueberries for sale again this year by the WeHelp Coalition, with a donation on each quart going to Habitat for Humanity. More info: Mike Kosolapoff 334-821-4859.
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 8:00 am – DOWNTOWN AUBURN MERCHANT ASSOCIATION (DAMA)
LOCATION CHANGE: New location: in the back room, ZAZU ECLECTIC EATERY, 149 E Magnolia Ave. (formerly Buffalo’s). the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, behind the Ale House, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger).
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 8:30 am – SUMMER WALKS! / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve. Meet at the Pavilion. No fee or registration required. Cancelled only for rain.
Starting July 7, 2009, join us for walks every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Enjoy some exercise and observe the Preserve as the beauty of spring unfolds. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
THURSDAY, JULY 16 – 40th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF APOLLO 11 & THE FIRST MOON LANDING / FILMS & SYMPOSIUM: THE EAGLE HAS LANDED AT AUBURN
8:30 am – 3:00 pm - (lunch break 11:50-1:15 PM) held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art
7:00 – 9:30 pm – held in the AU Student Center Ballroom
Live online webcast via http://connect.auburn.edu/cah.
Free & open to the public. Also available as a free live webcast.
There will be lectures and book signings throughout the day. A film screening at 7 p.m. in the AU Student Center ballroom will include footage of original Apollo 11 moon landing news coverage and the 1970 documentary film Moonwalk One.
The first moon landing mission was flown by Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins in July 1969. Jim Hansen, an Auburn University history professor who organized this commemorative event, said that no worldwide celebration of humankind’s greatest adventure should unfold without spotlighting the Auburn community’s direct connection to the effort. Hansen wrote “First Man,” a biography of Neil Armstrong, and is director of Auburn’s Honors College.
“Many Auburn University graduates in engineering, science and business have excelled in careers related to aeronautics and space,” said Hansen. “Auburn has produced not only six of our country’s astronauts but also three graduates who served as directors of the Kennedy Space Center, the moon mission launch site. One of those astronauts, “TK” Mattingly, traveled to the moon in April of 1972 as command module pilot for Apollo 16.”
For a schedule of the day’s events, to view high resolution images courtesy of NASA, and for links to more information, go to http://ocm.auburn.edu/moon_landing . Press release with more info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1041
To watch the symposium live online, go to http://connect.auburn.edu/cah. Sign in as a GUEST by typing your name in the box and clicking enter. (To test the webcast software, your computer and internet connection BEFORE the 16th, go to http://connect.auburn.edu/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm.)
Sponsors for “The Eagle Has Landed at Auburn” include the Auburn University Honors College, the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering’s Department of Aerospace Engineering, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, the Dept of History in the College of Liberal Arts, Phi Kappa Phi and the Office of the President.
THURSDAY, JULY 16, NOON – 1:00 PM —- OPELIKA PUBLIC LIBRARY BROWN BAG SERIES / Understanding Credit/Credit Scores
Held in the Library Board room, Lewis Cooper Memorial Library, 200 South 6th Street, Opelika.
Speaker: DeDe Jackson, of Four Seasons Credit Union.
Bring your lunch; lemonade, water & coffee provided. Open to all. Limited seating requires reservations: call 705-5380.
Upcoming topics: July 23 – Internet safety; July 30 – Peter Huggins: meet acclaimed local poet and author of children’s books
THURSDAY, JULY 16, NOON – 6:00 pm — 3RD ANNUAL ALABAMA URBAN AND COMMUNITY FOREST VOLUNTEER TRAINING / BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center.
Registration is $35 and includes lunch, dinner and all educational handouts. Send registration fee, payable to Alabama Cooperative Extension System, c/o Bessie Buchanan, School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, AL 36849; Phone: 334-844-1002, FAX 334-844-8094; e-mail: buchabz@auburn.edu
Info: Urban & Community Forestry Event July 16th, 2009 http://www.aces.edu/forestry/U&CF%202registration%2009.pdf
An event for city foresters, city horticulturists, city officials, county and state officials and other interested persons to meet and discuss urban & community forestry resources and grant information. Scheduled speakers include Ed Macie, urban forest coordinator, U.S. Forest Service Southern Region; Chris Anderson, associate director, Center for Forest Sustainability, Auburn University; Randy Gordon, National Arbor Day Foundation; Linda Casey, state forester, Alabama Forestry Commission; Fred Kapp, Alabama Urban Forestry Program Manager Association; Mike Zarichnak, utility forester, Alabama Power Company; and Rachel Barker, urban forester, Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission.
Organizer and contact person: Michelle Cole, Extension Specialist, Urban and Community Forestry Volunteer Development; Phone: 334-844-1078, 334-740-9863, E-mail: coleden@auburn.edu.
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, through Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website here. (http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/). For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
Next Opelika PC work session is July 23. THURSDAY, JULY 16, 4:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 5:00 PM — DANCE EXHIBITION / DOC WALLER — MAN www.thelaymangroup.org
ART MUSEUM FREE ADMISSION NIGHT www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held in the Grand Gallery, AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
Free and open to all. (Recommended for those 16 & above.)
MAN is an improvisational dance exhibition on the ideals of manhood. Through improvisational dance and real-time audience response, Man addresses the stereotypes/ideals of what manhood has come to mean at home and within the larger society. The dance, live music, and prompts to the performance supplied by quotations from Alabama men promises to culminate into a truly unique and revealing evening. Joining the artistic staff of the Layman Group will be Jacob Wood, professional contemporary dancer with Brooks and Company of Atlanta. The Layman Group stands to champion the emergence of the arts and creativity as essential ingredients of life. Reception and cash bar or wine tasting will accompany this event.
More info: http://www.thelaymangroup.org/one.htm or contact Doc Waller at 206-339-3930 or doc@thelaymangroup.org.
FRIDAY, JULY 17, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — MUSEUM OF EAST ALABAMA / 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Held at the Museum of East Alabama, 121 S. 9th Street, Opelika. Ph: 749-2751. All invited to attend. www.eastalabama.org
Birthday cake and lemonade will be served. The Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer players will entertain. The museum invites everyone to join and support the museum, which houses over 5,000 artifacts from East Alabama.
SATURDAY, JULY 18, 9:00 am — FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE PROGRAM: SUMMER NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve. Meet at the Pavilion. Fee: $25. Registration required.
More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
SATURDAY, JULY 18, 6:00 pm —- INAUGURAL MONTGOMERY FILM FESTIVAL
Held at the Capri Theatre, 1045 E Fairview Ave, Montgomery; ph: 334.262.4858 www.capritheatre.org.
Open to the general public. Tickets on Sale Now: Advance: $8.00 — At The Door: $10 — Capri Members: $5.00
For More Info Call: 334.320.1226 http://montgomeryfilmfestival.com
The Montgomery Film Festival is open to the general public. Film lovers, enthusiasts and curious parties are more than welcome to attend. This inaugural event showcases the works of filmmakers within Alabama and the United States. International entries are also accepted.
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LEE COUNTY FORMS ‘COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE’ FOR 2010 CENSUS www.leeco.us
The 2010 Census is quickly approaching and to help spread the word about the Census’ importance, the Lee County Commission announces the formation of a Complete County Committee. The CCC will be comprised of citizens and public agencies and will assist with outreach efforts within the community. Having an accurate count of Lee County citizens is vital to federal funding the county may receive to assist with improving and expanding services. Interested citizens may contact Wendy Swann at 334-737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us for more information. www.leeco.us
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
* Greenspace Advisory Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent Cliff Webber has served one partial term & is eligible for reappointment.)
* Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent James Baird has served one partial term & is eligble for reappointment.)
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
July 13, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATE:
CANCELLED TODAY– ALLIANCE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE meeting(previously scheduled for Tuesday, July 7, 7:00 pm)
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ADDITIONAL UPCOMING EVENT / REGISTER NOW
2009 AUBURN CITIZENS’ PLANNING ACADEMY BEGINS SEPT. 17
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross Street, Auburn. Open to Auburn residents. Free, but limited seating; register early.
The City of Auburn’s Planning Department will begin the 2009 Citizens’ Planning Academy on Thursday, September 17. The class will consist of six sessions held on Thursday evenings from 5:30 – 7 p.m, on the following dates:
| September 17 | October 8 (Planning Commission Meeting) |
| September 24 | October 22 |
| October 1 | November 5 |
During the training period, participants will learn how different departments, developers, and individuals interact in the planning process. Participants will also learn about the City of Auburn’s comprehensive planning process (CompPlan 2030) and other ongoing projects. Topics include:
For more information, including an application (http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl070609.pdf), please contact Erin Swindall in the City of Auburn Planning Department at 501-3036 or eswindall@auburnalabama.org.
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(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER - Bill seeks sunshine for state’s legal contracts
Rep. Barry Mask (R-Wetumpka) to sponsor measure that would require posting of contracts and bills for legal services rendered by private attorneys for services to state government. The bill, known as the Private Attorney Retention Sunshine Act, would require the disclosures to be posted on the Internet.
http://www.al.com/news/press-register/metro.ssf?/base/news/1246871717222040.xml&coll=3
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OPELIKA-AUBURN NEWS – Auburn native who refused redeployment to Iraq speaks to church group
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KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL – Tennessee residents fight against dumping coal ash in their state
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jul/04/loudon-residents-fight-against-ash-disposal/
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TUSCALOOSA NEWS – Coal ash dump site in Alabama not welcome
Apparently, federal agencies think millions of tons of poisonous coal ash is better dumped in rural West Alabama than kept in Tennessee, where it is produced. We don’t share that opinion.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
July 7, 2009
Comments Off
Meetings, events & updates – Week of July 6, 2009
Note: Especially during the summer, meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
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UA LAW PROFESSOR SUSAN PACE HAMMILL ANNOUNCES BID FOR ALABAMA LEGISLATURE
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090702/NEWS/907019920/1007?Title=UA-law-professor-announces-bid-for-Legislature
Susan Pace Hamill, a University of Alabama Law School professor, on Wednesday became the first candidate to announce a bid for the House District 63 seat in the Alabama Legislature.
ALABAMA POLICY INSTITUTE LAUNCHES “FREE THE ETHICS” CAMPAIGN
http://montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090630/NEWS0201/90630035/1009/news02/Group-tackles-ethics-reform
THE CON IS ON: THE GOP’S SPANISH PRISONER/PROFESSOR — by Osha Gray Davidson
http://www.grist.org/article/the-gops-spanish-prisonerprofessor/
An informative (and humorous) commentary, by investigative reporter Osha Gray Davidson, about the author of the so-called “Spanish study” used as justification by opponents of the Waxman-Markey climate bill.
EPA APPROVES PLAN TO DUMP MILLIONS OF TONS OF COAL ASH IN ALABAMA — TUSCALOOSA NEWS
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090703/NEWS/907029952/1007?Title=EPA-allows-coal-ash-in-state
EPA RELEASES LOCATIONS OF HIGH-HAZARD COAL ASH DUMPS; MOST ARE IN THE SOUTH
North Carolina is the state with the most sites — a dozen — where a failure like the recent one in Tennessee could kill significant numbers of people. Meanwhile, North Carolina-based Duke Energy has the most facilities on the list with 10. (6/30/2009) http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/06/epa-releases-locations-of-high-hazard-coal-ash-dumps-most-are-in-the-south.html
POVERTY NEAR THE ‘HIGH HAZARD’ COAL ASH SITES (includes Google Maps views of 44 sites)
http://www.grist.org/article/poverty-near-the-high-hazard-coal-ash-sites/
This is the weekly post from Bruce Nilles, director of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign http://www.sierraclub.org/coal .
Excerpt: The public’s right-to-know scored a victory this week when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finally released the list of the 44 coal ash sites deemed “high hazard.” deemed “high hazard.” http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/078F5EC6B5804809852575E4006F980B This comes two weeks after a coalition of organizations including the Sierra Club filed a Freedom of Information Act request demanding the release of the list.
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THROUGH JULY 7 – COMMENT ON ACCR’S DRAFT MOCK ALABAMA CONSTITUTION
ACCR – Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform - this month showed just how constitutional reform could be accomplished. Over 250 delegates from the 105 Alabama house districts participated in a mock constitutional convention. Go to ACCR’s website – www.constitutionalreform.org – to see and comment on the delegates’ draft constitution. More details below, July 7.
THROUGH JULY 18 - ALABAMA WATERWAYS PHOTO EXHIBIT
Held at the new Lite Box Gallery at Pepper Place, 2825 2nd Ave South, Birmingham.
Gallery hours: Thursday and Friday, 12:00 – 5:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am – noon (to coincide with the Farmers’ Market)
Info and photos from the exhibit online at: www.alabamarivers.org/alabama-waterways-photo-exhibit
Alabama Waterways – A Photographic Exhibit was designed to aid the Alabama Rivers Alliance in its mission to protect and restore Alabama waterways. A local note: among the ten photographers whose work is showcased in this exhibit is Alabama Water Watch student employee Hunter Nichols (hunterious@yahoo.com). View his photography and videography at http://www.alabamarivers.org/alabama-waterways-photo-exhibit/hunter-nichols and http://hunternichols.tripod.com/.
REMINDER: SUNDAY, JULY 5, 10:00 AM – SGT. MATTHIS CHIROUX / AUBURN NATIVE AND IRAQ WAR RESISTER
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. Open to all.
Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, an Auburn native and Iraq War resister, is returning home for the first time since refusing deployment last summer. He will be speaking about his experiences at the AUUF on Sunday, July 5th at 10 a.m.
Chiroux, a leader in the organization Iraq Veterans Against the War, won a victory last April when the Army granted him an honorable discharge during a hearing he attended to defend his actions as a Soldier. Chiroux also has successfully lobbied the U.S. Congress on behalf of war resisters, has led non-violent civil disobedience in numerous countries to end the Global War on Terror, travels regularly to speak out and demonstrate against U.S. Imperialism and appears regularly in print and on television. “I’m looking forward to being home,” said Chiroux. “It’s been so long and so much has happened, but Auburn still holds a dear place in my heart.”
For more information about Matthis Chiroux and Iraq Veterans Against the War, go to:
*Matthis Chiroux’s blog – - http://matthisresists.us/
*Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) - http://ivaw.org
*IVAW member Matthis Chiroux announces his refusal to show up for activation - http://ivaw.org/node/3484
*ONE SOLDIER’S WAR: Soldier from Auburn to refuse Iraq deployment -
http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/soldier_from_auburn_to_refuse_iraq_deployment/13754/
*Matthis Chiroux - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthis-chiroux
*Refusing to Redeploy: My Story – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthis-chiroux/refusing-to-redeploy-my-s_b_191156.html
MONDAY, JULY 6 to FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 — ART EXHIBIT / SUMMER INVITATIONAL 2009
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Monochromatic works in a variety of media by local and regional artists.
MONDAY, JULY 6, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Crosby Annexation PL-2009-00390
Applicant: James Dell Crosby
General Location: South of Lee Road 056 (Wimberly Road) and east of Beehive Road
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 14.156 acres
2. Paramount Annexation PL-2009-00395
Applicant: Paramount Development, LLC
General Location: North of the intersection of Nash Creek Drive and Society Hill Road (Lee Road 054)
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 0.30 acres
3. Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase 1, Second Revision PL-2009-00394
Applicant: Civil Design and Consulting, Inc. for Colonial Bank
General Location: At the southern terminus of Lundy Chase Drive, north of Willow Creek Subdivision and south of Richland Road
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Revised final plat approval for a 20 lot performance residential subdivision
NEW BUSINESS
4. Bad Habits PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00366
Applicant: LA, LLC
General Location: 1655 South College Street, Suite E
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a commercial and entertainment use (lounge)
5. College Crossing Shops Master Signage Plan MS-2009-00029
Applicant: College Crossing Shops, LLC
General Location: 1650-1654 South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Approval of Master Signage Plan
OTHER BUSINESS
6. Ward-Pace Annexation PL-2009-00308
Applicant: Pro-17 Engineering for Virginia B. Ward and Thomas L. Pace
General Location: 916 Lee Road 023
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Request for a rehearing for a recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 9.41 acres.
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
7. CompPlan 2030 Update – Justin Steinmann, Principal Planner
CANCELLED — MONDAY, JULY 6, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
MONDAY, JULY 6, 4:00 PM – SGT. MATTHIS CHIROUX / LISTEN TO THE STORIES OF ONE WHO’S BEEN THERE – IRAQ
Held at the H. Grady Bradshaw Library, 3419 20th Ave, Valley. Open to all.
Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, an Auburn native and Iraq War resister, is returning home for the first time since refusing deployment last summer after having served in the military for four years. (For more details about Chiroux, see above, July 5.)
TUESDAY, JULY 7 – LAST DAY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS – ACCR DRAFT MOCK CONSTITUTION
Send comments to: http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2009/06/10/comment-on-draft-constitution/
Draft constitution created by the 2009 Alabama Mock Constitutional Convention: http://www.politicalparlor.net/doc/preamble/
This Tuesday is the last day for Alabamians to give their feedback on the constitution that has been drafted through the Mock Convention initiative http://www.constitutionalreform.org/mockconvention.shtml. Please support the Constitutional Reform movement by commenting on the draft mock constitution.
To find out more about ACCR/Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform, or to make a tax-deductible donation, go online to http://www.constitutionalreform.org/.
TUESDAY, JULY 7, 7:00 – 9:00 AM —- ORGANIC LOCAL BLUEBERRIES FOR SALE/ PROCEEDS BENEFIT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Held at the parking lot of Walgreens, Magnolia Ave at Dean Road, Auburn.
Organic local blueberries for sale again this year by the WeHelp Coalition, with a donation on each quart going to Habitat for Humanity. More info: Mike Kosolapoff 334-821-4859.
TUESDAY, JULY 7 – CITY OF AUBURN LIFESOUTH BLOOD DRIVE
8:00 am – 1:00 pm — Bailey-Alexander Complex, Water and Sewer Services Building, 1501 West Samford Avenue
8:00 am – 4:00 pm — City of Auburn Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor Avenue (enter from side of building, behind Cheeburger)
The City of Auburn will host a LifeSouth Blood Drive on Tuesday, July 7. Citizens are invited to participate. LifeSouth will offer two convenient locations for blood donations. All blood donations made to LifeSouth are used in the local community. For more information, please contact Stephanie King in the City of Auburn Human Resources Department at 501-7240.
TUESDAY, JULY 7, 8:30 am – SUMMER WALKS! / FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve. Meet at the Pavilion. No fee or registration required. Cancelled only for rain.
Starting July 7, 2009, join us for walks every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Enjoy some exercise and observe the Preserve as the beauty of spring unfolds. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
TUESDAY, JULY 7, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday through out the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelkamainst@aol.com for more information.
TUESDAY, JULY 7, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, JULY 7, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
TUESDAY, JULY 7 – OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org
Work session agenda includes:
(1) – a. Resolution, amend CDBG PY2007 Action Plan
b. Resolution, license agreement – balcony on 8th St.
c. Resolution, license agreement – balcony on S. RR Ave.
(2) – a. Request to advertise, rezoning on Frederick Rd.
b. Request to advertise, amend text in Zoning Ord.
(3) – a. General updates
(4) – Discuss/review CM agenda items of 7/07/09
(5) – Discussion - a. New / Old Business – need for Executive Session; b. Board appointments; c. Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR – Gary Fuller
1. Proclamation – July 2009 Firefighter Month, thanks by MDA – Tanya Brashears.
2. Police Officer of the Month – Bruce Brown.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS – Bob Shuman
1. Re-schedule the Run to Read event to Saturday, October 3rd, 2009.
2. Request by Alpen Café & Bakery for a retail wine and beer on-premise license.
3. Request by Opelika Mainstreet for their annual Summer Celebration event.
4. Public Hearing, amend text of zoning ordinance, Section 9.2 B, signs.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS – Shirley Washington
1. Contract for Sectionalizing Enclosures for L&P.
2. Oral recommendation, recreation mgt. software system for the IT dept.
13) RESOLUTIONS – Guy Gunter
1. Wireless broadcast services for two laptop computers for the OFD.
2. Refund of occupational license fees – Revenue Dept.
3. Grant application for the OPD.
4. Grant application for the OPD.
5. Set public hearing date to fix assessment of demolition at 102 East Johnson Ave.
6. Designate surplus personal property and authorize disposal.
7. Authorize grant application – OFD.
14) ORDINANCES – Guy Gunter
1. Amend text of zoning ordinance, Section 9.2 B, signs – 1st Reading.
Details: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=16&action=view&nid=410
15) APPOINTMENTS
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, JULY 7 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 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:
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority. Three Vacancies. Incumbents: Jim Douglas and Phillip Fretwell (have served two full terms); Robert G. Poole (has served one full term and one partial term). Six Year Terms Expire July 18, 2015. Nominations.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Announcement of Board Vacancies. Appointments at August 4, 2009 Meeting.
(1) Auburn Water Works Board. One Position. Six Year Term Expires August 7, 2015.
(2) Greenspace Advisory Board. One Position. Four Year Term Expires August 7, 2013.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexations. Planning Commission Recommendations. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) Estate of Earl and Katherine Wiggins. Executor of the Estate, Paul A. Wiggins. Dan Toland (Authorized Representative). 300 Shell Toomer Parkway. Property Located west of Wrights Mill Road and south of Shell Toomer Parkway, near the Entrance to Chewacla State Park. 3.56 Acres.
(2) Richard and Sandra Eastman. 4879 Alabama Highway 147 North. Property Located on the west side of Alabama Highway 147 North
(Heath Road) and north of U. S. Highway 280. 1.34 Acres.
b. Issuance of General Obligation Bonds, Series 2009. July 1, 2009. $9,000,000. Special Five Mill Tax Fund. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Additional $6,199.80. Change Order. Public Works Department. Christian Testing Laboratories, Inc. Construction Materials Testing Services for Bent Creek Road (aka Twin City Court) from East Glenn Avenue and Extension of Bent Creek Road (aka Twin City Court) to Airport Road.
(2) Public Safety Department.
(a) Howard Technology Solutions. Thirty-Two (32) Patrol Car Laptops. $122,095.
(b) Southern Software. Twenty (20) Police-PakTM Licenses and Software. $121,001.
(c) Digital Ally, Inc. Nine (9) DVM 500 Digital Video Mirror Kit Cameras and related equipment. $39,375.
b. Economic Development Department. Revolving Loan Fund. Alabama Aquarium Feasibility Study. Joint Project with Auburn
University and Lee County. Not to Exceed $25,000.
c. Temporary Construction Easements. Acceptance.
(1) Keith and Christine Nall. Property Located at 649 Shawnee Street. FY09 Streets Resurfacing Project.
(2) Madison Real Property LLC. Property Located at 1445 South College Street. South College Street Sidewalk Project.
d. Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority. Three Positions. Six Year Terms Expire July 18, 2015.
11. OTHER BUSINESS. 12. ADJOURNMENT.
CANCELLED — TUESDAY, JULY 7, 7:00 – 8:30 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APJ) www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, 508 Auburn Drive (the 2nd house behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 450 E. Thatch Ave). Park behind the Fellowship. The Busch Center is the small building to the left. Open to all.
CANCELLED — WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 10:00 AM – ALABAMA ELECTRONIC VOTING COMMITTEE / special called meeting
Held at 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery. Open to all. Ph: 334-242-4337.
Agenda: Special called meeting. The quarterly committee meeting will address any issues, if any, brought by manufacturers of electronic vote counting systems.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
THURSDAY, JULY 9, 7:00 – 9:00 AM —- ORGANIC LOCAL BLUEBERRIES FOR SALE/ PROCEEDS BENEFIT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Held at the parking lot of Walgreens, Magnolia Ave at Dean Road, Auburn.
Organic local blueberries for sale again this year by the WeHelp Coalition, with a donation on each quart going to Habitat for Humanity. More info: Mike Kosolapoff 334-821-4859.
THURSDAY, JULY 9, NOON – 1:00 PM —- OPELIKA PUBLIC LIBRARY BROWN BAG SERIES / BASIC FIRST AID
Held in the Library Board room, Lewis Cooper Memorial Library, 200 South 6th Street, Opelika.
Bring your lunch; lemonade, water & coffee provided. Open to all. Limited seating requires reservations: call 705-5380.
Basic First Aid: Learn basic first aid techniques that may help save a life.
Upcoming topics:
July 16 – Understanding Credit/Credit Scores: DeDe Jackson, of Four Seasons Credit Union.
July 23 – Internet safety
July 30 – Peter Huggins: meet acclaimed local poet and author of children’s books
THURSDAY, JULY 9, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website here. (http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/). For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, JULY 9, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, JULY 9, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx (See details above, Monday, noon, July 6, PC packet meeting)
FRIDAY, JULY 10, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all.
SATURDAY, JULY 11, 10:00 am — FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE PROGRAM: THE AMAZING BEAVER
PRESERVE http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
Held at the Forest Ecology Preserve. Meet at the Pavilion. Admission $2 members, $3 non-members. Ages 4 & under free.
Learn more about one of nature’s most amazing architects. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.
SUNDAY, JULY 11, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS – Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
On the second Saturday of every month, a group of history re-enactors gather at the LCHS Museum in period attire to demonstrate their arts and crafts. Blacksmiths are usually working at the forge, spinners and weavers are in the log cabin, and someone is always cooking up a meal in the fireplace or outdoors. The Museum is always open on Second Saturdays. Also on Secord Saturdays, the Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer group meets at the Museum at 11:00am. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcomed. Bring your dulcimer or other instrument and join in the pickin’.
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CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting. (Incumbents Phillip Fretwell and Jim Douglas have served two full terms; incumbent Robert Poole has served one partial and one full term.)
* Greenspace Advisory Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent Cliff Webber has served one partial term & is eligible for reappointment.)
* Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent James Baird has served one partial term & is eligble for reappointment.)
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
LEE COUNTY FORMS ‘COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE’ FOR 2010 CENSUS www.leeco.us
The 2010 Census is quickly approaching and to help spread the word about the Census’ importance, the Lee County Commission announces the formation of a Complete County Committee. The CCC will be comprised of citizens and public agencies and will assist with outreach efforts within the community. Having an accurate count of Lee County citizens is vital to federal funding the county may receive to assist with improving and expanding services. Interested citizens may contact Wendy Swann at 334-737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us for more information. www.leeco.us
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
July 5, 2009
Comments Off
MEETING CANCELLED
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT
The July 1 meeting of the Auburn BZA has been cancelled.
ADDITIONAL EVENTS:
THURSDAY, JULY 2 — HICKORY DICKORY PARK CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE
Hickory Dickory Park will be closed on the morning of Thursday, July 2 in order to allow Water Resource Management to perform some surveying at the park. The park will reopen the afternoon of July 2 unless otherwise announced. For more information regarding the park closing, please contact the Dean Road Recreation Center at 501-2930.
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 8:00 am – DOWNTOWN AUBURN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION (DAMA) MEETING
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger). An additional DMA meeting will be held in two weeks, on Thursday, July 16. www.downtownauburnal.org
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM — BLOOD DRIVE IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN Held at Baptist Campus Ministries, 135 N. College St. All are encouraged to participate. Sponsored by the Downtown Auburn Merchants Association (DAMA), Tiger Communications and the American Red Cross. Gifts and door prizes for blood drive participants have been donated by DAMA member businesses. Appointments to donate blood at Thursday’s event may be made at http://www.givelife.org; enter the sponsor code “DAMA.”
SUNDAY, JULY 5, 10:00 AM — SGT. MATTHIS CHIROUX / AUBURN NATIVE AND IRAQ WAR RESISTER
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. Open to all.
Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, an Auburn native and Iraq War resister, is returning home for the first time since refusing deployment last summer. He will be speaking about his experiences at the AUUF on Sunday, July 5th at 10 a.m.
Chiroux, a leader in the organization Iraq Veterans Against the War, won a victory last April when the Army granted him an honorable discharge during a hearing he attended to defend his actions as a Soldier. Chiroux also has successfully lobbied the U.S. Congress on behalf of war resisters, has led non-violent civil disobedience in numerous countries to end the Global War on Terror, travels regularly to speak out and demonstrate against U.S. Imperialism and appears regularly in print and on television. “I’m looking forward to being home,” said Chiroux. “It’s been so long and so much has happened, but Auburn still holds a dear place in my heart.”
For more information about Matthis Chiroux and Iraq Veterans Against the War, go to:
*Matthis Chiroux’s blog – - http://matthisresists.us/
*Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) – http://ivaw.org
*IVAW member Matthis Chiroux announces his refusal to show up for activation — http://ivaw.org/node/3484
*ONE SOLDIER’S WAR: Soldier from Auburn to refuse Iraq deployment —
http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/soldier_from_auburn_to_refuse_iraq_deployment/13754/
*Matthis Chiroux — http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthis-chiroux
*Refusing to Redeploy: My Story – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthis-chiroux/refusing-to-redeploy-my-s_b_191156.html
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EPA DISCLOSES 44 TOXIC COAL ASH SITES
From an Associated Press report: The EPA on Monday made public a list of 26 communities in 10 states where residents are potentially threatened by coal ash storage ponds similar to one that flooded a neighborhood in Tennessee last year. North Carolina has the most sites on the list, a dozen. The largest concentration is near Cochise, Arizona, where there are seven storage ponds. The agency said it will inspect each of the 44 coal ash sites located near communities to make certain they are structurally sound.
Additional information available online at:
The EPA site list - EPA fact sheet & list of 44 sites http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/industrial/special/fossil/ccrs-fs/index.htm
EPA list shows dangerous coal ash sites found in 10 states – http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/71012.html
Future murky for ash disposal — June 29, 2009 – http://timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jun/29/future-murky-for-ash-disposal/ (Chattanooga Times Free Press); includes audio & video.
JULY 4TH MARKS THE 43RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)
As we celebrate our nation’s birthday this weekend, the League of Women Voters wants to remind you of another important anniversary — July 4th marks 43 years since the landmark Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) established the public’s right to access government records. The League has a long-held tradition ( http://lists.lwv.org/t/928334/3621893/321/0/ ) of ensuring Americans have access to their elected officials and the policy actions that affect citizens, and it has acted as government watchdogs – observing government meetings and conducting document audits. From our current work with the White House’s Open Government Directive (http://lists.lwv.org/t/928334/3621893/790/0/ ) to local and state League efforts, the League is a strong advocate for transparency at all levels of government. This spring, Leagues in 11 states, conducted Freedom of Information (FOI) audits as part of the League’s Citizen Initiative for Transparency project and later this summer we will be sharing a publication containing lessons learned from their efforts. This anniversary reminds us that our right to know – like the numerous other rights that we enjoy — is only as strong as we demand that it be. So, have a wonderful Independence Day and celebrate all our freedoms!
OHIO ELECTION LAWSUIT SETTLED
A landmark agreement was reached in the settlement of League of Women Voters of Ohio v. Brunner, originally filed against Secretary of State Ken Blackwell and Governor Bob Taft in 2005. The settlement requires the State of Ohio to put in place a system to ensure uniformity and consistency in Ohio elections procedures so that all voters have equal access to the ballot box.
Click here (http://lists.lwv.org/t/928334/3621893/778/0/ ) to learn more about the case.
Click here (http://lists.lwv.org/t/928334/3621893/779/0/ ) for a one-page fact sheet on the case.
SUPREME COURT DECISION TO UPHOLD VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS “VITAL VINDICATION”
http://lists.lwv.org/t/928334/3621893/780/0/
“The 8-1 opinion in the case Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number one (NAMUDN) v. Mukasey represents a vital vindication for the voting rights of all citizens in this country,” declared League of Women Voters’ President Mary G. Wilson. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision is one of the biggest election law cases coming before the nation’s highest court since Bush v. Gore.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
July 1, 2009
Comments Off
Note: Especially during the summer, meeting dates and/or locations are subject to change, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.
WEEK OF JUNE 29, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
THROUGH TUESDAY, JUNE 30 —- 11TH ANNUAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Come view this 11th annual juried art exhibition / competitive exhibition open to artists and craftspersons in Lee County.
THROUGH JULY 7 – COMMENT ON ACCR’S DRAFT OF MOCK ALABAMA CONSTITUTION
ACCR – Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform - this month showed just how constitutional reform could be accomplished. Over 250 delegates from the 105 Alabama house districts participated in a mock constitutional convention. Go to ACCR’s website – www.constitutionalreform.org – to see and comment on the delegates’ draft constitution.
THROUGH JULY 18 – ALABAMA WATERWAYS PHOTO EXHIBIT
Held at the new Lite Box Gallery at Pepper Place, 2825 2nd Ave South, Birmingham.
Gallery hours: Thursday and Friday, 12:00 – 5:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am – noon (to coincide with the Farmers’ Market)
Info and photos from the exhibit online at: www.alabamarivers.org/alabama-waterways-photo-exhibit
Alabama Waterways – A Photographic Exhibit was designed to aid the Alabama Rivers Alliance in its mission to protect and restore Alabama waterways. A local note: among the ten photographers whose work is showcased in this exhibit is Alabama Water Watch student employee Hunter Nichols (hunterious@yahoo.com). View his photography and videography at http://www.alabamarivers.org/alabama-waterways-photo-exhibit/hunter-nichols and http://hunternichols.tripod.com/.
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MONDAY, JUNE 29, 8:00 AM – NOON — ONLINE WORKSHOP: AGROCLIMATE
Available online. Open to all. More info: Brenda Ortiz at 844-5534 or bortiz@auburn.edu
Improved ability to understand the impact of both weather and climate enhances producers’ crop management skills. To reduce production risks associated with both climate and weather on crop variability, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System will conduct this AgroClimate Workshop. Brenda Ortiz, an assistant professor in agronomy and soils at Auburn and Extension specialist working in grain crops and precision agriculture, says this workshop will include discussion of the differences in weather and climate and potential effects of climate change on the Southeast. Also, the workshop will introduce participants to AgroClimate, a set of tools designed to support crop management decisions. In addition, participants will have a number of hands-on activities with AgroClimate. The workshop is sponsored by the Southeast Climate Consortium. http://www.aces.edu/extcomm/npa/newsline/
MONDAY, JUNE 29, 10:00 AM — PUBLIC HEARING / TRIENNIAL REVIEW OF ALABAMA’S WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
Held at the Public Hearing Room, ADEM, 1400 Coliseum Blvd., Montgomery. Open to all.
Take the day off, grab a buddy and carpool to Montgomery for ADEM’s triennial review of the water quality and permitting for Alabama. The triennial review happens only once every three years.
NOTE: This triennial review is one of the steps taken to improve the Use Criteria for the Saugahatchee when Save Our Saugahatchee/SOS first began in 1997.
Call to Action: We encourage you to stand up and speak at the hearing, and we encourage you to write and submit individual comments. We also encourage you to sign on and support ARA’s comments. The Alabama Rivers Alliance will be sending out our public comments later this week. Further questions may be directed to Mitch Reid, the ARA Program Coordinator, at mreid@alabamarivers.org.
MONDAY, JUNE 29 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. EMA Personnel Achieving Advanced AEMA Status-Kathy Russell
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. Lee-Chambers Water Authority – Kurt Johnson
b. County-wide Hazmat Exercise – Kathy Russell
7. CONSENT AGENDA: a. Minutes of Commission Meeting June 8, 2009; b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Request Approval of New Garbage Pick-up Service – Chad Anderson
b. Housing Rehabilitation Programs – Commissioner Harris / Lisa Sandt
c. Prescription Drug Plan – Judge English / Jackie Pinkard
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. CDBG Citizen Participation Plan – Lisa Sandt
b. Announce 2 ADECA Grant Programs – Lisa Sandt
c. Accept Halawaka Hills Subdivision for Maintenance – Neal Hall
d. ALDOT Agreement on Pierce Road/Preliminary Engineering – Neal Hall
e. North Donahue Road & Bridge Joint Project with Auburn – Neal Hall
f. Educational Reimbursement – Roger Rendleman
10. Adjourn
TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 7:00 – 9:00 AM —- ORGANIC LOCAL BLUEBERRIES FOR SALE/ PROCEEDS BENEFIT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Held at the parking lot of Walgreens, Magnolia Ave at Dean Road, Auburn.
Organic local blueberries for sale again this year by the WeHelp Coalition, with a donation on each quart going to Habitat for Humanity. More info: Mike Kosolapoff 334-821-4859.
TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainst@aol.com for more information
TUESDAY, JUNE 30 , 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.
Agenda includes:
Public Works Report – Brandy Ezelle: Street re-striping, Bike Facilities Naming, Health Fair.
Parks & Rec. Report – Dee Watson.
Public Safety Report – Tommy Carswell: N. Donahue accidents.
You CAN Get There From Here – Kirk Iversen, Chris Graff: Street rating system for cyclists, Other products – cards, signs, brochures.
Utility Cover Pinball – David Kern.
Next Meeting July 28, 2009.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 12:00 – 2:00 PM — EPA WATERSHED BRANCH / CLEAN WATER ACT WEBCAST
Open to all. Live webcast available online. [After the live seminar, a streaming audio version will be available. You can also subscribe to the podcast feed of this & archived webcasts in iTunes or another RSS feed aggregator.]
Pre-registration required. Registration, additional info and links to archived webcasts at: http://epa.gov/watershedwebcasts.
Local watershed organizations, municipal leaders, and other interested persons are invited to sign up for these free, on-line Webcast training sessions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Watershed Academy sponsors free Webcasts to help build the capacity of watershed practitioners from around the globe. On July 1, the Watershed Academy will sponsor the first in a series of Webcasts about the Clean Water Act (CWA). William (Bill) Painter, environmental scientist with EPA’s Watershed Branch will make the presentation. This webcast will provide an introduction to the CWA including a brief history of the act, an explanation of technology vs. water quality-based approaches, and a brief overview of key components and related EPA regulations. Future Webcasts will focus on water quality standards, monitoring and assessment, total maximum daily loads, programs for managing point sources and nonpoint sources, and wetland protection.
CANCELLED — WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 7:00 – 9:00 AM —- ORGANIC LOCAL BLUEBERRIES FOR SALE/ PROCEEDS BENEFIT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Held at the parking lot of Walgreens, Magnolia Ave at Dean Road, Auburn.
Organic local blueberries for sale again this year by the WeHelp Coalition, with a donation on each quart going to Habitat for Humanity. More info: Mike Kosolapoff 334-821-4859.
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website here. (http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/). For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 6:30 – DARK —- OPELIKA’S ANNUAL FREEDOM CELEBRATION with musical entertainment by MUSE
6:30 pm – Fun, entertainment / 7:30 pm: Buddy Blue and the Opelika Sky Divers / Dark: Fireworks show
Held at the Opelika High School football practice field. Free to the public. Info: Opelika Parks & Recreation at 334.705.5560
Giant inflatable games and activities for the entire family. Purchase hamburgers and hot dogs at a reasonable price of your family picnic. Music, entertainment, great food & the Ultimate Fireworks Show make up this family night of fun.
FRIDAY, JULY 3, 7:00 PM – EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. Free & open to all. Held the first Friday of each month.
Poets, authors, musicians, and storytellers are invited to perform their work for an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. The event is open to all and there is no charge for the event.
FRIDAY, JULY 3, 7:30 PM —- EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
SATURDAY, JULY 4, 6:00 PM —- CITY OF AUBURN’S ANNUAL JULY 4TH CELEBRATION / Sponsored by Briggs and Stratton
***FIREWORKS SHOW BEGINS AT 9:00 PM*** http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr062309.asp
Held at behind the home side of Duck Samford football stadium, Auburn. Free & open to all. Rain date: Sunday, July 5th.
Celebrate Independence Day with a FREE patriotic extravaganza including fireworks and fun. Gates will open promptly at 6:00 p.m. Free goodies, courtesy of Briggs and Stratton, will be given away at this time. Live musical entertainment featuring Floyd the Barber will kick off at 7 p.m. This family friendly band will include fan favorites “Mustang Sally,” “Dock of the Bay,” “Respect,” “Hit Me With your Best Shot,” “Old Time Rock & Roll” and more! The public is encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Country’s Barbeque will be for sale. The fireworks show will begin at 9 p.m. More info: Auburn Parks and Recreation Department at 501-2930.
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CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting. (Incumbents Phillip Fretwell and Jim Douglas have served two full terms; incumbent Robert Poole has served one partial and one full term.)
* Greenspace Advisory Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent Cliff Webber has served one partial term & is eligible for reappointment.)
* Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent James Baird has served one partial term & is eligble for reappointment.)
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
LEE COUNTY FORMS ‘COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE’ FOR 2010 CENSUS www.leeco.us
The 2010 Census is quickly approaching and to help spread the word about the Census’ importance, the Lee County Commission announces the formation of a Complete County Committee. The CCC will be comprised of citizens and public agencies and will assist with outreach efforts within the community. Having an accurate count of Lee County citizens is vital to federal funding the county may receive to assist with improving and expanding services. Interested citizens may contact Wendy Swann at 334-737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us for more information. www.leeco.us
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
June 28, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATE:
ADDITIONAL EVENT
TODAY, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 9:00 AM — LEE-RUSSELL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (LRCOG) www.lrcog.com
Held in the LRCOG conference room, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika. Open to the public. Ph: 334-749-5264
Agenda: LRCOG regular board meeting.
Board members: Mayor H.S. “Sonny” Coulter/City of Phenix City; Commissioner Mervin Dudley/Russell County Commission; Probate Judge Bill English/Lee County Commission; Mayor Gary Fuller/City of Opelika; Councilman Larry Gray/City of Opelika; Mayor Bill Ham, Jr./ City of Auburn; Commissioner Johnny Lawrence/Lee County Commission; Commissioner Peggy Martin/Russell County Commission; Councilman Max E. Wilkes/City of Phenix City; Councilman Tom Worden/City of Auburn.
ADDITIONAL AGENDA DETAILS
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 6:30 PM – SAVE OUR SAUGAHATCHEE (SOS)
Held in AU’s Comer Hall, 2nd floor, auditorium. Open to all.
Agenda: 6:30 – social / 7:30 – Eric Reutebuch will present an update on SWaMP.
Additional agenda item: Discussion of next Monday’s very important ADEM Triennial Review of Alabama’s Water Quality Standards (see details below, June 29). This review was one of the steps taken to improve the Use Criteria for the Saugahatchee when SOS first began in 1997. Please consider attending the SOS meeting and the ADEM meeting to hear more.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
ORGANIC LOCAL BLUEBERRIES FOR SALE/ PROCEEDS BENEFIT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 7:00 – 9:00 AM and SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 8:00 – 10:00 AM
Held at the parking lot of Walgreens, Magnolia Ave at Dean Road, Auburn.
Organic local blueberries for sale again this year by the WeHelp Coalition, with a donation on each quart going to Habitat for Humanity. The sale dates originally planned for June 19 and 20 were rescheduled for this Friday and Saturday. And as local blueberry harvests come in, they will also be sold from 7 to 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the same location. More info: Mike Kosolapoff 334-821-4859.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
FRIDAY, JUNE 26 – SUNDAY, JUNE 28 —- AU THEATRE: STILL LIFE WITH IRIS
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre. Tickets: Call 334-844-4154 or order online www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org.
Performances: Friday 7:00 pm; Saturday 2:30 & 7:00 pm; Sunday 2:30 pm.
This play is suitable for children aged 8 and up.
Join young Iris as she journeys from the joyous world of Nocturno to picture-perfect Great Island, where she discovers Mozart and Annabel Lee but loses her family, only to embark on many adventures in her quest to return home. Steven Dietz’s play stars adventurous children, kind-hearted adults, unhappy discards, and people blinded by their obsession with perfection. In a world in which self-interested adults are frequently encouraged to turn a blind eye to cruelty, Iris and her young cohorts show the value of compassion, adventure, family, and friendship.
ADDITIONAL UPCOMING EVENT — MONDAY, JUNE 29, 10:00 AM — PUBLIC HEARING / TRIENNIAL REVIEW OF ALABAMA’S WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Held at the Public Hearing Room, ADEM, 1400 Coliseum Blvd., Montgomery. Open to all.
Take the day off, grab a buddy and carpool to Montgomery for ADEM’s triennial review of the water quality and permitting for Alabama. The triennial review happens only once every three years.
NOTE: This triennial review is one of the steps taken to improve the Use Criteria for the Saugahatchee when Save Our Saugahatchee/SOS first began in 1997.
Call to Action: The Alabama Rivers Alliance (ARA, www.alabamarivers.org) and other concerned groups encourage you to speak at the hearing, and to write and submit individual comments. You are also encouraged to sign on and support ARA’s comments. The Alabama Rivers Alliance will be sending out our public comments later this week. Further questions may be directed to Mitch Reid, the ARA Program Coordinator, at mreid@alabamarivers.org.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
THROUGH JULY 18 – ALABAMA WATERWAYS PHOTO EXHIBIT
Held at the new Lite Box Gallery at Pepper Place, 2825 2nd Ave South, Birmingham.
Gallery hours: Thursday and Friday, 12:00 – 5:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am – noon (Sat.hours coincide with the Farmers’ Market)
Info and photos from the exhibit online at: www.alabamarivers.org/alabama-waterways-photo-exhibit
Alabama Waterways – A Photographic Exhibit was designed to aid the Alabama Rivers Alliance in its mission to protect and restore Alabama waterways.
A local note: Among the ten photographers showcased in this exhibit is Alabama Water Watch student employee Hunter Nichols (hunterious@yahoo.com). View his photography and videography at http://www.alabamarivers.org/alabama-waterways-photo-exhibit/hunter-nichols and http://hunternichols.tripod.com/.
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Info courtesy of CONSERVATION ALABAMA FOUNDATION www.conservationalabamafoundation.org
Coal ash sparks debate / Alabama’s municipal solid waste landfills
Recently, the Conservation Alabama Foundation completed a study of Alabama’s municipal solid waste landfills and found that:
• Currently, there is more than 51,000 tons per day capacity at Alabama’s municipal landfills. Of that 51,000 tons, more than 24,000 tons per day are permitted to flow from out-of-state;
Alabama’s landfill permitting practices have made us a mecca for out-of-state waste, such as the 3.9 million tons of toxic coal ash slated to be transported 300 miles from TVA’s Kingston, Tenn. December spill to a landfill in impoverished Perry County.
Alabama does not need to expand existing landfills or permit new ones until the state’s permitting practices are reviewed and revised.
See the rest of CAF’s summary at http://www.conservationalabamafoundation.org/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={168F6B8F-1C8F-49A5-944A-D07F61594308}&DE={D19A8D1B-8860-4A44-8068-EB0BCD3C01D9}.
Energy bills carry the day
In late May we learned that Governor Bob Riley signed Conservation Alabama-endorsed energy legislation into law. Collectively, the laws will:
• Allow for a state “green fleet” by creating a committee to oversee a program of procuring state motor vehicles that are energy efficient and reduce carbon emissions;
• Eliminate certain regulations on the manufacture, sale, and transportation of ethyl alcohol when used as an alternative fuel for motor vehicles;
You can see all the bills that Conservation Alabama followed this session through our Conservation Hot List year-in-review on our website. http://www.conservationalabama.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={1A19EA3D-F17E-42A3-8015-AF4BC7453D2E}
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
June 24, 2009
Comments Off
JUNE 19 COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE / THANK GOD FOR ALABAMA’S JEFFERSON COUNTY
http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/06/20/thank-god-for-alabamas-jefferson-county-june-19-2009-column-lisa-brouillette/
First published in the Opelika-Auburn News.
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THROUGH TUESDAY, JUNE 30 —- 11TH ANNUAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Come view this 11th annual juried art exhibition / competitive exhibition open to artists and craftspersons in Lee County.
TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 12:00 – 2:00 pm — EPA WEBCAST: FUNDING & INCENTIVES & BROWNFIELD DEVELOPMENT
Available online. Registration required; visit www.epa.gov/npdes/training to register.
This webcast, hosted by the EPA, includes: Funding & Incentives, Abby Hall, U.S. EPA, and Brownfield Redevelopment, Stacy Swartwood, U.S. EPA. Additional information at http://cfpub2.epa.gov/npdes/outreach.cfm?program_id=0&otype=1.
Note: Your computer must have the capability of playing sound in order to attend these webcasts.
TUESDAY, JUNE 23, NOON – 1:00 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES: ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Held in the programming room, Youth Services Building, Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave.
Free & open to all. Water & coffee provided; bring your lunch.
Speaker/topic: Auburn resident David Newton lead a talk on alternative energy.
More information: Reference desk at 501-3195 or visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp#brown.
**Amendment to the zoning ordinance definition of “family” will be discussed at this meeting.**
TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 3:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
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. Arrowhead S/D, Revision of Lot 26A, 2 lots, Lee Road 704, Ray Thomas, Preliminary and Final Approval
2. Teel S/D, 1st Addition, 2 lots, 447 Lee Road 265, Ken Teel, P/F Approval
3. Fox Run Development S/D, Resubdivision of Lands, 2 lots, Fox Run Parkway, Fox Run Development , LLC, P/F Approval
B. ADMINISTRATIVE PLAT – Ratify
4. T & D S/D, 2 lots, 550 Lee Road 117, William T. Pitts, Ratify
C. REZONING - Public Hearing
5. Hamilton Gables, Hamilton Road, 7 acres, from R-3 to PUD
6 Allan & Lisa Campfield, 1 lot (17,000 sf), R-3 to C-2, GC-1
D. AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE – Public Hearing
7. Section 2.2 Definitions – Family
TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday through out the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainst@aol.com for more information.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM —- ONLINE CONFERENCE / VIRTUAL ENERGY FORUM
Also held Thursday, June 25, 7:00 am – 5:00 pm. Available online at www.VirtualEnergyForum.com. Free & open to all.
This event, www.VirtualEnergyForum.com, the world’s largest online-only energy conference, meets twice a year, and is free to attendees. This year’s conference will feature speakers such as Mark Ginsberg of the US Department of Energy, Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, Fred Krupp of the Environmental Defense Fund as well as leaders from major corporations such as Proctor and Gamble and leading academic institutions such as Harvard. The Virtual Energy Forum offers attendees an opportunity to watch energy experts live via video and get answers to their questions on-the-spot. Besides saving expenses and saving carbon by meeting online instead of flying, attendees of the Virtual Energy Forum also can watch live video case studies on how other companies have implemented energy-efficient solutions, and attendees can even browse a virtual exhibit floor featuring sustainability solutions and text chat with representatives about their products.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 11:00 AM —- PROFESSIONAL BUILDER WEBCAST: STIMULUS AND THE HOUSING MARKET
Available online. Free, but registration required: http://email.housingzone.com/cgi-bin7/DM/y/hBIYI0QrhIC0e8U0Hdwc0EN
Join this discussion on the federal stimulus package’s effect on housing recovery. Everyone agrees, housing will lead the country out of its economic malaise. Get insight from a leading economist on the effect the stimulus is having, and learn from leading builders and remodelers about how to take advantage of this opportunity.
Panelists:
Moderator – Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director, Professional Builder
Jim Haughey – Chief Economist, Reed Construction Data. With more than 30 years experience as a business economist and more than 20 of those spent monitoring the building and construction industry, Jim has seen everything the market can offer. He brings the strength of a larger economic vision and makes it pertinent for the housing industry.
Jason Stone – Principal, Sage Homebuilders, St. Louis. Jason Stone entered the building industry after designing a model for selling real-estate via the Web. It is his perception that green building will be to this decade what the Internet was to the last: an ultra-fast adoption of a new concept that we will soon wonder how we ever lived without. Sage Homebuilders is holding its own in spite of the collapsed housing market. It has recently expanded to offer green renovations and is finding there’s a high demand for the service.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, —- LRCOG AOMPO PUBLIC MEETINGS / DRAFT 2035 LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN (LRTP) Open to all.
11:30 am – 1:30 pm: OPELIKA – Held in the Opelika Ralroad Depot, 1032 South Railroad Ave, Opelika.
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm: AUBURN — Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave, Auburn. (entrance on side of building)
Lee-Russell Council of Govts, on behalf of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Planning Organization (LRCOG AOMPO), will host this first of two public involvement meetings to discuss the draft 2035 Auburn-Opelika Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The draft LRTP addresses all modes of transportation in order to identify changes in local transportation needs. When complete, the LRTP will serve as a guide for efficient and equitable expenditure of transportation funding in the Auburn-Opelika area.
Meeting attendees can view the draft LRTP, discuss the recommended transportation improvements with project staff and submit comments. Comments received at these meetings will be incorporated into the Final LRTP. There will be no formal presentation and each meeting will have identical content. More info: Keith Bryan, LRCOG, 334-749-5264 or keith.bryan@adss.alabama.gov.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24 – YELLOWHAMMER RESTAURANT BENEFIT FOR LEE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY
Held at the YellowHammer Restaurant, 1465 Patrick Ave, Waverly. www.yellowhammerrestaurant.com
Reservations are required by phone: 334.887.5800.
The YellowHammer Restaurant will hold this benefit for the Lee County Humane Society. The YellowHammer supports the shelter’s goal to construct an on-site spay/neuter facility, which would ensure 100% spay/neuter surgeries for all animals of Lee County prior to adoption. A portion of the proceeds from your meal on Wednesday, June 24 will go directly to the Lee County Humane Society. The YellowHammer Restaurant offers Gift Certificates and is available for Private Parties and Special Functions.
WEDNESDAY, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM —- ONLINE CONFERENCE / VIRTUAL ENERGY FORUM
Available online at www.VirtualEnergyForum.com. Free & open to all.
See details above, Wednesday, June 24.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM — 2009 CULTURAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT / ADVANCING OUR CULTURAL IMPRINT www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Registration $20, includes lunch & other incidentals.
Space is limited, so register early. Registration, schedule & other details online at www.jcsm.auburn.edu/summit.
Join this gathering of representatives of Alabama’s cultural and educational entities; stay through lunch for informal networking and discussion. The 2009 Cultural Leadership Summit, “Advancing Our Cultural Imprint: A Conversation on Increasing Awareness and Building Effective Advocates for the Arts and Humanities in Our Great State,” will focus on the important role of the arts, history, and culture in generating a desirable quality of life in Alabama. The goal will be to explore how we can come together to support and showcase our crucial significance to economic development, improvement of human resources, and overall enrichment of the lives of the citizens of this state. In difficult economic times, cultural institutions too often find themselves being relegated to a secondary position as the state and individual communities struggle to deal with financial cutbacks. The reality is that in such hard times the role of educational and cultural entities becomes even more vital as a place for dialogue and learning. We not only provide programs for free or minimal cost, but we also provide learning experiences that empower people to set priorities and make decisions for our future. Sponsored by the Alabama Humanities Foundation, Alabama Museum Association, the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts, and the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Ph: 334-242-2230. Open to the public.
PROPOSED AGENDA
I. Call to order, Welcome–10:00 A.M. – John T. Manuel, Presiding
II. Roll Call – Jean Cannaday
III. Voluntary Prayer
IV. Approval of Minutes of the last Board meeting
V. Awards and Presentations
VI. Public Input and/or Appearances Before the Board
VII. Appeals/Hearings – Kathy Perry Brasfield
VIII. Committee Reports
IX. Staff Report – Chip Carden
X. Licensure Applications Meeting Standards — Jamie A. Durham
A. Review and Approve New Applications.
B. Review and Approve Expired Applications.
C. Review and Approve Expired Building Official Applications.
D. Ratify and Approve New Applications.
E Ratify and Approve Expired Applications.
F. Ratify and Approve Renewal Applications.
G. Ratify and Approve Inactive Applications.
H. Ratify and approve Expired Inactive Applications.
Licensure Applications for Board Review
I. Board Review–Renewal Applications.
J. Board Review–New Applications.
K. Board Review–Expired Applications.
XI. Legal Report
1. Recovery Fund Review: Jamie A. Durham — (a) Appeals; (b) Pending Claims; (c) Verified Claims
2. Unlicensed Builders: Jamie A. Durham — (a) Consent Agreements; (b) Settlement Agreements
3. Litigation – Kathy Perry Brasfield
4. Hearing Officer Recommendations – Kathy Perry Brasfield
5. Settlement Agreements – Kathy Perry Brasfield
6. Investigative Committee Actions: Kathy Perry Brasfield
(a) Formal Disciplinary Actions;(b) Informal Disciplinary Actions;(c) Consumer Complaints;(d) Board Complaints
7. Advisory Opinions — Kathy Perry Brasfield
8. Declaratory Judgments –Kathy Perry Brasfield
9. Attorney General Opinions – Kathy Perry Brasfield
10. Other Legal Issues – Kathy Perry Brasfield
XII. Old Business
XIII. New Business
XIV. Discussion
XV. Adjournment
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, NOON — OPELIKA LIBRARY SPEAKER SERIES / Financial planner, Brenda Dozier
Held at the Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library, 200 S. 6th Street, Opelika. http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=435
Free & open to all. More info: 334.705.5380 or e-mail tcooper@ci.opelika.al.us
Brown bag lunch program. Feel free to bring your lunch; ice, cups & coffee provided.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. Free admission. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website here. (http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/). For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 6:30 PM — SAVE OUR SAUGAHATCHEE (SOS)
Held at AU’s Comer Hall, 2nd floor, auditorium. Open to all.
Agenda: 6:30 – social hour; 7:30 – Eric Reutebuch will present an update on SWaMP.
FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 7:00 PM – SHORT FILM SCREENING / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. Free & open to all.
This second installment of the summer short film series at the Gnu’s Room will be hosted by Kerry Weldon. Weldon, a native of Alabama, spent several years in New York working with non-profit film societies. The short films Weldon has chosen are:
“Sangam” directed by Prashant Bhargava
“Transit” directed by Kerry Weldon
“Doki Doki” directed by Chris Eska
“Toward the Near” directed by Austen Menges
“Dear Sweet Emma” directed by John Cernak
Each month’s screening will feature at least one local film maker/director. A short discussion will follow the last film. There is no charge for this event.
SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1:00 – 3:00 PM — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at Kiesel Park, Auburn. Register via email to Tia Gonzalez gonzats@auburn.edu.
Participants will build and take home a completed rain barrel.
SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — CONCERT: JOHN PETERSON / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. No cover charge, but a suggested donation of $5 will go to the performer.
Local singer/songwriter John Peterson will perform two sets of his original music. Peterson plays guitar, banjo, mandolin, dobro and harmonica to accompany his entertaining and thoughtful lyrics.
UPCOMING WORKSHOP: MONDAY, JUNE 29, 8:00 AM – NOON — ONLINE WORKSHOP: AGROCLIMATE Available online. Open to all. More info: Brenda Ortiz at 844-5534 or bortiz@auburn.edu Improved ability to understand the impact of both weather and climate enhances producers’ crop management skills. To reduce production risks associated with both climate and weather on crop variability, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System will conduct this AgroClimate Workshop. Brenda Ortiz, an assistant professor in agronomy and soils at Auburn and Extension specialist working in grain crops and precision agriculture, says this workshop will include discussion of the differences in weather and climate and potential effects of climate change on the Southeast. Also, the workshop will introduce participants to AgroClimate, a set of tools designed to support crop management decisions. In addition, participants will have a number of hands-on activities with AgroClimate. The workshop is sponsored by the Southeast Climate Consortium. http://www.aces.edu/extcomm/npa/newsline/.
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ALABAMA VOICES: TAKE NEW PATH - by Adam Snyder, Director, Conservation Alabama
Alan Snyder, Executive Director of Conservation Alabama, calls for the state to look to clean energy as a source of job creation. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090621/OPINION0101/906200309/1006/OPINION
ACTION ALERT: SECRET TOXIC COAL SITES
TAKE ACTION TO MAKE THE LOCATION OF TOXIC COAL SITES PUBLIC INFORMATION
Take action to make the location of toxic coal sites public information. We should know if these sites, which contain arsenic, lead and other pollutants, are in our communities. These coal ash sites are all over the country, so please forward this information to your friends and family so they can take action to find out if a toxic coal site is in their community.
Get more details: http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=115721.0
Take action: http://action.sierraclub.org/site/Advocacy?id=2443
NOTE: For more details on the TVA coal ash spill, and clean-up efforts, see Tenn. ash spill clean-up slow;cause still unknown http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/21/AR2009062100775.html
[PLACE editorial note: Alabamians are understandably concerned over and fighting against a proposal to dump at the Perry County landfill approximately half of the toxic coal ash from the recent TVA accident. Consider the consequences if the EPA and Army Corp of Engineers are allowed to keep secret the locations of other toxic coal sites. How will people know to protect themselves from the environmental hazards posed? According to the Washington Post article noted above, "The ash - which typically contains traces of arsenic and other toxic materials - is stored at 43 other sites in 26 communities around the country, which are so hazardous the Army Corps of Engineers won't disclose their locations." (empahsis added)]
PRODUCT-SAFETY CERTIFIER EXPANDS TO GREEN PRODUCTS
Excerpt from blog: Green Inc. – Energy, the Environment and the Bottom Line- June 2, 2009:
Underwriters Laboratories, whose ubiquitous product-safety labels have made it household name for more than a century, is pushing hard to make a new name for itself as a global environmental-standards tester. On Monday, its five-month-old subsidiary, UL Environment, or U.L.E., awarded its first product certification to a type of recycled drywall called EcoRock. . . . Other products in line to be tested by the U.L.E. program include sunglasses, wind turbines, dishwashers and televisions . . . . U.L.E. certification is the latest in a flurry of environment-related news from Underwriters – including the planned opening of two new solar-panel testing labs in Japan and Germany in 2010; an expansion this summer of the company’s year-old 20,000-square-foot photovoltaic testing center in San Jose, Calif.; the safety-testing of wind turbines in partnership with Germanischer Lloyd of Hamburg, Germany; and its selection as the first nationally recognized testing lab for EnergyStar LED products, in partnership with Luminaire Testing Laboratory in Allentown, Pa. See full blog post online at http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/product-safety-certifier-expands-to-green/.
CLIMATE CHANGE HITTING POOR IN U.S. HARDEST – May 29, 2009 article in The Daily Climate
Excerpted from: http://wwwp.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2009/05/Climate-Change-hitting-poor-in-U.S.-hardest
GreenActionResearchers find climate change is having a ‘hidden and often unequal’ impact on minorities and poor in the United States.
. . . “Climate change does not affect everyone equally in the United States,” said Rachel Morello-Frosch, associate professor at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley and lead author of The Climate Gap. “People of color and the poor will be hurt the most – unless elected officials and other policymakers intervene.”
. . . . according to the researchers:
• Households in the lowest income bracket spend twice the proportion of their income on electricity than those in the highest income bracket. Any policy that increases the cost of energy will hurt the poor the most.
• California industries considered heavy emitters of greenhouse gases have a workforce that is 60 percent minority. Any climate plan that fails to transition those workers to new “green energy” jobs threatens to widen the racial economic divide.
• Minorities and the poor already breathe dirtier air than other Americans and are more likely to lack health insurance. As higher temperatures hasten the chemical interactions that produce smog, they’re going to feel the most impact.
The findings, the researchers say, underscore the need for policymakers to consider environmental justice when addressing climate. Ignoring the climate gap, they warn, could reinforce and amplify current and future socioeconomic and racial disparities.
[The Climate Gap is available at http://college.usc.edu/geography/ESPE/perepub.html; USC Center for Sustainable Cities; The Program for Environmental and Regional Equity/PERE].
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CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting. (Incumbents Phillip Fretwell and Jim Douglas have served two full terms; incumbent Robert Poole has served one partial and one full term.)
* Greenspace Advisory Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent Cliff Webber has served one partial term & is eligible for reappointment.)
* Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent James Baird has served one partial term & is eligble for reappointment.)
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
LEE COUNTY COMMISSION CONSIDERING GARBAGE DISPOSAL RATE INCREASE / PUBLIC HEARING JULY 13 www.leeco.us
The Lee County Commission will consider enacting a garbage fee disposal rate increase for citizens of Lee County currently using Lee County Convenience Centers, from $12 a month to $16 a month for residential users and from $24 a month to $48 a month for commercial users. (The current rate was set on Oct. 1, 1995.) The rate would then be adjusted yearly based upon the Consumer Price Index. A public hearing on the proposed rate increase will be held during the 6:00 pm, July 13, 2009, Lee County Commission meeting after which the County Commission will take action on the proposed increase. If enacted the rate increase would become effective Oct. 1, 2009 to be first collected starting Oct. 1, 2010.
LEE COUNTY FORMS ‘COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE’ FOR 2010 CENSUS
The 2010 Census is quickly approaching and to help spread the word about the Census’ importance, the Lee County Commission announces the formation of a Complete County Committee. The CCC will be comprised of citizens and public agencies and will assist with outreach efforts within the community. Having an accurate count of Lee County citizens is vital to federal funding the county may receive to assist with improving and expanding services. Interested citizens may contact Wendy Swann at 334-737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us for more information. www.leeco.us
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
June 22, 2009
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Thank God for Alabama’s Jefferson County
June 19, 2009 column: Lisa Brouillette
First published in the Opelika-Auburn News
Instead of ‘Thank God for Mississippi,’ alluding to that state’s tendency to rank even lower than Alabama on many national scales, maybe we should say ‘Thank God for Jefferson County.’
In addition to JeffCo’s serious financial woes – loss of occupational tax, overwhelming sewer bond debt, possible bankruptcy, etc. – Birmingham recently topped the list nationally for health risk from industrial air toxics. Even worse, those risks were disproportionately borne by the area’s minority and low-income residents. (Justice in the Air, 2009. For additional source details, see below.)
Another Alabama example of such economic and racial injustice is the proposal to dump loads of toxic TVA coal ash in rural Perry County’s landfill. Barbara Evans, of the nonprofit environmental law firm WildLaw, wrote an excellent description of this situation. She pointed to the heart of the problem: Alabama’s lack of adequate local government controls on landfills and other environmental hazards.
To quote Evans, “It’s Perry County today and your county tomorrow. Rural Alabamians feel like they are under attack. If it isn’t landfills, it’s rock quarries or corporate hog farms.” (Mont. Advertiser, June 16, 2009)
I’m sure that comment hits home, literally, for the determined environmentalists who worked so hard this past legislative session for local authority over quarry siting and permitting. Efforts of such statewide groups as Conservation Alabama and local group Save Our Saugahatchee pushed this issue closer to passage than ever before, ready for success next year.
Alabama’s archaic state constitution is the problem: it concentrates power in the state legislature and limits local authority. Constitutional reform legislation failed this year.
But ACCR – Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform – this month showed just how such reform could be accomplished. Over 250 delegates from the 105 Alabama house districts participated in a mock constitutional convention. Go to ACCR’s website – www.constitutionalreform.org – to see and comment on the delegates’ draft constitution.
You can also comment on an important new Lee County document – its first ever Lee County Master Plan. The plan will guide future government efforts in housing, transportation, planning, recreation, the natural environment, growth, and other quality-of-life issues. If properly drafted and implemented, the Master Plan could help Lee County avoid problems such as Jefferson County’s. For details and to comment, go to www.leeco.us/masterplan/.
Another local example of avoiding mistakes such as JeffCo’s is the Auburn Water Board’s recent difficult decision to increase water rates. That action will keep the utility financially viable and its bond rating high.
Want an entertaining way to support our local economy? Head to Downtown Auburn tonight for SummerNight! 2009 – an evening of fun, food, music, and art.
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References:
STATE OF THE AIR - American Lung Association – www.stateoftheair.org/ — www.stateoftheair.org/2009/states/alabama/
American Lung Association Releases Annual State of the Air Report - Last month, the American Lung Association released their annual “State of the Air” report, ranking and grading 17 Alabama counties. The report and rankings were based on the number of days from 2005 to 2007 in which air quality monitors recorded unhealthy air. Below are some of the results:
* The Birmingham Metro area ranked 5th in the country for pollution from fine particle pollution, or soot in the air.
* Birmingham ranked 20th nationally in ozone pollution.
* Baldwin County received an A for having low particle pollution levels.
* Mobile, Escambia and Dekalb counties all received B’s for low particle pollution levels.
* In the state of Alabama, 12 of 16 counties where ozone levels were checked received F’s for ozone pollution.
To view the entire report, visit the American Lung Association website at http://www.stateoftheair.org. If you want to personally take action and reduce air pollution visit http://www.alabamacleanair.org.
JUSTICE IN THE AIR http://college.usc.edu/geography/ESPE/documents/justice_in_the_air_web.pdf
RE: AIR QUALITY REPORTS FOR ALABAMA
The American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report (http://www.stateoftheair.org/) found that the Birmingham metro area has surged from 18th to the fifth worst in the country for particle pollution in the air. Birmingham was also listed at 20th in the country for ozone pollution.
Mobile and Baldwin counties received mixed grades from the report, with high scores on particle pollution but the lowest scores on ozone pollution.
A second report entitled Justice in the Air was released at the same time as the State of the Air report. It focused on air pollution in minority and impoverished communities. (http://college.usc.edu/geography/ESPE/documents/justice_air_web.pdf)
Both reports again brought into focus the issue of cumulative risk of air pollution on sensitive populations in Alabama. The Conservation Alabama Foundation continues to work with ADEM to find solutions to high levels toxic air pollution in some Alabama communities.
ALABAMA VOICES: LAX LAWS MAKE STATE DUMPING GROUND - by Barbara Evans, WildLaw (www.wildlaw.org) - June 16, 2009 http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090616/OPINION0101/906160304/Alabama-Voices–Lax-laws-make-state-dumping-ground
LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN – www.leeco.us/masterplan/
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MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES THIS WEEK
CITY OF AUBURN WATER RATES TO INCREASE: Water Rates to Increase July 1, 2009 -
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/wrm061109.asp
CONTINUING THROUGH TUESDAY, JUNE 30 —- 11TH ANNUAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Come view this 11th annual juried art exhibition / competitive exhibition open to artists and craftspersons in Lee County.
MONDAY, JUNE 15, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM — DR. MICHAEL IRWIN / SLEEP APNEA
Held at the Health Resource Center, 2027 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. Part of the OLLI at Auburn Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series. Info: www.olliatauburn.org, or call the Outreach Program Office 334-844-5100.
MONDAY, JUNE 15, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST — LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN TOWN HALL MEETINGS
Held at: *Beauregard High School and *Loachapoka High School
Open to all who live and/or work in Lee County. Open to those within cities and those in unincorporated areas of the county. *Attend whichever meeting is most convenient for you. All meetings will have the same agenda and will be two hours long.
Agenda: discuss previous input on the Lee County Master Plan, draft goals for the future and conceptual development map. In addition to growth and development, discussion will focus on the natural environment, transportation, parks & recreation housing and other aspect of our quality of life.
Public input will continue to guide the creation of this FIRST master plan for Lee County The plan will have a strong focus on the unincorporated portions of the county. However, please note input is invited from those from within cities and from those in the unincorporated areas of the county. More info: Wendy Swann, Governmental Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission (334) 737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us. www.leeco.us/masterplan/
Additional Lee County Master Plan town hall meetings this week:
Tuesday, June 16, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST — *Beulah High School and *Lee County Courthouse Annex/Opelika (Old Johnson Gallery Building)
Thursday, June 18, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST — *Smiths Station High School
TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday through out the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelkamainst@aol.com for more information.
TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST — LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN TOWN HALL MEETING
Held at: *Beulah High School and *Lee County Courthouse Annex/Opelika (Old Johnson Gallery Building)
Open to all who live and/or work in Lee County. Open to those within cities and those in unincorporated areas of the county.
Agenda: see details above, Monday, 6:00 pm, Lee County Master Plan Town Hall Meeting. www.leeco.us/masterplan/
Additional Lee County Master Plan meeting this week: Thursday, June 18, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST — *Smiths Station High School
TUESDAY, JUNE 16 – OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:35 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda includes:
(1) – a. Resolution/agreement, Fire Dept. testing
(2) – a. Resolution/agreement with Opelika Housing Authority; b. General updates.
(3) – Discuss/review CM agenda items of 6/16/09: a. Remarks by Mayor; b. General business; c Bids; d. Resolutions; e. Ordinances; f. Board Appointments
(4) – Discussion …. City Council: a. New / Old Business; b. Board appointments; c. Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR – Gary Fuller
1. Building Inspection report for May 2009.
2. City Financial Summary for May 2009.
8.) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less)
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS
1. Public Hearing, project development agreement with Sonam Consulting.
2. Public Hearing, project development agreement with Event Center Downtown. (see details below*)
12) AWARDING OF BIDS
13) RESOLUTIONS
1. Refund of occupational license fees.
2. Special appropriation from Ward 1 to Covington Recreation Center for a flag and flagpole.
3. Development agreement with Sonam Consulting.
4. Development agreement with Event Center Downtown. (see details below*)
14) ORDINANCES
1. Amend Chapter 19 of City Code; display of vehicles, boats, trailers, campers, etc. 2nd Reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS
16) ADJOURN
* PUBLIC HEARING: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH EVENT CENTER DOWNTOWN LLC – Held during the regular Opelika City Council meeting. Agenda: including, but not limited to, consideration of the following:
1. The authorization by the City Council, pursuant to Amendment 642 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901 of a resolution (the “resolution”) approving the execution and delivery of a Project Development Agreement (the “Agreement”) between the City and Event Center Downtown, LLC (the “Company”).
2. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company will acquire and renovate the building located at 614 North Railroad Avenue in the corporate limits of the City in accordance with plans and drawings submitted to the City. The Company will utilize the project as an event center in the downtown business district (the “Project”). In consideration of such obligation of the Company, the City will (i) make a cash grant to the Company in the amount of $40,000 to assist the Company in paving the parking lot for public use, (ii) waive all building, permitting and plan review fees required by the City for the Project, and (iii) waive the sewer assessment fee for the Project.
3. The City seeks to achieve, by undertaking its obligations pursuant to the Agreement and the Resolution, to promote the local economic development of the City by facilitating the acquisition and construction of the Project for the benefit of the general public and to increase employment in the City and to increase the tax and revenue base of the City.
4. The business entity to whom or for whose benefit the City proposes to grant public funds or thing of value is Event Center Downtown, LLC.
5. All interested persons may examine and review the Agreement and the Resolution, and make copies thereof at personal expense, at the offices of the City Clerk during normal business hours before and after the meeting referenced herein.
6. All interested persons shall have the opportunity to speak for or in opposition to the adoption of the Resolution and the Project Development Agreement at a public hearing held by the City Council on June 16, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
7. Further information in this notice can be obtained from the City Clerk at City Hall during normal business hours. [Opelika City Clerk, Opelika City Hall, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika, Alabama 36803; Phone: (334) 705-5110; Email: rshuman@ci.opelika.al.us; Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.]
** Changes to the zoning ordinance and annexation policy will be considered at this meeting.**
TUESDAY, JUNE 16 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 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:
3. BOARD AND COMMISSIONS. Nominations.
a. Indian Pines Recreation Authority. One Vacancy. Incumbent: Jim Hansen (has served one partial term). Four Year Term Expires June 20, 2013.
b. Cemeteries Advisory Board. One Vacancy. Resignation-Linda Silvern. Unexpired Term Ends February 4, 2012.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Zoning Ordinance. Text Amendments. Exempt Signs, Conditional Uses and Amendments & Effect of Conditional Use Approval. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. Uniform Non-Traffic Citations. Amend Section 13-13 of the Code of the City of Auburn. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Industrial Development Board. Tax Abatements.
(1) Cumberland Plastic Systems, LLC. 229 Teague Court
(2) Donaldson Company, Inc. 246 Enterprise Drive
b. $9 Million Bonds. Special Five Mill Tax Fund. Bond Purchase Agreement. Frazer Lanier Company – Bond Underwriters.
c. Annexation Policy. Planning Commission Recommendation. Amend Annexation Policy Adopted by Resolution No. 07-328.
d. FBI National Academy. Advance Travel Funds for James Tatum. $2,500.
e. McIntyre Building Company. Gregory Forthofer (Authorized Representative). Subdivision Amenity-Swimming Pool and Restroom Facilities (Tuscany Hills Pool Amenity) in the Development District Housing (DDH) Zoning District. Property Located at 125 Tuscany Hills Drive. Conditional Use Approval. TABLED FROM JUNE 2, 2009 MEETING.
f. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) $213,834. Public Works Department. FY09 Streets Restriping Project. Hornsby Striping Company, Inc.
(2) $144,770. Water Resource Management Department. Bent Creek West Sewer – Phase II (Segment C) Project. Jordan Excavating, Inc.
(3) $72,838.80. Public Safety Department. Purchase Twelve (12) Digital Multi-Band Radios. Motorola, Inc. State Contract T300.
g. Drainage and Utility Easements and Rights-of-Way. Acceptance. Stone Creek Subdivision, Phase One. Auburn Investments, LLC.
h. Vacate Right-of-Way.Old Auburn Tuskegee Highway. Property Located Behind War Eagle Supper Club, Econo Lodge, and Waffle House on South College Street. Quit Claim Deed. TABLED FROM JUNE 2, 2009 MEETING. Public Hearing Continued.
i. Bicycle Facility Naming Policy. Adoption.
j. Boards and Commissions. Appointments.
a. Indian Pines Recreation Authority. One Position. Four Year Term Expires June 20, 2013.
b. Cemeteries Advisory Board. One Position. Unexpired Term Ends February 4, 2012.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all persons interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
WEDNESDAYS, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
NEW MEETING PLACE! Now held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road.
6:00 pm – buffet dinner ($11, tax & tip included)
6:50 pm -Speaker: Lindsay Waits – “Social Networking for Political Organizations.”
Lindsay Waits is a public relations professional and freelance writer, with contributions to East Alabama Living, Travel Host Chicagoland, and Lee Magazine. During last year’s campaign, she was Communications Director for the Alabama Democratic Party and spoke briefly to our group with Jim Spearman, Executive Director. Lindsay will speak to us about the use of the Internet and new networking techniques useful for the advancement of political goals. She is currently working in three areas – Outreach Director for Conservation Alabama, Co-owner of Destination Fitness, LLC, and Hospitality Instructor for Jacksonville State University. From 2006 to 2008 she was Director of Education for International Safe Travels Foundation. She has a B.S. in Psychology and Political Science from Jacksonville State and a Masters in Hospitality and Tourism from AU where she was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Eta Sigma Delta honor societies.
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 9:00 am – ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD / Special called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Mont. Open to all. Ph: 334-242-2230
Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 9:00 am – AUBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Held in the Auburn University Hotel & Dixon Conference Center, Ballroom B. 334-844-4866. Open to all.
Agenda: Committee Meetings and Meeting of the Board of Trustees
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 – FRIDAY, JUNE 19 – GOING GREEN: SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Held at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. Go to http://www.auburn.edu/ecdi/green09.html to learn more about the course, view the agenda or register online using a check or credit card. The registration fee is $225.
Presented by AU’s Economic and Community Development Institute. During this course, leading economic and community-development experts will present innovative sustainability ideas and practices. Course topics will include sustainable community design, LEED-certified neighborhoods and the Alabama Clean Fuels Initiative. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions and talk about the challenges, possibilities and potential of “going green.” The course curriculum is specifically targeted to meet the training and educational needs of economic developers, chamber of commerce officials, state and local elected officials and community leaders, utility company representatives, community and regional planners and sustainable development practitioner-scholars. This course is the second of three 2009 Alabama Prosperity Forum courses designed to focus on areas in which Alabama economic development professionals have expressed a desire for more training. Further questions about this new ECDI course can be directed to Allyson Martin at ahm0007@auburn.edu or 844-3685.
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, NOON — OPELIKA LIBRARY SPEAKER SERIES / Inspirational speaker Sara DuBose
Held at the Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library, 200 S. 6th Street, Opelika. http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=435
Free & open to all. More info: 334.705.5380 or e-mail tcooper@ci.opelika.al.us
Brown bag lunch program. Feel free to bring your lunch; ice, cups & coffee provided.
Upcoming speaker: June 25 – Financial planner, Brenda Dozier.
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website here. (http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/). For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 , 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. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month. http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
**Amendment to the zoning ordinance definition of “family” will be discussed at this meeting.**
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 4:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION / WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
(The regular Opelika PC meeting will be held in the same location next Tuesday, June 23, 3:00 pm.)
Agenda includes:
A. PLATS (preliminary and prel. & final) – Public Hearing
1. Arrowhead S/D, Revision of Lot 26A, 2 lots, Lee Road 704, Ray Thomas, Preliminary and Final Approval
2. Teel S/D, 1st Addition, 2 lots, 447 Lee Road 265, Ken Teel, P/F Approval
3. Fox Run Development S/D, Resubdivision of Lands, 2 lots, Fox Run Parkway, Fox Run Development , LLC, P/F Approval
B. ADMINISTRATIVE PLAT – Ratify
4. T & D S/D, 2 lots, 550 Lee Road 117, William T. Pitts, Ratify
C. REZONING - Public Hearing
5. Hamilton Gables, Hamilton Road, 7 acres, from R-3 to PUD
6 Allan & Lisa Campfield, 1 lot (17,000 sf), R-3 to C-2, GC-1
D. AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE – Public Hearing
7. Section 2.2 Definitions – Family
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 4:30 PM — SPECIAL CALLED MEETING / OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Note: At a special called meeting official votes may be taken on agenda items. Agenda includes:
A. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
1. Solstice, Ltd., Century Boulevard, R-5, 56 unit duplex development. (Tabled at May 26th PC meeting).
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 5:00 – 8:00 PM —- JCSM FREE NIGHT WARHOL MOVIE / 13 Most Beautiful… Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to the public. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
As programming for the exhibition Polaroid Sketchbook: Photographs by Andy Warhol in the Permanent Collection, JCSM presents 13 Most Beautiful … Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests. Between 1964 and 1966, Andy Warhol shot nearly 500 short films he later called Screen Tests, beautiful and revealing portraits of hundreds of different individuals, from the famous to the anonymous. Warhol filmed the subjects on silent, black and white, 100-foot rolls of film. The resulting two-and-a-half-minute film reels were then screened in slow motion, resulting in a fascinating collection of four-minute portrait studies. Released in conjunction with The Andy Warhol Museum, 13 Most Beautiful…Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests features 13 of Warhol’s classic silent film portraits set to original music by songwriters Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips.
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 5:30 PM — NETWORKING / CITIZENS CONCERNED ABOUT NEED FOR LEGISLATIVE ETHICS REFORM
This is an excerpt from June 10, 2009, Opelika-Auburn News letter-to-the-editor by Frank Dillman, Notasulga: “Citizens wanting to network with other concerned citizens about the need of Legislative ethics reform are invited to Golden Corral restaurant at 2301 Birmingham Highway, Opelika, at 5:30 pm on June 18. Not a free dinner but the time spent with other concerned citizens may be a start of something.”
[PLACE editorial note: To see the full letter online, scroll down to the second letter at this link: http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/opinion/letters/article/letters_another_alternative_to_fossil_fuels_is_renewable_hardwood_trees/76517/.]
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST — LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN TOWN HALL MEETING
Held at: *Smiths Station High School.
Open to all who live and/or work in Lee County. Open to those within cities and those in unincorporated areas of the county.
Agenda: see details above, Monday, 6:00 pm, Lee County Master Plan Town Hall Meeting. www.leeco.us/masterplan/
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 7:00 PM — SCIENCE CAFÉ AUBURN / At The Gnu’s Room www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Biologist Geoffrey Sorrell will be speaking on the topic Natural Landscapes and Overlooked Inhabitants of the Southeast. Sorrell works for Auburn University in association with the Department of Biology and the School of Forestry and Wildlife Science. His interests lie in restoration and maintenance of ecosystem integrity, fire ecology, and herpetology.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19 – GOING GREEN: SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
See details above, Thursday, June 18.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 9:00 am – AUBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Held in the Auburn University Hotel & Dixon Conference Center, Ballroom B. 334-844-4866. Open to all.
Agenda: Committee Meetings and Meeting of the Board of Trustees
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html
FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 11:00 am — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Held in the Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Mont. Ph: 334-271-7706. Open to the public.
Agenda includes:
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on April 17, 2009
2. Report from the Director
3. Report from the Commission Chair
4. Discussion and consideration of a proposal for development of a form for the evaluation of the Director – The Commission will discuss and consider a Proposal for Development of a Form for the Evaluation of the Director – March 15, 2009, from Auburn Montgomery, Center for Government, Robert T. Ashurst.
5. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code 335-6-8 Ground Water and Underground Injection Control Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code 335-6-8, Ground Water and Underground Injection Control Regulations to provide clarification of permitting requirements for Class V wells; to prohibit discharges from a particular type of well; and, to revise public notice procedures for a Class V injection well general permit to be consistent with other ADEM Admin. Code division 335-6 public notice procedures for a general permit. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on March 6, 2009, and extended the public comment period to May 18, 2009.
6. Chalkville, L.L.C. v. ADEM, EMC Docket No. 00-19 (NPDES-Related Matter) – The Commission will consider the “Joint Motion to Dismiss of Chalkville, L.L.C. and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management” in this appeal concerning ADEM Administrative Order 00-179-MNPS issued to Chalkville, L.L.C., Chalkville Commercial Development, Jefferson County, ALR103335.
7. John Jordan, Sr. d/b/a Alabama Recycling v. ADEM, EMC Docket No. 08-02 – The Commission will consider the “Recommendation of Hearing Officer” in this appeal concerning ADEM Administrative Order 08-047-AP issued on November 19, 2007, to John Jordan, Sr. and John Jordan, Jr. d/b/a Alabama Recycling, Montgomery, Montgomery County, Air Facility ID No. 209-0094.
8. Portersville Revival Group, Inc. v. ADEM, and Utilities Board of the City of Bayou La Batre, Intervenor, EMC Docket No. 09-01 (NPDES-Related Matter) – The Commission will consider the “Recommendation of Hearing Officer” in this appeal concerning ADEM’s issuance of NPDES Permit AL0078921 to Bayou La Batre Utilities Board proposed wastewater treatment plant.
9. Other business
10. Future business session
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 1:00 PM — ADECA PUBLIC HEARING / ACHR-LEE COUNTY WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPLICATION
Held at Opelika City Hall, 204 S. 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all. http://www.leeco.us/newsdetail175.html
ADECA will hold a public hearing to discuss the Alabama Council on Human Relations recent application to administer the Weatherization Assistance Program for Lee County. Interested citizens are encouraged to attend.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 6:00 – 9:30 PM — SUMMERNIGHT: A CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS / Arts, crafts, poetry, children’s activities, food & entertainment
Held in downtown Auburn. Free to the public. (Rain date is Saturday, June 20.)
The City of Auburn, Auburn Arts Association, Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center and Downtown Auburn Merchants will host SummerNight 2009. This annual event is for local artists and musicians to display their talents, while offering the community a chance to enjoy an evening in the downtown area. Downtown merchants and restaurants will remain open after regular business hours. Citizens are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and shop, dine and enjoy the downtown atmosphere. Local artists will have their work on display and local musicians will entertain the public on Toomer’s Corner. This event will also include children’s activities earlier in the evening. More info, including musical line-up, at www.auburnsummernight.com; or contact Sara Hand at 501-2947 or at shand@auburnalabama.org.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 8:00 AM – NOON —- KEEP OPELIKA BEAUTIFUL SUMMER ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT
Held at Miles Thomas Field, off Rocky Brook Road, Opelika.
Opelika citizens are encouraged to participate in Keep Opelika Beautiful’s recycling event. KOB will partner with Creative Recycling (Palmetto, GA) to host this event. Items available for recycling include: TVs, computer screens, CD & DVD drives, scanners, kitchen appliances, video games, microwaves and cell phones. There is a $10 fee for disposal of a TV, but no charge for other items. Those with bulk items should contact Creative Recycling directly for pick-ups. For directions to the site, or a full list of items accepted for recycling, contact Keep Opelika Beautiful (KOB) 749-4970.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 9:00 — THE LAYMAN’S GROUP / Board of Directors Informational Breakfast meeting
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. All interested in The Layman’s Group and participation on its board of directors are invited to attend. For more info go to http://www.thelaymangroup.org/board.htm or contact Doc Waller at 206-338-3930 or doc@thelaymangroup.org.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm — LEE COUNTY TOUR OF HOMES 2009
Also held on Sunday, June 21, 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Tours begin from the Auburn & Opelika Chambers of Commerce. Free & open to all. www.eawcr.com
The East Alabama Chapter of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® hosts this opportunity for the entire community to see what is being offered for sale in Lee County. Homes will be open to the public, free of charge. Starting points for the Tour of Homes will be at the Auburn and Opelika Chambers of Commerce where tour viewers will receive a 2009 Tour of Homes publication and a map for the tour homes. The community will have the opportunity to view over 20 new homes and learn information on many of the area’s top builders. Proceeds from the 2009 Tour of Homes will help endow scholarship for a deserving female enrolled at Auburn University, pursuing a degree within the College of Architecture, Design and Construction. More info: contact chairman of the event, Sylvia Paul at 334-319-0491; email: smpaul@hughes.net
SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 5:00 PM – TRIBAL FUSION BELLYDANCE BY SERAPHINA
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. www.thegnusroom.com
Local instructor, Seraphina, will be demonstrating Tribal Fusion Bellydance at The Gnu’s Room. This particular style of Bellydance, grew from American Tribal Style, and is now growing in popularity across the world. Tribal Fusion pulls influences from other dances including, but not limited to: hip hop, classical Indian, modern and Egyptian bellydance. Known as the “underworld of bellydance,” it offers a darker more folkloric approach to the art of *raqs sharqi.* Enjoy Seraphina’s performance followed by a quick lesson on some of the basic moves. Her newest project, a student performing troupe, will be introduced at this event. Come and meet the members of the premiere Tribal Fusion Bellydance troupe in Auburn!
SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 1:00 – 5:00 pm — LEE COUNTY TOUR OF HOMES 2009
See details above, Saturday, June 20. www.eawcr.com
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REGISTRATION DEADLINE: JUNE 20
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM – 2009 CULTURAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT / ADVANCING OUR CULTURAL IMPRINT www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Registration $20, includes lunch & other incidentals.
Registration deadline: June 20. Space is limited, so register early.
Registration, schedule & other details online at www.jcsm.auburn.edu/summit.
Join this gathering of representatives of Alabama’s cultural and educational entities; stay through lunch for informal networking and discussion. The 2009 Cultural Leadership Summit, “Advancing Our Cultural Imprint: A Conversation on Increasing Awareness and Building Effective Advocates for the Arts and Humanities in Our Great State,” will focus on the important role of the arts, history, and culture in generating a desirable quality of life in Alabama. The goal will be to explore how we can come together to support and showcase our crucial significance to economic development, improvement of human resources, and overall enrichment of the lives of the citizens of this state. In difficult economic times, cultural institutions too often find themselves being relegated to a secondary position as the state and individual communities struggle to deal with financial cutbacks. The reality is that in such hard times the role of educational and cultural entities becomes even more vital as a place for dialogue and learning. We not only provide programs for free or minimal cost, but we also provide learning experiences that empower people to set priorities and make decisions for our future.
RESERVATIONS OPEN NOW:
SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1:00 – 3:00 PM – RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at Kiesel Park, Auburn. Register via email to Tia Gonzalez gonzats@auburn.edu.
Participants will build and take home a completed rain barrel.
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CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES:
** Water Rates to Increase July 1, 2009 — http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/wrm061109.asp
** Auburn Named Top 10 Best Place to Live by US News & World Report — http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm060909.asp
** Auburn Arts Association and City of Auburn to host SummerNight Downtown Art Walk Friday, June 19 (Revised 06/09/09) – http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr060309.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
* Cemeteries Advisory Board — one vacancy will be announced & filled at the June 16 City Council meeting. (Resignation-Linda Silvern. Unexpired Term Ends February 4, 2012.)
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting. (Incumbent James R Hansen has served one full term & is eligible for reappointment.)
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting. (Incumbents Phillip Fretwell and Jim Douglas have served two full terms; incumbent Robert Poole has served one partial and one full term.)
* Greenspace Advisory Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent Cliff Webber has served one partial term & is eligible for reappointment.)
* Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting. (Incumbent James Baird has served one partial term & is eligble for reappointment.)
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
LEE COUNTY COMMISSION CONSIDERING GARBAGE DISPOSAL RATE INCREASE / PUBLIC HEARING JULY 13 www.leeco.us
The Lee County Commission will consider enacting a garbage fee disposal rate increase for citizens of Lee County currently using Lee County Convenience Centers, from $12 a month to $16 a month for residential users and from $24 a month to $48 a month for commercial users. (The current rate was set on Oct. 1, 1995.) The rate would then be adjusted yearly based upon the Consumer Price Index. A public hearing on the proposed rate increase will be held during the 6:00 pm, July 13, 2009, Lee County Commission meeting after which the County Commission will take action on the proposed increase. If enacted the rate increase would become effective Oct. 1, 2009 to be first collected starting Oct. 1, 2010.
LEE COUNTY FORMS ‘COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE’ FOR 2010 CENSUS
The 2010 Census is quickly approaching and to help spread the word about the Census’ importance, the Lee County Commission announces the formation of a Complete County Committee. The CCC will be comprised of citizens and public agencies and will assist with outreach efforts within the community. Having an accurate count of Lee County citizens is vital to federal funding the county may receive to assist with improving and expanding services. Interested citizens may contact Wendy Swann at 334-737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us for more information. www.leeco.us
WE SHOULD ADOPT ENERGY CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN ALL WE DO / DAVID NEWTON
Published June 8 as a letter-to-the-editor, Opelika-Auburn News; www.oanow.com.
In May, the Center for Naval Analysis released “Powering America’s Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security.” Among the conclusions was, “U.S. dependence on fossil fuels undermines economic stability, which is critical to national security.”
Also in May, the Union of Concerned Scientists asserted in The Climate 2030 Blueprint “we can build a competitive clean energy economy that will save consumers money and give our children a healthy future.”
In late May, some 500 CEOs and other business experts, at the World Business Summit on Climate Change, concluded there should be “immediate and substantial” reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases by 2020 and at least 50 percent reductions by mid-century.
These influential groups recognize that fossil fuels continue to cause serious security, economic, and environmental problems.
A concern in the Southeast has been the perceived lack of alternatives to fossil fuels, but the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy maintains that we have “sufficient renewable resources to comply with a strong RES” (Renewable Energy Standard). We, as consumers, should help by adopting energy conservation and efficiency in all of our activities.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
June 15, 2009
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CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS – WEEK OF JUNE 8, 2009
AGENDA — AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
TODAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 4:00 PM – Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St, Auburn. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet with agenda item details now online at: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
Agenda includes:
1. CALL TO ORDER. Anne Shaw, Chair. – Approval of Minutes – a. May 12, 2009
2. CONSIDERATION OF A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AT 318 NORTH COLLEGE STREET TO WIDEN A SIDEWALK AND REMOVE SCREENING SHRUBBERY FROM AN APPROVED LANDSCAPE PLAN
3. CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE DESIGN REVIEW STANDARDS FOR THE NORTH COLLEGE HISTORIC DISTRICT (CONTINUATION FROM PRIOR MONTH)
a. Public comment
b. Consideration/action
4. OTHER BUSINESS
Including:
a. Status of the public improvements project in the historic district
b. Status of the Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns 2010 planning for the City of Auburn
c. Recent Certificates of Appropriateness
d. Upcoming Historic Preservation Events
5. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS
6. ADJOURNMENT
CORRECTIONS / ADDITIONAL INFO
AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION, THURSDAY, JUNE 11
1. Meeting is this THURSDAY, not Tuesday as listed in a previous email.
2. Agenda items are listed below.
3. This will be the first school board meeting for new member Tracie West.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11 - AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
Agenda: to be posted at http://www.auburnschools.org/School_Info/BOE Minutes/board_of_education_minutes_2009.htm
Agenda includes:
I. Election of Board Officers for 2009-10
II. Hear Delegations
III. Approve Minutes
May 5, 2009, Special Session #1; May 5, 2009, Special Session #2; May 12, 2009, Special Session;
May 12, 2009, Regular Session; May 18, 2009, Special Session
IV. Communications
V. Approve Payment of Bills and Salaries – May 2009
VI. Unfinished Business
VII. Superintendent’s Report and New Business
1. Bid Results: Milk
2. Bid Results: Kitchen Equipment for Drake Middle School
3. Computer Lease Agreement
4. FY 2009 Budget Amendment #1
5. 2009-10 CPO Contracts
6. 2009-10 Pupil Progression Plan/Statement of Responsibilities
VIII. Personnel
1. Resignations; 2. Termination; 3. Retirement; 4. Leave Requests; 5. Contract Changes; 6. Summer Employment; 7. Employment; 8. Exit Surveys
Other: The Board of Education will meet for its next regular session on July 14, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School
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ADDITIONAL UPDATES
NO CHANGES TO AUBURN CITY COUNCIL RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS
Changes to the length, type and procedures for public input at City Council meetings were considered at the June 2 Auburn City Council meeting. In addition to other procedural restrictions, the proposal would have decreased to three minutes the time allotted to each speaker during Citizens’ Communications. (Currently each speaker is allowed five minutes.) Further, it would have applied a three-minute time limit and other regulations to citizen comments during public hearings. Currently there are no such restrictions on public comment during public hearings. Also included in the failed proposal was that ‘organized groups’ have only one speaker and adhere to a three minute limit.
Fortunately, the motion to approve those new regulations failed, with a tie vote of 4-4. (Worden was absent.)
Voting to impose the new regulations: Ham, Beard, Dulaney, Norman.
Voting against the new regulations: Eckman, Kelley, Dowdell and Phelan.
MUCH OF SOUTHEAST U.S. WATER GOES TO POWER PLANTS — http://www.wwn-online.com/print.aspx?aid=72110
Water and Watts (http://pdf.wri.org/southeast_water_and_watts.pdf), the third report in a three-part series about energy issues in the region, notes that approximately two out of every three gallons of freshwater withdrawn in the Southeast United States are sent to thermoelectric power plants, which are mostly coal-fired and nuclear.
These plants require about 40 billion gallons of freshwater each day — nearly equal to the total daily freshwater withdrawals required to meet public supply needs for the entire nation.
“Reducing electricity demands is not only critical to addressing our energy challenges, but also to meeting regional water needs,” said Ben Taube, executive director at the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance and a co-author of the new report. “Lawmakers at the federal, state, and local levels should consider policies that create incentives for the efficient use of both water and energy, especially in light of recent droughts.”
Water availability has become a more common source of conflict between states in the region. Alabama, Florida, and Georgia have fought over control of the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint River Basin and similar issues arose in North and South Carolina over the Catawba River.
Looking ahead, population growth in the Southeast could lead to a 30 percent increase in thermoelectric power generation by 2025. Without policy action to encourage efficiency and water-efficient power production, this higher electricity demand could further exacerbate water scarcity problems.
“Building more thermoelectric power plants that run on nuclear and coal is simply not sustainable,” said Dennis Creech, executive director at Southface, another report co-author. “Fortunately, we see that efficiency upgrades and conservation efforts can reduce demands on both energy and water resources, while saving consumers money on utility bills.”
The report notes that the average household in the region is spending about $250 each year on energy to heat the water they use for dishwashers, clothes washers, showers, and other needs. Upgrading just half the households in the Southeast with WaterSense labeled faucets or faucet aerators, for one example, could save residents an estimated $40 million on their water bills and another $80 million on their energy bills.
Any water efficiency improvements also help reduce demands on city water and wastewater treatment facilities. The energy needed to operate these facilities can amount to as much as 30 percent of a city’s total energy bill.
“These relationships between energy and water should not be overlooked in the Southeast,” said Eliot Metzger, an energy expert at WRI and co-author of the report. “Policymakers should take steps to promote water and energy savings, starting with near-term actions that make good economic and environmental sense.”
Policy and investment opportunities highlighted in the report focus on realizing both energy and water benefits. To start, state regulators must evaluate the impacts of new electric power supplies upon water, and prioritize options, including efficiency, with minimal or no water requirements.
Strong leadership is also needed with energy and water efficiency requirements for public buildings. Several states – including Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia – have policies that encourage efficiency in state buildings. Additional policies and procurement guidelines for high efficiency products, like those bearing the Energy Star logo (http://www.energystar.gov/) or the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense label (http://www.epa.gov/watersense/), can lead to additional energy, water and cost savings.
Financial incentives can help promote options like solar water heaters, which use heat from the sun to provide 40 to 80 percent of water heating needs. These systems can save homeowners $150 or more in energy costs each year. State tax incentives and additional federal tax credits can help encourage more homeowners to install solar hot water systems.
Finally, states and utilities can also lead information and awareness campaigns to help educate homeowners and businesses about the connections between energy and water use. (Copyright 2007 1105 Media Inc.)
ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALABAMA SURPASSES 1 MILLION VIEWS
The Encyclopedia of Alabama ( http://www.EncyclopediaofAlabama.org ), a statewide project based in AU’s Department of History, College of Liberal Arts, achieved a significant milestone by surpassing its 1 millionth page view during the first week of June. The encyclopedia, which launched in September, was developed through a partnership between Auburn and the Alabama Humanities Foundation. The nationally recognized Web site offers more than 750 articles on Alabama’s culture, geography, natural environment and history. Visitors to the site are interested in a variety of topics, with Harper Lee and her book, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” combining to rank as the most popular; these two articles were written by Auburn faculty Nancy Anderson, professor of English and philosophy at Auburn Montgomery, and Wayne Flynt, professor emeritus of history. Following closely as one of the most-visited pages is the article on Alabama agriculture by Charles Mitchell, professor of agronomy and soils. Also in the top 25 most-viewed entries is an article on Alabama’s climate by Philip Chaney, professor of geology and geography. The encyclopedia has recorded visitors from more than 200 Alabama communities, all 50 states and more than 160 countries and territories.
AU URBAN STUDIO’S MORGAN AND TEAM RECEIVE EPA AWARD
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s Cheryl Morgan will accept the 2009 Award for Cross Program Revitalization from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C., later this month. The award recognizes Morgan and her team for their work to create a sustainable and lasting master plan for the city of Valley. The people of Valley used the plan as a blueprint for future development. Based on the work of Morgan’s team, Valley applied for grants through the EPA to revitalize their numerous brownfields (overused industrial areas that are ready for redevelopment), which resulted in the award. Morgan is the director of the Birmingham Urban Studio, an outreach program of the School of Architecture, that gives fourth-year and thesis students the opportunity to pursue design in an urban setting and engage in community projects.
AU STUDENTS HELPED RESTORE THE HISTORIC SHILOH-ROSENWALD SCHOOL
Students in AU’s 2008-09 class of the Design-Build master’s program have recently graduated and are going their separate ways. However, their collective work outside the classroom while at Auburn will leave an indelible mark on one Macon County community. The 12 students in the program, under the guidance of D. K. Ruth, director of the College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s Design-Build program, and Anthony Tindill, visiting assistant professor in the McWhorter School of Building Science, dedicated the past year to helping restore the Shiloh-Rosenwald School. Built in the 1920s, the three-room, wood frame building provided a place to educate African American children in Notasulga and the surrounding area for more than 40 years until federally mandated integration. For the full story, visit the Office of Communications and Marketing’s Newsmakers site (http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/newsmakers/shiloh/ ). See also the Shiloh-Rosenwald Community Foundation’s website: www.shilohcommfound.com/.
AUBURN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES DIGITIZE GLOMERATAS
The Auburn University Libraries now offers 105 years of the Auburn University yearbook, the Glomerata. Gloms from 1897-2003 may be viewed in the Digital Library at this link (http://diglib.auburn.edu/collections/gloms/ ); more recent editions
will be added in the future. Everyone is encouraged to visit the Digital Library to experience the Auburn of their parents or grandparents or their own days on the Plains from the comfort of their computer chairs. Original Gloms are still available in hard copy in the Special Collections and Archives Department on the ground floor of AU’s Draughon Library.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
June 9, 2009
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MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES – WEEK OF JUNE 8, 2009
CONTINUING THROUGH TUESDAY, JUNE 30 —- 11TH ANNUAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Come view this 11th annual juried art exhibition / competitive exhibition open to artists and craftspersons in Lee County.
MONDAY, JUNE 8, NOON — AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
[The regular Planning Commission meeting will be held this Thursday, June 11, 5:00 pm; see details below in this email.]
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Wiggins Annexation PL-2009-00296
Applicant: Paul Wiggins
General Location: West of Wrights Mill Road and south of Shell Toomer Parkway. This property is near the entrance to Chewacla State Park.
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 3.56 acres
2. Eastman Annexation PL-2009-00307
Applicant: Richard and Sandra Eastman
General Location: On the west side of Alabama Highway 147 North (Heath Road) and north of US Highway 280
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 1.34 acres
NEW BUSINESS
3. Ward-Pace Annexation PL-2009-00308
Applicant: Pro-17 Engineering for Virginia B. Ward and Thomas L. Pace
General Location: South of Sandhill Road and west of Lee Road 023
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 9.41 acres
4. Stone Creek Subdivision, Phase One PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00315
Applicant: Auburn Investments, LLC (Randall Goggans)
General Location: At the northern terminus of Reynolds Drive and adjacent to Lee Scott Academy
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 35-lot performance residential subdivision
5. Stone Creek Subdivision, Phase One PL-2009-00312
Applicant: Auburn Investments, LLC (Randall Goggans)
General Location: At the northern terminus of Reynolds Drive and adjacent to Lee Scott Academy
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 35-lot performance residential subdivision
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. STAFF COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT
MONDAY, JUNE 8 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. Joint Meeting Update – Commissioner Harris
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting May 11 & 26, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
c. Bid #11 for In-car Cameras for Sheriff’s Office – Sheriff Jay Jones
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Contract Extension for Comprehensive Development Strategies-Comm. Harris
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Support for ACHR Weatherization Grant Application – Michelle Pugh
b. Annual Final Report of Litigations & Insolvencies – Oline Price
c. Accept Roads in Amberbrook Subdivision for Maintenance- Neal Hall
10. Adjourn
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM —- FREE ONLINE WEBINAR / RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND RAIN GARDENS
Details, schedule and registration available online at: http://www.areg.caes.uga.edu/ .
The Southern Regional Water Program, funded by the USDA-CSREES 406 National Water Program, will sponsor a free Webinar Rain Water Harvesting and Rain Gardens.
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPELIKA MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET
Held on South Railroad Ave, downtown Opelika. Open to all.
This market is open every Tuesday throughout the summer. Produce is grown by local farmers. Please call Velinda at 334.745.0466 or e-mail opelikamainst@aol.org for more information
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 5:00 – 8:00 PM — MARBLE SLAB CREAMERY CHARITY NIGHT FOR EAST ALABAMA FOOD BANK
Held at Marble Slab Creamery, TigerTown, Opelika.
On Tuesday, June 9th the Food Bank of East Alabama will receive 15% of Marble Slab Creamery’s sales from 5:00 – 8:00 pm. If sales are doubled for the day, the Food Bank will receive 15% of the entire day’s sales. A terrific way to support the Food Bank and enjoy some very special ice cream at the same time!
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather weekly and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue. Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 8:00 AM — DOWNTOWN MERCHANT ASSOCIATION (DMA)
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger). Open to DMA members and others interested in sustaining and improving downtown Auburn.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11. NOON – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
LUNCH AT THE MUSEUM CAFÉ: Lunch by Ursula Higgins is served at the Museum Cafe Tuesdays through Fridays, 11:00 am-2:00 pm. The current month’s menu, described week by week, is online at http://jcsm.auburn.edu/cafe/cafe_menu.php.
This week’s menu, June 9-12, includes: Chilled summer pea soup; Chicken salad on whole wheat or focaccia; Turkey, brie and mango chutney Panini; Shrimp salad in a tomato cup; ½ sandwich with a cup of soup or salad; Mocha meringue or Melba meringue; Homemade muffins.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET / AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website here. (http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/). For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 4:00 PM — AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD / SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. Agenda: results of rate survey, proposed rate increase on July 1.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
TUES THURSDAY, JUNE 11 - AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 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 (See details above, Monday, noon, June 8, PC packet meeting)
FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 7:00 – 9:00 AM and SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 8:00 – 10:00 AM
ORGANIC LOCAL BLUEBERRIES FOR SALE/ PROCEEDS BENEFIT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Held at Walgreens, Glenn Ave at Dean Road, Auburn.
Organic local blueberries for sale again this year, with a donation on each quart going to Habitat for Humanity. Blueberries will be available at Walgreens on the following schedule:
This weekend: Friday, June 12, 7-9 a.m.; Saturday, June 13, 8-10 a.m.
Next weekend: Friday, June 19, 7-9 a.m.; Saturday, June 20, 8-10 a.m.
FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING DAVE POTTS
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Dave Potts, go to www.sundilla.org.
FRIDAY, JUNE 12 & SATURDAY, JUNE 13 — 19TH ANNUAL ALEXANDER CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL
Friday, June 12, 6:00 pm — held at Strand Park (Tallapoosa Street Park), downtown Alexander City.
Saturday, June 13 6:30 pm — held at Lake Martin Amphitheater
This is Lake Martin’s biggest musical event of the year. For more info, including a schedule of musical events, visit www.alexcityjazzfest.com.
SATURDAY, JUNE 13 and SUNDAY, JUNE 14 —- LEE COUNTY TOUR OF HOMES 2009
Saturday, June 13, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, June 14, 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Tours begin from the Auburn & Opelika Chambers of Commerce. Free & open to all. www.eawcr.com
The East Alabama Chapter of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® hosts this opportunity for the entire community to see what is being offered for sale in Lee County. Homes will be open to the public, free of charge. Starting points for the Tour of Homes will be at the Auburn and Opelika Chambers of Commerce where tour viewers will receive a 2009 Tour of Homes publication and a map for the tour homes. The community will have the opportunity to view over 20 new homes and learn information on many of the area’s top builders. Proceeds from the 2009 Tour of Homes will help endow scholarship for a deserving female enrolled at Auburn University, pursuing a degree within the College of Architecture, Design and Construction. More info: contact chairman of the event, Sylvia Paul at 334-319-0491; email: smpaul@hughes.net
SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS – Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
On the second Saturday of every month, a group of history re-enactors gather at the LCHS Museum in period attire to demonstrate their arts and crafts. Blacksmiths are usually working at the forge, spinners and weavers are in the log cabin, and someone is always cooking up a meal in the fireplace or outdoors. The Museum is always open on Second Saturdays. Also on Secord Saturdays, the Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer group meets at the Museum at 11:00am. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcomed. Bring your dulcimer or other instrument and join in the pickin’.
SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 10:00 AM – 2:00 AM — ALABAMA ARISE / SUMMER MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Held at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 3775 Crosshaven Dr., Birmingham. http://www.alarise.org/
At the morning session of Alabama Arise’s summer membership meeting the whole group will look at the grocery tax effort and then break into smaller groups to discuss. After lunch, they’ll hear an update on the death penalty, followed by a session devoted to healthcare reform, which is expected to be on the agenda in Washington this summer. This meeting will also serve as a kick-off to their summer listening sessions. Interested? Find out more, join Alabama Arise and/or reserve your spot at their summer meeting at http://www.alarise.org/.
SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 1:00 – 4:00 PM — CHAIR MASSAGE / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Licensed massage therapist Conar Rochford will be offering chair massage at the Gnu’s Room. Relax with a cup of decaf, and let Conar take the stress away!
SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 7:00 PM — STAND-UP COMEDY FEATURING TANGELA EKHOFF / THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. www.thegnusroom.com
There is no cover charge, but a suggested donation of $5.00 will go to the performer.
The Recession Made Me Do It – Tangela Ekhoff’s new comedy show– chronicles the lighter side of Ekhoff’s struggle with financial disaster in the wake of her second husband’s unemployment. Ekhoff studied stand-up comedy with Judy Carter, owner of Comedy Workshop in Los Angeles. She also studied improv comedy and comedy writing with Emmy winner Rick Overton. Ekhoff has performed stand-up in Montgomery, AL, where she currently resides, in Palm Springs, and New York. She also wrote, produced, and performed with a comedy troupe based in Montgomery. According to Ekhoff, “The first phase of my comedy career helped me develop my style and get comfortable on stage. My comedy is a fusion of story-telling and stand-up. People can relate to my material: work, family, failure — with a sprinkle of pop culture. I don’t do vulgar jokes, there is way too much of that right now. I can be edgy without being graphic.” For more info about Ekhoff, go to www.thegnusroom.com/Store events.htm.
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UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDAR:
LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN TOWN HALL MEETINGS — JUNE 15, 16 & 18 www.leeco.us/masterplan/
Monday, June 15, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST: *Beauregard High School and *Loachapoka High School
Tuesday, June 16, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST: *Beulah High School and *Lee County Courthouse Annex/Opelika
Thursday, June 18, 6:00 – 8:00 pm CST: *Smiths Station High School
Open to all who live and/or work in Lee County. Open to those within cities and those in unincorporated areas of the county.
*Attend whichever meeting is most convenient for you. All meetings will have the same agenda and will be two hours long.
Agenda: discuss previous input on the Lee County Master Plan, draft goals for the future and conceptual development map. In addition to growth and development, discussion will focus on the natural environment, transportation, parks & recreation housing and other aspect of our quality of life.
Public input will continue to guide the creation of this FIRST master plan for Lee County The plan will have a strong focus on the unincorporated portions of the county. However, please note input is invited from those from within cities and from those in the unincorporated areas of the county. More info: Wendy Swann, Governmental Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission (334) 737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us.
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 – FRIDAY, JUNE 19 – GOING GREEN: SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Held at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. Go to http://www.auburn.edu/ecdi/green09.html to learn more about the course, view the agenda or register online using a check or credit card. The registration fee is $225.
Presented by AU’s Economic and Community Development Institute. During this course, leading economic and community-development experts will present innovative sustainability ideas and practices. Course topics will include sustainable community design, LEED-certified neighborhoods and the Alabama Clean Fuels Initiative. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions and talk about the challenges, possibilities and potential of “going green.” The course curriculum is specifically targeted to meet the training and educational needs of economic developers, chamber of commerce officials, state and local elected officials and community leaders, utility company representatives, community and regional planners and sustainable development practitioner-scholars. This course is the second of three 2009 Alabama Prosperity Forum courses designed to focus on areas in which Alabama economic development professionals have expressed a desire for more training. Further questions about this new ECDI course can be directed to Allyson Martin at ahm0007@auburn.edu or 844-3685.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: JUNE 20
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM — 2009 CULTURAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT / ADVANCING OUR CULTURAL IMPRINT www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Registration $20, includes lunch & other incidentals.
Registration deadline: June 20. Space is limited, so register early.
Registration, schedule & other details online at www.jcsm.auburn.edu/summit.
Join this gathering of representatives of Alabama’s cultural and educational entities; stay through lunch for informal networking and discussion. The 2009 Cultural Leadership Summit, “Advancing Our Cultural Imprint: A Conversation on Increasing Awareness and Building Effective Advocates for the Arts and Humanities in Our Great State,” will focus on the important role of the arts, history, and culture in generating a desirable quality of life in Alabama. The goal will be to explore how we can come together to support and showcase our crucial significance to economic development, improvement of human resources, and overall enrichment of the lives of the citizens of this state. In difficult economic times, cultural institutions too often find themselves being relegated to a secondary position as the state and individual communities struggle to deal with financial cutbacks. The reality is that in such hard times the role of educational and cultural entities becomes even more vital as a place for dialogue and learning. We not only provide programs for free or minimal cost, but we also provide learning experiences that empower people to set priorities and make decisions for our future.
RESERVATIONS OPEN NOW:
SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1:00 – 3:00 PM – RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at Kiesel Park, Auburn. Register via email to Tia Gonzalez gonzats@auburn.edu.
Participants will build and take home a completed rain barrel.
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Info courtesy of BEN /The Bama Environmental News – www.bamanews.com
[The Bama Environmental News is edited and published by Pat Byington. To receive back copies of BEN go to http://www.BamaNews.com. If you would like to be added to the BamaNews e-mail listserve contact BEN at pkbyington@aol.com.]
Report: The South and Renewable Energy - According to a report released by SouthFace, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and World Resources Institute, Alabama can dramatically increase it’s renewable energy production from today’s regional average of 5% to 25% renewable generation by 2025. The report, which is titled “Local Clean Power,” calls on the eight southern states in the report to require its electric industry to produce a certain percentage of power from renewable energy. Presently, North Carolina is the only Southern state with such a law. Nationally, half of all the states now have renewable requirements. To view the report visit – http://www.wri.org.
American Lung Association Releases Annual State of the Air Report - Last month, the American Lung Association released their annual “State of the Air” report, ranking and grading 17 Alabama counties. The report and rankings were based on the number of days from 2005 to 2007 in which air quality monitors recorded unhealthy air. Below are some of the results:
* The Birmingham Metro area ranked 5th in the country for pollution from fine particle pollution, or soot in the air.
* Birmingham ranked 20th nationally in ozone pollution.
* Baldwin County received an A for having low particle pollution levels.
* Mobile, Escambia and Dekalb counties all received B’s for low particle pollution levels.
* In the state of Alabama, 12 of 16 counties where ozone levels were checked received F’s for ozone pollution.
To view the entire report, visit the American Lung Association website at http://www.stateoftheair.org. If you want to personally take action and reduce air pollution visit http://www.alabamacleanair.org.
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Additional environmental info courtesy of CONSERVATION ALABAMA FOUNDATION www.conservationalabamafoundation.org
RE: AIR QUALITY REPORTS FOR ALABAMA
The American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report (http://www.stateoftheair.org/) found that the Birmingham metro area has surged from 18th to the fifth worst in the country for particle pollution in the air. Birmingham was also listed at 20th in the country for ozone pollution.
Mobile and Baldwin counties received mixed grades from the report, with high scores on particle pollution but the lowest scores on ozone pollution.
A second report entitled Justice in the Air was released at the same time as the State of the Air report. It focused on air pollution in minority and impoverished communities. (http://college.usc.edu/geography/ESPE/documents/justice_air_web.pdf)
Both reports again brought into focus the issue of cumulative risk of air pollution on sensitive populations in Alabama. The Conservation Alabama Foundation continues to work with ADEM to find solutions to high levels toxic air pollution in some Alabama communities.
SENATE CONFIRMS THREE FOR EMC
During the flooding of the Alabama State House, the Alabama State Senate confirmed three members for the Environmental Management Commission. Governor Bob Riley had submitted the names to the Senate late the night before, and the Confirmations Committee quickly took up the names. The full Senate confirmed while the legislature was working out of the historic capitol building.
The new members are: H. Lanier Brown, II – an attorney from Birmingham (term expiring Sept. 30, 2014) and Conrad Pierce, a retired OB-GYN from Mobile (term expiring September 30, 2010). Scott Phillips was also reappointed to a second term (term expiring Sept. 30, 2014).
QUARRY BILLS APPROVED IN 2009
The four quarry bills approved in 2009 could have a ripple effect on the quarry industry in Alabama.
Senators Tom Butler and Arthur Orr guided local legislation that would limit where quarries can locate in Limestone County. The bills would limit quarries near schools, Calhoun Community College, a TVA industrial megasite, and TVA’s Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. This has been a two year effort by the senators, citizens, and other local officials to stop a proposed quarry near Tanner, Ala.
Additionally, for the first time in six tries, a Conservation Alabama-drafted bill HB804 got out of committee. This bill would give local governments say-so on where and how quarries operate anywhere in Alabama. Conservation Alabama be back in 2010 with this important legislation.
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CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES
*Auburn Automotive Supplier to Add 75 New Jobs — http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ed060509.asp
*Auburn Arts Association and City of Auburn to host SummerNight Downtown Art Walk Friday, June 19 — http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr060309.asp
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting.
* Greenspace Advisory Board – one vacancy will be filled at the August 4 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
June 8, 2009
Comments Off
MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES THIS WEEK
NEW RESTRICTIONS PROPOSED ON PUBLIC COMMENT IN AUBURN ! COUNCIL VOTE SET FOR THIS TOMORROW’S COUNCIL MEETING!
PROPOSED ARE NEW TIME LIMITS AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS ON PUBLIC COMMENT DURING CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS.
This proposal is set for a vote at tomorrow’s (Tuesday, June 2) Auburn City Council meeting.
At tomorrow’s meeting the Council is considering substantial changes to Citizens’ Communications and Public Hearings. In the proposal, public comments will be limited to THREE MINUTES per person (reduced from the current five minutes), along with other new restrictions & policies. The full text of these changes is in the June 2, 2009 council packet, online at www.auburnalabama.org/agenda (see pp. 48-51, Resolutions items 10d & 10e).
The proposed changes were first made available to the public in the Council packet last Friday evening. As they are in the form of a Resolution, not an Ordinance, they may be voted on at this meeting and without a public hearing.
If you wish to contact the Council about this issue, you may do so:
– during Citizens Communications at this meeting,
– via phone (info at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cc/members.asp), or
– via email to the entire Council & the Mayor at coagbemail@auburnalabama.org.
City of Auburn press release: West Samford Avenue Closure Extended to June 3 - http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw052809.asp
COMMENTS OPEN THROUGH THIS FRIDAY, JUNE 5 – LRCOG AOMPO DRAFT FY2010 UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM (UPWP)
DRAFT FY2010 UPWP: http://www.lrcog.com/Keith%20-%20August%202008/Draft%20FY2010%20UPWP.pdf
DRAFT FY2010 UPWP comment form: http://www.lrcog.com/Keith%20-%20August%202008/Comment%20Sheet%20FY2010%20UPWP.pdf
The Lee-Russell Council of Governments invites public review & comment on the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Draft FY2010 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The UPWP is the instrument for coordinating metropolitan transportation activities in the Auburn-Opelika study area.
The UPWP and comment forms are available for review online, and during normal business hours at the LRCOG office (2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika), the Auburn Public Library (749 E. Thach Ave), the Opelika Public Library (200 South 6th Street), the Auburn Housing Authority office (931 Booker Street), and the Opelika Housing Authority office (1706 Toomer Street). Comments on the UPWP can be submitted through June 5, 2009. Comment forms are available online and at the locations listed above and should be submitted in person or via mail to: Keith Bryan, Lee-Russell Council of Governments, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika, AL 36801. Questions or concerns should be directed to Keith Bryan at 334-749-5264 ext. 214.
THROUGH TUESDAY, JUNE 30 —- 11TH ANNUAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Come view this 11th annual juried art exhibition / competitive exhibition open to artists and craftspersons in Lee County.
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MEETINGS CANCELLED:
June 1st – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD / No June meeting to be held.
June 2nd – AUBURN PARKS & RECREATION BOARD / No June meeting to be held.
June 5th – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION / No June meeting to be held. Next meeting on July 10.
TUESDAY, JUNE 2, NOON – 1:00 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES: TOPIC – ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Held in the programming room, Youth Services Building, Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave.
Free & open to all. Water & coffee provided; bring your lunch.
Speaker/topic: Tim Thornberry, a graduate clinician at Auburn University, will discuss Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and provide guidelines and techniques on helping your loved one.
More information: Reference desk at 501-3195 or visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp#brown.
TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 4:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross Street. Open to all.
Topic: Airport Ordinance and Fence Regulations. http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/
TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 4:00 PM – LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Held in the old Johnson Gallery building located directly behind the County Courthouse in Opelika.
Note: The second round of Town Hall meetings regarding the Lee County Master Plan is scheduled for June 15, 16 and 18 and the information from the March meetings will be presented to the public at that time. More info: Wendy Swann 334-737-3674 or wswann@leeco.us
TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 5:00 PM – LEE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION www.leeco.us
Held at the old Johnson Gallery building located directly behind the Lee County Courthouse, Opelika. Open to all.
TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
TUESDAY, JUNE 2 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL www.opelika.org
6:30 pm – work session — agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=170
7:00 pm – regular meeting – agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=169
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
NOTE: Regular meeting agenda includes:
11) GENERAL BUSINESS
1. Public Hearing to consider the application by Charter Communications, Inc. for a
renewal of a franchise for cable television and/or wire line telecommunication services
The purpose of this public hearing is to consider the application for a renewal of a franchise for cable television and/or wireline telecommunication services within the geographical limits of the city of Opelika. All interested persons may appear at said public hearing and be heard. Further info can be obtained at the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, Opelika, during normal business hours.
TUESDAY, JUNE 2 – AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 pm-Committee of the Whole / 7:00 pm – Regular meeting
NOTE: NEW RESTRICTIONS PROPOSED ON PUBLIC COMMENT! SET FOR COUNCIL VOTE AT THIS MEETING!
(See details at beginning of this email.)
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/agenda
Agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS. [currently allowed five minutes per person]
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Announcement of Board Vacancies. Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority. Three Positions. Six Year Terms Expire July 18, 2015. Appointments at July 2, 2009 Meeting.
9. ORDINANCES. None.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Auburn City Schools. 2009 Auburn High School Baseball Team and Coaches. Area 6-A State Championship. Recognition and Commendation.
b. Industrial Development Board. Seohan Auto USA Corporation. Seohan-NTN Driveshaft USA Corporation. 246 Teague Court. Tax Abatement. Excludes Education, Hospital, and Children’s Home Ad Valorem and Sales and Use Taxes.
c. Economic Development Department. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 2008 Action Plan. Amendment.
d. Citizens’ Communications and Public Hearings. Adopt Procedures.
e. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) 152 North College, LLC. Brandon Hayes (Authorized Representative). Commercial and Entertainment Use-Lounge (Flip Flops) in the Urban Core (UC) Zoning District w/Overlay of the College Edge Overlay District (CEOD). Property Located at 152 North College Street.
(2) McIntyre Building Company. Gregory Forthofer (Authorized Representative). Subdivision Amenity-Swimming Pool and Restroom Facilities (Tuscany Hills Pool Amenity) in the Development District Housing (DDH) Zoning District. Property Located at 125 Tuscany Hills Drive.
f. Contracts and Agreements. Auburn University. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Fifth Addendum to Police Services Contract. FY09. Contract.
(2) Fire Inspections. Fraternity Houses. Amendment and Renewal. Agreement.
g. Statutory Warranty Deed, Easement, and Temporary Construction Easement. Acceptance.
(1) James and Fannie Echols. CDBG Housing Reconstruction Deferred Loan Program. Donation of Real Property. 1226 Combs Avenue. Statutory Warranty Deed.
(2) Auburn University. O. D. Smith Hall. 135 South College Street. Construction and Maintenance of Traffic Signal Poles and Utilities. Intersection of South College Street and Devall Drive. Easement.
(3) Richard and Susan Meinert. 8770 Society Hill Road. FY09 Streets Resurfacing Project. Temporary Construction Easement.
h. Old Auburn Tuskegee Highway. Property Located Behind War Eagle Supper Club, Econo Lodge, and Waffle House on South College Street. Quit Claim Deed. Public Hearing Required. Vacate Rights-of-Way.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 7:00 – 8:30 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APJ) www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, 508 Auburn Drive (the 2nd house behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 450 E. Thatch Ave). Park behind the Fellowship. The Busch Center is the small building to the left. Open to all.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 9:30 AM – ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION
Held in the 9th Floor Hearing Room, RSA Union Building, Mont. Ph: 334-242-2997. Open to all.
Agenda: In Open Session, to render Advisory Opinions requested by public officials/public employees. An Executive Session will be held to discuss matters relating to complaints filed with the Ethics Commission and the results of those investigations. These matters are covered by the Grand Jury Secrecy Act. No matters will be discussed which are outside the scope of the State guidelines for the holding of Executive Sessions. Matters discussed in Executive Session will be voted on in public.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 605.03 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00269
Applicant: Cloverleaf Pool Association
General Location: South Donahue Drive
Zoning District: Neighborhood Conservation (NC-20)
Action Requested: Variance to allow two (2) subdivision identification marker signs in the public right-of-way
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC & LUNCH
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
LUNCH AT THE MUSEUM CAFÉ: Lunch by Ursula Higgins is served at the Museum Cafe Tuesdays through Fridays, 11:00 am-2:00 pm. The current month’s menu, described week by week, is available online at http://jcsm.auburn.edu/cafe/cafe_menu.php.
The menu for this week, June 2 – 5, includes:
Mushroom soup
Chicken salad on whole wheat or focaccia
Croque Monsieur
Ham and asparagus crepes and watermelon salad
½ sandwich with a cup of soup or salad
Mocha meringue or Melba meringue
Homemade muffins
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, NOON – 1:00 PM — READING & BOOKSIGNING: RHETA GRIMSLEY JOHNSON / Poor Man’s Provence: Finding Myself in Cajun Louisiana
Held at the Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library, 200 S. 6th Street, Opelika. http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=435
Free & open to all, but please call 334-705-5380 for reservations as seating is limited.
Brown bag lunch program. Feel free to bring your lunch; ice, cups & coffee provided.
Speaker: Rheta Grimsley Johnson, syndicated columnist and author, reading from her new book Poor Man’s Provence: Finding Myself in Cajun Louisiana.
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 3:00 – 4:00 PM — Book Talk: Andrea Wulf, author of The Brother Gardeners
Held in the Special Collections and Archives, Ralph Brown Draughon Library, AU. Free & open to all. Refreshments will be served following the program. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
This reading and booksigning by Andrea Wulf, author of The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire & The Birth of an Obsession, is sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts and the Auburn University Libraries and the AU Bookstore. For more information, visit www.auburn.edu/cah or call 334-844-4946.
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMERS’ MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website here. (http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/). For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market has moved from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Pavilion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 7:00 PM — EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Poets, storytellers, spoken word artists, and musicians are invited to ply their craft before an appreciative audience on the first Friday of each month.
FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 7:30 PM —- EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. The EAOS generally meets the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
SATURDAY, JUNE 6, NOON — CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF / REP. ARTUR DAVIS
Held at Linn Park, 20th Street North & Park Place, BIRMINGHAM. www.ArturDavis2010.com
Food, friends, live music, activities for kids; special guest Ruben Studdard. Note: Beginning today, June 1, candidates for Governor can accept contributions to their campaign account. Click here to contribute to the Artur Davis campaign today.
SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1:00 PM — AUTHOR READING & BOOK SIGNING: JOSHILYN JACKSON
Held at the Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave. Free & open to all.
Lovers of Southern Fiction will delight in the chance to meet award-winning author Joshilyn Jackson, author of gods in Alabama, and Between Georgia, a native of the Deep South, a former actor and award-winning teacher, and now a mother of two. Her work has previously appeared in TriQuarterly and Calyx, as well as the anthology ChickLit II. Jackson lives with her family outside of Atlanta, Georgia. You can visit her website at www.joshilynjackson.com. She will read from her latest novel, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, at 1:00 followed by a book signing. No reservations are necessary and the event is free to the public. Questions regarding the event may be directed to the Reference Desk at 501-3195. http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/
SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 3:00 PM — BOOK SIGNING: STANLEY J. DAVIS / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
First-time author Stanley J. Davis, is associate pastor at Servant Heart Ministries in Jackson’s Gap, Alabama. He will be reading from and signing copies of his novel, Hot Leads and Cold Cases (2008, Tate Publishing & Enterprises), which takes the reader on an unforgettable journey of mystery and suspense. His protagonist, Peter Stone, a missing person’s investigator, uses gifts and talents from God to investigate crimes from the past and present to being closure to haunted families.
SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 6:00 – 8:00 PM — AN EVENING OF MUSIC WITH ERRICK JOHNSON / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free, but a donation for the musician appreciated.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Enjoy the vocal talents and keyboard styling of a Gnu’s Room regular performer, Errick Johnson. Johnson will be performing jazz standards mixed with more contemporary tunes. There is no cover for the event, but a donation for the musician will be greatly appreciated.
SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 3:00 PM — BOOK SIGNING: JOE TURNHAM / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Joe Turnham has gained a national reputation both as a political figure and tier-one consultant to a myriad of clients. Turnham’s services are in demand nationally as a consultant, speaker, political adviser and commentator. As an award-winning Democratic Party Leader, he was recently elected in January of 2007 to an unprecedented third term as Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. As a veteran Member of the Democratic National Committee, Turnham has earned the respect and confidence of national political leaders, presidential candidates and Members of Congress. His latest endeavor is in the role of author. His first book, Leading From Our Knees, unlocks the biblical precepts of leadership by way of this powerful and easy to read daily lesson guide for leaders of faith. Its inspiring, scripture-based leadership lessons, (one for each day of the year) along with a suggested prayer will guide you through the most difficult of your own leadership circumstances. The Gnu’s Room is pleased to be the location for the first local signing of Joe Turnham’s book. For more information on Mr. Turnham or the book, please visit his website at www.joeturnham.com.
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
FRIDAY, JUNE 12 & SATURDAY, JUNE 13 — 19TH ANNUAL ALEXANDER CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL
Friday, starts at 6:00 pm : held at Strand Park (Tallapoosa Street Park), downtown Alexander City.
Saturday, starts at 6:30 pm: held at Lake Martin Amphitheater.
This is Lake Martin’s biggest musical event of the year. For more info, including a schedule of musical events, visit www.alexcityjazzfest.com.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 6:00 – 9:30 PM — SUMMERNIGHT: A CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS / Arts, crafts, poetry, children’s activities, food & entertainment
Held in downtown Auburn. Free to the public.
The City of Auburn, Auburn Arts Association, Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center and Downtown Auburn Merchants will host SummerNight 2009. This annual event is for local artists and musicians to display their talents, while offering the community a chance to enjoy an evening in the downtown area. Downtown merchants and restaurants will remain open after regular business hours. Citizens are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and shop, dine and enjoy the downtown atmosphere. Local artists will have their work on display and local musicians will entertain the public on Toomer’s Corner. This event will also include children’s activities earlier in the evening. More info: www.auburnsummernight.com or contact Sara Hand at 501-2947 or at shand@auburnalabama.org.
RESERVATIONS OPEN NOW:
SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1:00 – 3:00 PM — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at Kiesel Park, Auburn. Register via email to Tia Gonzalez gonzats@auburn.edu.
Participants will build and take home a completed rain barrel.
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City of Auburn Board Vacancies:
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
June 1, 2009
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WEEK OF MAY 26, 2009 – MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES
COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE — Deja vu happening all over again in Auburn
First published May 15, 2009 in the Opelika-Auburn News
http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/05/26/may-15-2009-column-by-lisa-brouillette-deja-vu-happening-all-over-again-in-auburn/
COMMENTS OPEN THROUGH JUNE 5 – LRCOG AOMPO DRAFT FY2010 UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM (UPWP) www.lrcog.com
The Lee-Russell Council of Governments invites public review & comment on the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Draft FY2010 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The UPWP is the instrument for coordinating metropolitan transportation activities in the Auburn-Opelika study area.
The UPWP can be viewed and commented upon during normal business hours at the LRCOG office (2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika), the Auburn Public Library (749 E. Thach Ave), the Opelika Public Library (200 South 6th Street), the Auburn Housing Authority office (931 Booker Street), and the Opelika Housing Authority office (1706 Toomer Street). In addition, the UPWP and comment forms are available online at http://www.lrcog.com/. Comments on the UPWP can be submitted through June 5, 2009. Comment forms are available at the locations listed above and should be submitted in person or via mail to: Keith Bryan, Lee-Russell Council of Governments, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika, AL 36801. Questions or concerns should be directed to Keith Bryan at 334-749-5264 ext. 214.
THROUGH SATURDAY, MAY 30 – ALABAMA’S MAGNIFICENT BICYCLING ADVENTURE http://www.amba1.com/
AMBA, Alabama’s Magnificent Bicycle Adventure, is a multi-day bike ride established to raise money to support AlaBike. AlaBike is a Non-Profit 501(c)3 corporation formed to make Alabama a better place to ride bikes. The organization hopes to accomplish this goal by making roads safer for bicyclist and work to make road improvements bike friendly.
AMBA is different than other 7 day bike rides:
• While you bike, your non-biking mate can go sightseeing, golfing, shopping or do other activities and still meet you for dinner!
If you have any questions, you can email Peter Wolf at writerider@charter.net or go to http://www.amba1.com/.
THROUGH TUESDAY, JUNE 30 —- 11TH ANNUAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Come view this 11th annual juried art exhibition / competitive exhibition open to artists and craftspersons in Lee County.
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 8:00 – 10:00 AM — LEE COUNTY PHASE 27 ARRA BOARD MEETING (ARRA = American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) www.lrcog.com
Held in the LRCOG Conference Room, 2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika. Open to all.
More info: Erin.Stephens@adss.alabama.gov
Background: Lee County has been awarded federal funds under the EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER NATIONAL BOARD PROGRAM as an extension of the ARRA. Lee County has been chosen to receive $31,741 to supplement Emergency Food and Shelter Programs in the area under the FY09 Phase 27 ARRA award. The selection was made by a National Board that is chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This Board was charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high need areas around the country. For fuller description of these funds and the local agencies which comprise the Phase 27 ARRA board, go to http://www.lrcog.com/news.html.
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 3:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
TUESDAY, MAY 26 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting May II, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Comprehensive Development Strategies Invoice – Judge English
b. Joint Meeting with Other Counties – Judge English
c. NACo Rural Action Caucus Steering Committee ~ Judge English
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Request to Resurface Lee Road 697IBrentwood Subdivision – Charles Roberts
b. BRAC Regional Growth Management Plan – Gary Jones, Columbus Chamber of Commerce
c. Capital Improvement Fund Budget Adjustments – Roger Rendleman
d. Various Budget Adjustments to FY 2009 Budget
e. Ballots for Claims/Charter Communications Bankruptcy – Roger Rendleman
f. Planning Commission Funding Request – Wendy Swann
10. Adjourn
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda includes: Committee Bylaws Review; Public Works Report; Review of Bike Month activities; Parks & Rec Report; Review of Bike Bash 2009; Public Safety Report; N. Donahue accident; AMBA update. Next Meeting June 30, 2009.
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 7:00 PM — CONCERT: ROY SCNEIDER / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
There is no cover charge, but a suggested donation of $5.00 will be greatly appreciated by the musician.
As part of his summer tour, Roy Schneider will perform at the Gnu’s Room. Schneider is based in Southwest Florida and carries over a decade of experience performing in festivals, house concerts, coffeehouses, restaurants, bars and other environments. His original music has earned him slots on national festival stages and has been played on various public, mainstream, college and internet radio stations including syndicated radio show The Grateful Dead Hour. He has two full-length CDs to his credit, “The Humble Sessions” (2007) and “Roy Schneider and the Roadside Turtle Rescue” (2008). A 5-song EP, “Snack,” was released in May of 2009 in preparation for his summer tour. Schneider writes songs that come from the heart, engaging the most diverse of audiences with passion, soul, humor and grit. From his early days as a teenage runaway to an under-age union worker, a traveling Deadhead, a toy designer, a nationally syndicated cartoonist, marriage, divorce, spiritual searches and parenthood, he has stories to tell. And with 25 years of dedication to fingerstyle and flatpicked guitar, harmonica and vocals, there’s no better way for him to tell them. His sound has been compared to the likes of Willis Alan Ramsey, John Prine, Levon Helm, Guy Clark, Arlo Guthrie, Keller Williams and John Gorka. For more info about Schneider or to hear some of his music, please visit www.royschneider.com.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27 and THURSDAY, MAY 28 —- STREAM RESTORATION / MACROINVERTEBRATE ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP
Held in Montgomery. More info: http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm or contact Eve Brantley at brantef@auburn.edu.
This Stream Restoration Design will be conducted in Montgomery and will center on Baldwin Slough, a degraded urban stream in a City of Montgomery park. Participants will use reference reach information to develop design parameters for an urban stream. Other topics include sediment transport calculations, applications of in-stream structures, and habitat enhancements.
Upcoming workshop:
* July 14-15 Stream Restoration Construction will be conducted in Montgomery. Participants will learn about plan sheet development, construction specifications, permitting, and construction oversight while observing channel grading and structure installation.
These workshops are made possible through partnerships and funding from City of Montgomery, Auburn University, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc., Jennings Environmental, LLC, Upper Alabama River Clean Water Partnership, Young Meadows Presbyterian Church, North Carolina State University, and the USDA CSREES Southern Region Water Program.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, noon — OPELIKA SUMMER SWING’S NOON TUNES featuring Larcus Fuller
Held by the fountain, Courthouse Square, Opelika. Free & open to all.
Bring a quilt or lawn chair; pack a brown bag lunch, or purchase lunch from a local restaurant. Larcus Fuller – Country and light rock. Songs that make you want to sing along.
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 8:00 AM — AUBURN LIBRARY BOARD
Held at the Auburn Public Library, Library Board room, 749 E. Thach Ave. Open to all.
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Phone: 334-242-2230. Open to all.
AGENDA includes:
I. Call to order, Welcome–10:00 A.M. John T. Manuel, Presiding
II. Roll Call Jean Cannaday
III. Voluntary Prayer
IV. Approval of Minutes of the last Board meeting
V. Awards and Presentations
VI. Public Input and/or Appearances Before the Board
VII. Appeals/Hearings Kathy Perry Brasfield
VIII. Committee Reports
IX. Staff Report Chip Carden
X. Licensure Applications Meeting Standards Jamie A. Durham
A. Review and Approve New Applications.
B. Review and Approve Expired Applications.
C. Review and Approve Expired Building Official Applications.
D. Ratify and Approve New Applications.
E Ratify and Approve Expired Applications.
F. Ratify and Approve Renewal Applications.
G. Ratify and Approve Inactive Applications.
H. Ratify and approve Expired Inactive Applications.
Licensure Applications for Board Review
I. Board Review¬¬¬¬–Renewal Applications.
J. Board Review–New Applications.
K. Board Review–Expired Applications.
XI. Legal Report
1. Recovery Fund Review: Jamie A. Durham
(a) Appeals
(b) Pending Claims
(c) Verified Claims
2. Unlicensed Builders: Jamie A. Durham
(a) Consent Agreements
(b) Settlement Agreements
3. Litigation Kathy Perry Brasfield
4. Hearing Officer Recommendations Kathy Perry Brasfield
5. Settlement Agreements Kathy Perry Brasfield
6. Investigative Committee Actions: Kathy Perry Brasfield
(a) Formal Disciplinary Actions
(b) Informal Disciplinary Actions
(c) Consumer Complaints
(d) Board Complaints
7. Advisory Opinions Kathy Perry Brasfield
8. Declaratory Judgments Kathy Perry Brasfield
9. Attorney General Opinions Kathy Perry Brasfield
10. Other Legal Issues Kathy Perry Brasfield
XII. Old Business
XIII. New Business
XIV. Discussion
XV. Adjournment
THURSDAY, MAY 28, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — AUBURN FARMER’S MARKET AT AG HERITAGE PARK
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. Entrance is free. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. Check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website here (http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/). For more info on the market, contact market manager Dani Carroll 334-749-3353 or carrodl@auburn.edu. [Note the market is moving from its previous location on Samford Ave across from the Athletic Complex to the greenspace on the opposite side of the park's pond, near the Alfa Farmers Paviliion. The entrance will be on Donahue Drive.]
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 5:00 – 7:00 PM —- AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE RECEPTION
Held at the home of Susan and George Constant, 228 Chadwick Lane, off Hwy 14. All are invited.
The APL’s 3rd Annual Reception will be held at the Greek Revival home of Susan & George Constant. APL’s focus is to promote a constructive effort by private citizens toward preserving Auburn’s historic structures and sites. For more info, see the APL website at www.auburnpreservationleague.org.
Note: The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month, Auburn Chamber of Commerce Building, E. Glenn Avenue, 6:30 p.m. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 6:00 – 7:00 PM —- FREE MAY CONCERT SERIES: SUNDOWN AT KIESEL PARK / Auburn Road
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all. Performances will be held weather permitting
The City of Auburn Parks & Recreation Department invites the community to come and enjoy a FREE concert at Kiesel Park with live musical entertainment the entire family will enjoy. Bring a picnic, a blanket and even the dog to enjoy a free, entertaining evening at the park under the stars. Concerts lasts an hour and a half and kick-off promptly at 6 p.m.
More info: www.myspace.com/sundownatkiesel or Alison Hall at 501-2930.
FRIDAY, MAY 29, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — GNU BREW’S ICE CREAM FUNDAE / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Marble Slab Creamery will be serving up free ice cream from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at The Gnu’s Room. We will be selling their delicious ice cream by the cup this summer, and will expand our menu to include some ice cream/coffee smoothies! In honor of the event, please come dressed as your favorite flavor, and if you are so inclined, bring an ice cream-themed poem or one-page story to share. The best poem or short story will win a Gnu’s Room gift certificate!
SATURDAY, MAY 30 – ALABAMA WATER WATCH 18TH ANNUAL MEETING & PICNIC
Held in Comer Hall and at the Fisheries Dept ponds, Auburn. Open to all. Program details and online registration on the Alabama Water Watch website (www.alabamawaterwatch.org) or call 888-844-4785.
The Alabama Water Watch Association and Program are teaming up to host the 18th Annual AWW Annual Meeting and Picnic on Saturday, May 30 in Auburn.
10:00 AM – NOON — “mini-conference” in Comer Hall on the AU campus
LUNCH — at the Fisheries Department Ponds north of town for our trademark lunch of fried catfish and all the fixin’s.
AFTERNOON (until 5:00 pm?)– Awards and other celebratory events will follow into the afternoon.
SATURDAY, MAY 30, 7:00 PM — CONCERT: BOTTLE UP AND EXPLODE BAND (+ 3 other local bands) at THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
There is no cover, but a suggested donation of $5.00 for the musicians would be greatly appreciated.
Local indie/alternative/rock band Bottle Up will play acoustically.The band members Chris (vocals/guitar), Micah (keyboards), Zak (drums), Jay (guitar) and Pat (bass) write music influenced by such artists as Tom Petty, Coldplay, Nirvana, The Wallflowers, Weezer and many others. To sample their music please visit www.myspace.com/bottleupandexplodeband.
Josh LaFayette, who performs as These Are Magnets, is also a local musician who has been influenced by the likes of Bob Dylan, The White Stripes, Paul Simon, Neon Blonde, David Bowie and Thin Lizzy. To sample his music, please visit
www.myspace.com/thesearemagnets or to learn more about him visit his website www.joshlafayette.com
Man Made Sea, www.myspace.com/manmadesea, and one other band (TBA) will perform.
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City of Auburn Board Vacancies:
* Board of Education – Note: Tracie West was appointed to the Board of Education at the May 19 City Council meeting.
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
May 26, 2009
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Column by Lisa Brouillette
First Published in the Opelika-Auburn News, May 15, 2009
Summer’s creeping up again and it’s not only the rising heat that’s provoking deja vu. It’s also annual rising anger at our do-little Alabama Legislature.
Recent headlines decry legislative double dipping, clamor for relief from the grocery tax, beg for constitutional and ethics reform. Sound familiar?
It should, because last May’s headlines said the same thing.
Our legislators must have collective amnesia.
They can’t seem to remember their promise to clean up PAC-to-PAC transfers and give us real ethics reform. Shame on them. And shame on us for tolerating their inaction.
Please, folks, mark your election-year calendars now with one simple note: Vote Them Out!
We have the power. We just have to use it.
Speaking of using our collective power, Auburn citizens have the chance this summer to do just that. Not with an election vote, but with participation in Auburn 2030.
Times change and our city’s vision for itself must keep pace.
Hence, Auburn 2030, an update of Auburn 2020, the city’s basic blueprint for it’s future.
This isn’t a nut and bolts regulatory document. It’s a more general “this is where we are, where we want to go, what we want to be” guide. Specific details of how to reach the city’s goals will be filled in by other documents, such as CompPlan 2030, a land use planning document also under review this summer.
Like its predecessors, Auburn 2030 is supposed to draw ideas from diverse segments of the city’s residents. So, step up! Call City Hall, ask to join Auburn 2030, help design Auburn’s future.
Back to deja vu, a quick glance at pending lawsuits brings on a tsunami size dose.
The lawsuit over connecting Scott Land’s commercial project via the residential Indian Hills neighborhood is still working its way through the courts.
Similarly, water service rights for both West Pace, Donahue Ridge and other projects remain tangled in the Auburn Water Board’s legal wrangling with Loachapoka’s Water Authority. And lest we forget, the proposed tax district for West Pace still thrashes in legal limbo.
Other legal issues which still echo from last year: individual and developer bankruptcies and foreclosures, with the added twist of tax delinquencies.
Although one could argue Auburn hasn’t been hit as hard as other parts of the state, we’ve still been hit.
Perhaps it’s not a killing body blow, but it’s certainly a solid jab to the gut.
But thankfully summer also heralds another type of deja vu, a delicious one – the first taste of sun ripened fruits and vegetables at local farm stands and the farmers’ market (which opens May 21). So buy your fill.
It’s a local economic stimulus with no downside.
Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com
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CANCELLED
The Monday, May 18, 6:00 PM – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION special called meeting has been cancelled. www.leeco.
No date for a rescheduled meeting has been announced.
REMINDER
AUBURN SCHOOL BOARD VACANCY
At this Tuesday’s city council meeting (May 19, 7:00 pm, council chambers, 141 N Ross St), the council is scheduled to appoint someone to fill a vacant position on the Auburn School Board.
Interested in applying? Send a letter of interest & brief resume to the entire council at coagbemail@auburnalabama.org. You can also contact your council representative individually (contact info at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cc/members.asp).
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
May 16, 2009
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MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES — WEEK OF MAY 18, 2009
NOTE: There may be changes or additions to this schedule later in the week. Such changes will be noted in PLACE emails and/or posted on this website.
MAY IS NATIONAL PRESERVATION MONTH http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/preservation-month/
May is National Preservation Month — Watch for local activities and information celebrating local historic sites!
For more info about historic preservation activities locally, across Alabama & nationwide, check out these links:
Auburn Historic Preservation Commission http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/hpc.asp
Auburn Heritage Association http://www.auburnheritage.org/
Auburn Preservation League http://www.auburnpreservationleague.org/
Lee County Historical Society http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
Opelika Main Street http://www.opelikamainstreet.org/about.php
Opelika Historic Preservation Commission http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=513&hilite=historic+preservation
Alabama Historical Commission http://www.preserveala.org/
Alabama Dept. of Archives and History http://www.archives.state.al.us/
National Trust for Historic Preservation http://www.preservationnation.org/about-us/
5th Annual Trash Amnesty Week May 18 – 22 http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/es042909.asp
In an effort to help citizens with their spring cleaning, the Auburn City Council has approved the City’s 5th Annual Trash Amnesty Week for the week of May 18 – 22. During Trash Amnesty Week, the fees normally assessed to residents for the collection of oversized yard debris and other bulky waste will be waived. Citizens are asked to pay close attention to the following guidelines when placing items out for collection:
• Debris should be properly placed at the curb no later than 6 a.m. on your regularly scheduled collection day. Please avoid placing items on or near mailboxes, utility boxes, utility poles, or other fixed objects. All items should be properly contained or bundled so they do not fall into the street or down storm drains.
• The City will accept yard waste, appliances, and bulky items for collection. No household garbage, hazardous waste, or other unacceptable waste should be placed out for collection with debris.
• Debris should not be placed in the roadway, on or around storm drains, near utility lines, on utility boxes, or on vacant lots.
• To facilitate wood debris and metal recycling efforts, please separate all wood debris, including limbs and grass clippings, from metal items.
Due to the large volume of debris expected during Trash Amnesty Week, citizens may experience a delay in the collection schedule. Every reasonable effort will be made to maintain the established collection schedule.
For more information, please contact the City of Auburn Environmental Services Department at 501-3080.
THROUGH TUESDAY, JUNE 30 —- 11TH ANNUAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Come view this 11th annual juried art exhibition / competitive exhibition open to artists and craftspersons in Lee County.
CANCELLED MONDAY, MAY 18, 6:00 PM – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION / special called meeting www.leeco.us
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: The purpose of the meeting is to discuss an economic development venture with Macon, Chambers and Russell counties.
TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1:30 PM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD / Special Called Investigative Committee Meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Phone: 334-242-2230. Open to all.
Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting
TUESDAY, MAY 19 – OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
TBA – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org/ (Agenda should be available online by Monday, May 18.)
TUESDAY, MAY 19 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
TBA -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 (Agenda should be available online by Friday evening, May 15.)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).
All members are encouraged and invited to attend. www.auburnheritage.org
Note: Held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept to May
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
NEW MEETING PLACE! Now held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road. All are invited to attend.
6:00 pm – buffet dinner ($11, tax & tip included)
6:50 pm -Speaker: Senator Ted Little and Representative Pebblin Warren. Topic: The 2009 Legislative Session
SENATOR Ted Little, born on June 21, 1942, in Andalusia is serving his eighth term in the Senate. He received his B.S. degree from the University of Alabama and his J.D. degree from the University of Alabama School of Law. He serves on committees for: Children, Youth Affairs and Human Resources, Economic Expansion and Trade; Finance and Taxation; Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability (Chair); Judiciary; and Rules. His 27th Senate District covers Tallapoosa County, central Lee County, and north Russell County.
REPRESENTATIVE Pebblin Warren was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in a special election held on March 8, 2005. Her District 82 covers Lee County west of North College Street in Auburn. She serves on the Commerce, County and Municipal Government, Health, Lee County Legislation, and Rules Committees in the House. She holds a B.S. degree in business administration and a M.Ed. degree in personnel administration from Tuskegee University.
DIRECTIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY CLUB
Take East University northwest or Shug Jordan northeast to North Donahue Drive. There is a large gas station at the corner of Shug Jordan and North Donahue. Take Donahue to the north for about 1/4 mile and turn left at the entrance to Yarbrough Farms subdivision. The road winds around about another 1/4 mile and you will see the University Club on your right at the top of a hill. The Club web site has Google Maps directions at http://www.aucyf.com/directions.html
Another, possibly better way from Opelika is to take 280 north to Lee Road 72 (Farmville Road). Turn left and go 2.7 miles to Donahue (Lee Road 72) and turn left. Go south on Donahue about a mile and turn left at Yarbrough Farms subdivision.
THURSDAY, MAY 21, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — OPENING DAY: AUBURN FARMER’S MARKET
Held at AU’s Ag Heritage Park, Samford Avenue. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/themarket/
The Auburn Farmer’s Market will be held Thursdays, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, May 21-Aug. 27. If you too are interested in eating local food, check out the farmers’ market, a seasonal market which gives local farmers and producers an opportunity to sell directly to their customers, and which gives us all a chance to buy fresh, tasty, locally produced food. Entrance is free, so if you haven’t been before, come and have a look! For more information and directions, visit the website here.
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 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. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 4:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
THURSDAY, MAY 21 — JCSM Third Thursday Free Night
5:00 pm – Curator’s gallery talk / Dennis Harper (in the Noel and Kathryn Dickinson Wadsworth Gallery)
5:00 – 8:00 PM – Museum open, free admission. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to the public. Reception with cash bar to follow gallery talk.
At 5:00 pm, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, Dennis Harper, will offer an insightful discussion of El Alma Mexicana/The Mexican Soul: Selections from the Permanent Collection (on view through May 30, 2009), which features paintings, prints, and drawings by important 20th-century Mexican artists, and by Americans who were inspired by Mexican art and culture.
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 6:00 – 7:00 PM —- FREE MAY CONCERT SERIES: SUNDOWN AT KIESEL PARK / Old Soul
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all. Performances will be held weather permitting
The City of Auburn Parks & Recreation Department invites the community to come and enjoy a FREE concert series every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. throughout the month of May at Kiesel Park. The line-up will provide live musical entertainment from local and regional musicians the entire family will enjoy. Bring a picnic, a blanket and even the dog to enjoy a free, entertaining evening at the park under the stars. All concerts last an hour and a half and kick-off promptly at 6 p.m.
Next Sundown at Kiesel Park May concert, on Thursday, May 28, features Auburn Road.
More info: www.myspace.com/sundownatkiesel or Alison Hall at 501-2930.
FRIDAY, MAY 22 – SATURDAY, MAY 24 — The Creek War and War of 1812 in the South: A Symposium
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art. Registration fee (includes lunch and refreshments): $25/one day; $40/both days. Registration info online: www.auburn.edu/CreekWar.
This symposium features scholars from a variety of universities as well as representatives of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Sponsored by Horseshoe Bend National Military Park and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts, with funding from the National Park Service. More info: call 334-844-4948 or visit www.auburn.edu/CreekWar.
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 6:30 PM — BIRMINGHAM EVENT: AN AMERICAN LAWYER IN GAZA / Linda Mansour-Ismail, National Lawyers Guild Attorney and Member of NLG Gaza Delegation
Held on the UAB campus, Heritage Hall, conference room 104. (Corner 14th St. and University, easy street parking)
Free & open to the public. Contributions accepted to defray costs.
The Birmingham Peace Project and Alabama chapter of the National Lawyers Guild will present “An American Lawyer in Gaza” — Linda Mansour-Ismail, National Lawyers Guild Attorney and Member of NLG Gaza Delegation.
Link to Directions & Map: http://www.uab.edu/images/stuaff/pdf/Campus-Map-07-Rev04-06.pdf
In February, a National Lawyers Guild delegation, including attorney Linda Mansour, of Toledo, Ohio, traveled to the Gaza Strip to investigate the latest 22-day Israeli military offensive into Gaza. The delegation members spent their own funds and risked their lives to investigate the circumstances that led to massive Palestinian casualties, to determine if violations of international law occurred and whether U.S. domestic law was implicated as a consequence. Last month the delegation to Gaza released a 37-page report containing new evidence on the facts surrounding the offensive. Mansour-Ismail will present dramatic photos and interviews with citizens as well as officials, and will discuss evidence of crimes warranting further investigation.
Speaker’s Bio: Linda Mansour-Ismail is a committed activist and practicing attorney for over 30 years and is believed to be the first U.S. licensed Palestinian-American female attorney. This past year she was appointed by the Ohio Democratic Party as its delegate at large for Presidential candidate Barack Obama. Ms. Mansour is actively involved in community matters. She serves on various civic, Democratic, cultural, institutional and professional boards serving her communities locally, nationally and internationally. For over three decades she has been a presenter in and out of the US on panels focusing on building international, trade and human relations. She is known for her active role in Arab American and Palestinian civil and human rights issues. She has led several delegations to the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. Having successfully litigated many cases of national importance Ms. Mansour has been featured in a swathe of national and international television, radio, and newspaper outlets as well as a guest lecturer. She has served as the resident associate in charge of a recognized US international law firm in Abu Dhabi. Presently Ms. Mansour has an active law practice in Toledo, Ohio focusing on litigation, immigration, civil rights, children’s issues and employment, as well as domestic and nternationaltransactional matters.
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 7:00 PM — SHORT FILM SCREENING & DISCUSSION / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
SATURDAY, MAY 23 – SATURDAY, MAY 30 – ALABAMA’S MAGNIFICENT BICYCLING ADVENTURE
Registration Starts at Noon to 6:00 PM at Auburn Soccer Complex, 2340 Wire Road. http://www.amba1.com/
AMBA, Alabama’s Magnificent Bicycle Adventure, is a multi-day bike ride established to raise money to support AlaBike. AlaBike is a Non-Profit 501(c)3 corporation formed to make Alabama a better place to ride bikes. The organization hopes to accomplish this goal by making roads safer for bicyclist and work to make road improvements bike friendly.
AMBA is different than other 7 day bike rides:
• While you bike, your non-biking mate can go sightseeing, golfing, shopping or do other activities and still meet you for dinner!
If you have any questions, you can email Peter Wolf at writerider@charter.net or go to http://www.amba1.com/.
SATURDAY, MAY 23, NOON – 5:00 PM — WRITING WORKSHOP / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
City of Auburn Board Vacancies:
* Board of Education – one vacancy will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
–Note: The incumbent, Anne Penney, has served two five-year terms.
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
May 13, 2009
Comments Off
WEEK OF MAY 11, 2009 – MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES
THROUGH MAY 19 – SECTION OF WEST SAMFORD AVENUE TO BE CLOSED DURING BREAK
A section of West Samford Avenue, between Biggio Drive and Wire Road, will be closed during the break between spring and summer semesters. It will close on Sunday May 10, following spring commencement and will reopen on or before May 19, prior to the beginning of summer classes and the first Camp War Eagle. Closure is necessary to replace a failing culvert under Samford Avenue. A detour route will be established using Biggio Drive, Lem Morrison Drive and Wire Road.
MONDAY, MAY 11 to FRIDAY, MAY 15 — BIKE TO WORK / BIKE TO SCHOOL WEEK www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Bike to Work/Bike to School week will be celebrated throughout the week, encouraging students, families, and commuters to utilize the bicycle as a form of transportation and recreation. Coupons from Bruster’s, ColdStone Creamery, Marble Slab, Sonic, TCBY, and AMF Auburn Lanes will be distributed to citizens seen practicing safe bicycling skills and/or commuting to work or school. More info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/bikemonth.asp.
MONDAY, MAY 11 – WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 —- MACROINVERTEBRATE ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP
Held in Auburn. More info: http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm or contact Eve Brantley at brantef@auburn.edu.
* May 11-13 an Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Assessment will be conducted in Auburn. This workshop will introduce the participants to the basic ecology and taxonomy of aquatic insects. Field work and lab work will emphasize the use of EPT (mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies).
Additional upcoming workshops:
* May 27-28 Stream Restoration Design will be conducted in Montgomery and will center on Baldwin Slough, a degraded urban stream in a City of Montgomery park. Participants will use reference reach information to develop design parameters for an urban stream. Other topics include sediment transport calculations, applications of in-stream structures, and habitat enhancements.
* July 14-15 Stream Restoration Construction will be conducted in Montgomery. Participants will learn about plan sheet development, construction specifications, permitting, and construction oversight while observing channel grading and structure installation.
These workshops are made possible through partnerships and funding from City of Montgomery, Auburn University, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc., Jennings Environmental, LLC, Upper Alabama River Clean Water Partnership, Young Meadows Presbyterian Church, North Carolina State University, and the USDA CSREES Southern Region Water Program.
MONDAY, MAY 11, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
[NOTE: The regular Planning Commission meeting will be held this Thursday, May 14, 5:00 pm, in the Auburn city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St.]
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
NEW BUSINESS
1. Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment PUBLIC HEARING MS-2009-00021
Applicant: City of Auburn
General Location: City of Auburn
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to amend Articles VI, VIII and IX of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance
2. Annexation Policy Amendment PUBLIC HEARING MS-2009-00022
Applicant: City of Auburn
General Location: City of Auburn
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to adopt changes to the City of Auburn Annexation Policy established by Resolution 07-328
3. Flip Flops PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00237
Applicant: Brandon Haynes for 152 North College, LLC
General Location: 152 North College Street
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC) with an overlay of the College Edge Overlay District (CEOD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a commercial and entertainment use (lounge)
4. Tuscany Hills Amenity Lot PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00242
Applicant: McIntyre Building Company
General Location: 125 Tuscany Hills Drive
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a subdivision amenity (swimming pool and restroom facility)
5. Dowdell Subdivision (PL-2006-00238) PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00240
Applicant: Timothy Moore
General Location: Off of Miracle Road and East of North Donahue Drive
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits (Planning Jurisdiction)
Action Requested: Waiver to the City of Auburn Subdivision Regulations, Article IV, Design Standards, E4, in order to allow a subdivision which would create four (4) lots that do not abut upon a dedicated public street
OTHER BUSINESS
6. CompPlan 2030 Update – Justin Steinmann, Principal Planner
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT
MONDAY, MAY 11 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. P-Card Program Update – Roger Rendleman
b. Outdoor Warning Siren Testing Notification – Kathy Russell
b. Legislative Update – Wendy Swann
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting April 27, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Dirt Road off Lee Road 83 (aka Sara Lane) – Tim Moore
b. Alabama National Fair Advertisement – Judge English
c. Comprehensive Development Strategies Invoice – Judge English
d. NACo Drug Plan – Commissioner Harris
e. Report on Garbage Fee Issue – Jack Marshall
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Energy Efficiency Presentation – Eric Hodge
b. Approve Travel to Al City/County Mgmt Assn & ACCA Conferences- Commissioner Lawrence
c. Right-of-Way Policy Amendment – Commissioner Harris
10. Adjourn
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/greenspace/
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 10:00 AM – CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE / AUBURN-OPELIKA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (AOMPO CAC) http://www.lrcog.com/mpo.html
Held be in the Lee-Russell Council of Govts-LRCOG Conference Room (2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika). Open to the public.
TUESDAY, MAY 12, NOON – 1:00 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES – How to Get or Refinance a Mortgage
Held in the programming room, Youth Services Building, Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave.
Free & open to all. Water & coffee provided; bring your lunch.
May 12 Program: How to Get or Refinance a Mortgage — Jim Tice and Tom Williams, who work in the mortgage industry, will provide some guidelines on qualifying for or refinancing a home mortgage in today’s economy. More information: Reference desk at 501-3195 or visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp#brown.
Upcoming programs:
June 2 - ADHD: Tim Thornberry, a graduate clinician at Auburn University, will discuss Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and provide guidelines and techniques on helping your loved one.
June 23 – Alternative Energy: Auburn resident David Newton lead a talk on alternative energy.
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1:30 PM – TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE / AUBURN-OPELIKA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (AOMPO TAC) http://www.lrcog.com/mpo.html
Held be in the Lee-Russell Council of Govts-LRCOG Conference Room (2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika). Open to the public.
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 3:00 – 5:00 PM —- WAYNE GREENHAW / Book Signing: A Generous Life, W. James Samford, Jr.
Held at Red Door June, 831 S. Railroad Ave, Opelika. All proceeds go to support the mission of the W. James Samford Jr. Foundation.
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
TUESDAY, MAY 12 - AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org Open to all.
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd.
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 5:00 PM — LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Held in the old Johnson Gallery building located directly behind the County Courthouse in Opelika.
Agenda: discuss outreach efforts for the second round of Town Hall Meetings that will be held in June.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 through SATURDAY, MAY 16 —AUBURN AREA COMMUNITY THEATER / FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, JR.
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center.
Performances May 13- 16 at 6:30 pm, plus 2:00 pm matinee Saturday May 16.
Tickets: $6/children, youth & students; $8/adults. Tickets at the door or reserve by calling 741-5333.
The Auburn Area Community Theater’s annual spring children’s production is “Fiddler on the Roof, Junior.” This production marks the first musical presented by our local community theater. While it is an abbreviated version of the original Broadway show, FOTR, JR still packs an emotional punch with a compelling story of lives in transition highlighted by beautiful songs and exciting choreography.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 – THURSDAY, MAY 14 — FIFTH ANNUAL STATE OF OUR WATERSHED CONFERENCE – The Tallapoosa River Basin
Held at the Betty Carol Graham technology Center, Central Alabama Community College, Alexander City. Open to anyone interested in learning more about the current and future status of the Tallapoosa Watershed.
Free, but registration required by Monday, May 11. For registration and conference info, visit http://www.twp.auburn.edu.
This free conference will look at ways to manage and protect water quality and quantity at a basin scale and have examples from AL, GA and FL. It will have many opportunities for us to learn about water governance, pros and cons of Watershed Management Authorities, and to voice our opinions via break-out sessions and electronic surveys. The conference will focus on effective water policy and on land and water management practices that will lead to an ecologically and economically healthy and sustainable Tallapoosa Watershed. More conference info: http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/news/2009/watershed.php.
The Auburn University Water Resources Center and the Auburn-based Alabama Water Watch program are among the conference’s cosponsors.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 9:00 AM — MPO POLICY BOARD / AUBURN-OPELIKA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION http://www.lrcog.com/mpo.html
Held be in the Lee-Russell Council of Govts-LRCOG Conference Room (2207 Gateway Drive, Opelika). Open to the public.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA ELECTRONIC VOTING COMMITTEE / Special-Called Meeting
Held at 125 Washington Avenue, Montgomery. Ph: 334-242-4337
Agenda: Approval of changes submitted by ES&S, made to Model 100 precinct tabulators and Model 650 central tabulators so that maintenance, work and sales contracts can be executed.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, noon – OPELIKA SUMMER SWING’S NOON TUNES – The Fedoras
Held by the fountain, Courthouse Square, Opelika. Free & open to all.
Bring a quilt or lawn chair; pack a brown bag lunch, or purchase lunch from a local restaurant. Noon Tunes will be held every Wednesday in May.
May 13: The Fedoras – This acoustic duo plays folk, pop and bluegrass tunes the whole family will enjoy.
May 20: Strawberry White – Performs music from today’s country artists such as Alison Krauss, Shania Twain, and Kenny Chesney. Strong vocal harmonies. The Father/Daughter duo also plays tunes from classic rock artists such as the Allman Brothers, Eages, and Jimmy Buffet.
May 27: Larcus Fuller – Country and light rock. Songs that make you want to sing along.
THURSDAY, MAY 14, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
THURSDAY, MAY 14, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, MAY 14, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION – regular meeting
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
(See agenda details above, Monday, May 11, noon, Planning Commission Packet meeting.)
THURSDAY, MAY 14, 6:00 – 7:00 PM —- FREE MAY CONCERT SERIES: SUNDOWN AT KIESEL PARK/ Crossroad Band
Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all. Performances will be held weather permitting
The City of Auburn Parks & Recreation Department invites the community to come and enjoy a FREE concert series every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. throughout the month of May at Kiesel Park. The line-up will provide live musical entertainment from local and regional musicians the entire family will enjoy. Bring a picnic, a blanket and even the dog to enjoy a free, entertaining evening at the park under the stars. All concerts last an hour and a half and kick-off promptly at 6 p.m.
Sundown at Kiesel Park May concert series schedule: Thursday, May 21 – Old Soul; Thursday, May 28 – Auburn Road.
More info: www.myspace.com/sundownatkiesel or Alison Hall at 501-2930.
FRIDAY, MAY 15 to TUESDAY, JUNE 30 —- 11TH ANNUAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn Arts Association gallery. Free & open to all.
Come view this 11th annual juried art exhibition / competitive exhibition open to artists and craftspersons in Lee County.
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 7:00 PM —- JEANNIE THOMPSON / POETRY READING & BOOK SIGNING - www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Jeanie Thompson has published four collections of poetry: How to Enter the River, Witness (which won the Benjamin Franklin Award of the Publishers’ Marketing Association), and White for Harvest: New and Selected Poems, and her latest book The Seasons Bear Us. Her poems have appeared widely in such magazines as Apalachee Review, Black Warrior Review, Copper Nickel, Crazy Horse, Louisville Review, New England Review, North American Review, River Styx, Southern Review, and the online journals StorySouth and Thicket. She has received individual artist fellowships from the Louisiana Council on the Arts and the Alabama State Council on the Arts, has held a Walter Dakin Fellowship at the Sewanee Writers Conference, and in 2003 was named Alumni Artist of the Year by the University of Alabama College of Arts and Sciences. Thompson is founding director of the Alabama Writers’ Forum and is a faculty member in the Spalding University Brief Residency MFA Writing Program in Louisville, KY. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama.
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 8:00 AM — SAMFORD BIKE LANES DEDICATION CEREMONY
The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place near the intersection of East Samford Avenue and Jockish St. The dedication ceremony for the newly constructed Samford Bike Lanes will be held in conjunction with the weekly Saturday Bike and Breakfast ride. More info: http://auburnalabama.org/cycle/bikemonth.asp
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 8:00 AM – ALABAMA DEPT OF CONSERVATION & NATURAL RESOURCES / DCNR
Held at the State Capitol Auditorium, Montgomery. Open to all. Phone: 334-242-3486
Agenda includes:
Registration — 8:00AM until 8:30AM
Regular meeting: 9:00 am
1.Call to Order
2.Invocation
3.Introduction of Board Members
4.Approval of Minutes from Last Meeting
5.Public Hearing
6.Old Business
7.New Business
8.Selection of Dates and Locations for 2010 Advisory Board Meetings
9.Adjourn
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 10:00 AM — FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE PROGRAM: The Eastern Indigo Snake!
Fee: $3 for non-members, $2 for members. Directions & more info: https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/
Learn more about this amazing endangered reptile, the largest snake (up to 8 feet long) in North America and Auburn University’s plan to help re-establish them in the wild. For more information, call (334) 707-6512.
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 7:00 – 9:00 PM —- CONCERT: JOHN PETERSON / The Gnu’s Room www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
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CITY OF AUBURN STATEMENTS AND COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS RE: PINE HILL CEMETERY INCIDENT
Press release: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm050609.asp
Statements & Resolution: http://www.auburnalabama.org/agenda/TempFiles/2c678128-357e-4627-88b4-da94f49fd7bb.pdf
OPELIKA-AUBURN NEWS ARTICLES AND VIDEO/SLIDESHOW RE: PINE HILL CEMETERY INCIDENT
Dowdell apologizes – http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/dowdell_apologizes/71268/
Critics and supporters packed last Tuesday’s council meeting to voice their views on the Confederate flag controversy. The mayor and other council members also stated their views. A slideshow of the meeting is available at http://www.oanow.com/oan/oan_slideshows/20090505-dowdell_apologizes/71271/
UNIVERSITY SETS UP WEB PAGE FOR SWINE FLU INFORMATION
Auburn University has set up a Web page (http://www.auburn.edu/administration/public_safety/emergency/flu.html) about the university’s monitoring for possible swine flu cases and about precautions that can be taken against the flu. It will include timely updates regarding any news affecting the university. Currently the university is operating as normal; all university events, including commencement on May 9, will proceed as planned; and university employees with children should consider a contingency plan for child care in the event classes are canceled for elementary, middle and high school students. If you think you have contracted the flu (http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/hotnews/swine-flu-questions-and-answers.html), please schedule an appointment with the Auburn University Medical Clinic at 844-4416 immediately.
GET WET, GET INVOLVED IN ALABAMA WATER FESTIVALS
Montgomery and Lee Counties are preparing for their annual water festivals and looking for volunteers to help. The purpose of the festivals is to teach elementary school children about water and its importance in nature and in our lives. They learn about surface and groundwater, wetlands, forestry, and wildlife. And they learn about their own impact and responsibilities.
Each year, thousands of children participate in these interactive festivals and each year a couple of hundred volunteers are need. Please take a day or two from your schedule and help to pass the mantle of good stewardship to the next generation.
For details on how to volunteer, download the relevant form below:
Lee County - Tuesday, May 12th and Wednesday, May 13th -volunteers needed both days.
Haley Center, Auburn University, Auburn. To download for: http://www.auburn.edu/sustainability/website/pdf/lee_water_fest.pdf
Montgomery County - Thursday, May 14th and Friday, May 15th -volunteers REALLY needed on Friday, May 15th.
Auburn University, Montgomery. To download form: http://www.auburn.edu/sustainability/website/pdf/montgomery_water_fest.pdf
CITY OF AUBURN Press releases:
** New Traffic Signal at East Glenn Avenue and East Samford Avenue: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw0428092.asp
** Auburn Citizens Voice Their Opinions: 2009 Citizen Survey Results Now Available:
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm042109.asp
** New Traffic Signal at East Samford Avenue and East University Drive
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw050609.asp
City of Auburn Board Vacancies:
* Board of Education – one vacancy will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
May 10, 2009
Comments Off
PLEASE TAKE FIVE MINUTES TODAY &
CONTACT LEGISLATORS ABOUT ETHICS & QUARRY BILLS
(see legislators’ contact info below)
There are only a few days left in the regular legislative session. Please take a few minutes today ask your legislators to pass these important bills. Thank you.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ETHICS BILLS — HB 574 (Gibson/Erwin) & HB 582 (DeMarco)
PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE / NEED TO BE PLACED ON SPECIAL ORDER CALENDAR
Ethics bills passed out of House Judiciary Committee after negotiations on May 30. The Rules Committee needs to put both these bills on the Special Order Calendar for Tuesday, May 5 or Wednesday, May 6.
Contact Speaker Hammett; Rep. Guin, Chair of Rules Committee; members of the Rules Committee; and your own representative. (Local Representative on Rules: Peblin Warren; she is also on the Rules Subcommittee on Special Calendar).
Call the members’ offices at State House; clerks will take a count.
House of Representatives switchboard: 334-242-7600 / Senate switchboard: 334-242-7800.
Message for representatives: “Give us Ethics reform this year.” Please put Judiciary Committee bills for HB 574 (Erwin) and HB 582 (DeMarco) on Special Order Calendar for May 5 or May 6.
According to Jim Sumner, Alabama State Ethics Commission Director:
HB 594 Gibson Governor’s bill = “gold standard”
HB 582 De Marco = ”silver standard”
HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Ken Guin, Chair; James Buskey, Vice Chair; Ron Johnson, Ranking Minority Member; Barbara Boyd, Craig Ford, Blaine Galliher, Todd Greeson, Randy Hinshaw, Richard Laird, Jack Page, Arthur Payne, John Robinson, Rod Scott, Pebblin Warren, Cam Ward
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HB 804 — LOCAL AUTHORITY OVER SITING OF QUARRIES
The House CMG (County and Municipal Government) committee PASSED HB804!
PLEASE contact your representative, let them know that you support this bill, (thank them if they are on this committee) and ask them to make sure this bill is passed.
Also please ask your representative to support the 4 local bills for LIMESTONE County…these Limestone bills passed the House committee. They just need a House vote (with no tinkering so conference won’t be needed with Senate) and the Governor’s signature.
HOUSE COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Bill Dukes, Chair; Randy Wood, Vice Chair; Steve McMillan, Ranking Minority Member; Mike Curtis, Owen Drake, Chris England, Earl Hilliard, Richard Laird, Jim McClendon, Frank McDaniel, Jeff McLaughlin, Jeremy Oden, Rod Scott, Butch Taylor, Pebblin Warren, Jack Williams
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Additional bills of Interest: Removal of Grocery Tax, Constitutional Reform, etc
A fairly comprehensive summary by Alabama Arise about these & other bills of interest, updated as of May 1, 2009, is online at http://alarise.org/Legislative/Arise%20Bills%20of%20Interest%205-1-2009.pdf.
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LEGISLATORS’ CONTACT INFO:
House of Representatives switchboard: 334-242-7600 / Senate switchboard: 334-242-7800.
Contact info for members of House committees: http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/housecommittees.html.
Contact info for members of Senate committees: http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senatecommittees/senatecommittees.html.
A complete list of legislators can be found at www.legislature.state.al.us.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
May 5, 2009
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WEEK OF MAY 4, 2009
MONDAY, MAY 4, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, MAY 5, NOON – 1:00 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES — How to Get Out of Debt
Held in the programming room, Youth Services Building, Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave.
Free & open to all. Water & coffee provided; bring your lunch.
Speakers: Jim Tice and Tom Williams, who work in the mortgage industry, will give some basic principles for getting out and staying out of debt. Join the Auburn Public Library’s Brown Bag Lunch series, noon Tuesdays. Bring your lunch and learn about a variety of topics. More information: Reference desk at 501-3195 or visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp#brown.
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2:30 PM – ART LECTURE: DR. SUSAN BRADEN / ALABAMA SMALL TOWNS: WORKING WITHIN IDEALS OF DEVELOPMENT AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Susan Braden, who recently retired from AU’s Art Department, taught art history at Auburn for 20 years. Her major interest is in American art and architecture. Her book Florida Resort Architecture: Architecture of Leisure was published by University Press of Florida in 2002. She is the Alabama representative to Southeastern Society of Architectural Historians. This lecture is in conjunction with the Auburn University Faculty Exhibition, on display through May 30 in the Bill L. Harbert Gallery and Gallery C. (Note: This lecture was mistakenly publicized as being held last week.)
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
TUESDAY, MAY 5 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org
Meeting agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR – Gary Fuller
1. Proclamation, National Day of Prayer.
CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS – Bob Shuman
1. . Request by Bent Creek SD for their 6th annual neighborhood picnic.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS – Shirley Washington
1. Bid, remodel and renovate the Chamber of Commerce.
2. Bid, polymer concrete enclosures – L&P.
13) RESOLUTIONS – Guy Gunter
1. Contract, 4th of July fireworks – P&R
14) ORDINANCES – Guy Gunter (none)
1. Amend text zoning ordinance, section 8.18 (c) – 2nd reading.
2. Amend zoning ordinance, Cedar Creek SD, add 5.97 acres PUD, phase 5A – 2nd reading.
3. Amend City Code, section 14, business license descriptions – 2nd reading.
4. Amend City Code, section 3-1, add special retail license – 2nd reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS – (none)
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, MAY 5 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:50 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: PINE HILLS CEMETERY. Discussion.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS. (5 minutes per person)
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage License. Southeastern Pizza Group LLC dba/Pizza Hut Wing Street. 1923 South College Street. 040 – Retail Beer (On or Off Premises) License.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Sales Tax Holiday. Exempt Certain Items from City Sales Tax. August 7 – August 9, 2009. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish “No Parking” Zones. Greentree Terrace and Veterans Boulevard. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Municipal Water Pollution (MWPP) Annual Reports. Approval to Submit.
(1) H. C. Morgan Water Pollution Control Facility.
(2) Northside Water Pollution Control Facility.
b. Industrial Development Board. Straehle + Hess USA, Inc.1132 West Veterans Boulevard. Package of Incentives. Concurrence.
c. Parks & Recreation Department. Architectural Services for Frank Brown Recreation Center Renovations and Additions. Infinity Architecture, P. C. Contract. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
d. Drainage and Utility Easements, Rights-of-Way, and Permanent and Temporary Construction Easements. Acceptance.
(1) Blain and Blanche McElfresh. 5180 Cress Lake Road. Temporary Construction Easement. FY09 Streets Resurfacing Project.
(2) Donahue Land, LLC. Donahue Ridge Subdivision. Property Located east of North Donahue Drive and Camden Ridge
Subdivision 1st Addition and south of Farmville Road.
(a) A Redivision of Parcel 1. Drainage and Utility Easements and Rights-of-Way.
(b) Manholes 25, 22, 20, 14, 12, 9, & 6. N. Donahue Sewer Interceptor. Permanent and Temp. Construction Easements.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 7:00 – 8:30 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APJ) www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, 508 Auburn Drive (the 2nd house behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 450 E. Thatch Ave). Park behind the Fellowship. The Busch Center is the small building to the left. Open to all.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, NOON — OPELIKA SUMMER SWING’S NOON TUNES / MUSE
Held by the fountain, Courthouse Square, Opelika. Free & open to all.
Bring a quilt or lawn chair; pack a brown bag lunch, or purchase lunch from a local restaurant. Noon Tunes will be held every Wednesday in May.
Muse – Easy listening, vocal oriented acoustic soft rock played as only Muse can. (Note: Muse also will appear for the 20th year on the Summer Swing Bandstand, Tuesday, July 7th.)
Upcoming concerts:
May 13: The Fedoras – This acoustic duo plays folk, pop and bluegrass tunes the whole family will enjoy.
May 20: Strawberry White – Performs music from today’s country artists such as Alison Krauss, Shania Twain, and Kenny Chesney. Strong vocal harmonies. The Father/Daughter duo also plays tunes from classic rock artists such as the Allman Brothers, Eages, and Jimmy Buffet.
May 27: Larcus Fuller – Country and light rock. Songs that make you want to sing along.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00150
Applicant: The Concrete Company
General Location: 294 Beehive Road
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Variance of 173.5′ to the required 300′ between curb cuts on an arterial street in order to allow a curb cut 126.5′ from the adjacent curb cut to the west
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00151
Applicant: The Concrete Company
General Location: 310 Beehive Road
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Variance of 173′ to the required 300′ between curb cuts on an arterial street in order to allow a curb cut 127′ from the adjacent curb cut to the west, and a variance of 173′ to allow a curb cut 127′ from the adjacent curb cut to the east
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 502.02A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00229
Applicant: JoAnn Perkins
General Location: 680 Kalypso Circle
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Variance of 12 feet to the required 20 foot rear setback in order to allow a rear setback of 8 feet for a single-family residence
Variance to Section 502.02A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00230
Applicant: Lane Pearce
General Location: 159 Solamere Lane
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Variance of 14 feet to the required 20 foot rear setback in order to allow a rear setback of 6 feet for a single-family residence
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT
THURSDAY, MAY 7, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 3:00 PM – NELL RICHARDSON / A FAMILY HOME: A HISTORY OF THE PRESIDENT’S MANSION AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Held at AU’s RBD library, Special Collections & Archives. Free & open to all. Reception to follow author’s talk.
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 5:30 – 7:30 PM — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION / Annual membership wine & cheese party
Held at the historic Cary-Pick House, 360 N. College Street. Refreshments will be served. www.auburnheritage.org/
RSVP to Mary Norman 826-0390, pinetucket@gmail.com or Kitt Conner 332-7911 kitconner@mindspring.com.
Anyone interested in Auburn history or preservation is encouraged to attend. Tours will be given of the Cary-Pick House, which is the former home of the Auburn Heritage Association’s founder, Mrs. Alice Cary Pick Gibson. Parking will be available at the Train Depot. Tiger Shaws will be available for transportation to the house.
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 6:00 – 7:00 PM —- FREE MAY CONCERT SERIES: SUNDOWN AT KIESEL PARK/ Auburn Knights Orchestra Held at Kiesel Park. Free & open to all. Performances will be held weather permitting
The City of Auburn Parks & Recreation Department invites the community to come and enjoy a FREE concert series every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. throughout the month of May at Kiesel Park. The line-up will provide live musical entertainment from local and regional musicians the entire family will enjoy. Bring a picnic, a blanket and even the dog to enjoy a free, entertaining evening at the park under the stars. All concerts last an hour and a half and kick-off promptly at 6 p.m.
Sundown at Kiesel Park May concert series schedule: Thursday, May 14 – Crossroad Band; Thursday, May 21 – Old Soul
Thursday, May 28 – Auburn Road. More info: www.myspace.com/sundownatkiesel or Alison Hall at 501-2930.
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 6:30 – 9:00 pm — 2009 CITIZENS PUBLIC SAFETY ACADEMY BEGINS
Held at various locations. Free. Pen to Auburn residents ages 18 & up. Limited seating; apply early.
More info: City of Auburn Public Safety Department at 501-3110 or visit our website at www.auburnalabama.org.
The City of Auburn’s Public Safety Department will begin the 2009 Citizens Public Safety Academy on Thursday, May 7. The academy will run for six consecutive weeks on Thursdays from 6:30 – 9 p.m. Two Saturday sessions will be held on May 23 and June 6 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Graduation will be Thursday, June 11. During the training period, participants will interact with City staff from all areas of Public Safety, including Police, Fire, Communications, and Codes Enforcement. For Related Information: Course Syllabus http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ps050109.pdf (PDF); Application (PDF) http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ps0501092.pdf .
FRIDAY, MAY 8, 11:30 AM – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all.
FRIDAY, MAY 8, 6:00 -11:00 PM — AUBURN ARTS ASSOCIATION / 2nd ANNUAL JAZZ AND BLUES FEST
Held at the Greystone Mansion and Pebble Hill, Magnolia Ave at Debardeleben. Open to all. Tickets: $10/person; $20/family. Tickets available at Stamp, Big Blue Bagel, The Guitar Shop and The Gnu’s Room.
Come join the Auburn Arts Association in their second annual Jazz & Blues Fest! Food vendors will be on hand, and performers include Lil Jimmy Reed, Jane Drake, Blues 9 and Dooley’s Blue Revue. For more info, or to help organize or volunteer with this fundraiser, contact Shelley Shields 826-1410.
SATURDAY, MAY 9 – AU GRADUATION
SATURDAY, MAY 9, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS - Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
On the second Saturday of every month, a group of history re-enactors gather at the LCHS Museum in period attire to demonstrate their arts and crafts. Blacksmiths are usually working at the forge, spinners and weavers are in the log cabin, and someone is always cooking up a meal in the fireplace or outdoors. May 9 – Planting the Garden: planting day for the Crops Garden and the McLain Garden. The Museum is always open on Second Saturdays. Also on Secord Saturdays, the Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer group meets at the Museum at 11:00am. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcomed. Bring your dulcimer or other instrument and join in the pickin’.
SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1:00 – 3:30 PM — WORKSHOP: MAKE YOUR OWN RAIN BARREL
Held at AU’s Forest Ecology Preserve, 3100 Al Hwy 147 (N. College Street), Auburn.
Workshop fee: $25 (includes, workshop, barrel and parts.
Pre-registration is required. To register, send an email to Tia Gonzales at gonzats@auburn.edu.
Due to the overwhelming response to the first rain barrel workshop, the Raincatchers and Alabama Cooperative Extension are holding a second workshop on May 9. Everything you need to build your rain barrel is included in the cost of the workshop, $25. There will be two designs available, one for houses with gutters and one for those without.
The agenda for the workshop is as follows:
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University sets up Web page for swine flu information
Auburn University has set up a Web page (http://www.auburn.edu/administration/public_safety/emergency/flu.html) about the university’s monitoring for possible swine flu cases and about precautions that can be taken against the flu. It will include
timely updates regarding any news affecting the university. Currently the university is operating as normal; all university events, including commencement on May 9, will proceed as planned; and university employees with children should consider a contingency plan for child care in the event classes are canceled for elementary, middle and high school students. If you think you have contracted the flu (http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/hotnews/swine-flu-questions-and-answers.html), please schedule an appointment with the Auburn University Medical Clinic at 844-4416 immediately.
THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS - Alabama House to consider for the fourth time this session whether to debate removal of sales tax from groceries. http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/statebriefs.ssf?/base/news/12413385683800.xml&coll=2
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION BILL —- COMMITTEE VOTE TUESDAY
The vote in the Rules Committee last Thursday ended in a tie, but Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton plans to bring it up for a vote again Tuesday, May 5th.
There are 15 members of the Rules Committee. Seven voted for the Resolution and seven voted against it. One member of the Committee was late and did not get a chance to cast his vote.
The Representatives voting for HJR 91 in the Committee Thursday are: Ken Guin (D), Jasper; Barbara Boyd, (D), Anniston; Jack Page (D), Gadsden; Randy Hinshaw, (D), Meridianville: John Robinson (D), Scottsboro; Pebblin Warren, (D), Tuskegee; and Craig Ford (D), Gadsden. Representative Rod Scott (D) from Birmingham would have voted for the Resolution but got to the Rules Committee too late to vote.
The Representatives who voted against HJR 91 in the Committee Thursday are: James Buskey (D), Mobile; Ron Johnson (R), Talledega; Blaine Galliher (R), Gadsden; Todd Greeson (R), Ider; Richard Laird (D), Roanoke; Authur Payne (R), Trussville; and Cam Ward (R), Alabaster.
Your legislators can be found at www.legislature.state.al.us.
House Rules Committee includes:
Ken Guin of Carbon Hill, Chair (home 205-924-4005); James Buskey of Mobile, Vice Chair (home 251-457-7928); Ronald Johnson of Sylacauga, (home 256-249-9489); Barbara Boyd of Anniston (home 256-236-7423); John Robinson of Scottsboro (home 256-259-2434); Pebblin Warren of Tuskegee (home 334-727-9127); Craig Ford of Gadsden (home 256-547-2727); Blaine Galliher of Gadsden (home 256-442-7517); Todd Greeson of Ider (home 256-632-3963); Randy Hinshaw of Meridianville (home 256-828-7119); Richard Laird of Roanoke (home 334-863-2424); Jack Page of Gadsden (home 256-546-5365); Arthur Payne of Trussville (home 205-655-5845); Rod Scott of Fairfied (home 205-781-1322) and Cam Ward of Alabaster (home 205-664-1066).
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Excerpts from AU Office of Sustainability newsletter: (To receive this newsletter regularly, send an email to sustain@auburn.edu)
ALABAMA’S FIRST LEED HOMES COMPLETED
The state of Alabama has recently seen the completion of its first LEED homes, in Enterprise. The Turtleback Subdivision, which is being developed by Bo and Del Lee, will comprise all LEED certified homes. Two of the homes are already complete. Last weekend, as part of Enterprise’s Parade of Homes, the two completed houses were open for viewing.
For more information on the homes in the Turtleback development, download this PDF. http://www.auburn.edu/sustainability/website/pdf/turtleback.pdf
The Roving Locavore: Auburn’s new local food blog
Some of us putter about the garden growing our own vegetables, some of us hunt deer or duck for meat, some of us spend hot steamy days at the end of summer canning our glut of tomatoes, and many of us dabble in dietary challenges for the sake of our health and the environment. But all of us love food. Read about one Auburn woman’s adventures in eating local and seasonal food in the new food blog, The Roving Locavore. And follow Amy, Jack and Peter as they meander up through the northeast US and then spend a year in Rome.
Visit The Roving Locavore blog. http://therovinglocavore.com/about/
Get wet, get involved in AL water festivals
Montgomery and Lee Counties are preparing for their annual water festivals and looking for volunteers to help. The purpose of the festivals is to teach elementary school children about water and its importance in nature and in our lives. They learn about surface and groundwater, wetlands, forestry, and wildlife. And they learn about their own impact and responsibilities.
Each year, thousands of children participate in these interactive festivals and each year a couple of hundred volunteers are need. Please take a day or two from your schedule and help to pass the mantle of good stewardship to the next generation.
For details on how to volunteer, download the relevant form below:
Lee County — Tuesday, May 12th and Wednesday, May 13th -volunteers needed both days.
Haley Center, Auburn University, Auburn. Click here to download form. http://www.auburn.edu/sustainability/website/pdf/lee_water_fest.pdf
Montgomery County — Thursday, May 14th and Friday, May 15th -volunteers REALLY needed on Friday, May 15th.
Auburn University, Montgomery. Click here to download form. http://www.auburn.edu/sustainability/website/pdf/montgomery_water_fest.pdf
CITY OF AUBURN:
New Traffic Signal at East Glenn Avenue and East Samford Avenue http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw0428092.asp
Announcing the 2009 Citizens Public Safety Academy http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ps050109.asp
Auburn Citizens Voice Their Opinions: 2009 Citizen Survey Results Now Available
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm042109.asp
City of Auburn Board Vacancies:
* Board of Education – one vacancy will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
* Auburn Downtown Redevelopment Authority – three vacancies will be filled at the July 7 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
May 5, 2009
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ADDITIONAL EVENT TODAY
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2:30 PM – ART LECTURE: DR. SUSAN BRADEN / ALABAMA SMALL TOWNS: WORKING WITHIN THE IDEALS OF DEVELOPMENT AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Susan Braden, who recently retired from AU’s Art Department, taught art history at Auburn for 20 years. Her major interest is in American art and architecture. Her book Florida Resort Architecture: Architecture of Leisure was published by University Press of Florida in 2002. She is the Alabama representative to Southeastern Society of Architectural Historians.
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ACTION ALERT
CONTACT REPRESENTATIVES TODAY FOR SUPPORT OF HJR 91 — ALLOW VOTE ON CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
CALL THE HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE AND REPRESENTATIVES – ASK THEM TO SUPPORT HJR 91
This morning please call the House Switch Board 334-242-7600 and leave a message for the Rules Committee members and your House Representative, asking them to pass HJR91 and allow the people to vote on a Constitutional Convention. (You can find your Legislators at www.legislature.state.al.us. )
If you’ve time, please also call the other members of the House of Representatives and ask them to vote for HJR 91.
Background: Today the House of Representatives has the opportunity to pass HJR 91 to let the people vote on a Constitution Convention! Last week, the House Rules Committee voted 5 to 7 against House Joint Resolution 91. Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton and Rep. Ken Guin, Chair of the Rules Committee, intend to bring it back to the Rules Committee today (Tuesday) or Wednesday. Three Representatives who have indicated support for HJR 91 did not attend that Committee vote last week. The opponents of HJR 91 on the Committee seized that opportunity and called for a vote on HJR 91. Rep. Ken Guin tried to convince the opponents to permit the resolution to go forth and be debated on the House floor, but to no avail.
The Representatives voting for HJR 91 in the Committee last week were: Reps. Ken Guin (D), Jasper; Rod Scott, (D), Birmingham; Barbara Boyd, (D), Anniston; Jack Page (D), Gadsden; Randy Hinshaw, ( D), Meridianville.
The Representatives not present in the Committee to vote on the Resolution were: Reps. John Robinson (D), Scottsboro; Pebbin Warren, (D), Tuskegee; and Craig Ford (D), Gadsden.
The Representatives who voted against HJR 91 in the Committee last week were: James Buskey (D), Mobile; Ron Johnson (R), Talledega; Blaine Galliher (R), Gadsden; Todd Greeson (R), Ider; Richard Laird (D), Roanoke; Authur Payne (R), Trussville; and Cam Ward (R), Alabaster.
For a fuller description of the situation, see the recent THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS article.
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/statebriefs.ssf?/base/news/1240820140235540.xml&coll=2
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
April 28, 2009
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WEEK OF APRIL 27, 2009
MONDAY, APRIL 27 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting April 13, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Request to Abandon a Portion of Lee Road 265 – Ed Wilder
b. Request to Maintain Lee Road 750 – Jeanette Burts
c. Unpaved Portion of Lee Road 722 – Tommy Collier
d. Pave Prescriptive ROW on Lee Road 132 – Commissioner Harris
e. NACo Prescription Drug Plan – Commissioner Harris
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Dirt Road off Lee Road 83 – Tim Moore
b. Resolution to Set Location of Tax Sale – Oline Price
c. Update on Comprehensive Development Strategies – Commissioner Harris
d. Schedule Joint Meeting with Chambers and Macon County Commissions – Commissioner Harris
e. Resolution for Stimulus Funds for North Donahue Road – Neal Hall
f. Resolution for HRRR Project – Neal Hall
g. Accept for Maintenance The Village at Halawaka/Phase III – Neal Hall
h. Hornet Quick Stop/Retail Beer and Retail Table Wine License – D4
10. Executive Session
11. Adjourn
MONDAY, APRIL 27, 4:00 PM — KOSOLAPOFF LECTURER: Bioorganic Studies on Vision
Held in room 134, Chemistry Bldg, AU. Free & open to the public.
The lecture, “Bioorganic Studies on Vision,” will be presented by Koji Nakanishi from Columbia University. Nakanishi will also present the AU’s Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry’s 24th annual Kosolapoff Award Lecture titled “Science Research in U.S./Japan: Physiologically Active Compounds from Nature.” (Held in AU’s Science Center auditorium, Tuesday, 8:00 pm.) The Kosolapoff lecture series was created to honor Gannady M. Kosolapoff, an early member of AU’s Dept of Chemistry.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, NOON – 1:00 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES: Digital Photography
Held in the programming room, Youth Services Building, Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave.
Free & open to all. Water & coffee provided; bring your lunch.
Join the Auburn Public Library’s new Brown Bag Lunch series, noon Tuesdays. Bring your lunch.
More information: Reference desk at 501-3195 or visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp#brown.
April 28 Digital Photography: How to Upload and Modify Digital Photographs: You’ve taken your pictures, now what? Dianne Ballentine, head of the library’s Electronic Services area will demonstrate how to upload pictures from your digital camera, how to crop and enhance photos, and how to get them printed.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2:30 – 3:45 PM — JCSM / ART TALK
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 3:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
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. Wyndham Gates S/D, Phase 1A, 38 lots, Gateway Drive, McDowell & Associates LLC, Preliminary/Final Approval
2. June Riddle S/D, 2 lots, Lee Road 830, June Riddle, P/F Approval
3. BSL S/D, 2 lots, Highway 280 East, Sally Phillips, P/F Approval
B. CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
4. Michelle Klima, 906 Columbus Pkwy-Crooked Creek Shopping Center, C-3, GC-2, Outdoor display
5. Big J’s LLC, 3051 Frederick Road-Midtown Plaza, C-3, GC-1, Mama Goldberg’s restaurant
6. Dave Hosey, Cunningham Drive-Talley Avenue, R-3, Church
C. AMENDMENT TO THE ZONIGN ORDINANCE – Public Hearing
7. Amendment to text of Zoning Ordinance – Section 2.2 Definitions – Family
TUESDAY, APRIL 28 , 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 8:00 PM — KOSOLAPOFF AWARD LECTURE
Held in the Science Center auditorium. Free & open to the public.
AU’s Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry’s 24th annual Kosolapoff Award Lecture will be presented by Koji Nakanishi from Columbia University and is titled “Science Research in U.S./Japan: Physiologically Active Compounds from Nature.” The lecture series was created to honor Gannady M. Kosolapoff, an early member of AU’s Dept of Chemistry.
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1:00 pm – ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 100 N Union Street, Suite 382, Mont., ph: 334-242-5568. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
I. MINUTES
A. Review Agenda and Approval of Minutes
1. Review Meeting Agenda
2. Approve Meeting Minutes
3. Action items from Board meeting
II. HEARINGS
B. Public Hearings
C. Formal Hearings
III. COMMITTEE REPORTS
D. Applications -
1. Without personal appearance
2. With personal appearance
E. Law Enforcement Committee
1. Complaints/Investigations
F. Certificates of Authorization
1. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorizations
2. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorization with Exceptions
G. Communications and Publications
H. Legislative
I. Continuing Professional Competency
J. Finance/Personnel
K. Land Surveying – Education & Examinations
L. Engineering – Education & Examination
III. OTHER REPORTS
M. Chair’s Report
N. Executive Director’s Report
IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND CORRESPONDENCE
O. Unfinished Business
P. Correspondence – action required
Q. Information only – no action required
V. NEW BUSINESS
R.
VI. OPEN FORUM – Time during which anyone who may be attending meeting as a member of the public can ask questions or make comments.)
CLOSING REMARKS
Review of Calendar
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 8:00 am – ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 100 N Union Street, Suite 382, Mont., ph: 334-242-5568. Open to all. Agenda as shown above, Thursday, April 30, 1:00 pm.
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 5:30 – 7:30 PM — FRANK UHLIG PHOTOGRAPHY ART RECEPTION & SILENT AUCTION
Held at the Dempsey Arts Center, 222 E Drake Ave.
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 7:00 — EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ / THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at the Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.
Poets, storytellers, spoken word artists and musicians ply their craft before an appreciate and enthusiastic audience on the first Friday night of each month.
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 7:30 PM —- EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING SONiA/disappear fear
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of SONiA/disappear fear, go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, MAY 2 — BIKE BASH / AUBURN www.auburnalabama.org/cycle
This year marks the 10th Anniversary of Bike Bash and as a special tribute, a commemorative Bike Bash quilt will be given away. Visit the website for details, and info about May’s National Bike Month events. Bike Bash info & registration: www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/bash_2009.asp
SATURDAY, MAY 2, 9:00 AM – NOON —– FREE WORKSHOP ON ORGANIC GARDENING
Held at a farm south of Auburn, in Macon County. Free & open to all, but registration required by April 25. To register, contact Jan Garrett at garrecj@auburn.edu or 844-2124. Directions to the workshop site provided after registration.
A free, half-day workshop where gardeners can learn the how-tos of growing vegetables the organic way is sponsored by the Auburn University Organic Production Research program. It will be led by Jan Garrett, a Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology doctoral fellow who works with Auburn’s organic research program. In the workshop, Garrett will cover how to make compost, enrich the soil, prepare beds for planting and control weeds. She also will offer advice on the best ways to set out plants and plant seeds, how to trellis plants and how to build an inexpensive greenhouse.
SATURDAY, MAY 2, 9:00 – 11:00 AM – REBUILDING DAY – LEE COUNTY / Rebuilding Together Lee County http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/
Join Lee County Association of Realtors to be a part of Rebuilding Together Lee County, a project to improve the housing of low income homeowners, particularly the needy, elderly and disabled in Lee County. Lee County Association of Realtors will be sponsoring the annual event Rebuilding Together. Rebuilding Together Lee County is a non-profit organization that provides home repairs for the elderly and disabled in our community. No level of experience is too great or too small to participate, and jobs are available for all! Each house project required about $2000, so financial contribution and supplies are welcome as well. Since 1994, over 80 homes have been repaired across Lee County! Many different groups come together to ensure that these individuals are able to maintain ownership of their homes as long as possible. The goal with the program is ultimately to revitalize our community and preserve home ownership by providing free repairs, while increasing safety and energy for these individuals’ homes. For more information on the 2009 Rebuilding Together Lee County project and how to get involved, please contact, Debra Barlow at 334.329.9649 or Jackie Pinkard, LRCOG 334-749-5264.
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Auburn Citizens Voice Their Opinions: 2009 Citizen Survey Results Now Available
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm042109.asp
City of Auburn Board Vacancies:
* Board of Education – one vacancy will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
April 27, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATE:
ADDITIONAL EVENT TODAY – Saturday, April 25, 1:30 – 3:00 pm
MEET & GREET RECEPTION HONORING CONGRESSMAN ARTUR DAVIS
Held at the Olde Auburn Ale House, 124 Tichenor Ave, Auburn.
Join this meet and greet reception honoring Congressman Artur Davis, candidate for Governor. http://www.arturdavis2010.com/
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Auburn councilman removes Confederate flags from graves
http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/councilman_removes_confederate_flags_from_graves/69708/
This past Thursday, at Pine Hill Cemetery, Auburn council member Arthur Dowdell removed Confederate flags from the graves of Confederate veterans. The flags were there as part of the annual Confederate Memorial Day commemoration.
This incident has sparked controversy, both locally and outside of Auburn. Several news articles, and a press release from Mayor Ham, are posted on the Opelika-Auburn News website www.oanow.com.
[PLACE editorial note: Public comment about this incident on the O-A News website and elsewhere has been heated, and from various viewpoints. Comments have included issues of history, Southern heritage, slavery, racism, disrespect of graves, anger at Rev. Dowdell for his actions, etc. Sadly, many of the comments strayed from the main points -- was Rev. Dowdell's action appropriate or legal, how should it be handled, and how can we learn from this to improve both race relations and our understanding of local history. Instead some used the incident to inflame emotions and revive differing viewpoints on the Civil War, etc. If after reading the details of the incident you wish to comment to city officials, you can email the mayor and council at coagbemail@auburnalabama.org.]
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CHERYL COBB RECEIVES AWARD FROM LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS — Recently former Auburn planning commission member Cheryl Cobb received the Phyllis Rea Award from the League of Women Voters of East Alabama. This award is given honor an individual’s public service to our community.
AUBURN COMMUNITY GARDEN STARTS 2009 SEASON — Volunteers welcome The Auburn Community Garden is an effort to provide fresh, healthy, local produce to the less fortunate in our community. This spring, volunteers will grow tomatoes, peppers, okra, corn, squash, beans, and maybe a pumpkin or two, all of which will go directly to the East Alabama Food Bank. Last year, we provided 2479 lbs of fresh vegetables, most of which went to the Community Market. Planting should begin in the next week or two. It’s a great chance to learn more about vegetable production, meet members of our community, and help out the less fortunate in our area! More information about the Community Garden, including directions, can be found here: http://www.auburn.edu/~mulvamj/community_garden.html If you are interested in helping out, please contact Mike Mulvaney at mulvamj@auburn.edu.
Encyclopedia of Alabama named Best of Free Reference
The online Encyclopedia of Alabama (http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Home.jsp ) has been named a 2008 Best of Free Reference by the library field’s leading professional publication, Library Journal. The journal calls the encyclopedia an excellent example of a well-designed site on the history, culture, and geography of a US state. Developed by the Alabama Humanities Foundation and Auburn University, the encyclopedia includes enhanced multimedia content covering Alabama’s history, culture, geography and natural environment. For an introduction to the content, read historian Wayne Flynt’s essay (http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1598) on Alabama. The editorial offices are hosted by the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn. Library Journal is a 132-year-old publication covering the library field and is read by more than 100,000 library directors, administrators and staff in public, academic and special libraries. The entire list of 2008 Best References may be found at this link (http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6650277.html ).
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
April 25, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATES:
COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE / APRIL 17, 2009 — WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO RE-ELECT THESE PEOPLE?
http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/04/19/column-by-lisa-brouillette-april-17-2009-why-do-we-continue-to-re-elect-these-people/
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES: These & other press releases are online at www.auburnalabama.org/news/:
Northbound Lane of Donahue Drive to be Rerouted April 20 – 24
Citizen Survey Results to be Presented at April 21 Committee of the Whole
Auburn City Council to Consider Authorizing Assessment and Collection of Annual Ad Valorem Taxes April 21
ACTION ALERT — CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM / HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 91 & SENTATE JOINT RESOLUTION 20
Please call your legislators this week and let them know you want them to vote FOR House Joint Resolution 91 and Senate Joint Resolution 20. Let them know you want them to allow you and your fellow Alabamians to vote on whether to call a Constitutional Convention. A Joint Resolution that will allow the people to vote for a Constitution Convention to rewrite the 1901 Alabama Constitution was introduced by Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton in the House of Representatives, HJR 91, and by Senator Ted Little in the Alabama Senate, SJR 20. Both Resolutions were sent to the respective Rules Committees and are anticipated to come before the House in the next week or two.
Please call your state representative TODAY and ask for their support of HJR 91. Call the House Switchboard number (334) 242-7600 and ask to speak to your representative or to leave a message at the switchboard. Say your name and that you are a member of the district and then say: “I want to send a message to representative ____. Please support HJR 91.”
Your legislator can be found at www.legislature.state.al.us. Please also forward this information to your friends and family and ask them to call their legislators as well.
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MEETINGS & EVENTS THIS WEEK:
MONDAY, APRIL 20 – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA / Annual meeting
6:30 p.m. Reception / 7:00 pm Dinner ($20/person)
Speaker: Wayne Flynt / Topic: Ethics in Government
Held at the Auburn Unitarian ¬ Universalist Church, 450 E. Thach Ave. Open to all. Guests are encouraged.
Business meeting to follow speaker. Dr. Wayne Flynt will address the History of Ethics in Government. http://www.lwval.org/eastalabama/
MONDAY, APRIL 20, 9:30 PM ON ALABAMA PUBLIC TV – Green Builders
A quiet green revolution in the building world is evolving, and a first wave of innovative green design projects large and small are already on the ground. GREEN BUILDERS profiles a cast of green building pioneers who have taken the leap into making their part of the “built environment” a more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly place. A quiet green revolution in the building world is evolving, and a first wave of innovative green design projects large and small are already on the ground. GREEN BUILDERS profiles a cast of green building pioneers who have taken the leap into making their part of the “built environment” a more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly place. In each story, people talk about why they made the move to build green, what were the challenges, and how their project has fared. In most cases, one finds that a green building project has more to do with smart planning than expensive technologies or consumer sacrifice. The individuals in this program have made the move to building green and they aren’t suffering, sacrificing, or experimenting with something theoretical. These are real projects on the ground, working businesses and college campuses that prove on a daily basis that you can change your carbon footprint once you change your way of looking at how a structure operates. Their homes and offices are the proving grounds for green building, and their personal experiences reveal that building greener is less complicated and expensive than you probably thought, and more rewarding in the long run.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, NOON – 1:00 PM — AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY / BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES Digital Photography: How to Use a Digital Camera
Held in the programming room, Youth Services Building, Auburn Public Library, 749 E. Thach Ave.
Free & open to all. Water & coffee provided; bring your lunch.
Summer vacation is almost here. Bone up on your picture-taking skills with Assistant Director Tyler Whitten. He will demonstrate how to use a digital camera and give some picture-taking hints for great vacation photos.
Join the Auburn Public Library’s new Brown Bag Lunch series, noon Tuesdays. Bring your lunch and learn about a variety of topics. More information: Reference desk at 501-3195 or visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp#brown.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2:30 PM – DR. KATHRYN FLOYD / PHOTOGRAPHS OF ART EXHIBITIONS
Held in AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Dr. Kathryn Floyd is an assistant professor of art history at Auburn University specializing in modern and contemporary art in Europe, the United States, and Africa. She has a particular interest in the history of art exhibitions and museums. Her dissertation “Between Change and Continuity: Documenta 1955-2005″ chronicles the history of the German periodic exhibition “Documenta.” She received her Ph.D. in 2006 from the University of Iowa.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 4:00 PM – LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT KENNETH HELPHAND / DEFIANT GARDENS
Held in AU’s Dudley Hall, room B-6 (basement auditorium). Free & open to all.
Kenneth Helphand, a professor of landscape architecture at the University of Oregon, is scheduled to present “Defiant Gardens, Making Gardens in Wartime” . Defiant gardens are gardens created in extreme or difficult environmental,
social, political, economic or cultural conditions. These gardens represent adaptation to challenging circumstances, but can also be viewed from other dimensions as sites of assertion and affirmation. At the University of Oregon, Helphand has taught courses in landscape history, theory and design since 1974. A 1968 graduate of Brandeis University and Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Helphand is the recipient of distinguished teaching awards from The University of Oregon and the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture. He is the author of numerous articles and reviews on topics in landscape history and theory with a particular interest in the contemporary American landscape. All are invited to attend the lecture. For more information about Helphand and his work, visit this link (http://www.cadc.auburn.edu/soa/).
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 4:00 – 5:00 PM —- OWNING THE SELF: EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY ACTRESSES AND THEATRICAL PROPERTIES
Held at AU’s Jules Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to the public.
Speaker: Dr. Felicity Nussbaum, Professor of English, University of California at Los Angeles
More info: 844-1974 or 844-6647; http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/Spring_2009.htm
TUESDAY, APRIL 21 – AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
Committee of the Whole: 6:15 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: ANNUAL CITIZEN SURVEY RESULTS. ETC Institute. Presentation and Discussion. Chris Tatham.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. Assistant City Manager Cowper.
a. Alcoholic Beverage License. Ducks Unlimited, Inc. dba/Ducks Unlimited. 1455 Shug Jordan Parkway. 140 – Special Events Retail License.
b. Announcement of Board Vacancy. Board of Education. One Position. Five Year Term Expires May 31, 2014. Appointment at the May 19, 2009 Meeting.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish “No Parking” Zones. Temple Street. SECOND READING.
b. Annual Renewal. Ad Valorem Property Taxes. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) City Taxes – 5 Mills for General Purposes. General Fund. City Taxes – 5 Mills for Capital Projects Debt Repayment. Special Five Mill Tax Fund.
(2) School Taxes – 11 Mills for School Purposes. Special School Tax Fund.
(3) School Taxes – 5 Mills for Educational Purposes. Special Additional School Tax Fund.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Industrial Development Board. Seohan Auto USA Corporation. Seohan-NTN Driveshaft USA Corporation. 246 Teague Court. Tax Abatement Amendment.
b. Environmental Services Department. Trash Amnesty Week. May 18 – 22, 2009. Designate.
c. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations.Public Hearings Required.
(1) Road Service Use in the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) Zoning District.
(a) Michael Shannon. Taylor and Andrew Austin (Authorized Representative). Coin-Operated Ice Vending Station
(Austin Ice). Property Located at 691 Opelika Road.
(b) Tiger Crossing. Dennis McKelvy (Authorized Representative).Donut Shop with Drive Through/Pick-up Window (The Donut Shop). Property Located at 1625 East University Drive, Suite 114.
(2) Dan Grider. Commercial and Entertainment Use-Private Club (The Tavern) in the Commercial Conservation (CC) Zoning District. Property Located at 1310 Opelika Road. [PLACE editorial note: This item comes to Council from Planning Commission with a recommendation for denial.]
d. Contracts and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Not to Exceed $92,500. Office of the City Manager. Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. Professional Governmental Affairs Representation Services.
(2) $207,909. Public Safety Department. 2009 Ford Crown Victoria Sedans (9). Chuck Steven’s Automotive, Inc. State Contract T191.
(3) Not to Exceed $45,000. Planning Department. Auburn Interactive Growth Model (AIGM) Update. Van Buskirk, Ryffel and Associates, Inc. Agreement.
e. Drainage and Utility Easements and Sidewalk and Retaining Wall Easement. Acceptance.
(1) Hamilton Place, LLC. Hamilton Place Subdivision, A Resubdivision of Parcel B, Fred P. Moore Subdivision – Redivision of Parcel B-3. Property Located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Hamilton Road and Moores Mill Road. Drainage and Utility Easements.
(2) Joanne C. Walker. 383 Sanders Street. Sanders Street Sidewalk Project. Sidewalk and Retaining Wall Easement.
11. OTHER BUSINESS. 12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21 – OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda includes:
(1) – a. Ordinance, amend City Code, add a special retail license. Ordinance, amend City Code, various – Section 14 ……Mike Moore
(2) – a. Resolution, contract with GMC for engineering services for phase two of the N. Railroad Ave. Streetscape …..Walter Dorsey
(3) – a. General updates
(4) – Discuss/review CM agenda items of 4/21/09: Remarks by Mayor; General business; Bids; Resolutions; Ordinances; Board Appointments.
(5) – Discussion - City Council: New / Old Business; Board appointments; Other City business.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR – Gary Fuller
1. Building Inspection report for March 2009.
2. Employee service awards.
3. Monthly Financial Summary for March 2009.
CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS – Bob Shuman
1. Public Hearing, amend text of the zoning ordinance, Section 8.18 (c).
2. Public Hearing, amend zoning ordinance, CedarCreek SD, add 5.97 acres PUD,phase 5A.
3. Request by Mainstreet for a special event retail license for their “On The Tracks” event.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS – Shirley Washington: 1. Uniform cleaning – OPD/OFD; 2. Uniforms – OPD
13) RESOLUTIONS – Guy Gunter: 1. Travel advance – OPD; 2. Designate certain City personal property as surplus and authorize disposal.
14) ORDINANCES – Guy Gunter (none)
1. Amend text zoning ordinance, section 8.18 (c) – first reading.
2. Amend zoning ordinance, Cedar Creek SD, add 5.97 acres PUD, phase 5A – first reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS – (none) a. Public P&R Board – reappointment.
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 7:00 PM – FILM: THE UNFORESEEN
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 2370. Free & open to the public.
The Unforeseen is a new documentary from the executive producers Terrence Malick and Robert Redford. The film takes an impartial look at the problem of suburban sprawl in Austin, Texas. It is told through the eyes of a major developer in a struggle against the community. It’s a unique perspective of a timeless tale that serves as a microcosm for communities across the nation, including Auburn. Co-sponsored by Auburn Sustainability Action Program (ASAP), Friends of Chewacla Creek & the Uphapee Watershed (CHEWUP), and Save Our Saugahatchee (SOS).
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 7:00 – 8:00 pm — PROFESSOR DANIEL HELMINIAK / WHAT THE BIBLE REALLY SAYS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY
Held in Theatre Room 2222, New Student Union, AU. Free & open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities are often exacerbated by evangelical interpretations of the Bible. The case becomes more nuanced for LGBT people of faith. Campus Progress joins the Auburn University Spectrum Alliance to open a dialogue around religion, faith, morality, and sexuality. The event brings Professor Daniel Helminiak to discuss how students can bridge the gap between their religious beliefs and sexuality. Sponsored by Campus Progress and the Auburn University Spectrum Alliance.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 7:30 PM — CAPRI THEATRE SHOWING OF BAMA GIRL & discussion with film subject Jessica Thomas
Held at the Capri Theatre, 1045 E Fairview Ave, Montgomery; ph: 334.262.4858; http://www.capritheatre.org.
The Capri Theatre presents “‘Bama Girl” as part of the Southern Arts Federation’ Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers. This powerful and enlightening documentary follows Jessica Thomas’ quest to become homecoming queen at the University of Alabama. Following a screening of the documentary, “‘Bama Girl” subject Jessica Thomas will engage the audience in a discussion of the film. Thomas, a native of Birmingham, was a senior double-major in broadcast news and political science at the University of Alabama. The daughter of Carl and Deborah Thomas, she was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She is currently pursuing her JD at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. The Crimson Tide’s homecoming has a rich history filled with centuries of privilege, old money and racial exclusivity. Thomas is an African-American woman running against 15 other co-eds, a strictly segregated Greek system, internal black politics and, most ominously, a secret all-white association called “The Machine” that has controlled politics at the University, including the student government and homecoming queen elections, for most of the past century.Along the way the film divulges some surprising revelations about black vs. white, the Old South vs. the New South, and a surprising microcosm of electoral politics that mirrors much of what is happening across our country today.
“‘Bama Girl” has screened at SXSW in Austin, Texas, the Atlanta Film Festival, Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival in Birmingham, New Orleans Film Festival, and Indie Memphis Film Festival. “Bama Girl” was directed and produced by Rachel Goslins, a documentary director and producer. She has worked on productions for National Geographic, Discovery, PBS, A&E and the History Channel, among others. Her short film “Onderduiken” was acquired for incorporation into a standardized civil rights curriculum for Northern California high schools. A former international copyright attorney, she is currently directing a feature documentary on Muslims who saved Jews from the Holocaust. She also serves as programming coordinator for the Impact Film Festival which was featured at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, and at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.
– The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of the Southern Arts Federation, a not-for-profit regional arts organization making a positive difference in the arts throughout the South since 1975. Southern Arts Federation is supported by funding and programming partnerships with the National Endowment for the Arts and the state arts agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. For more information on the Southern Arts Federation and its programs visit www.southarts.org.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 8:00 – 10:00 PM — PBS FRONTLINE: POISONED WATERS
POISONED WATERS is a two-hour investigation and report card on two iconic American waterways, Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound. More than two decades after the Clean Water Act was supposed to make America’s waters clean enough for swimming and fishing again, two iconic waterways — the great coastal estuaries of Puget Sound and the Chesapeake Bay — are in perilous condition. With polluted runoff still flowing in from industry, agriculture, and massive suburban development, scientists fear contamination to the food chain and drinking water for millions of people. FRONTLINE examines the rising hazards to human health and the eco-system. For information on the broadcast of POISONED WATERS and to see a two-minute trailer, visit: http://www.pbs.org/frontline/poisonedwaters/.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, NOON – GREEN LUNCH / Kirk Iversen
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2218. Free & open to the public.
Speaker: Kirk Iversen, USDA, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory
Topic: conservation agriculture and the need for sustainable methods of food production
http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/newsletter/020909.html#anchor_0
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1:30 PM — QUARRY LEGISLATION (HB804) PUBLIC HEARING
Held in room 622, Alabama Statehouse, Mont. (House County and Municipal Government Committee) Open to the public.
The quarry legislation (HB804) pushed by state environmentalists for 8 years will get its first public hearing this Wednesday, Earth Day, before the House County and Municipal Government Committee. The bill calls for public hearings and local approval of limestone and granite surface mining prior to issuance of a state permit.
To see complete text of the bill, go to ALISON (Alabama Legislative Information System Online) at http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/ACASLoginFire.asp, then click on Bills > Status, then highlight the Bill number & click on View.
The bill’s text is also posted on the PLACE website: http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/04/19/text-of-proposed-bill-on-local-authority-over-quarries-hb804/.
[PLACE editorial note: Please contact your state legislators and ask them to actively support this bill. Unless, of course, you prefer not to have a say in whether a quarry locates near you.]
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 4:00 – 5:30 PM — Art History Lecture: Leonardo da Vinci: The Evolution of an Exhibition
Held in AU’s Biggin Hall, room 005, lower level. (Biggin Hall is wheelchair accessible.) Free & open to all.
The College of Liberal Arts Department of Art is hosting a public lecture by Dr. Jeannine A. O’Grody, Chief Curator and Curator of European Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Dr. O’Grody’s talk, “Leonardo da Vinci: The Evolution of an Exhibition at the Birmingham Museum of Art” will relate how the Birmingham museum came to organize the exhibition from last fall, “Leonardo da Vinci: Drawings from the Biblioteca Reale in Turin,” which featured eleven drawings and one codex that had never been allowed to leave Italy as a group. O’Grody will offer curatorial perspectives on the many issues that arose when borrowing drawings by the most famous draftsman in the history of art. Dr. O’Grody received her doctorate from Case Western Reserve University and prior to arriving at the Birmingham Museum of Art in 2000, she worked at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, The Cleveland Museum of Art, and was a National Endowment for the Arts Curatorial Fellow at Harvard Art Museum’s Fogg Museum. Her area of expertise is Italian Renaissance art and her research interests include old master drawings, prints, the creative process, patronage, and 15th through 18th century European sculpture. O’Grody has lectured widely in the field of Renaissance and Baroque Art, including the popular lecture “The Art of Leonardo: The Da Vinci Code Deciphered,” which has been presented at numerous museums throughout the country. More info: Joyce de Vries at devrijc@auburn.edu, or 334/844/3484.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 5:30 – 7:30 PM —- AUBURN CITYFEST JURIED ART EXHIBITION PREVIEW RECEPTION
Held at Fountainview Mansion, 3291 Mill Creek Road, Auburn. Free & open to the public.
The Fifth Annual Auburn CityFest Juried Art Preview Reception will be held in conjunction with Auburn CityFest 2009. All works will be on display in the Nunn Winston House during Auburn CityFest at Kiesel Park on Saturday, April 25 from 9a.m. to 4p.m. The juried art show, sponsored by the Auburn – Opelika Tourism Bureau, Fountainview Mansion and the Auburn Arts Association, will feature a variety of works including paintings, works on paper, three-dimensional works (ceramics / sculptures), mixed-media and photography. For more info: contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963 or visit www.auburncityfest.com or http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr041309.asp.
THURSDAY – SUNDAY, APRIL 23 – 26 – AU THEATRE / dAUnce VII
Held on AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre Mainstage. Tickets: Order by phone (334) 844-4154 (Box office open 12-3 M-F); or online http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/boxoffice/index.cfm.
Performances: April 23-26, 7:30 pm; April 26, 2:30 pm matinee.
“Dancing faces you towards Heaven, whichever direction you turn.”
This seventh annual celebration of dance features a festival of performances and master classes conducted by internationally acclaimed artists working side by side with AU students in a thrilling event that has become a regular feature of AU’s theatre season.
THURSDAY – SUNDAY, APRIL 23-26 — LEE COUNTY GATHERING: OLD-TIME MUSIC FESTIVAL
Held at the Lee County Historical Society (LCHS) Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
The festival will be open to the public to enjoy music jams and the museum. A gate fee of 2.00 will apply.
This event includes two full days of instruction (4 class periods per day), continuous music jams, and a Saturday evening concert! For class registration, vendor information, and camping registration, contact Rose Taunton (334-283-3045; banjobob@charter.net) or see the web site at www.leecountygathering.com.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 10:00 AM – ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Ph: 334-242-2230
Agenda: The Board will meet to approve minutes from the previous month’s meeting, to approve applications for licensure, and to conduct the general business of the Board.
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 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. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 11:40 AM — AU JOURNALISM ADVISORY COUNCIL / AWARDS TO JOURNALISTS
Held at the Saugahatchee Country Club. Info: Nan Fairley at (334) 844-4593 or fairlln@auburn.edu; or Roy Bain at (205) 758-6911. April 10 is the deadline for registration.
The Auburn University Journalism Advisory Council will pay tribute to five journalists at the council’s annual honors luncheon Friday, April 24. Syndicated columnist and author Rheta Grimsley Johnson will receive top honors as the 2009 Distinguished Auburn University Journalism Alumnus. Other honorees will be Kathryn Tucker-Windham, Distinguished Special Achievement in Journalism; Goodloe Sutton and his late wife, Jean, Distinguished Alabama Community Journalists; Shannon Allen, Distinguished Alabama Community Sports Journalist; and John Logue, Distinguished Mass Media Achievement. For more information about the awards banquet and the individual honorees, see the news release ( http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/836%20 ).
SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM – AUBURN CITYFEST
Held at Keisel Park. Free & open to all. http://www.auburncityfest.com/
CityFest is Auburn’s largest FREE, outdoor festival for families and people of all ages. It is a day filled with music, art, food and fun, which is sure to please everyone who attends. Fine art exhibitors will be selling paintings, pottery, sculpture and prints while arts and crafts exhibitors will be selling authentic jewelry, hand – woven baskets, children’s clothing and much, much more! There will be storytellers, the International Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show (as seen on ESPN), pony rides, an ArtFest tent, games, and more. Several food vendors will offer items for sale such as BBQ, hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza and lemonade, cotton candy and funnel cakes. Bring your blanket and chairs and plan to picnic on the lawn while enjoying the live music. More info, including music line-up: http://www.auburncityfest.com/.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 6:00 – 8:00 PM — GNU’S ROOM MUSIC EVENT: ERRICK JOHNSON
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
Come enjoy the velvety vocals and keyboard styling of Errick Johnson. Errick is a favorite at the Gnu’s Room, and will perform songs from his varied repertoire. No admission fee.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 7:00 – 10:00 PM — STARRY NIGHTS / Astronomy program
Held at the Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest on Moore’s Mill Road. (From Auburn, go 1 mile past Ogletree Shopping Village. It’s on the left side.)
Admission is $3 for non-members and $2 for members.
Join the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve staff and the Auburn Astronomical Society for a night under the stars. Enjoy a short program on stars, planets and telescopes, a space movie, constellation laser show, high-powered telescopes and some out-of this world snacks. Not recommended for children under 5. Bring a flashlight. Red cellophane and rubber bands will be available.
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Faculty art on display at AU Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art
The Auburn University Faculty Exhibition is on display at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art through May 30. This exhibition reflects the individual interests and skills of the diverse studio faculty in Auburn’s Department of Art and features paintings, sculpture, works on paper, ceramics and other media. Exhibitions of faculty art are held periodically at the museum, and provide opportunities not only for the community to see the art created at Auburn University, but also for art students to see the close relationship between the classroom and application. In conjunction with the exhibition, Tuesday lectures will be given in the museum auditorium or galleries during which art historians will share their expertise. To read the news release, visit this link (http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/863) .
Exhibition of Andy Warhol photographs at AU Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art
“Polaroid Sketchbook: Photographs by Andy Warhol in the Permanent Collection” will be on display through May 30 at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. The exhibition of photographs Warhol took as inspiration for his paintings provides viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at his iconic work. Warhol used his Polaroid camera as other artists might use a sketchbook, to quickly record ideas for future use. These snapshots formed the basis for many of his paintings and silk-screen prints, with subjects ranging from superstar portraits to cultural and commercial icons. A variety of images will be on display, including portrait shots of John Denver, Chris Evert, Halston, Sean Lennon, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cheryl Tiegs and other public figures. Selected prints will be shown paired with examples of the resulting paintings on loan from The Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. For more information, see the news release (http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/843 ).
City of Auburn Board Vacancies:
* Board of Education – one vacancy will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
April 19, 2009
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TEXT OF PROPOSED BILL ON LOCAL AUTHORITY OVER QUARRIES — HB804
Public hearing on this bill to be held Wednesday, April 22, 1:30 pm, in room 622, Alabama Statehouse, Montgomery. (House County & Municipal Government Committee)
Page 0
1 HB804
2 110328-1
3 By Representatives McLaughlin, Mask, White and Hammon
4 RFD: County and Municipal Government
5 First Read: 01-APR-09
Page 1
1 110328-1:n:03/31/2009:MCS/tj LRS2009-2056
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 SYNOPSIS: The Alabama Department of Environmental
9 Management issues new permits or modifications to
10 existing permits relating to granite or limestone
11 surface mining activities pursuant to the Alabama
12 Water Pollution Control Act (Title 22, Chapter 22,
13 Code of Alabama 1975); the Alabama Environmental
14 Management Act (Title 22, Chapter 22A, Code of
15 Alabama 1975); the Solid Wastes Disposal Act (Title
16 22, Chapter 27, Article 1, Code of Alabama 1975);
17 the Alabama Air Pollution Control Act of 1971
18 (Title 22, Chapter 28, Code of Alabama 1975); and
19 the Hazardous Wastes Management and Minimization
20 Act (Title 22, Chapter 20, Code of Alabama 1975).
21 This bill would require the prior approval
22 of local municipalities and counties affected by a
23 proposed permit or modification to a permit for
24 such mining operations. The bill would establish
25 guidelines for local governments to consider in the
26 approval process, would require notice of and the
27 holding of public hearings, and would provide
Page 2
1 access to certain information as part of the local
2 approval process.
3
4 A BILL
5 TO BE ENTITLED
6 AN ACT
7
8 To add Section 22-22A-5.1 to the Code of Alabama
9 1975, relating to the granting of local approval for granite
10 and limestone surface mining operations prior to the issuance
11 of any permit by the Alabama Department of Environmental
12 Management.
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
14 Section 1. Section 22-22A-5.1 is added to the Code
15 of Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
16 Ҥ22-22A-5.1.
17 (a) The Alabama Department of Environmental
18 Management shall not issue a new or modified permit under
19 Sections 22-22-9, 22-22A-5, 22-27-7, 22-28-16, or 22-30-12 for
20 any activity relating to the operation of a granite or
21 limestone surface mine unless the operation has received
22 approval by the governing bodies of municipalities and
23 counties affected by the proposed operation. In determining
24 whether to recommend approval of the proposed operation, the
25 governing body shall consider, and make findings on, each of
26 the following:
Page 3
1 (1) The impact of the proposed operation on local
2 planned or existing roads and on transportation arteries and
3 state primary and secondary roads.
4 (2) Costs and availability of public services,
5 facilities, and improvements required to support a proposed
6 operation and to protect public health, safety, and the
7 environment.
8 (3) The impact of a proposed operation on public
9 health and safety and provisions made to minimize the impact
10 on public health and safety.
11 (4) The social and economic impacts of a proposed
12 operation on the affected community, including changes in
13 property values, and social or community perceptions.
14 (5) The impact of the proposed operation on the
15 prevailing hydrologic balance at the proposed mine site and in
16 offsite areas and on the quality and quantity of water in
17 surface and ground water systems both during and after surface
18 mining operations and during reclamation.
19 (6) The impact of the proposed operation on erosion
20 and siltation, pollution of water, damage to fish or wildlife
21 or their habitat, and public or private property.
22 (7) The impact of the proposed operation on natural
23 water-courses, stream beds, or drainage channels.
24 (8) The impact of blasting associated with the
25 proposed operation on private property, the enjoyment of
26 private property, and property values.
Page 4
1 (b) Any determination by the municipal or county
2 governing body to recommend approval of a proposed operation
3 shall be made in a public hearing only after public notice and
4 an opportunity for public comment is provided. The governing
5 body shall at a minimum hold at least one public hearing
6 thereon, notice of the time an place of which shall be given
7 by one publication in a newspaper of general circulation in
8 the county or municipality and in the official gazette, if
9 any, of the governing body’s jurisdiction. Notice shall be
10 given at least 30 days but not more than 45 days prior to the
11 proposed date of the hearing. Each notice published in
12 compliance with this section shall contain at a minimum a
13 description of the proposed operation to be considered and
14 shall identify a contact person from whom interested persons
15 can obtain additional information. All pertinent documents
16 shall be available for inspection during normal business hours
17 at a location readily accessible to the public.
18 Section 2. This act shall become effective
19 immediately following its passage and approval by the
20 Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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Column by Lisa Brouillette — April 17, 2009
(first published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Friday, April 17, 2009)
Why do we continue to re-elect these people?
Let’s just make it official. We are at the mercy of our state legislators. If that doesn’t scare you, it’s hard to imagine what could.
As someone noted to me recently, our legislature still operates on the plantation mentality – “Keep ‘em poor and dumb.”
Not only have we ostensibly accepted that notion, we seem to have voluntarily added the word “quiet.”
But upon occasion we citizens of Alabama speak up. We explain and complain. Sometimes we even beg, trying desperately to make ourselves heard, to improve our state.
Mostly, though, like well-behaved girls and boys, we shrug and sigh, accept the status quo, cede our power to the ‘professionals’, go about our daily business. We tsk-tsk about this politician and that, then blindly re-elect the sorry so-and-sos.
Face it. We’ve become willing victims of our legislators’ pitiful, inexcusable, infuriating inaction. On top of that, we appear unable to force passage of their few deserving, well-crafted bills.
There’s no shortage of sad examples.
To date, Rep. John Knight’s bill to rid Alabama of its regressive grocery tax has failed to pass. Nor has any adequate substitute.
Is this truly the will of the majority of Alabamians? If so, why don’t we simply take turns slapping the less fortunate upside the head, chastising them for not pulling themselves up by their (nonexistent) bootstraps.
Then, of course, there’s our state’s perennial black eye — weak, ineffective ethics laws coupled with a legislature-dependent, poorly-funded, toothless ethics commission.
Can somebody get stronger ethics bills passed? Let’s hope so. But nobody’s holding their breath over it.
Corruption here’s so easy; you’d think it was legal. Wait, considering our weak laws, maybe it is!
Not yet driven into a migraine of despair? Consider the current bill to protect our land and people from damage by quarries. Oh, that’s right, that’s not passed that yet either.
The people of this state should be rising up in furnace-blasting fury, scorching our legislators’ future political hopes unless they change course, do what’s right.
Why do we continue to re-elect these people? Do we think so little of ourselves, of our neighbors, that we figure this is all we deserve? Are we that stupid? That naïve? That weak? All of the above?
I’d sure hate to think so. Though, in bleak legislative years like this, it’s hard to argue the point. It’s even harder in election years.
Oh, and about Wednesday’s ‘tea parties’ protesting taxes? The problem is not that government intrudes in our lives, but that too often it does so to enrich the few at the expense of the many.
That is not only unacceptable, it’s un-American.
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CHANGES, CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS TO THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
ADDITIONAL MEETING:
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 9:30 AM – ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD /Special called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Ph: 334-242-2230.
Agenda: special/called Investigative Committee Meeting
ADDITIONAL EVENT
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, NOON – 2:00 PM — AUBURN ‘TAX DAY TEA PARTY’
Held at the corner of Miller Ave & College Street, on the AU campus. Open to all.
1:30 pm – guest speaker: gubernatorial candidate Tim James
Tax Day Tea (Tea = “Taxed Enough Already”) Parties are taking place this year in more than 350 cities as a way to voice concern about high taxes. For more information about the event in Auburn, contact Caroline Wren at cwren5024@gmail.com or (512) 771-9915.
[PLACE editorial note: What are your views about our taxes? Do you consider it simply a matter of the amount of taxes we pay, or is it more important to you how our tax dollars are spent? Do you have social justice concerns about tax (un)fairness? What is your opinion of the Alabama legislature's refusal to abolish the Grocery Tax? Bring your views -- and your signs, if you're inclined -- to this event.]
CORRECTION / DATE & LOCATION CHANGE
SAVE OUR SAUGAHATCHEE MEETING / Now scheduled for April 21
The Save Our Saugahatchee (SOS) meeting previously scheduled for this Thursday, April 16, has been changed. Instead of a regular meeting this month, SOS is co-sponsoring – along with Friends of Chewacla Creek & the Uphapee Watershed (CHEWUP) and the Auburn Sustainability Action Program (ASAP) – the April 21st presentation of environmental documentary The Unforeseen. (see info below) All are invited to attend this free film screening.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 7:00 PM – FILM: THE UNFORESEEN
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 2370. Free & open to the public.
– Join this screening of The Unforeseen, a new documentary from the executive producers Terrence Malick and Robert Redford. The film takes an impartial look at the problem of suburban sprawl in Austin, Texas. The story is told through the eyes of a major developer in a struggle against the community. It’s a unique perspective of a timeless tale that serves as a microcosm for communities across the nation, including Auburn. Co-sponsored by Auburn Sustainability Action Program (ASAP), Friends of Chewacla Creek & the Uphapee Watershed (CHEWUP), and Save Our Saugahatchee (SOS).
RESCHEDULED!! NEW DATE!!
SATURDAY, APRIL 18 — SHILOH COMMUNITY DAY
Held at Shiloh- Rosenwald School, 101 Shiloh Road, Notasulga.
A fun day to fellowship, shop and enjoy a day on the hill. Food, 7:00 am yard sale, music and family fun. Info: Corrine Wright 334-741-7766. http://www.shilohcommfound.com/
ADDITIONAL EVENT
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 4:00 – 5:30 PM — Free Concert by AU-Community Orchestra
Held at Kiesel Park, Auburn. Free. All are invited to attend. (Rain location: AU’s Goodwin Music Building, Band Hall.)
The Auburn University/Community Orchestra, Howard Goldstein, Music Director, will present this free concert which will include short works by Strauss, Dvorak, Gounod, Wagner, and Richard Rodgers. More info: 334-844-3167.
ADDITIONAL EVENT
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 6:30 – 7:30 PM — Owls Presentation and Releases https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/
Held at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Free admission (donations to Raptor Center accepted). Open to all.
The Southeastern Raptor Center, along with the Forest Ecology Preserve, features a presentation on owls followed by an evening walk in the woods. Several owls, including barred and Eastern screech owls, are to be released. The Preserve can be entered from the gate on Highway 147 North, across the highway and north of the Auburn University fish ponds. For further directions and information, contact the Forest Ecology Preserve at 334-707-6512. The mission of the Southeastern Raptor Center, part of Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is rehabilitation and education.
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WANT TO SUPPORT A LOCAL FARM AND HAVE FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE THIS SUMMER?
Red Root Farm CSA still has shares available. Contact Gary at 334-243-4072.
[PLACE editorial note: CSA = Community Supported Agriculture -- The term CSA refers to an arrangement whereby individuals buy shares in a local farm's seasonal produce. CSA members share in both the bounty and risk of season's crop. Each CSA has its own rules, pricing, etc. One notable local success is the Randle Farms CSA (www.randlefarms.com). Other CSAs, such as the Red Root Farm CSA, are following in the Randle Farms' success.]
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ACTION ALERT: From the Alabama Rivers Alliance
Today is Rivers of Alabama Day – and Our Nation’s Waters are Losing Protection
A new report released today – Rivers of Alabama Day – shows waters in Alabama and across nation losing protections from pollution. The report, titled “Courting Disaster: How the Supreme Court Has Broken the Clean Water Act and Why Congress Must Fix It.” is available at www.alabamarivers.org.
Please read the report and then contact your U.S. Senators and Representative and urge them to fix the broken Clean Water Act by supporting the Clean Water Restoration Act. The bill has been introduced in the United States Senate as S.787 (The Federal Water Pollution Control Act). To find the contact information for your elected official, visit http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml.
About the Report:
Federal documents obtained by environmental groups reveal that US Supreme Court decisions have eliminated or undermined federal Clean Water Act protections for streams, wetlands, lakes and rivers across the nation. In the report released today, the groups provide 30 case studies demonstrating how the federal Clean Water Act is broken and calling on Senators and Representatives to fix it.
Today’s report is largely based on information obtained through district offices of the Army Corps of Engineers, or from Corps headquarters, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Justice. The case studies in the report indicate that streams, rivers, wetlands, lakes and other waters across the nation are now more vulnerable to pollution and destruction. The report includes cases where waters have lost protected status under the federal Clean Water Act, cases where such protections were threatened but later restored, and cases where industrial polluters have claimed a lack of federal protections as a defense in an enforcement action – either successfully or unsuccessfully.
One of the case studies highlighted in the report is in Birmingham, Alabama. In late October 2007 the court reversed the 2005 convictions of McWane, Inc. and three company officials on criminal charges related to the illegal discharge of pollutants including oil, lead, and zinc to Avondale Creek, which flows into Village Creek. Village Creek is a main tributary of the Black Warrior River’s Locust Fork. For more information on the Avondale Creek case visit http://blackwarriorriver.org/rapanos.html.
The groups releasing the report emphasized that pollution of headwater streams and wetlands leads to greater pollution and flooding for downstream communities. The EPA has estimated that some 20 million acres of wetlands in the continental United States may lose federal protection. In addition, tens of thousands of miles of seasonal and headwater streams and countless numbers of small lakes, and ponds could be left without federal protection from water pollution.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
April 14, 2009
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MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES THIS WEEK:
MONDAY, APRIL 13 & TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM —- THE RED FLAG CAMPAIGN
Held on AU’s Cater Lawn. (Rain location: AU Student Center, 2nd floor.) www.TheRedFlagCampaign.org
A display of 200 small red flags will be a physical reminder to watch for ‘red flags’ in one’s own or their friends’ relationships. Part of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sponsored by: Safe Harbor, AU College of Liberal Arts and Women’s Resource Center. For info, or to volunteer, call 344-844-4452. (Rain location: AU Student Center, 2nd floor.)
MONDAY, APRIL 13, 3:00 PM – LECTURE: EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY: COMPARATIVE COGNITION OF ABSTRACT-CONCEPT LEARNING
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
Speaker: Jeffrey Katz (AU Psychology Department)
This event is part of a semester-long celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
MONDAY, APRIL 13 - LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Resolution Honoring Rev. Dr. J. H. Flakes, Jr. – Commissioner Harris
6. Reports from Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting March 30, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. NACo Prescription Drug Plan – Commissioner Harris
b. Bid #10 for Security and Surveillance System – Johnny Langley
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Energy Efficiency Presentation – Eric Hodge
b. Request to Abandon a Portion of Lee Road 265 – Ed Wilder
c. Request to Maintain Lee Road 750 – Jeanette Burts
d. Request Approval for New Trash Pick-up Service in Smith Station Area-Chad Anderson
e. Travel Approval to Attend NACo’s RAC Fly-in – Commissioner Harris
f. Beer License (off premise) for Bars to Go, LLC / D1 – Sheriff Jay Jones
g. Authorize Agreement with Sticks County Investment Group – Sheriff Jay Jones
h. Resolution of Intent to Spend Federal Funds on Pierce Road – Neal Hall
i. Chambliss Place Subdivision/Lee Roads 2105, 2106 & 2107/Set 25 mph speed zone-Neal Hall
j. Report on Environmental Services Department Financial Situation – Roger Rendleman
k. Educational Reimbursement – Roger Rendleman
l. Census Complete Count Committee – Wendy Swann
10. Discussion Items
11. Adjourn
MONDAY, APRIL 13 & TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM —- THE RED FLAG CAMPAIGN
Held on AU’s Cater Lawn. (Rain location: AU Student Center, 2nd floor.) www.TheRedFlagCampaign.org
A display of 200 small red flags will be a physical reminder to watch for ‘red flags’ in one’s own or their friends’ relationships. Part of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sponsored by: Safe Harbor, AU College of Liberal Arts and Women’s Resource Center. For info, or to volunteer, call 344-844-4452.
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2:30 PM – JCSM / FACULTY GALLERY TALKS
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. Info: 844-1484; www.jcsm.auburn.edu.
Various faculty artists from the AU Department of Art TO speak about their artwork in the JCSM galleries.
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda will be posted at: http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 4:00 PM —- KATHARINE KU: AN INSIDER’S VIEW OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Held in AU’s Hartley Auditorium, 1103 Shelby Center. Free & open to all.
Katharine Ku, director of the Office of Technology Licensing at Stanford University, will deliver a lecture on technology transfer. Her talk, “An Insider’s View of Technology Transfer at Stanford University,” will highlight the truths and myths of the licensing program and the great challenge of creating a successful program. In 2008, Stanford received $62.5 million in gross royalty revenue from more than 600 technologies, with royalties ranging from $16 million to $37 million. Ku, who has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Cornell and a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Washington University, is a registered patent agent. She is a committee member of the National Academy of Sciences study titled “Management of University Intellectual Property: Lessons from a Generation of Experience, Research and Dialogue.” She also is a member of the Certified Licensing Professional Board of Governors. To read more, visit this link (http://eng.auburn.edu/admin/marketing/newsroom/2009/april/stanford-director.html).
TUESDAY, APRIL 14 - AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — JCSM Dinner and a Movie / A Man Named Pearl with producer-director Scott Galloway www.jcsm.auburn.edu
6:00 – 7:30 pm / dinner ($15/person)
7:30 pm / movie A Man Named Pearl — View the movie trailer: www.amannamedpearl.com
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Film showing is free & open to all. For dinner reservations call the Museum Cafe at 334.844.7016 or 334.844.3085. .
Producer and director Scott Galloway will engage the audience in a discussion about his movie, which tells the inspiring story of self-taught topiary artist Pearl Fryar, whose unlikely journey to national prominence began with a bigoted remark. In 1976, while living in an all-white neighborhood, his family was told they were unwelcome. His motivation arose from a neighbor’s comment: “Blacks can’t keep up their yards.” Provoked, he created a three-acre wonderland that draws visitors from around the world and generates much-needed tourism for Lee County, the poorest county in South Carolina. This is the last film presentation in the museum’s Southern Arts Federation’s Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers.
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 6:30 – 8:00 PM — SCENES NOT SCREAMS / Theater production
Held in AU’s Foy Hall Ballroom. Free admission & free pizza.
Dr. Heather May’s Fundamentals of Directing class will present an evening of short scenes to kick off the annual Clothesline Project and Take Back the Night events. Part of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sponsored by: Safe Harbor, AU College of Liberal Arts and Women’s Resource Center. For info, or to volunteer, call 334-844-4452.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 8:00 AM – LEE-RUSSELL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS http://www.lrcog.com/
Held at LRCOG office, 2207 Gateway Dr, Opelika. Open to all. Ph: 334-749-5264
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 (& THURSDAY, APRIL 16), 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM —- THE CLOTHESLINE PROJECT
Held at AU’s Cater Lawn. (Rain location: AU Student Center, 2nd floor.) All are invited to attend.
The Clothesline Project is a clothesline display of several hundred t-shirts painted by survivors and supporters. Part of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sponsored by: Safe Harbor, AU College of Liberal Arts and Women’s Resource Center. For info, or to volunteer, call 344-844-4452.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. The public is welcome. Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).
All members are encouraged and invited to attend. www.auburnheritage.org
Note: Held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept to May
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 3:00 PM – LEE COUNTY CEMETERY COMMISSION
Held at the Lee County Courthouse, Commission Chambers, 215 S. 9th Street, Opelika.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
NEW MEETING PLACE! Now held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road.
6:00 pm – buffet dinner ($11, tax & tip included)
6:50 pm -Speaker: David Newton / Topic: Alternative Energy
David Newton will present some positive words concerning alternative energy and how serious money can be saved by through energy conservation and efficiency. Solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and ocean waves help move us toward energy independence and also create more “green” jobs. After retiring from the faculty of Auburn University, David became increasingly active in conservation and environmental (including environmental justice) issues at the local, state, and national levels. He helped found the statewide coalition dedicated to the reform of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Also, he worked with other members of the Sierra Club in persuading both Auburn’s Mayor Ham and Opelika’s Mayor Fuller to sign pledges (supported by the U.S. Conference of Mayors) to make their respective cities more energy efficient. David is a member of the Board of Directors of Conservation Alabama, the only Alabama organization devoted solely to lobbying on conservation and environmental issues.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 7:30 PM —- The Acting Company / Guthrie Theater Production of HENRY V
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre. One performance only. Directed by Davis McCallum.
Tickets: $20 – call 844-4154. http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends…”
Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater and The Acting Company will co-produce a national tour Shakespeare’s King Henry V in 2009 combining the artistry and passion of two of America’s pre-eminent theaters. Young, restless and ambitious, Henry V inherits a troubled crown and seeks to secure his position at home by turning the country’s attention abroad, launching a hasty invasion of France. Shakespeare’s charismatic warrior King’s aggressive pursuit of the French crown earns him iconic status, uniting England and France and briefly banishing the civil strife that will long outlive him. This Shakespearean epic follows Henry and his men through the brutality of warfare as the ragtag “band of brothers” confronts heavy opposition and their own destinies. Featuring the combined artistic resources of two of the country’s most respected professional theatre companies, the production is a superb portrait of one of the world’s great playwrights at the height of his powers– expertly balancing the thrilling heroics of battle with the painful and complex reactions of men who are sometimes unsure of the justice of their cause. A rousing, fascinating story of the power of courage and the price of glory.
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM —- THE CLOTHESLINE PROJECT
Held at AU’s Cater Lawn. (Rain location: AU Student Center, 2nd floor.) All are invited to attend.
The Clothesline Project is a clothesline display of several hundred t-shirts pained by survivors and supporters. Part of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sponsored by: Safe Harbor, AU College of Liberal Arts and Women’s Resource Center. For info, or to volunteer, call 344-844-4452.
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 10:00 AM – COMMUNITY-WIDE SHRED DAY
Held at Bancorp South, 807 E. Glenn Ave, Auburn. Free & open to the community.
Bancorp South will host a FREE community wide shred day.
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. This week’s performer is Maxl Zinner, piano. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 5:00 PM — ART TALK BY RICH CURTIS: ALABAMA MOCKINGBIRD / BASED ON HIS EXHIBIT: SOUND MAPPING ALABAMA PROJECT: A JOURNEY THROUGH ALABAMA NAVIGATED BY EAR
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, South Garden. Art installation on exhibit March-April. Free & open to all.
In his lecture entitled “Alabama Mockingbird,” Curtis will discuss Sound Mapping Alabama project, the history of his work and introduce his latest project Mockingbird: Mapping Sights and Sounds.
Sound Mapping Alabama: A Journey through Alabama Navigated by Ear is a designed compilation of recordings collected in Alabama by Rich Curtis. His outdoor, aural installation piece will be embedded in the museum’s South Garden. The sounds evoke a range of responses and heighten the visitor’s awareness of sound as a distinctly influential component and vehicle of environmental identity. Curtis, an Alabama native, received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2004. Since then, he has created multimedia projects that investigate the character of place through sound. Curtis has created projects in the United States, Canada, Kenya and the Netherlands. He currently teaches in the art department at the University of North Alabama. Sound Mapping Alabama was funded in part by a technical assistance grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. For more information on Curtis’s Mockingbird project go to: http://almockingbird.blogspot.com.
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 6:00 PM — SALSA MAGIC & FIESTA LATINA
Held in AU’s Foy Hall Ballroom. Free for students with current ID; $5 for general public. Tickets available Monday, April 13 – Thursday, April 16 in AU Student Center, suite 3130, room 3149.
Come join the entertainers “Salsa Magic” for great music and food. Doors open at 6:00 pm; Salsa Magic performance from 6:30 – 9:30 pm. More info: 334-844-4788; www.auburn.edu/upc. Presented by the Auburn Latino Association of Students.
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 6:00 – 9:00 PM —- TAKE BACK THE NIGHT / March in Town and Rally
Held at AU’s Cater Lawn. (Rain location: AU Student Center, 2nd floor.) All are invited to attend.
Take Back the Night will provide a venue for survivors, supporters and advocates to have a voice. Part of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sponsored by: Safe Harbor, AU College of Liberal Arts and Women’s Resource Center. For info, or to volunteer, call 344-844-4452.
CORRECTION — NO SOS MEETING THIS WEEK: THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 7:00 PM – SAVE OUR SAUGAHATCHEE (SOS)
Held in AU’s Swingle Hall (Fisheries Bldg), room 303. Open to all. Agenda: TBA
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 9:00 AM - dark / SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
AU CAMPUS CLUB – HORTICULTURE SCHOLARSHIP PLANT SALE
Held at the corner of South College Street and Samford Avenue. Cash, checks & MasterCard/Visa accepted.
Hundreds of plants are featured, some unusual and hard to get mater and Tunia dirt, sod by the piece, Big Leaf Magnolias, Herbs, Natchez Crepes, Shrubs, Trees, Bedding Plants, Vegetables & more! Trillium, Hellebores, Lady Banks, Angel Trumpet, Clematis and Azaleas. All proceeds benefit the First Ladies Hort Scholorships and the PLANET Student Group. More info: Mary Lou Matthews, 334-821-2161; m.ml@mindspring.com.
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION / Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
Held at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Building, Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Montgomery. Ph: 334-271-7706.
Agenda includes:
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on December 12, 2008**
2. Discussion and consideration of Reconciliation Statements for proposed amendments to the Division 1 – General Administration Regulations and the Division 2 – Environmental Management Commission Regulations – The Committee will discuss and consider Reconciliation Statements of public comments to recommend to the full Commission for proposed amendments to the ADEM Administrative Code Division 1 – General Administration Regulations, R. 335-1-1-.03(4), (5), and (6), and the Division 2 – Environmental Management Commission Regulations, R. 335-2-2-.05. The proposed amendments to R. 335-1-1-.03(4), (5), and (6) establish a process for updating the Unified Strategic Plan (USP) and the proposed amendments to R. 335-2-2-.05 add a new paragraph (h) to include consideration of the relevance and relation of a proposed rule to the most recent USP as an item that the Commission my take into account when it considers petitions for rulemaking.
3. Other business
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Held at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Building, Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Montgomery. Ph: 334-271-7706.
Agenda includes:
1. CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON FEBRUARY 20, 2009
2. REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR
3. REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION CHAIR
4. REPORT FROM THE STRATEGIC PLANNING AD HOC COMMITTEE
5. CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE DIVISION 1 – GENERAL ADMINISTRATION REGULATIONS AND THE DIVISION 2 – ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REGULATIONS – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to the Division 1 – General Administration Regulations and the Division 2 – Environmental Management Commission Regulations. The Commission proposes to amend ADEM Administrative Code rule 335-1-1-.03 to establish a process for updating the Unified Strategic Plan(USP) and ADEM Administrative Code rule 335-2-2-.05 to add a new paragraph (h) to include consideration of the relevance and relation of a proposed rule to the most recent USP as an item that the Commission may take into account when it considers petitions for rulemaking. The current paragraph (h) in rule 335-2-2-.05 will be changed to paragraph (i). The Commission held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on February 4, 2009.
6. CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE DIVISION 1 – GENERAL ADMINISTRATION REGULATIONS AND THE PROPOSED ADDITION OF DIVISION 5 – UNIFORM ENVIRONMENTAL COVENANT PROGRAM REGULATIONS – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to the Division 1 – General Administration Regulations and the proposed addition of Division 5 – Uniform Environmental Covenant Program Regulations. The Department proposes to add Division 5 to its Administrative Code to implement the Alabama Uniform Environmental Covenants Act, which was enacted into law in June 2007, and to revise Division 1 to include Schedule J – Environmental Covenant Fees. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on March 6, 2009.
7. CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE DIVISION 7 – WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM REGULATIONS – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to the Division 7 – Water Supply Regulations. The Department proposes to amend ADEM Administrative Code chapters 335-7-2, 335-7-5, 335-7-6, 335-7-10, 335-7-11, 335-7-14, and Appendices A, B, and C to reflect changes in the federal National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. Other revisions include correcting clerical errors and making clarifications to existing rules. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on February 4, 2009.
8. CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE DIVISION 13 – SOLID WASTE REGULATIONS – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to the Division 13 – Solid Waste Regulations. The Department proposes to amend its Administrative Code by creating Rule 335-13-11, which would establish the regulatory requirements necessary for the implementation of the Solid Waste Fund site remediation program. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on March 11, 2009.
9. OTHER BUSINESS
10. FUTURE BUSINESS SESSION
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM — WHAT IS GREEN BUILDING?
Presented by: Robin White, President of USGBC and Ellen Hawley, USGBC New Programs Chair person.
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E Glenn Ave. Free & open to the public. Lunch provided. Space limited: RSVP to Ellen Hawley by April 10, ellen.hawley@patcraftdesignweave.com .
The AU Outreach Program Office is inviting the public to a presentation on “What is Green Building?”. Hosted by the Central Alabama Branch of the Alabama Chapter of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the presentation will introduce the audience to green building. It will look at the impact of traditional construction and the benefits of green building to human health, the economy and the environment.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 10:00 AM – 5:0 PM — 9TH ANNUAL OLD 280 BOOGIE / Multi-Cultural Arts & Music Festival
Held in the Town of Waverly. Rain or shine. Free & open to all.
The Town of Waverly presents the 9th Annual OLD 280 BOOGIE. Multi-Cultural Arts & Music Festival with Art Exhibits, Kids Activities, Cake Walks, Great Food and Live Music featuring: DRAKE JENNINGS (Elvis) Performance http://drakesings.tripod.com/, The PINE HILL HAINTS http://www.myspace.com/pinehillhaints, and The FIGS http://www.thefigsband.com/, Dooley’s Blue Revue http://www.myspace.com/dooleysbluerevue, The 29 SOUTH Band, plus more. XSound for the day by The GUITAR SHOPPE http://www.auburnguitar.com/. Sponsored By Wickles Pickles, Oskars Cafe, The Guitar Shoppe and Standard Deluxe Inc.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2:00 – 4:00 PM — FRIENDS OF CHEWACLA & UPHAPEE WATERSHED / CHEWUP Held at Chewacla State Park, site of the CCC camp. A pavilion is available in case of rain. (Ask the personnel in the ticket office for directions. You may be required to pay an entrance fee, which is $2.00 for individuals over 62 yrs of age and $3.00 for the younger adults.) Program: Discuss the work of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) and the plans for a historic marker to be placed in the park in commemoration of the work done by CCC Company, Camp SP-12 from August 18, 1935 to March 31, 1941.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 4:00 – 7:30 PM (CST) – 59TH FREDONIA COMMUNITY CLUB BARBEQUE
Tickets are $8.00 and are being sold only until Tuesday, Apr. 14 when all monies must be turned in. If you want a ticket, send a check to Fredonia Community Club, 11076 County Rd. 267, Lanett AL 36863. www.savefredonia.com
Come enjoy the 59th Fredonia Community Club Barbecue, an event which draws people from far and wide for the all-you-can-eat old-fashioned Brunswick stew, cooked in huge iron pots, and pork barbecued just right on the long grill behind the historic clubhouse. BBQ will be served from 4:00-7:30 p.m. (Central Time); take-out plates can also be picked up. An additional feature of this year’s BBQ will be the 8:00 p.m. drawing of two tickets, each for one half of a Fredonia raised hog (processed!), benefitting the Free Fredonia Community: www.savefredonia.com . A $5.00 donation benefitting FFC will be greatly appreciated to assist in our legal fees for appealing the forfeiture of our town charter. Tickets will be sold under the FFC tent or you can also send ticket donations to Free Fredonia Community at PO Box 71, Five Points AL 36855 and tickets will be mailed to you. In addition to T-shirts and bumper stickers, delicious cookies, cakes, and pies will also be available at the tent.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 8:00 PM — CONCERT AT THE GNU’S ROOM: MARTHA’S TROUBLE
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street. Ph: 334-821-5550. Limited seating.
Tickets are on sale now at the Gnu’s Room or may be purchased from the band at www.marthastrouble.com. Tickets are $15.00 and seating is limited so reserve your spot today!
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 1:00 – 5:00 PM — 8TH ANNUAL GARDENER’S PLANT SALE / Benefit for the East Alabama Food Bank
Held at 562 Forest Park Circle, Auburn. All invited to attend.
Come support the 8th Annual Gardener’s Plant Sale to benefit the East Alabama Food Bank. Thousands of plants will be available to suit any type of garden. Choose from heirloom tomato plants or zesty hot peppers for your vegetable garden; fill your flower garden with annuals and perennials, with blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds; create a lush shade environment with hostas and other woodland flowers, or establish a new landscape with flowering shrubs, trees and hardy groundcovers. Every purchase is a tax-deductible donation to the Food Bank, and the need for our help has never been greater. You’ll find hundreds of new and hard to find varieties. Gardening experts will answer your questions and help select the right plants for your garden. More info: 887-2244; email: gardenersplantsale@mac.com; web: http://gardenersplantsale.org/ .
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2:30 PM — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY SPRING MEETING
Topic: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Lee County, Alabama: Company 4448, Camp SP-12
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
Speakers: Mr. Robert Pasquill, Jr. and Rep. Pete Turnham
Mr. Pasquill, Forest Archaeologist for the U.S. Forest Service, Montgomery and author of The Civilian Conservation Corps in Alabama, 1933-1942: A Great and Lasting Good. He will share a USDA Forest Service Southern Region video celebrating the 75th anniversary of the CCC. Mr. Turnham will speak about his experiences at the CCC camp at Chewacla.
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
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Faculty art on display at AU Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art
The Auburn University Faculty Exhibition is on display at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art through May 30. This exhibition reflects the individual interests and skills of the diverse studio faculty in Auburn’s Department of Art and features paintings, sculpture, works on paper, ceramics and other media. Exhibitions of faculty art are held periodically at the museum, and provide opportunities not only for the community to see the art created at Auburn University, but also for art students to see the close relationship between the classroom and application. In conjunction with the exhibition, Tuesday lectures will be given in the museum auditorium or galleries during which art historians will share their expertise. To read the news release, visit this link (http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/863) .
Exhibition of Andy Warhol photographs at AU Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art
“Polaroid Sketchbook: Photographs by Andy Warhol in the Permanent Collection” will be on display April 11-May 30 at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. The exhibition of photographs Warhol took as inspiration for his paintings provides viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at his iconic work. Warhol used his Polaroid camera as other artists might use a sketchbook, to quickly record ideas for future use. These snapshots formed the basis for many of his paintings and silk-screen prints, with subjects ranging from superstar portraits to cultural and commercial icons. A variety of images will be on display, including portrait shots of John Denver, Chris Evert, Halston, Sean Lennon, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cheryl Tiegs and other public figures. Selected prints will be shown paired with examples of the resulting paintings on loan from The Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. For more information, see the news release (http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/843 ).
City of Auburn Board Vacancies:
* Board of Education – one vacancy will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
April 12, 2009
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ADDITIONAL ITEMS THIS WEEK
COMMITTEE OF 19 HOSTING SPRING HUNGER WEEK ACTIVITIES
This week te Auburn University Committee of 19 is hosting Spring Hunger Week activities. Sub-committees from the colleges of Business, Human Sciences, and Education will host events in the Auburn University Bookstore on Wednesday, April 8, and throughout the week in Lowder Business Building, Spidle Hall and on the concourse. Events include “I Sacked Hunger,” “Blooming Change: Plant a Seed for a Child in Need” and a cell phone recycling drive. For more information, see this link ( http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/auburnhunger/springhungerweek ).
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 11:45 AM — OLLI AT AUBURN HOSTING FORMER ALABAMA GOVERNOR PATTERSON
Held at the Lexington Hotel (formerly the Best Western) on South College Street in Auburn. Free & open to the public.
No pre-registration required; everyone is invited to attend and to bring a lunch.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University, or OLLI at Auburn, will host a presentation by former Alabama Gov. John Patterson. He will join historian Warren Trest in a presentation and book signing in connection with the publication of a new biography, “Nobody But the People,” on the life and political career of Gov. Patterson. More info: Linda Shook at 844-5100 or NewSouth Books at (334) 834-3556.
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 6:00 PM — AUBURN ARTS ASSOCIATION / Jazz & Blues Fest organizational meeting
Held at the Jan Dempsey Arts Center. Open to all.
Come join the Auburn Arts Association in planning their second annual Jazz & Blues Fest! (The event will be held Friday, May 8th, from 6:00 – 11:00 pm, at Greystone and Pebble Hill.) If you can’t attend this week’s meeting but would like to help organize this fundraiser, or volunteer the night of the event, please contact Shelley Shields 826-1410.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, NOON — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA / Brown Bag Lunch Meeting
Held at the Frank Brown Recreation Center, Opelika Rd, Auburn. Free & open to all. http://www.lwval.org/eastalabama/
Topic: Membership Enhancement
URBAN ECOSYSTEM WEBCAST & OTHER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE MATERIALS
Available online are a webcast featuring James Schwab of the American Planning Association and Cheryl Kollins of AMERICAN FORESTS’ Urban Ecosystems Center, and other materials addressing the need for planners to adopt a green infrastructure approach. Go to http://www.unri.org/webcasts/archive/march-2009/.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
April 6, 2009
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UPDATES:
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES –
Sunny Slope Added to National Register of Historic Places — http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl040309.asp
The City of Auburn to Celebrate Earth Week April 8 – 16 — http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr033009.asp
BILL INTRODUCED FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY OVER QUARRIES – HB 804
Info courtesy of Alabama Conservation — http://www.conservationalabama.org/ and Conservation Alabama Foundation — www.conservationalabamafoundation.org
Rep. Jeff McLaughlin, along with Reps. Mask, White, and Hammon, introduced the quarry bill today and it has been assigned to County and Municipal Government, a much better assignment than where it has been in the past. Alabama Conservation Foundation will be tracking the bill and make public when it comes up for committee discussion and vote.TO SEE TEXT & HISTORY OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION, GO TO: ALISON – Alabama Legislative Information Online – at http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/ACASLoginFire.asp - click on Bills, then click on Status & search for HB804.
LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM / HEALTHY FOOD
Do we have a local food system? Who goes hungry? Can we have better/more access to local, healthy food? The AUUF April Green Pages has a proposal for an AUUF response to these questions; view online at:
http://www.auuf.net/information/news/doc_download/39-april-2009-green-newsletter
Those interested in this topic are welcome to join the discussion. For more info: Jim Allen, vineyfig@knology.net; ph: 334-499-2380.
UPCOMING EVENT
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 7:00 PM – FILM: THE UNFORESEEN / HOSTED BY THE AUBURN SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PROGRAM (ASAP)
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 2370. Free & open to the public.
The Auburn Sustainability Action Program (ASAP) is hosting a film screening of The Unforeseen. It’s a new documentary from the executive producers Terrence Malick and Robert Redford. The film takes an impartial look at the problem of suburban sprawl in Austin, Texas. The story is told through the eyes of a major developer in a struggle against the community. It’s a unique perspective of a timeless tale that serves as a microcosm for communities across the nation, including Auburn.
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Week of April 6 – Meetings & events
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm — AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / 7th ANNUAL SPRING SYMPOSIUM & LUNCHEON: Navigating the Challenges in Today’s Economy: Preserving Wealth and Pursuing Philanthropy
Symposium 8:00 AM / Luncheon: 12:30 PM
Schedule & registration: http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/images/2009_springsymposium.pdf
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Tickets: $85/person; includes symposium, luncheon and tax. Seating is limited and early registration is recommended.
Speakers will include morning keynote speaker Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general for the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office; luncheon keynote speaker David Altig, senior vice president and director of research for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Burt White, managing director of research for LPL Financial; and Leura Canary, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama.
More info: Women’s Philanthropy Board, 210 Spidle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849-5601; Phone: (334) 844-9199; E-mail: wpbchs1@auburn.edu; web: www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/.
MONDAY, APRIL 6, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all. Agenda & full packet, with details about each item: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
NOTE: The regular PC meeting will be held this Thursday, April 9, at 5:00 pm; see details below.
Agenda includes: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Packet Meeting – March 9, 2009; Regular Meeting – March 12, 2009
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
1. West Pace Village PDD PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00045
Applicant: West Pace, LLC
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD) (pending annexation into the City
limits [Case PL-2008-00790] and rezoning [Case PL-2008-00791])
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to apply the Planned Development District (PDD) designation to approximately 165.81 acres
Staff Analysis: This was continued on March 12 to April 9 pending completion of a traffic study. The study is still being completed and will need to be reviewed/analyzed by City staff prior to being scheduled for the Planning Commission’s consideration.
Staff Recommendation: Keep the public hearing open and continue the hearing and review to the next Planning Commission meeting on May 14, 2009.
CONSENT AGENDA
2. Donahue Ridge Subdivision PL-2009-00081
Applicant: Donahue Land, LLC
General Location: Off of North Donahue Drive, east of Camden Ridge Subdivision 1st Addition, and south of Farmville Road
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 40 lot conventional subdivision
NEW BUSINESS
3. The Tavern PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00156
Applicant: Dan Grider
General Location: 1310 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a commercial and entertainment use (private club)
4. Donut Shop PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00167
Applicant: Dennis McKelvy for Tiger Crossing
General Location: 1625 East University Drive, Suite 114
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (donut shop with drive-through window)
5. Austin Ice PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00168
Applicant: Taylor and Andrew Austin for Michael Shannon
General Location: 691 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (coin-operated ice vending station)
OTHER BUSINESS
6. Shadow Wood Estates, First Addition, Phase 2 PL-2007-00948
Applicant: Shadow Wood Holdings, LLC
General Location: On Lee Road 081 (Mrs. James Road), north of Camden Ridge
Zoning District: Limited Development District (LDD)
Action Requested: Extension of final plat approval
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION – STAFF COMMUNICATION – ADJOURNMENT
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 3:00 PM – LECTURE: MALTHUS, WALLACE & DARWIN
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
Speaker: Gerry Elfstrom (AU Department of Philosophy)
This event is part of a semester-long celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 5:15 PM — AU MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING TEAM TO CELEBRATE NCAA TITLE
Held at the Tiger Walk entrance on the south side of Jordan-Hare Stadium, at the corner of Roosevelt Drive & Donahue Drive. (note: The celebration will not be held at Toomer’s Corner due to construction there.)
The Auburn NCAA champion men’s swimming and diving team will be honored with a celebration at the Tiger Walk entrance on the south side of Jordan-Hare Stadium. Fans are encouraged to join the team as they celebrate by rolling the trees at the Tiger Walk entrance. Auburn won its eighth NCAA title and sixth in the last seven years, March 26-28, in College Station, Texas. Fans can order the official Men’s Swimming and Diving National Championship T-shirt at this link (http://www.aufanshop.com). To read more, see the news release ( http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/040209aaa.html ).
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2:30 PM – ART LECTURE: DR. CYNTHIA KRISTAN-GRAHAM / ON THE HOUSE: SPACE, MEMORY AND IDENTITY IN THE ANCIENT MAYA WORLD
Held in AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
From the ordinary house to the more ornate palace, domestic space was a resonant symbol in Mayan culture. Houses can be understood as tangible building blocks that reify intangible memories and principles that structure family and society. Plan, construction process, embellishment, use, and linguistic referents unite to recall fundamental features of Mayan life, including the mythic creation of the world; diagrams of familial and social relations; and keys to personal and group identity. The talk will focus on the speaker’s current work at Chichén Itzá, a late Mayan capital in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Cynthia Kristan-Graham received B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Art History from the University of California at Los Angeles. She specializes in Pre-Columbian and Non-Western art history. She is a Dumbarton Oaks Fellow and the recipient of a FAMSI (Foundation for The Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc.) grant for research in Mexico. This lecture is being held in conjunction with the AU Faculty Exhibition, which is on display through May 30 in the Bill L. Harbert Gallery and Gallery C. For more information, visit the museum Web site ( http://www.jcsm.auburn.edu ) or contact Colleen Bourdeau at cbourdeau@auburn.edu or 844-7075.
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, APRIL 7 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:15 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda: www.opelika.org/
6:15 pm work session agenda includes:
(1) – a. Collection of past due municipal fines and court cost … Nick Abbett, Lee Cty. D.A.
(2) – a. Resolution, P.O. change, Volkert & Assoc., extension of Frederick Road.
b. Resolution, agreement, construct a balcony on S. 8th Street ………… Walter Dorsey
(3) – a. Resolution/subordination agreement, 609 Geneva St …Jerry Kelley, Luis Gallardo Rivera
(4) – a. General updates … Mayor Fuller, John Seymour
(5) – Discuss/review CM agenda items of 4/07/09 ……………….Mayor Fuller, John Seymour, Dept. Heads
a. Remarks by Mayor; b. General business; c. Bids; d. Resolutions; e. Ordinances; f. Board Appointments
(6) – Discussion – …… City Council
a. New / Old Business; b. Board appointments; c. Other City business.
7:00 pm regular meeting agenda includes:
5) READING OF MINUTES —– Council Meeting of March 24th, 2009 —— Eddie Smith
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR – Gary Fuller
CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS – Bob Shuman
1. Request by Opelika Mainstreet for their “On The Tracks” event to be on May 1, 2009.
2. Request by March of Dimes for their 2009 “March for Babies” on May 2, 2009.
3. Request by Richard Bailey for the 2nd annual “Run for RIF” on October 10th, 2009.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS – Shirley Washington
1. Cab & Chassis, 55 ft aerial device – L&P
2. Vacuum truck – P/W Wastewater Collection
3. Pool furniture, Sportsplex – P&R
4. Furniture for offices, Sportsplex – P&R
5. Contract, Uniforms – OFD
6. Contract, Park Manager for Springvilla – P&R
7. Contract, equipment – OPD
13) RESOLUTIONS – Guy Gunter
1. Special appropriation for East Alabama Food Bank.
2. Lease Agreement with OHA for a Senior Citizen Center.14) ORDINANCES – Guy Gunter (none)
15) APPOINTMENTS – (none)
16) ADJOURN
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.
TUESDAY, APRIL 7 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
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
6:30 pm Committee of the whole agenda includes:
3. WEB SITE UPDATE. Presentation. Assistant City Manager/CIO Jim Buston.
4. 425 BYRD STREET DEMOLITION. Councilperson Dowdell.
5. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. Nominations.
a. Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board. One Position. Incumbent: Richard Hoerlein (has served two full terms). Six Year Term Expires March 31, 2015.
b. Library Board. One Position. Incumbent: Judith A. Prior (has served two full terms). Four Year Term Expires April 15, 2013.
c. Historic Preservation Commission. Two Positions. Nominated by Mayor. Incumbents: Carol A. Pittard
(has served two full terms) and Susie Thomas (has served one partial term). Three Year Terms Expire April 20, 2012.
7:00 pm Regular meeting agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan. None.
ORDINANCES.
a. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish “No Parking” Zones. Temple Street. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
RESOLUTIONS.
a. Economic Development Department. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. 2009 Action Plan. Adoption.
b. Contracts and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Parks & Recreation Department. Aquatic Consulting & Equipment, Inc. Chemicals & Service of Chemical Control Systems – Auburn City Pools. $54,600 ($18,200/year). Three Year Agreement.
(2) Water Resource Management Department. Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc. Amendment 2 – Professional Engineering Services for Surveying, Design and Bid Services for Choctafaula Interceptor
Sewer Phase II Project. $59,740. Contract.
(3) Public Safety Department.
(a) Justice Assistance Grant (JAG). Joint Application Among City of Auburn, City of Opelika, and Lee County. Interlocal Agreement.
(b). ICMA Consulting Services. Police and Fire Services Staffing and Workload Analysis. $80,000. Contract.
c. Drainage and Utility Easements, Utility Easement, and Street Light and Utility Easement. Acceptance.
(1) 1109/1115 East Samford Avenue Drainage Project. Drainage and Utility Easements.
(a) Megan McGowen. 1115 East Samford Avenue.
(b) Kyle and Teresa Hildreth. 1109 East Samford Avenue.
(2) Community Capital Bancshares, Inc. 1943 East Glenn Avenue. Traffic Signal Installation-Glenn Avenue and Samford Avenue. East Samford Avenue Extension Project. Utility Easement.
(3) University Church of Christ, Inc. 449 North Gay Street. Historic District Lighting Project. Street Light and Utility Easement.
(4) Shadow Wood Force Main Sewer Project. Property Located North of Mrs. James Road in Shadow Wood Estates, First Addition, Phase I Subdivision. Drainage and Utility Easements.
(a) Shadow Wood Holding, L.L.C. Lots 32, 41, and 42.
(b) Lee R. and Sara Beth McDonald. Lots 34 and 35.
d. Boards and Commissions. Appointments.
(1) Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board. One Position. Six Year Term Expires March 31, 2015.
(2) Library Board. One Position. Four Year Term Expires April 14, 2013.
(3) Historic Preservation Commission. Two Positions. Nominated by Mayor. Three Year Terms Expire April 20, 2012.
11. OTHER BUSINESS. 12. ADJOURN
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 7:00 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APJ) www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, 508 Auburn Drive (just off the parking lot; the 2nd house behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 450 E. Thatch Ave). Open to all.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 7:30 PM – AU JAZZ ENSEMBLE SPRING CONCERT
Held in AU’s Goodwin Music Building, Band Hall. Free & open to the public.
More info: Dr. Ramon Vasquez, wasqur@auburn.edu; 334-844-3183.
The Auburn University Department of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9 – LAMAR MARSHALL FEATURED IN PBS DOCUMENTARY APPALACHIA
The 4-part documentary “Appalachia” begins on PBS April 9. Lamar Marshall of Wild South is featured.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, noon – 1:00 pm —- ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Performer: Sylvia Wehrs plays Mendelssohn’s violin concerto
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 4:00 – 7:30 PM — FOREST LAND BMP WORKSHOP
Held at AU’s Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest, Auburn. Free & open to all.
Register by 4/6/09 for workshop & dinner via Lee County Extension Office 334-749-3353
Hosted by Lee County Forestry Stewardship Committee & SWaMP.
Tour Program:
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm Registration
4:30 pm – 4:50 pm Welcome and Water Quality in Saugahatchee Creek – Eric Ruetebuch, AU
Load on trailers to begin tour
4:50 pm – 5:20 pm Stop 1 – Soil Erosion – John Torbert, MeadWestvaco
5:20 pm – 5:30 pm Travel to next stop
5:30 pm – 6:00 pm Stop 2 – Alabama Forestry BMPs – Andy Guy, AFC
6:00 pm – 6:10 pm Travel to next stop
6:10 pm – 6:45 pm Stop 3 – Maintaining Forest Roads and Stream Crossings – Mathew Smidt, AU, Extension Specialist
6:45 pm – 7:30 pm Dinner
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 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 (See details above, Monday, noon, April 6, PC packet meeting)
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 5:00 – 6:00 PM — THE FINAL LECTURE / DR. WIT
Held in AU’s Student Center Ballroom. Free & open to all AU students, faculty, and administrators.
The Final Lecture is an opportunity for the Class of 2009 to recognize Dr. Wit as the professor they feel is the most outstanding teacher at Auburn University. Student leaders narrowed down a wide pool of nominees to five outstanding professors, then thousands of juniors and seniors across campus voted Dr. Wit to present the second annual Final Lecture. Dr. Wit will deliver a commencement-style address open to all students, faculty, and administrators that will include words of advice and inspiration for students who just began their college career as well as those who are preparing to graduate from Auburn. More info: Rohan Kambeyanda at kamberh@auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 3:00 – 4:00 PM — RAP SESSIONS PRESENTS: THE POST RACISM GENERATION
Held at AU’s new Student Center, room 2222. Free & open to all.
Panel Discussion: Bakari Kitwana (author, The Hip-Hop Generation), MC Search (host, VH1’s The White Rapper Show), Lisa Fager Bediako (President, Industry Ears, Inc.), Jabari Asim (editor, NAACP’s magazine, The Crisis), and Joan Morgan (author, When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost).
SATURDAY, APRIL 11 – ALABAMA WATER WATCH WORKSHOPS www.alabamawaterwatch.org
8:30 am – 2:30 pm – Chemistry monitoring workshop
2:30 pm – 5:30 pm – Bacteria monitoring workshop
Held at Office 250 Upchurch Hall, AU. Free workshop. Registration required.
Register on-line (https://fp.auburn.edu/icaae/WorkShopRegC.aspx) or call Rita Grub, AWW office, 334-844-4785.
Come to one or both of these Alabama Water Watch workshops and be certified to monitor YOUR creek.
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM — CITY OF AUBURN HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY — Held at the City of Auburn Environmental Services Complex, located at 365-A North Donahue Drive.
The City of Auburn Environmental Services Department will host the 7th Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. This annual event offers citizens the opportunity to safely dispose of hazardous household chemicals. Computers and related equipment will also be accepted for recycling during the event. Participation is limited to Auburn residential solid waste service customers only. Citizens may bring up to 20 pounds of materials per household for disposal. No farm, commercial, or industrial waste will be permitted. Participants are asked to bring a recent water bill to demonstrate proof of residency. For a complete list of acceptable items, please visit us online at www.auburnalabama.org/es. More info: City of Auburn Environmental Services Department at 501-3080.
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS – Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all. http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
On the second Saturday of every month, a group of history re-enactors gather at the LCHS Museum in period attire to demonstrate their arts and crafts. Blacksmiths are usually working at the forge, spinners and weavers are in the log cabin, and someone is always cooking up a meal in the fireplace or outdoors. The Museum is always open on Second Saturdays. Also on Secord Saturdays, the Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer group meets at the Museum at 11:00am. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcomed. Bring your dulcimer or other instrument and join in the pickin’. April 11 = 28th Alabama Infantry Company A, Civil War re-enactors, camp out in true 1860 style, prepare their meals, and demonstrate weaponry that might have been used in defense of Alabama at the end of the Civil War.
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 8:00 PM – SUN BELT READING SERIES Event #2
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
Readers to be announced soon.
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City of Auburn Board Vacancies:
* Library Board – one vacancy will be filled at this week’s city council meeting
* Historic Preservation Commission – two vacancies will be filled at this week’s city council meeting.
* Board of Education – one vacancy will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
* Indian Pines Recreation Authority – one vacancy will be filled at the June 16 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
April 6, 2009
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TO SEE TEXT & HISTORY OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION, GO TO: ALISON — Alabama Legislative Information Online / http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/ACASLoginFire.asp
— click on Bills, then Status & search for HB804
HB804 — QUARRY LOCAL CONTROL LEGISLATION
Page 0
1 HB804
2 110328-1
3 By Representatives McLaughlin, Mask, White and Hammon
4 RFD: County and Municipal Government
5 First Read: 01-APR-09
Page 1
1 110328-1:n:03/31/2009:MCS/tj LRS2009-2056
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 SYNOPSIS: The Alabama Department of Environmental
9 Management issues new permits or modifications to
10 existing permits relating to granite or limestone
11 surface mining activities pursuant to the Alabama
12 Water Pollution Control Act (Title 22, Chapter 22,
13 Code of Alabama 1975); the Alabama Environmental
14 Management Act (Title 22, Chapter 22A, Code of
15 Alabama 1975); the Solid Wastes Disposal Act (Title
16 22, Chapter 27, Article 1, Code of Alabama 1975);
17 the Alabama Air Pollution Control Act of 1971
18 (Title 22, Chapter 28, Code of Alabama 1975); and
19 the Hazardous Wastes Management and Minimization
20 Act (Title 22, Chapter 20, Code of Alabama 1975).
21 This bill would require the prior approval
22 of local municipalities and counties affected by a
23 proposed permit or modification to a permit for
24 such mining operations. The bill would establish
25 guidelines for local governments to consider in the
26 approval process, would require notice of and the
27 holding of public hearings, and would provide
Page 2
1 access to certain information as part of the local
2 approval process.
3
4 A BILL
5 TO BE ENTITLED
6 AN ACT
7
8 To add Section 22-22A-5.1 to the Code of Alabama
9 1975, relating to the granting of local approval for granite
10 and limestone surface mining operations prior to the issuance
11 of any permit by the Alabama Department of Environmental
12 Management.
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
14 Section 1. Section 22-22A-5.1 is added to the Code
15 of Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
16 Ҥ22-22A-5.1.
17 (a) The Alabama Department of Environmental
18 Management shall not issue a new or modified permit under
19 Sections 22-22-9, 22-22A-5, 22-27-7, 22-28-16, or 22-30-12 for
20 any activity relating to the operation of a granite or
21 limestone surface mine unless the operation has received
22 approval by the governing bodies of municipalities and
23 counties affected by the proposed operation. In determining
24 whether to recommend approval of the proposed operation, the
25 governing body shall consider, and make findings on, each of
26 the following:
Page 3
1 (1) The impact of the proposed operation on local
2 planned or existing roads and on transportation arteries and
3 state primary and secondary roads.
4 (2) Costs and availability of public services,
5 facilities, and improvements required to support a proposed
6 operation and to protect public health, safety, and the
7 environment.
8 (3) The impact of a proposed operation on public
9 health and safety and provisions made to minimize the impact
10 on public health and safety.
11 (4) The social and economic impacts of a proposed
12 operation on the affected community, including changes in
13 property values, and social or community perceptions.
14 (5) The impact of the proposed operation on the
15 prevailing hydrologic balance at the proposed mine site and in
16 offsite areas and on the quality and quantity of water in
17 surface and ground water systems both during and after surface
18 mining operations and during reclamation.
19 (6) The impact of the proposed operation on erosion
20 and siltation, pollution of water, damage to fish or wildlife
21 or their habitat, and public or private property.
22 (7) The impact of the proposed operation on natural
23 water-courses, stream beds, or drainage channels.
24 (8) The impact of blasting associated with the
25 proposed operation on private property, the enjoyment of
26 private property, and property values.
Page 4
1 (b) Any determination by the municipal or county
2 governing body to recommend approval of a proposed operation
3 shall be made in a public hearing only after public notice and
4 an opportunity for public comment is provided. The governing
5 body shall at a minimum hold at least one public hearing
6 thereon, notice of the time an place of which shall be given
7 by one publication in a newspaper of general circulation in
8 the county or municipality and in the official gazette, if
9 any, of the governing body’s jurisdiction. Notice shall be
10 given at least 30 days but not more than 45 days prior to the
11 proposed date of the hearing. Each notice published in
12 compliance with this section shall contain at a minimum a
13 description of the proposed operation to be considered and
14 shall identify a contact person from whom interested persons
15 can obtain additional information. All pertinent documents
16 shall be available for inspection during normal business hours
17 at a location readily accessible to the public.
18 Section 2. This act shall become effective
19 immediately following its passage and approval by the
20 Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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UPDATES: Cancellation, additions
CANCELLED: TODAY, APRIL 1 – JIMMY SANTIAGO BACA VISIT TO AU
Due to a family emergency, the visit by poet Jimmy Santiago Baca — originally scheduled for Wednesday, April 1 — has been postponed until further notice.
REMINDER: TODAY, APRIL 1, 2:00 PM – COURT HEARING / AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD v. LOACHAPOKA WATER AUTHORITY (AWWB v. LWA)
Held in Judge Denson’s court, Lee County Justice Center.
A hearing on the lawsuit filed March 20 by Auburn Water Works Board in which the AWWB requests a preliminary injunction to prohibit the Loachapoka Water Authority from providing water and/or water for fire protection to certain properties within the LWA’s mandated water service territory.
Note: On March 30, West Pace LLC and Donahue Land LLC filed motions to intervene in this case. Both LLCs own land which could be affected by this lawsuit.
ADDITIONAL EVENT:
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 3:00 PM — KATHRYN BRAUND / DEERSKIN AND DUFFELS: THE CREEK INDIAN TRADE WITH ANGLO-AMERICAN, 1685-1815
Held in AU’s Ralph Brown Draughon library, Dept of Special Collections & Archives. Free & open to the public.
Auburn University history professor Kathryn Braund will talk about her book, “Deerskins and Duffels: The Creek Indian Trade with Anglo-America, 1685-1815.” Recently released in a second edition, the book documents the trading relationship between the Creek Indians in what is now the southeastern United States and the Anglo-American peoples who settled there. The talk is part of the Discover Auburn series cosponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts and the Auburn University Libraries. For more information, contact the center at 844-4946.
ADDITIONAL EVENT:
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 7:00 – 9:30 PM — JAY SANDERS FILM FESTIVAL
Held at AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Free & open to the public, but with limited seating, so arrive early.
The College of Liberal Arts and the Department of Communication and Journalism are hosting the Jay Sanders Film Festival and the Movie Gallery Student Film Competition. This festival provides high school and college film makers from around the world the opportunity to have their work professionally judged and viewed by an audience. There were 32 entries received this year, with 11 films being selected by a committee to be included in the festival. Committee members are comprised of College of Liberal Arts faculty, staff and students. To learn more about the festival, go to this link (http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cmjn/festival/index.html ). More info: Deron Overpeck at dmo0001@auburn.edu.
REMINDER: SHILOH COMMUNITY EVENT THIS WEEKEND
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 5:00 PM — SHILOH COMMUNITY RESTORATION FOUNDATION / 3RD ANNUAL GALA & SILENT AUCTION
Details at their newly-redesigned website: http://www.shilohcommfound.com/
UPCOMING BROADCAST:
THURSDAY, APRIL 9 – LAMAR MARSHALL FEATURED IN PBS DOCUMENTARY APPALACHIA
The 4-part documentary “Appalachia” begins on PBS April 9. Lamar Marshall of Wild South is featured.
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ACTION ALERT FROM ALABAMA ARISE / ALABAMA’S TAX FAIRNESS CAMPAIGN http://www.arisecitizens.org/
Grocery Tax Bill May Have Vote This Thursday
Arise legislative action alert page — http://www.alarise.org/legislative.html
Last week, the grocery tax plan lost procedural vote in Alabama House. Most of the moderates who had been on the fence had become solid No’s. Several reported getting far more calls against the bill than we generated for it. Only later did we learn that ALFA was lobbying vigorously against the bill.
Of 98 members voting, we needed 59 to bring the bill up for debate. We got 56. All Republicans except Faust and Greeson voted Nay. (Faust and Greeson did not vote.) The only Democrat to vote Nay was Laird. All the other Democrats voted Yea, except for Hall, Rogers and Sherer, who did not vote, and Black, who was absent.
If your representative voted Yea, call and thank him or her.
If your representative voted Nay or did not vote, call and tell him or her how disappointed you are that they would not give you the chance to vote on the grocery tax bill.
Despite last week’s setback, we believe the bill will come back up for a vote, possibly as early as this Thursday. It is very important you talk to your legislator.
To see the voting record, click here. (http://www.alarise.org/Taxes%20Reform/BIR%20on%20HB116.pdf)
To find your House member’s phone number, click here. (http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/houseroster_alpha.html)
Arise Citizens’ Policy Project — Arise Citizens’ Policy Project is a coalition of 150 congregations and community groups that promote state policies to improve the lives of low-income Alabamians.
PLACE editorial note re: Tax Fairness Amendment:
Do you know people who still oppose the Tax Fairness Amendment? Give them reasons to change their mind. According to Alabama Arise:
* Alabama can remove the state sales tax on groceries without increasing or decreasing revenues to the education budget.
* The Tax Fairness Amendment would make the state’s tax system more balanced and cut taxes for the vast majority of Alabamians.
More details at Tax Fairness Amendment; More information about the tax plan.
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FEMA Floodplain Maps and Flood Insurance Study Update
Property Owners in Floodplain Encouraged to Contact Insurance Agent About Flood Insurance
Lee County is in the process of updating its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Floodplain Maps and Flood Insurance Study. The City of Auburn’s FEMA Floodplain Maps and Flood Insurance Study will also be updated as part of the countywide map modernization project. Printed copies of the proposed maps are available at the Development Services Building, 171 N. Ross Street. Maps will be available for public review Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Additional information about the FEMA project, as well as an interactive map that will help you determine if your property is located within FEMA’s proposed floodplain, is available online at www.auburnalabama.org/fema.
For more information, visit the City’s FEMA website at www.auburnalabama.org/fema or contact the City of Auburn Public Works Department by phone at 501-3000 or by e-mail at webpw@auburnalabama.org.
City of Auburn Board Vacancies
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
April 1, 2009
Comments Off
Updates:
AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD FILES FOR INJUCTION AGAINST LOACHAPOKA WATER AUTHORITY
Hearing scheduled: Wednesday, April 1, 2:00 pm – Judge Denson’s court, Lee County Justice Center.
An expedited hearing is scheduled on this equity lawsuit filed March 20 by Auburn Water Works Board. In the lawsuit, the AWWB requests a preliminary injunction to prohibit the Loachapoka Water Authority from providing water and/or water for fire protection to certain properties within the LWA’s water service territory. This lawsuit specifically mentions the Donahue Ridge project, which is nearly ready for water service, along with various other existing, proposed, and under-construction developments.
Note: Water authority service territories were established decades ago. Specific service territories were allocated to each water authority by federal mandate, to ensure they would have sufficient income with which to repay loans made to facilitate water infrastructure construction. Some properties currently are within Auburn’s city limits, yet within Loachapoka’s water service territory. To enable the AWWB to serve such customers, the AWWB and the LWA have been negotiating for a number of years to resolve this service territory question. The LWA has, on a case-by-case basis and with compensation, allowed the AWWB to serve certain developments in LWA’s designated service territory. A broader, blanket agreement to transfer large sections of LWA service territory to AWWB was under discussion prior to the filing of this lawsuit.
PORTIONS OF MAGNOLIA AVENUE TO CLOSE BEGINNING MARCH 30
The portion of Magnolia Avenue between Donahue Drive and Cox Street will be closed for road construction beginning Monday, March 30. The closure is expected to last up to six weeks. Westbound traffic on Magnolia Avenue will be rerouted to Donahue Drive via Thomas Street and Glenn Avenue. Eastbound traffic will be rerouted back to Magnolia Avenue via Donahue Drive, Glenn Avenue and Cox Street. A map (http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pw032409.pdf ) detailing the closure and detours is available on the city’s Web site. This road construction project is part of the Donahue Drive and Magnolia Avenue Intersection Improvements Project approved by Auburn voters earlier this year as part of the Special Five Mill Projects Referendum. Project work includes the addition of left and right turn lanes at the intersection of Donahue Drive and Magnolia Avenue. The project also includes resurfacing Magnolia Avenue from College Street to Donahue Drive, sidewalk improvements and the installation of crosswalks along Magnolia Avenue.
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Events this week:
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — SCULPTOR CLARK WIEGMAN / PUBLIC ART: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
Held in the auditorium, AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to the public.
Sculptor Clark Wiegman (http://www.artifacture.org) to present “Public Art: the good, the bad and the ugly.” www.jcsm.auburn.edu
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 3:00 PM – LECTURE: EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
Speaker: Ken Halanych (AU Department of Biological Sciences)
This event is part of a semester-long celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 3:00 – 6:00 PM – AU 2009 FINE ART JURIED STUDENT EXHIBITION — JOYCE & ROGER LETHANDER AWARDS IN ART — DEAN’S CHOICE AWARD
3:00 PM – TALK BY RON PLATT, GUEST JUROR - 005 Biggin Hall, art history auditorium
Opening reception: follows Platt’s talk, held through 6:00 pm, in the foyer of AU’s Biggin Hall.
Exhibition: Held through April 7, in Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall.
The Department of Art is hosting the 2009 Fine Art Juried Student Exhibition and will present the Joyce and Roger Lethander Awards in Art and Dean’s Choice Award on Monday. The exhibition features artwork by art majors including drawing, painting, sculpture and photography. Guest juror Ron Platt, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Birmingham, Ala., Museum of Art, will present a talk. An opening reception will commence in Biggin Hall foyer following the juror’s talk and awards presentation; it will run through 6 p.m. Platt will select award winners for the Joyce and Roger Lethander Awards in Art including the prestigious annual purchase award.
Students will be awarded more than $3,000 in art awards. College of Liberal Arts Dean Anne-Katrin Gramberg will announce her decision for the Dean’s Choice Award following the juror’s presentation. More info: Barb Bondy at 844-3483 or bondybj@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 4:00 – 5:00 PM —- New Horizons Lecture Series: Kathryn Thornton /Space Flight: A Human Perspective
Held at AU’s Dixon Conference Center, auditorium. Free & open to the public.
The New Horizons Lecture Series is featuring Kathryn Thornton, a former NASA astronaut and Auburn alum, who currently serves as a professor and associate dean in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia. The lecture is sponsored by the AU Graduate School. Note: Later Monday evening Thornton will receive the Alumna Award from the Auburn University Women’s Resource Center during its Women’s Leadership Conference. More info at http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/797.
MONDAY, MARCH 30 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Introduction of ACCA President – Joe Faulk
b. Recognition of Deputy Stanley Wilson – Sheriff Jay Jones
c. Resolution Honoring Loachapoka High School Basketball Team-Commissioner Harris
6. Reports from Staff:
a. Overview of Financial Statements – Roger Rendleman
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting March 9, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. 2nd Reading SW Lee County Volunteer Fire Department – Commissioner Holt
b. Appointment of New EMA Director – Judge English
c. Appointment of Interim EMA Director – Judge English
d. NACo Prescription Drug Plan – Wendy Swann
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Board of Education Facilities Update – Dr. Steven Nowlin
b. Comprehensive Development Strategies, LLC Presentation-Commissioner Harris
c. Report on NACo Legislative Conference – Commissioner Harris
d. Subdivision Approval for Hallawaka Lake Estates – Neal Hall
e. Architecture Services Agreement for Justice Center – Roger Rendleman
10. Discussion Items.
11. Executive Session
12. Adjourn
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 6:30 – 7:30 PM – WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE AWARDS DINNER
Held at AU’s Hotel and Dixon Conference Center.
Registration form at: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/odma/wlc09.html; fill out & return it to the Women’s Resource Center, 311 Mary Martin Hall. More info: Amye Still at 844-4289 or stillam@auburn.edu.
Keynote speaker: Dr. Mary Ellen Mazey, AU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Conference organizers will recognize Kathryn Thornton, an Auburn graduate, former astronaut and current associate dean for graduate programs at the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, as the first recipient of the Alumna Award. Sharon Gaber, Auburn senior associate provost, will receive the Women of Distinction Faculty Award. The Women of Distinction Student Awards will go to four senior basketball players: Whitney Boddie, DeWanna Bonner, Sherell Hobbs and Trevesha Jackson. AU’s annual Women’s Leadership Conference (WLC) is the signature event of the AU Women’s Resource Center. The 2009 WLC is themed Redefining Woman: Celebrating Diversity, Finding Voices.
TUESDAY, MARCH 31 — WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE / Redefining Woman: Celebrating Diversity, Finding Voice
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center.
Registration: The fee is $25 for the conference; $30 for both the awards dinner and one-day conference. Registration form at: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/odma/wlc09.html; fill out & return it to the Women’s Resource Center, 311 Mary Martin Hall. More info: Amye Still at 844-4289 or stillam@auburn.edu.
AU’s Women’s Resource Center will present the third annual Women’s Leadership Conference, with the theme of “Redefining Woman: Celebrating Diversity, Finding Voice.” At the awards dinner, distinguished Auburn alumna, faculty member and students will be honored. Mary Ellen Mazey, Auburn provost and vice president for academic affairs, will give the keynote address. Workshops at the conference include: “How to Ask for Money: Cutting through the Red Tape,” “How to Grow a Money Tree: Tips for Financial Management,” “How to Climb Capitol Hill: Legislation in Women’s Issues,” How to Work It: Finding Creative Ways of Self-promotion,” “How to Act Out: Students Finding Voice for the Sustainable Movement” and “How to Walk a Tight Rope: Finding balance for work and life.” For more details about the conference and the workshops, go to: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/799 .
TUESDAY, MARCH 31, NOON – 1:00 PM — FIRE SAFETY /Brown Bag Lunch Series at the Auburn Public Library
Held in the programming room, Youth Services Building, Auburn Public Library. Free & open to all. Coffee & water provided. Bring your lunch.
The Auburn Public Library has started a new Brown Bag Lunch series on Tuesdays from noon -1 p.m. Bring your lunch and learn about a variety of topics. More info: Reference Desk at 501-3195 or visit http://www.auburnalabama.org/library/adultprograms.asp#brown.
TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 3:30 PM – ART LECTURE: DR. JOYCE DE VRIES / MATERIAL CULTURE AND CONSUMPTION PRACTICES IN EARLY MODERN ITALY
Held in AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Joyce de Vries holds a Ph.D. in the history of art from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research concerns the art and visual culture of Early Modern (14-17th century) Italy, and, in particular, issues associated with visual constructions of gender and the historical importance of the decorative arts. She received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to support her book project on female patronage, and regularly presents her research at national and international conferences and symposia.
TUESDAY, MARCH 31 , 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 – SUNDAY, APRIL 5 — AU THEATRE: The America Play
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Mainstage. by Suzan-Lori Parks http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/
Tickets: 844-4154
Showtimes: April 1-4, 7:30 pm / April 5, 2:30 pm matinee
Thursday, April 2 performance includes pre- & post-show events:
– 6:00 pm pre-show panel discussion, in the Theatre Upstairs / He Hoped He’d Be Of Interest To Posterity: Defining Greatness in American History, and
– post-show discussion with actors & other members of the creative team, in the Telfair Peet Theatre.
AU’s Dept of Theatre will present “The America Play,” by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, The Auburn production of “The America Play” features A.K. Murtadha, a guest artist from Los Angeles in the role of the Foundling Father. Murtadha has numerous stage, television and film credits to his name, including a Best Actor award from the Big Easy Shorts Festival for his role in the short film “In the Wind.” For more information about the production, contact Director Heather May at 844-6614 or hemay@auburn.edu, or
download the podcast series of interviews with members of the creative and production team, found under the College of Liberal Arts at http://itunes.auburn.edu.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 9:30 AM – ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION
Held in the 9th Floor Hearing Room, RSA Union Building, Mont. Ph: 334-242-2997. Open to all.
Agenda: In Open Session, to render Advisory Opinions requested by public officials/public employees. An Executive Session will be held to discuss matters relating to complaints filed with the Ethics Commission and the results of those investigations. These matters are covered by the Grand Jury Secrecy Act. No matters will be discussed which are outside the scope of the State guidelines for the holding of Executive Sessions. Matters discussed in Executive Session will be voted on in public.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 10:00 AM — LOACHAPOKA WATER AUTHORITY
Held at the LWA, 4742 Lee Road 188, Auburn; (334) 887-3329. Open to all. www.lwaonline.com
(Directions: Take Hwy 14 through Loachapoka. Turn right on Waverly Rd, which turns into Lee Rd 188.)
Agenda: The purpose of the meeting is to answer questions related to a new well being developed off U.S. Highway 29.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 — JIMMY SANTIAGO BACA / POET & SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST
11:00 am – lecture & presentation (held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2222)
3:30 pm – poetry reading (held in AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art)
Poet and social justice activist Jimmy Santiago Baca, born in New Mexico of Indio-Mexican descent, Baca was raised first by his grand-mother and later sent to an orphanage. A runaway at age 13, it was after Baca was sentenced to five years in a maximum security prison that he began to turn his life around: he learned to read and write and unearthed a voracious passion for poetry. During a fateful conflict with another inmate, Jimmy was shaken by the voices of Neruda and Lorca, and made a choice that would alter his destiny. Instead of becoming a hardened criminal, he emerged from prison a writer. He is the winner of the Pushcart Prize, the American Book Award, the International Hispanic Heritage Award and for his memoir A Place to Stand the prestigious International Award. In 2006 he won the Cornelius P. Turner Award. The national award recognizes one GED graduate a year who has made outstanding contributions to society in education, justice, health, public service and social welfare. Baca has devoted his post-prison life to writing and teaching others who are overcoming hardship. Sponsored by the Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project, the Alabama State Council on the Arts, AU’s Depts of Psychology, English and Multicultural Center (a division of the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs), and the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2:00 PM – COURT HEARING / AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD (AWWB) V. THE LOACHAPOKA WATER AUTHORITY (LWA)
Held at the Lee County Justice Center, Judge Denson’s courtroom. Open to the public.
See details above, in Updates section.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 — JIMMY SANTIAGO BACA / POET & SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST
3:30 pm – poetry reading (held in AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art)
See details above, 11:00 am. April 1.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 516.02, Table 5-4, of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00147
Applicant: Rodney C. Jones
General Location: 159 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: Variance of 14.75 feet to the maximum setback of 10 feet in the Urban Core to allow a structure to be set back 24.75 feet from the front property line (East Glenn Avenue)
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00148
Applicant: Rodney C. Jones
General Location: 159 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC)
Action Requested: Variance of 273.25′ to the required 300′ between curb cuts along an arterial street in order to allow a curb cut 26.75′ from the adjacent curb cut to the west, and a variance of 230.25′ in order to allow a curb cut 69.75′ from the adjacent curb cut to the east
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00150
Applicant: The Concrete Company
General Location: 294 Beehive Road
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Variance of 173.5′ to the required 300′ between curb cuts on an arterial street in order to allow a curb cut 126.5′ from the adjacent curb cut to the west
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00151
Applicant: The Concrete Company
General Location: 310 Beehive Road
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Variance of 173′ to the required 300′ between curb cuts on an arterial street in order to allow a curb cut 127′ from the adjacent curb cut to the west, and a variance of 173′ to allow a curb cut 127′ from the adjacent curb cut to the east
Variance to Section 604(E) of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00153
Applicant: Capstone Development, Inc.
General Location: 696 West Magnolia Avenue
Zoning District: University Service (US)
Action Requested: Variance to allow an off-premise sign for Eagles West Apartments to be
located on the property of Champions Club Condominiums
Variance to Section 605.05 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00154
Applicant: Capstone Development, Inc.
General Location: 696 West Magnolia Avenue
Zoning District: University Service (US)
Action Requested: Variance to allow a second freestanding sign on the property of Champions Club Condominiums
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT
THURSDAY, APRIL 2 through SATURDAY, APRIL 4 — ART IN BLOOM EXHIBIT AND EVENTS
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. www.jcsm.auburn.edu/AIB
Seating for all events is limited; for reservations contact Robbin, 34-844-3085.
JCSM will host its fourth annual “Art in Bloom” exhibition, a three-day event featuring art-inspired floral designs. “Art in Bloom” will be open to the public during regular museum hours beginning April 2 at 10 a.m. The exhibition will showcase floral designers and garden club representatives from the community and across the Southeast with their interpretations of the museum’s permanent collection. Lectures and demonstrations from experts on floral design will enhance the exhibition of paired floral arrangements and artwork. For more information, read the news release (http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/777 ).
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 11:00 AM – GRISHAM-TRENTHAM LECTURE / JOHN C. WILLIAMS, LEAD ARCHITECT IN POST-KATRINA RECOVERY PROJECT
Held in the auditorium AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Free & open to the public.
Architect John C. Williams is the honoree and speaker for the 23rd annual Grisham-Trentham Lecture. Williams, of John C. Williams Architects based in New Orleans, is executive architect for actor Brad Pitt’s Make it Right Project, created to revitalize New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina. To see examples of Williams’ work with the Make it Right Project and other projects in New Orleans, go to (http://www.williamsarchitects.com/index.html). Williams also serves in the leadership role for the Global Green Holy Cross Project, a LEED Platinum development in the Lower 9th; the Mahalia Jackson School, a renovation that focuses on sustainability and community; and the newly constructed William Smith School in St. Bernard Parish.
The Grisham-Trentham Lecture was established by and named for retired Auburn professor Gary Trentham to expose students to world-class design and business leadership. The lecture is funded by and also bears the name of the renowned painter and textile designer Betty Grisham and her late husband, Charles, an Auburn graduate. This event is sponsored by Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences and the Department of Consumer Affairs.
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 7:30 – 9:00 PM – AU PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE AND CONCERT BAND CONCERT
Held at Lakeview Baptist Church, 1600 E Glenn Ave, Auburn. Free & open to the public.
The Auburn University Department of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music. For info on upcoming Music Department events please visit the on-line calendar at http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/calendar/listing.cfm.
FRIDAY, APRIl 3, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all.
FRIDAY, APRIl 3, 7:30 PM – EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. Info and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING DAVID OLNEY (with SERGIO WEBB)
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach.
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of David Olney, go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, NOON – 4:00 PM – WILD EDIBLES LUNCH, WALK & TALK / Presented by Janice Key-Walding, The Wild Southern Herbalist
Think Globally — Act Locally — Food and Medicine in your own yard? YES!
Held at the Vine & Fig Tree, home of Judy Collins and Jim Allen, in Fredonia AL. (About 12 miles north of Lanett, call or email for directions.)
Enjoy a wild edibles lunch, including “Yard Salad” and herb tea! Learn about local foods & medicine growing all around us.
Discover: – a weed that will instantly stop the sting of insect bites; – nature’s potent iron rich greens; – the potent medicinal benefits of the Honeysuckle flower
Cost: Only $12, children under 14 free (one fourth of proceeds donated to the Sweet Home Town Fredonia Fund) RSVP please. Info & directions: southernherb@att.net 334.497.1999; judysi@knology.net 334.499.2380.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 12:00 – 5:00 PM – EAO’S EARTHFEST
Held at AU’s Davis Arboretum. Free & open to all.
The Environmental Awareness Organization (EAO) is hosting Earth Fest at the Auburn University arboretum. The all-day outdoor concert celebrates the Earth and promotes environmental friendliness. There will be music, food, tables from various clubs and community organizations. EAO will have food for sale, as a fundraiser for their organization. Note: All cups and plates used will be of bio-degradable materials, natural alternatives to plastic or Styrofoam
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 1:00 – 3:30 PM —- RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP
Held at the pavilion of AU’s Davis Arboretum. Limited to 20 people. Pre-registration is required. No walk-ins, please. Registration: contact Tia Gonzales gonzats@auburn.edu
Cost: $25.00, extra barrels will be available for $10.00, for rain barrel use only.
Participants will be able to choose from two rain barrel designs; one for homes with gutters and the other for homes with or without gutters. We’ll give you some advice on how to best locate and install you rain barrel when you go home. We’ll show you how to connect barrels in series, to increase capacity. Note that this is part of the Earthfest festivities at the Arboretum.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2:00 PM – TALK: SCOTT AND ZELDA IN THE HEART OF DIXIE
Held at the Auburn Public Library. Open to the public. Guest speaker: Richard Anderson.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 5:00 PM — SHILOH COMMUNITY RESTORATION FOUNDATION / 3RD ANNUAL GALA & SILENT AUCTION
Held at Tuskegee University Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, 1 Booker T. Washington Blvd, Tuskegee University.
Keynote Speaker: Peter Ascoli / grandson of Rosenwald Schools Founder Julius Rosenwald and author of Julius Rosenwald
The evening events include a silent auction, dinner and reunion dance. Also, earlier in the day, tours, booksigning and other events will be held. More info: Elizabeth Sims, 334-844-4948.
Mission Statement: Restoration of the Shiloh¬ Rosenwald School; to promote civic and community pride and educate people about our community’s history and heritage; To plan, promote and operate cultural and educational/research projects through outreach programs that would benefit all citizens. www.shilohcommfound.com
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UPCOMING EVENT
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm – AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / 7TH ANNUAL SPRING SYMPOSIUM & LUNCHEON: Navigating the Challenges in Today’s Economy: Preserving Wealth and Pursuing Philanthropy
Symposium 8:00 AM / Luncheon: 12:30 PM
Schedule & registration: http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/images/2009_springsymposium.pdf
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Tickets: $85/person; includes symposium, luncheon and tax. Seating is limited and early registration is recommended.
Speakers will include morning keynote speaker Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general for the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office; luncheon keynote speaker David Altig, senior vice president and director of research for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Burt White, managing director of research for LPL Financial; and Leura Canary, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama.
More info: Women’s Philanthropy Board, 210 Spidle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849-5601; Phone: (334) 844-9199; E-mail: wpbchs1@auburn.edu; web: www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/.
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City of Auburn Board Vacancies
• • Board of Education – one vacancy will be announced at the April 21 City Council meeting and will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
** ** ** ** **
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
March 29, 2009
Comments Off
EVENTS TODAY – SATURDAY, MARCH 28
TO BE HELD RAIN OR SHINE !!!
LOCAL ARTISTS TO SELL HANDCRAFTED ITEMS, UNIQUE GIFTS AT ART MUSEUM
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM —- 2ND ANNUAL JURIED DECORATIVE ARTS SALE
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to the public. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD RAIN OR SHINE! The museum will be open to the public for free this day.
This year’s sale features more than 25 artists selling jewelry, glass wares, fabric art, woodwork, pottery and more. Artists from all over the community will participate, including a few Auburn University students and faculty members. Some of the artists include:
Terry Rodriguez, a mixed media artist,
Emma Keller, an Auburn University student who designs hand-crafted jewelry,
Mary Stevens, a fabric artist who hand-dyes scarves and
Po Weise, a pottery designer and instructor.
More info: Carol Robicheaux at Robiccc@auburn.edu or 334.844.3096
Note: The Museum Cafe will be open Saturday 3/28/09 from 11am-2pm.
Come enjoy lunch and browse the Second Annual Decorative Arts Sale. Admission to the museum and arts sale is free.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 3:00 – 5:00 PM – AUUF / RECEPTION: 14th ANNUAL QUILT SHOW & SALE www.auuf.org
Great photos, videos and stories about the exhibit and the quilters available at http://thecolorofquilting.blogspot.com/
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall, 450 E. Thach Ave. Free & open to all.
Quilts will be on view and for sale during the reception.
Don’t miss this great exhibit of quilts by African-American quilters, on view March 28 – April 28. The invited quilters work with a variety of techniques handed down through the generations ranging from tacking “prayer knots” to quilting entirely by hand. Learn more about these talented women at The Color of Quilting exhibit blog (http://thecolorofquilting.blogspot.com/).
More info: Shannon Bryant-Hankes at bryansk@auburn.edu.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
TWO EVENTS CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER FORECAST
GARDEN IN THE PARK – cancelled (Originally scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Next week it will be decided whether the event will be rescheduled.)
ASTRONOMY NIGHT – cancelled (Originally scheduled for 7:00 pm Saturday night. A new date will be announced.)
PLACE editorial note: The two events listed above are the only cancellations announced so far. However there may be further event cancellations due to the predicted bad weather.
= = = = = = =
Sunshine Week update:
Sunshine Week 2009 (http://lists.lwv.org/t/907127/3577422/681/0/)
On March 20, the League Of Women Voters of the U.S. co-sponsored the 4th Annual Sunshine Week National Dialogue, “Opening Doors: Finding the Keys to Open Government.” This successful interactive discussion of federal openness policies and citizen opportunities to use government information in their communities involved Obama administration officials and other concerned citizens. The archived webcast is available here. (http://lists.lwv.org/t/907127/3577422/692/0/) During this week (http://lists.lwv.org/t/907127/3577422/693/0/) dedicated to the importance of open government and freedom of information, LWVUS President Wilson issued a call to action reminding citizens that they have an important role in fostering and maintaining an open government. During the week preceding Sunshine Week, LWVUS Executive Director Nancy Tate participated in a dialogue on the new Administration’s “Transparency Directive” convened by The White House.
** ** ** ** **
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
March 28, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATES
FLIP FLOPS BAR/LOUNGE APPLICATION WITHDRAWN
The applicant withdrew his request for a conditional use approval for a Flip Flops bar/lounge, proposed to be located adjacent to Hardy’s Creative Childcare on N. College Steet, downtown Auburn. Therefore the item was withdrawn from the City Council agenda. Any new location the applicant may choose would require a new application to the Planning Commission.
TEMPORARY SIDEWALK & STREET CLOSINGS AT TOOMER’S CORNER
A portion of the sidewalk along Magnolia Avenue between Wright Street and Toomer’s Corner will be closed to pedestrians for maintenance beginning Tuesday, March 24. Detours and signage will be in place. Work is expected to last up to 45 days. During this time, periodic closures of the eastbound lane of Magnolia Avenue may be necessary. Motorists are urged to use caution in the area.
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES:
Portion of Magnolia Avenue to Close Beginning March 30
City of Auburn Encourages Citizens to Participate in Earth Hour March 28
The City of Auburn and the Auburn Bicycle Committee Present Bike Bash 2009
MARCH 21 COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE — Of course, no bid contracts a concern
http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/03/24/march-21-2009-column-by-lisa-brouillette-of-course-no-bid-contracts-a-concern/
[first published in the Opelika-Auburn News, March 21, 2009; alternate title: Of course, no bid contracts attract attention.]
== == == == == == == == ==
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 (& THURSDAY, MARCH 26) – 2009 SOUTHEAST LAND TRUST ALLIANCE CONFERENCE
Held at AU’s Dixon Conference Center. http://www.lta.org
Conference schedule, details & registration at http://www.landtrustalliance.org/learning/training/rc/southeast.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 12:15 PM – WOMEN’S STUDIES OPEN DISCUSSION: STUDENT RATINGS OF FEMALE AND MINORITY FACULTY: WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 0346. (Seminar room in the basement of Haley Center.) Free & open to the everyone.
Sponsored by AU Women’s Studies Program, this event features open discussion of teaching & student evaluations of female and minority faculty. OPEN TO EVERYONE. You’re invited to come and bring your lunch. Coffee and tea will be provided. Questions? crockrc@auburn.edu; 844-6647 or 844-1974. http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/Spring_2009.htm
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 12:00 – 1:00 pm – GREEN LUNCH / Douglas Casson Coutts: Food Security in the Developing World and the Need for a Sustainable Planet
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2218. Free & open to all.
Speaker: Douglas Casson Coutts, Distinguished Visiting Faculty and Special Advisor on Child Hunger, UN World Food Programme.
Coutts is currently working with Auburn’s Department of Nutrition and Food Science supporting the “Universities Fighting World Hunger” program and helping to establish a hunger studies minor. The event is hosted by the AU Office of Sustainability. More info: Emma Mulvaney at 844-7777 or visit http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/projects/green_lunch.html.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 7:00 PM – ENVIRONMENTAL MOVIE: RIPE FOR A CHANGE www.auuf.org
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. Free & open to all. Organic cookies provided.
Featuring beautiful cinematography & really interesting people, this 55-minute film provides provocative commentary by a wide array of eloquent farmers, prominent chefs, and noted authors and scientists exploring two contrasting views of our world. One holds that large-scale agriculture, genetic engineering, and technology promise a hunger-less future. The other calls for a more organic, sustainable, and locally focused style of farming that reclaims the aesthetic and nurturing qualities of food and considers the impact of agriculture on the environment, on communities, and on workers.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 7:30 PM — AUBURN CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY CONCERT
Held in AU’s Goodwin Recital Hall. Tickets are $20 for the public and $5 for students with ID. www.auburnchambermusicsociety.org
The Auburn Chamber Music Society will present its third and final concert of the 2008-09 season. The Parker String Quartet will perform Terry Riley’s “Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collectors”; Anton Webern’s “Langsamer Satz”; Antonin Dvorak’s String Quartet #12 in F Major, Op. 96, “American”; and Johannes Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34. The quartet will be joined by pianist Soyeon Lee for the Brahms piano quintet. More info: Craig Bertolet at bertocr@auburn.edu.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26 – 2009 SOUTHEAST LAND TRUST ALLIANCE CONFERENCE
Held at AU’s Dixon Conference Center. http://www.lta.org
Conference schedule, details & registration at http://www.landtrustalliance.org/learning/training/rc/southeast.Held at AU’s Dixon
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 9:30 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
9:30 am — Investigative Committee Meeting
10:00 am – Regular meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Mont.; ph: 334-242-2230. Open to all.
10:00 am regular meeting agenda includes:
I. Call to order, Welcome–10:00 A.M. John T. Manuel, Presiding
II. Roll Call Jean Cannaday
III. Voluntary Prayer
IV. Approval of Minutes of the last Board meeting
V. Awards and Presentation
VI. Public Input and/or Appearances Before the Board
VII. Appeals/Hearings Kathy Perry Brasfield
VIII. Committee Reports
IX. Staff Report Chip Carden
X. Licensure Applications Meeting Standards Jamie A. Durham
A. Review and Approve New Applications.
B. Review and Approve Expired Applications.
C. Ratify and Approve New Applications.
D. Ratify and Approve Expired Applications.
E. Ratify and approve Designated Qualifying Representative Change Applications.
F. Ratify and Approve Renewal Applications.
G. Ratify and Approve Inactive Renewal Applications.
Licensure Applications for Board Review
H. Board Review¬¬¬¬–Renewal Applications.
I. Board Review–New Applications.
XI. Legal Report
1. Recovery Fund Review: Jamie A. Durham
(a) Appeals
(b) Pending Claims
(c) Verified Claims
2. Unlicensed Builders: Jamie A. Durham
(a) Consent Agreements
(b) Settlement Agreements
3. Litigation Kathy Perry Brasfield
4. Hearing Officer Recommendations Kathy Perry Brasfield
5. Settlement Agreements Kathy Perry Brasfield
6. Investigative Committee Actions: Kathy Perry Brasfield
(a) Formal Disciplinary Actions
(b) Informal Disciplinary Actions
(c) Consumer Complaints
(d) Board Complaints
7. Advisory Opinions Kathy Perry Brasfield
8. Declaratory Judgments Kathy Perry Brasfield
9. Attorney General Opinions Kathy Perry Brasfield
10. Other Legal Issues Kathy Perry Brasfield
XII. Old Business
XIII. New Business
XIV. Discussion
XV. Adjournment
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 10:00 AM — AUBURN LIBRARY BOARD
Held in the Library Board Room, Auburn Public Library. Open to all.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, NOON – 1:00 PM —- NEXT CONNECTIONS GROUP TO DISCUSS BREAST CANCER
Held in AU’s Mary Martin Hall, room 311. Bring a brown bag lunch. Drinks and dessert will be provided.
Free and open to anyone whose life has been affected by breast cancer.
The next Connections group gathering will provide opportunities to talk with others who are facing issues related to breast cancer. More info: Women’s Resource Center at 844-4399.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, NOON – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts; www.jscm.auburn.edu. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.auburnchambermusic.org
THURSDAY, MARCH 26 – ASTRONAUT KEN MATTINGLY / NASA Award, talk & reception
Award ceremony: 1:00 pm / Held in the Lowe Grand Foyer of AU’s Shelby Center for Engineering Technology.
Talk & reception: 2:00 pm / Held in AU’s Hartley Auditorium, 1103 Shelby Center.
All three events are free & open to the public.
NASA will honor Au alumnus and astronaut Thomas K. “Ken” Mattingly with the Ambassador of Exploration Award for his contributions to the U.S. space program. NASA is giving this award to the first generation of explorers in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs for helping America realize its goal of going to the moon. The award is a moon rock encased in Lucite and mounted for public display. The rock is part of the 842 pounds of lunar samples collected during the six Apollo expeditions from 1969 to 1972. Mattingly will give a talk about his life and experiences at 2 p.m. and at a reception following the talk, he will meet and answer questions from members of the Auburn family. More info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/812.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 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. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 5:00 – 7:00 PM – EXTENSION WORKSHOP “HOME GROWN PRODUCE”
Held in AU’s Comer Hall. Cost: $5. Pre-registration required – contact the Lee County Extension office at 749-3353.
“Container Gardening and Home Fruit Selection.” The “Home Grown” series will be a continuing effort; workshops are already being developed for this summer and next fall. More info: Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s News Line: http://www.aces.edu/department/extcomm/npa/newsline/archives/003881.php
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 6:00 – 9:00 PM —- SPRING ART EXHIBITIONS CELEBRATION & LECTURE
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Space is limited; please RSVP by March 18 to 334-844-3085.
Reception with cash bar to follow lecture. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
6:00 – 7:00 pm – Speaker: Jed Perl, author & art critic / Authority and Freedom: Reflections on Artistic Experience
Exhibits currently on view:
Auburn Collects Uniform Proof: 19th-Century Photography in the Collection of William Wiese / January 24 – April 4, 2009; Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery
Audubon Selections from the Permanent Collection / February 14 – June 20, 2009; Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Galleries
Dana King Gatchell Teapot Collection / Grand Gallery
El Alma Mexicana / The Mexican Soul Selections from the Permanent Collection / March 7, – May 30, 2009; Noel and Kathryn Dickinson Wadsworth Gallery
2009 Auburn University Department of Art Faculty Exhibition / March 14 – May 30, 2009; Bill L. Harbert Gallery and Gallery C
Sound Mapping Alabama:A Journey through Alabama Navigated by Ear / March – April 2009; South Garden
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 8:30 am – AUBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Held in the Auburn University Hotel & Dixon Conference Center, Ballroom B. 334-844-4866. Open to all.
Agenda: regular meeting http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html
Agenda includes:
I. Committee Meetings (Ballroom B, AUHDCC)
**Combined Committee Meetings will begin at 8:30 a.m.– all other meetings are subject to change in starting time, depending upon the length of individual meetings.
A. Joint Committee Meeting/Agriculture and Property and Facilities/Chairpersons Rane and Blackwell/8:30 a.m.
1. Poultry and Animal Nutrition Center: Approval of Project Initiation, Initiation of the Design Consultant Selection Process (Joint Item)
2. Auburn University MRI Research Center: Approval of Project: Approval of Project Site, Expedited Project Designation, and Initiation of the Selection Processes for a Design Consultant and Construction Manager
3. Small Animal Teaching Hospital: Initiation of the Construction Manager Selection Process
4. South Quad Multimodal Transportation Facility: Selection of Design Consultant and Initiation of Construction Manager Selection Process
5. Air Transportation Hangar: Designation as an Expedited Project
6. Information Technology Building: Approval of the Site, Schematic Design, Budget and Funding Plan
7. Status Reports
A. Current Status of new Construction/Renovation/Infrastructure Budgets of $750,000 and Greater (For Info Only)
B. Quarterly Report for Projects Costing More than $500,000 but Less than $750,000, First and Second Quarters FY 2009 (For Info Only)
C. Key Projects Presentation (For Information Only)
B. Joint Committee Meeting/AUM and Finance Committee/Chairpersons Thompson and Lowder/9:30 a.m.
1. Adjustment to Student-Technology Fee (Joint Item)
2. Proposed Employee Separation Plan for Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (ACES) Employees
C. Academic Affairs Committee/Chairperson Miller/10:00 a.m.
1. Proposed Restructuring of Tuition and Fees, Auburn University
2. Update on CLA and NSSE
3. Proposed Name Change for Programs and Options in the College of Education
D. Audit Committee/Chairperson Thompson/10:30 a.m.
1. Revisions to Audit Committee and Internal Auditing Departmental Charter
E. Executive Committee/Chairperson Newton/10:45 a.m.
1. Revision of Board Policies
2. Revision of Board of Trustees By-Laws
3. Proposed Awards and Namings
II. REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 11:00 A.M.
A. Proposed Executive Session (Meeting Room A)
III. RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 11:30 A.M. (Ballroom B, AUHDCC)
(Agenda items are determined primarily based upon committee actions.)
12:00 NOON – LUNCHEON – BALLROOM A, RIGHT (AUHDCC)
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 6:30 PM – CLASSICAL GUITARIST RICHARD TODD AT JCSM www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Tickets available at the door: $10/nonmembers, $5 members.
Classical guitarist Richard Todd will perform at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at this event cosponsored with the Chattahoochee Valley Guitar Society. Todd, who performs throughout the United States and abroad, has been a featured
artist for National Public Radio affiliates and has made television appearances in Italy. He is a native of Nashville, Tenn., and teaches at Tennessee State University where he serves as director of the classical guitar seminar. He has earned multiple awards throughout his career, including first place in both the Music Teachers’ National Association Competition and the National Federation of Music Clubs Competition. He completed his doctorate degree in musical arts at the University of North Texas. More info: Colleen Bourdeau at cbourdeau@auburn.edu or 844-7075.
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING DENICE FRANKE
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Denice Franke, go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28 — SHILOH COMMUNITY DAY
Held at Shiloh- Rosenwald School, 101 Shiloh Road, Notasulga.
A fun day to fellowship, shop and enjoy a day on the hill. Food, 7:00 am yard sale, music and family fun. Info: Corrine Wright 334-741-7766. http://www.shilohcommfound.com/
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM —- POTTERY SALE / OPELIKA GARDEN IN THE PARK
Held in the city park on the corner of 5th Street/7th Avenue, Opelika.
The pottery sale will be part of Opelika’s Garden in the Park event.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM —- 2ND ANNUAL JURIED DECORATIVE ARTS SALE
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to the public. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
The Museum Shop will host an expanded version of the Pottery Sale, now the Decorative Arts Sale, on Saturday, March 28 at the Jule Collins Smith Museum. The 2008 event included over a dozen vendors and 400 visitors. The event was such a huge success, we have decided to included a wider variety of artists for the 2009 event, including jewelry designers, handcrafted glass wares, object d’art and pottery. If you are interested in selling your wares at this event, please contact Carol Robicheaux at Robiccc@auburn.edu or 334.844.3096 for more information. The museum will be open to the public for free this day.
Note: The Museum Cafe will be open Saturday 3/28/09 from 11am-2pm.
Come enjoy lunch and browse the Second Annual Decorative Arts Sale. Admission is free all day for all.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 3:00 – 5:00 PM – AUUF / RECEPTION: 14th ANNUAL QUILT SHOW & SALE www.auuf.org
Great photos, videos and stories about the exhibit and the quilters available at http://thecolorofquilting.blogspot.com/
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall, 450 E. Thach Ave. Free & open to all.
Quilts will be on view and for sale during the reception.
Don’t miss this great exhibit of quilts by African-American quilters, on view March 28 – April 28. The invited quilters work with a variety of techniques handed down through the generations ranging from tacking “prayer knots” to quilting entirely by hand. Learn more about these talented women at The Color of Quilting exhibit blog (http://thecolorofquilting.blogspot.com/).
More info: Shannon Bryant-Hankes at bryansk@auburn.edu.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 7:00 PM — STARRY NIGHTS ASTRONOMY PROGRAM
Held at the Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest, Moore’s Mill Road (from Auburn, one mile on left past the
Ogletree Shopping Village). Admission is $3 for FEP non-members and $2 for members.
The Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve staff and the Auburn Astronomical Society will host Starry Nights astronomy program. Guests will enjoy a short program on stars, planets and telescopes, a space movie, constellation laser show, high-powered telescopes and snacks. The program is not recommended for children under 5. Bring a flashlight; red cellophane will be available. More info: Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website ( http://www.auburn.edu/preserve ).
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
MONDAY, MARCH 30 – TUESDAY, MARCH 31 — WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Inaugural Awards Dinner on Monday, March 30, 6:30 p.m.
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center.
Registration deadline: Wednesday, March 25, at 4 p.m. The fee is $25 for the awards dinner and $30 for both the awards dinner and one-day conference. Registration form at: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/odma/wlc09.html ); fill out & return it to the Women’s Resource Center, 311 Mary Martin Hall. More info: Amye Still at 844-4289 or stillam@auburn.edu.
AU’s Women’s Resource Center will present the third annual Women’s Leadership Conference, with the theme of “Redefining Woman: Celebrating Diversity, Finding Voice.” At the awards diiner, distinguished Auburn alumna, faculty member and students will be honored. Mary Ellen Mazey, Auburn provost and vice president for academic affairs, will give the keynote address. Conference organizers will recognize Kathryn Thornton, an Auburn graduate, former astronaut and current associate dean for graduate programs at the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, as the first recipient of the Alumna Award. Sharon Gaber, Auburn senior associate provost, will receive the Women of Distinction Faculty Award. The Women of Distinction Student Awards will go to the four senior basketball players: Whitney Boddie, DeWanna Bonner, Sherell Hobbs and Trevesha Jackson. For more details about the conference and the workshops, go to: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/799 .
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 5:00 PM — SHILOH COMMUNITY RESTORATION FOUNDATION / 3RD ANNUAL GALA & SILENT AUCTION
Held at Tuskegee University Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, 1 Booker T. Washington Blvd, Tuskegee University.
Keynote Speaker: Peter Ascoli / grandson of Rosenwald Schools Founder, Julius Rosenwald and author of Julius Rosenwald
The evening events include a silent auction, dinner and reunion dance. More info: Elizabeth Sims, 334-844-4948.
Mission Statement: Restoration of the Shiloh¬ Rosenwald School; to promote civic and community pride and educate people about our community’s history and heritage; To plan, promote and operate cultural and educational/research projects through outreach programs that would benefit all citizens. www.shilohcommfound.com
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm — AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / 7TH ANNUAL SPRING SYMPOSIUM & LUNCHEON: Navigating the Challenges in Today’s Economy: Preserving Wealth and Pursuing Philanthropy
Symposium 8:00 AM / Luncheon: 12:30 PM
Schedule & registration: http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/images/2009_springsymposium.pdf
Held at the AU Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Tickets: $85/person; includes symposium, luncheon and tax. Seating is limited and early registration is recommended.
Speakers will include morning keynote speaker Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general for the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office; luncheon keynote speaker David Altig, senior vice president and director of research for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Burt White, managing director of research for LPL Financial; and Leura Canary, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama.
More info: Women’s Philanthropy Board, 210 Spidle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849-5601; Phone: (334) 844-9199; E-mail: wpbchs1@auburn.edu; web: www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/.
Women’s Philanthropy Board Spring Symposium featuring experts on ‘Navigating the Challenges in Today’s Economy’
=== === === === === === === === === === === ===
City of Auburn Board Vacancies
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
** ** ** ** **
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
March 24, 2009
Comments Off
Of course, no bid contracts a concern
—— column by Lisa Brouillette
[This column was first published in the Opelika-Auburn News - March 21, 2009; alternate title - Of course, no bid contracts attract attention.]
- – - – - – - -
It shouldn’t be a surprise, or considered an affront, that Rep. Mike Hubbard’s no-bid contracts with Auburn University repeatedly come under scrutiny.
Most reasonable people would have questions about no-bid state university contracts awarded to a state legislator or his company. More questions arise when that legislator helps create the law which allows such contracts to escape the bidding process.
Coincidentally, this is an apt time to ponder Hubbard’s contracts. People across the country are celebrating “Sunshine Week,” which focuses on a basic tenet of our democracy – transparency and openness in government.
In practical terms, that means the public must have access to its government’s business: meetings, decisions, influences, budgets, documents, contracts, officials’ finances, archives, etc.
Often overlooked is that transparency serves to build trust in government and public officials. It’s necessary to ensure accountability and to uncover abuses of power, bad decisions,and illegal actions.
And trust in public officials – or the lack thereof – is what underlies the questions about Hubbard’s contracts.
Consider this sobering statistic: In exit polls during the 2006 Congressional elections, “more than 40% of voters indicated that corruption and scandals in government were very important in their voting decisions.” (SecrecyReportCard08, http://www.OpenTheGovernment.org)
The same source indicates that in 2007, $114.2 billion in federal contracts were awarded without any competitive bidding and that from 2000 to 2007, the percent of federal contract dollars awarded under full and open competition fell by almost 25percent.
What amount of state and local government contracts similarly are awarded without a full competitive bidding process? How many are awarded to public officials, their relatives or companies?
Might such contracts be, or be perceived as, another form of the “double-dipping” Alabama citizens are so angry about?
Detailed information about contracts held by public officials and employees isn’t easily available. See for yourself: Alabama’s statement of economic interest (SEI) form, required of public officials, is online at http://ethics.alabama.gov/.
Also, for a copy of a public official’s submitted form, you must fill out a request, pay a fee and wait for the Ethics Commission staff to manually pull that file and photocopy it. After last year’s filing deadline, I was told the backlog of more than 40,000 mailed-in forms would take weeks to be sorted and accessible.
If our legislators would pass ethics reform, many such issues would be resolved, and public trust in government would increase.
An open government is our right, but ensuring it is our responsibility.
Hold your elected officials accountable. Force them to implement stronger ethics laws and ban PAC-to-PAC transfers. Oh, and to limit no-bid contracts.
Postscripts to the column : Also of note, and included on the OpenTheGovernment.org website, are President Obama’s recent executive orders re: transparency and open government. And thanks to the reader who noticed I’d left out the link to http://www.sunshineweek.org/.
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Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her website http://placeforum.org
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Updates:
PLEASE NOTE ADDRESS CORRECTION
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 1:00 – 5:00 PM — 8TH ANNUAL GARDENER’S PLANT SALE / Benefit for the East Alabama Food Bank
Held at 562 Forest Park Circle (not 462 as shown in previous notices)
Held at 562 Forest Park Circle, Auburn. All invited to attend.
Come support the 8th Annual Gardener’s Plant Sale to benefit the East Alabama Food Bank. Thousands of plants will be available to suit any type of garden. Choose from heirloom tomato plants or zesty hot peppers for your vegetable garden; fill your flower garden with blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds; create a lush shade environment with hostas and other woodland flowers, or establish a new landscape with flowering shrubs, trees and hardy groundcovers. Every purchase is a tax-deductible donation to the Food Bank, and the need for our help has never been greater. You’ll find hundreds of new and hard to find plant varieties. More info: 887-2244; email: gardenersplantsale@mac.com; web: http://gardenersplantsale.org/ .
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE:
Temporary Sidewalk and Street Closings at Toomer’s Corner Begin March 24
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MEETINGS & EVENTS: Monday, March 23 – Tuesday, March 24
(events for the rest of the week will be sent later)
MONDAY, MARCH 23, 9:30 am — OLLI at Auburn [Osher Lifelong Learning Institute] / featuring Dr. Wayne Flynt
Held at the Lexington Hotel University Conference Center (formerly Best Western), 1577 S. College St., Auburn. Open to all.
Join us for the OLLI Winter Term General Meeting featuring Dr. Wayne Flynt, Professor Emeritus in the Department of History at Auburn University,and Editor-in-Chief of the new Online Encyclopedia of Alabama. His research focuses on Southern culture, Alabama politics, Southern religion, education reform, and poverty. Dr. Flynt’s topic is “The Future of Alabama.” Meet OLLI members and staff, ask questions, and sign up for courses. Dress is casual. Coffee and refreshments served at 9:30 a.m. and the program starts at 10 a.m. More info: 334-844-5100, email us at olli@auburn.edu, or check our website at www.olliatauburn.org.
MONDAY, MARCH 23, NOON – WATER RESOURCES CENTER SEMINAR / Mary Davis of The Nature Conservancy: The Environmental Flow Needs of Rivers
Held in AU’s Upchurch Hall, room 203. Free & open to all; the public is invited to attend.
The AU Water Resources Center is sponsoring this seminar on the environmental flow needs of rivers. Mary Davis of The Nature Conservancy will present the Ecological Limits of Hydrologic Alternation (ELOHA) Model for assessing environmental flow needs across large regions and the ramifications of human-induced alternations in river flows. Info: Mike Kensler, outreach program administrator for the Water Resources Center, at 844-5021 or mdk0001@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, MARCH 23, 3:00 PM – GREAT BOOKS FILM: THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
This event is part of a semester-long celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 11:30 am – 2:00 pm —- LRCOG-AOMPO PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT MEETINGS ON LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave, Auburn.
Additional meeting: 4:00 – 6:30 pm: Held at the Opelika Railroad Depot, 1032 South Railroad Ave, Opelika.
LEE-RUSSELL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (LRCOG) / AUBURN-OPELIKA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (AOMPO)
The LRCOG’s AOMPO will host these public involvement meetings to discuss the 2035 Auburn-Opelika Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The LRTP will address all modes of transportation in order to identify changes in local transportation needs. When complete, the LRTP will serve as a guide for efficient and equitable expenditure of transportation funding in the Auburn-Opelika area. Meeting attendees can learn more about the study, review current and projected areas of congestion, speak one-on-one with project staff, and submit comments. There will be no formal presentation.
Note: Each of the two meetings will have identical content.
QUESTIONS: Contact Keith Bryan at LRCOG, 334-749-5264 or keith.bryan@adss.alabama.gov.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 3:00 pm — OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
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. Mayberry-Seales S/D, 2 lots, Lee Road 166, Benjamin Mayberry, P/F Approval
2. Opelika Marketplace S/D, Rediv of Lot 5, 2 lots, 1651 Frederick Road, Jim Parker Family Properties LLC, P/F Approval 3. Lawler’s Business Park S/D, 2 lots, Gateway Drive, Vikram Sayania, P/F Approval
4. Liberty Haven S/D, 2 lots, 187 Lee Road 183, Douglas Mc Cullough, P/F Approval
5. Hopewell S/D, 2 lots, Lee Road 135, 2 lots, Hopewell United Methodist Church, P/F Approval
6. Cedar Creek S/D, 14 lots, Cedar Creek Drive, Cedar Creek of East Alabama, P/F Approval
B. FINAL APPROVAL
7. Wyndham Industrial Park S/D, 4 lots, Gateway Drive, Wyndham Properties LLC, Final Approval
C. REZONING – (Public Hearing)
8. Robert Beauchamp, Cedar Creek Drive, 7 acres, R-1 to PUD
9. Robert Beauchamp, Cedar Creek Drive, Amendment to PUD Master Plan
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 4:00 – 6:30 pm —- LRCOG-AOMPO PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT MEETINGS ON LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Held at the Opelika Railroad Depot, 1032 South Railroad Ave, Opelika.
See details above, Tuesday, March 23, 11:30 am.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 4:00 – 6:00 PM – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION / WORK SESSION
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St, Auburn. Open to all.
Agenda: Discussions re: Regulations regarding flags; timeframes for consideration of applications by the Planning Commission and City Council; Work program update for the City’s Comprehensive Plan; Update of the proposed West Pace Development north of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of south College Street. www.auburnalabama.org/pl/
NOTE: No formal actions will be taken, nor will the Commission hold any public hearings, but the public is invited to attend.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 5:00 PM – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION WORK SESSION / INTERVIEWS FOR EMA DIRECTOR
Held at the Lee County Courthouse, Commission Chambers, 215 S. 9th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: The Commission will conduct interviews of the top two candidates for the Emergency Management Agency Director
position. www.leeco.us
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — JCSM Dinner and a Movie
6:00 – 7:30 pm / dinner
7:30 pm / movie – All About Us
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Film showing is free & open to all. Reservations & fee required for dinner prior to film. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
All About Us with Christine Swanson, director and Michael Swanson, producer.
All About Us tells the story of Ed and Stacey Brown, two young African-American filmmakers struggling to make it in Hollywood. Their plan to succeed takes them to Mississippi, where they are confronted with a warmer reality that inspires the healing of family rifts. View the movie trailer: www.allaboutusmovie.com/
—The Museum Cafe is offering a delicious dinner before the film. Dinner will be $15 per person and will be served from 6-7:30 pm. Reservations are required. Please call the Museum Cafe at 334.844.7016 or 334.844.3085 to make your reservation.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24 – AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
Committee of the Whole: 6:55 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/
Agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan. – None.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish Stop Signs and Speed Limit Signs.Ellington Place Subdivision. Eight (8) Stop Signs, three (3) 25 MPH Signs, and one (1) 35 MPH Sign. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Johnie H. Crance. Alabama Berlin Airlift Veteran. 60th Anniversary of Berlin Airlift and Opening of Berlin Airlift Exhibition. Recognition.
b. Auburn Chamber of Commerce and Auburn Downtown Merchants. Sidewalk Sale. Auburn University “A-Day” Football Game. April 18, 2009.
c. Conditional Use Approvals.
(1) McIntyre Building Company. Gregory Forthofer (Authorized Representative). Subdivision Amenity-Swimming Pool and Restroom Facilities (Amenity Lot-Tuscany Hills Subdivision) in the Development District Housing (DDH) zoning district. Property Located at 107 Tuscany Hills Drive. TABLED FROM MARCH 3, 2009 MEETING.
(2) Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(a) West Alabama Bank and Trust and Donald Allen Development, Inc. Greg Darden (Authorized Representative). Performance Residential Development-Multiple Family Development-Condominiums (University View) in the Redevelopment District (RDD) zoning district. Property Located at 316 North
Donahue Drive and 319 Bragg Avenue.
(b) Margaret Y. Brown. Brandon Haynes (Authorized Representative). Commercial and Entertainment Use-Lounge (Flip Flops) in the Urban Core (UC) zoning district w/an Overlay of the College Edge Overlay District (CEOD). Property Located at 214 North College Street.
[PLACE editorial note: The lounge/bar in this request would be located directly next-door to Hardy's Creative ChildCare. A large group of citizens is opposing this request; an online petition to "Save Hardy's DayCare" is available at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-hardys-daycare. ]
d. Industrial Development Board. Tax Abatements.
(1) Electric Fuel Battery Corporation. 354 Industry Drive.
(2) SCA, Inc. 764 West Veterans Boulevard.
e. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Environmental Services Department. Southland International Trucks. 2010 International 4300 SBA 4×2 Truck. $67,158.27. State Contract T193A.
(2) Public Works Department. Donahue Drive and Magnolia Avenue Intersection Improvements Project.
(a) Southern Lighting & Traffic Systems. Four (4) Mast Arm Traffic Signal Poles. $38,940.
(b) Alabama Power Company. Relocation of Transmission Structures. Utility Poles #9, 10, and 11 along Donahue Drive. $165,000.
(3) $3,023,779. Water Resource Management Department. Gordy Construction Company, Inc. Choctafaula Interceptor-Phase II Project.
f. Drainage and Utility Easements, Rights-of-Way, and Sidewalk Easement. Acceptance.
(1) Cleveland Brothers, Inc. Grove Hill, 12th Addition, Phase 1. Property Located off Moores Mill Road, near Interstate 85. Drainage and Utility Easements and Rights-of-Way.
(2) Lakeside Properties. Property Located at 420 West Magnolia Avenue. Donahue Drive and Magnolia Avenue Intersection Improvements Project.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24 – OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:15 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=170: Regular session agenda includes:
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
1. Police Officer of the month – Thomas Stinson.
2. Financial summaries for February 2009.
3. Building Inspection report for February 2009.
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less)
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS
1. Request from the Opelika Chamber of Commerce for their Touch-a-Truck event.
2. Request from Tiger Express for a retail beer off-premise license.
3. Request from Parkway Package Store for a lounge retail liquor (Package Store) license.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS - Shirley Washington
1. One hundred twenty-five (125) bronze memory lights – P/W
2. Off roadway lights – L&P
3. Two (2) trucks on state contract – P/W
13) RESOLUTIONS - Guy Gunter
1. To purchase a 52 zero turn mower – P/W
2. To authorize payment to RSA for purchase of military service time by employee – OFD
3. To designate City personal property as surplus and authorize disposal – Purchasing Dept.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter (none)
15) APPOINTMENTS
1. Board of Zoning Adjustments.
2. Mental Health & Retardation Board.
16) ADJOURN
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City of Auburn Board Vacancies
• Library Board – one vacancy will be filled at the April 7 city council meeting.
• Historic Preservation Commission – two vacancies will be filled at the April 7 city council meeting.
• Board of Education – one vacancy will be announced at the April 21 City Council meeting and will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
** ** ** ** **
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
March 20, 2009
Comments Off
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! TWO SPECIAL EVENTS COMING SOON!
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 & THURSDAY, MARCH 26 — 2009 SOUTHEAST LAND TRUST ALLIANCE CONFERENCE
Held at AU’s Dixon Conference Center. http://www.lta.org
Conference schedule, details & registration at http://www.landtrustalliance.org/learning/training/rc/southeast.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 3:00 – 5:00 PM – AUUF / RECEPTION: 14th ANNUAL QUILT SHOW & SALE www.auuf.org
Great photos, videos and stories about the exhibit and the quilters available at http://thecolorofquilting.blogspot.com/
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall, 450 E. Thach Ave. Free & open to all.
Quilts will be on view and for sale during the reception.
Don’t miss this great exhibit of quilts by African-American quilters, on view March 28 – April 28. The invited quilters work with a variety of techniques handed down through the generations ranging from tacking “prayer knots” to quilting entirely by hand. Learn more about these talented women at The Color of Quilting exhibit blog (http://thecolorofquilting.blogspot.com/).
More info: Shannon Bryant-Hankes at bryansk@auburn.edu.
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THIS IS SUNSHINE WEEK 2009 — Let’s reverse the pattern of secrecy & make government more open and transparent — More info at: http://www.openthegovernment.org/ — Concerned that government keeps from the American public information needed to make our families safe, our country secure and strengthen democracy, a broad-based set of organizations formed OpenTheGovernment.org. Visit their website www.openthegovernment.org/ for more info, details of events & issues, and ways you can help make government more open and transparent.
LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN – ONE WEEK LEFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT www.leeco.us/masterplan/
Even if you missed last week’s town hall meetings about the Lee County Master Plan, you can still send your comments and suggestions in the next two weeks. Information about the Master Plan is available at www.leeco.us/masterplan/. See also the March 9, 2009 O-A News article. Email your comments to Wendy Swann at wswann@leeco.us.
HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST — WHO NEEDS A NEW CONSTITUTION? –- DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 30
Contest guidelines and entry form: http://www.constitutionalreform.org/contest.shtml
To give more students time to submit their entries, the Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform (ACCR) Foundation is extending the deadline for their High School Education Contest to Thursday, April 30, 2009.
Students answer in an essay or multimedia entry the question, “Who needs a new Constitution?” (A multimedia entry can be anything from a 5 minute video to a 30 second spot announcement for radio or television.) The prize is a $500 or $250 scholarship for the student, and the same amount of money for their school.
MARCH & APRIL —-ART EXHIBIT: Sound Mapping Alabama: A Journey through Alabama Navigated by Ear
Held in the South Garden, AU’s Jule Smith Collins Museum of Fine Art. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Sound Mapping Alabama: A Journey through Alabama Navigated by Ear is a designed compilation of recordings collected in Alabama by Rich Curtis. His outdoor, aural installation piece will be embedded in the museum’s South Garden. The sounds evoke a range of responses and heighten the visitor’s awareness of sound as a distinctly influential component and vehicle of environmental identity. Curtis, an Alabama native, received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2004. Since then, he has created multimedia projects that investigate the character of place through sound. Curtis has created projects in the United States, Canada, Kenya and the Netherlands. He currently teaches in the art department at the University of North Alabama. Sound Mapping Alabama was funded in part by a technical assistance grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
Upcoming related event: Thursday, April 16 at 5 pm, in a lecture entitled “Alabama Mockingbird,” Curtis will discuss Sound Mapping Alabama project, the history of his work and introduce his latest project Mockingbird: Mapping Sights and Sounds.
For more information on Curtis’s Mockingbird project go to: http://almockingbird.blogspot.com.
ACTION ALERT – GROCERY TAX BILL – HB 116 / HOUSE FLOOR DEBATE SCHEDULED MARCH 24
Alabama Arise is calling on citizens to contact their state representatives in support of its grocery tax bill.
House Bill 116, sponsored by Rep. John Knight, is scheduled for House floor debate on Tuesday, March 24, after legislators return from their spring break. The bill was previously scheduled for a vote last month, but was pulled because it would have been just a few votes shy of passage. The bill would lower the grocery tax by 4 percent and cap the state deduction for federal income tax at high incomes, and would neither increase nor decrease funding for education. You can send an e-mail to your representative when visiting http://www.capwiz.com/alarise/home.
UPCOMING EVENT:
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM — CITY OF AUBURN HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY Held at the City of Auburn Environmental Services Complex, located at 365-A North Donahue Drive.
The City of Auburn Environmental Services Department will host the 7th Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. This annual event offers citizens the opportunity to safely dispose of hazardous household chemicals. Computers and related equipment will also be accepted for recycling during the event. Participation is limited to Auburn residential solid waste service customers only. Citizens may bring up to 20 pounds of materials per household for disposal. No farm, commercial, or industrial waste will be permitted. Participants are asked to bring a recent water bill to demonstrate proof of residency. For a complete list of acceptable items, please visit us online at www.auburnalabama.org/es. More info: City of Auburn Environmental Services Department at 501-3080.
UPCOMING EVENT:
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 1:00 – 5:00 PM — GARDENERS’ 8TH ANNUAL PLANT SALE / Benefit for the East Alabama Food Bank
Held at 562 Forest Park Circle, Auburn. Buy wonderful herbs & plants while supporting a great local agency!
More info: contact Evie Ratner 887-2244; email: gardenersplantsale@mac.com; web: http://gardenersplantsale.org/
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THIS WEEK’S MEETINGS & EVENTS:
MONDAY, MAR. 16 through FRIDAY, MARCH 20 — AU SPRING BREAK
MONDAY, MARCH 16 through FRIDAY, MARCH 20 — ShopAuburn for the Spring / METER-FREE PARKING IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN
Additional Parking Spaces Available Downtown — Metered parking spaces are now available on the first floor of the Auburn Municipal Parking Deck, located between Gay Street and College Street. Over 60 metered spaces are available for citizens wishing to shop, dine, and conduct business in downtown. More than 80 businesses, restaurants, stores, apartments, churches, and offices are located within easy walking distance of the parking deck. If you haven’t been in a while, now is the perfect time to visit downtown and ShopAuburn! Enjoy meter-free parking during Spring Break, March 16 – 20.
MONDAY, MARCH 16, 8:30 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD / SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Phone: 334-242-2230. Open to all.
Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting
MONDAY, MARCH 16, 7:00 pm – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Topic: Judicial Selection in Alabama; Speaker: Stephen Brown, AU Political Science Department.
Held at the East Alabama Health Resource Center. (Located between Auto Save and Liberty.)
Open to all. The public is invited to attend. More info: 821-8382.
Dr. Brown will discuss how to reduce the influence of politics in the judicial system, particularly in AL.
How Alabama selects judges: In recent years, the amount of money spent on campaigns for seats on Alabama¹s superior courts, as well as the ugliness of several campaigns has caused many people to question the way judges for the appellate and supreme courts are chosen. At present candidates run statewide by party, and only recently have measures to assure their qualifications and experience been introduced. Is there a better way to select judges? Come to this LWV meeting and hear political scientist Stephen Brown discuss possibilities for improving the system.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).
All members are encouraged and invited to attend. www.auburnheritage.org
Note: AHA board meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month from Sept to May.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 6:00 pm – LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
Held at the Elks Club, 1944 Opelika Road. All are invited to attend. More info: Bill Walsh 826-9713; williamwalsh@charter.net.
6:00 pm — buffet dinner ($9.00; tax and tip included)
6:50 pm – Program: Dr. Wayne Flynt / Topic: More than just a game: Football, Politics, and Ethics in Alabama
Wayne Flynt is Professor Emeritus in AU’s History Dept. He has won numerous teaching awards and has been a Distinguished University Professor for many years. His research focuses on southern culture, Alabama politics, southern religion, education reform, and poverty. He is now Editor-in-Chief of the new Online Encyclopedia of Alabama. Dr. Flynt received his A.B. from Howard College (now Samford University), and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Florida State University. In 1977, after teaching at Samford for eight years, Dr. Flynt joined the faculty at Auburn where he has remained. He is a prolific author – recent books include Dixie’s Forgotten People: The South’s Poor Whites, The Divided Mind of Protestant America, 1880 – 1930, Alabama in the 20th Century, and A Fire You Can’t Put Out: The Civil Rights Life of Birmingham’s Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth Dr. Flynt is also a widely sought-after commentator on politics, race, religion and culture. He is a constant advocate for education and fairness to lower income groups and is regarded by many as a prophet, when that word is used in its best and broadest sense.
THURSDAY, MARCH 19 (through SUNDAY, APRIL 5) — AUBURN FLORAL TRAIL 2009 www.aotourism.com
Brought to you by Auburn Beautification Council and the Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau, the 2009 Auburn Floral Trail is over 14 miles of the most beautiful spring blooms the South has to offer. Immerse yourself in the sense of peace and renewal found among trumpeters of a new season’s birth. Dogwoods, azaleas, Yoshino flowering cherries: all just a sample of what awaits to welcome you to the loveliest village on the plains. More info: Robert & Alice Crittenden, Committee Chairs at 334.821.7394.
THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 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. Mayberry-Seales S/D, 2 lots, Lee Road 166, Benjamin Mayberry, P/F Approval
2. Opelika Marketplace S/D, Rediv of Lot 5, 2 lots, 1651 Frederick Road, Jim Parker Family Properties LLC, P/F Approval
3. Lawler’s Business Park S/D, 2 lots, Gateway Drive, Vikram Sayania, P/F Approval
4. Liberty Haven S/D, 2 lots, 187 Lee Road 183, Douglas Mc Cullough, P/F Approval
5. Hopewell S/D, 2 lots, Lee Road 135, 2 lots, Hopewell United Methodist Church, P/F Approval
6. Cedar Creek S/D, 14 lots, Cedar Creek Drive, Cedar Creek of East Alabama, P/F Approval
B. FINAL APPROVAL
7. Wyndham Industrial Park S/D, 4 lots, Gateway Drive, Wyndham Properties LLC, Final Approval
C. REZONING – (Public Hearing)
8. Robert Beauchamp, Cedar Creek Drive, 7 acres, R-1 to PUD
9. Robert Beauchamp, Cedar Creek Drive, Amendment to PUD Master Plan
Note: The regular Opelika Planning Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, March 24, 3:00 pm, same location.
THURSDAYS, MARCH 19 & 26, 5:00 – 7:00 PM – EXTENSION WORKSHOP “HOME GROWN PRODUCE”
Held in AU’s Comer Hall. Cost: $5 per night.
Pre-registration required – contact the Lee County Extension office at 749-3353.
Second in a three-part “Home Grown” workshop series will be held on consecutive Thursday evenings. Topics: March 19 – “Soils and Plant Nutrition and Raised Bed Gardening”; and March 26 – “Container Gardening and Home Fruit Selection.” The “Home Grown” series will be a continuing effort; workshops are already being developed for this summer and next fall. More info: Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s News Line: http://www.aces.edu/department/extcomm/npa/newsline/archives/003881.php#more
FRIDAY, MARCH 20 through SUNDAY, MARCH 22 – ALABAMA RIVERS ALLIANCE (ARA) 11th ANNUAL WATERSHED LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Held at Camp McDowell. Open to all. Registration required.
Details: http://www.alabamarivers.org for details.
The 2009 Watershed Leadership Conference will be held at Camp McDowell, bordering the Bankhead National Forest and Sipsey Wilderness. Come join other conservationists, experts, and river protectors and learn about current environmental issues in our state. Keynote speakers, author John Randolph and naturalist Elberta Reid discuss, The Battle for Alabama’s Wilderness: Saving the Great Gymnasiums of Nature and their experiences in citizen organizing describing the great victory in the preservation of the Sipsey Wilderness, kicking off the Eastern wilderness movement in the 70’s and 80’s in the Eastern US.
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City of Auburn Board Vacancies
• Library Board — one vacancy will be filled at the April 7 city council meeting.
• Historic Preservation Commission — two vacancies will be filled at the April 7 city council meeting.
• Board of Education — one vacancy will be announced at the April 21 City Council meeting and will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
CITY OF AUBURN SURVEY – The City of Auburn’s annual citizens survey is underway. See details at 2009 Citizen Survey Underway. http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm020209.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
** ** ** ** **
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
March 15, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATES:
City of Auburn press releases:
Congressman Mike Rogers Announces Grant for Auburn Fire Division
City of Auburn Launches Fats, Oil, and Grease Recycling Program
Interested in Constitutional Reform? Get the latest details in the Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform (ACCR) newsletter — http://www.constitutionalreform.org/pdf/nwslttr_vol4_1.pdf.
City of Auburn Board Vacancies
• Library Board — one vacancy will be filled at the April 7 city council meeting.
• Historic Preservation Commission — two vacancies will be filled at the April 7 city council meeting.
• Board of Education — one vacancy will be announced at the April 21 City Council meeting and will be filled at the May 19 city council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT FORESTS . . . THEN LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
A statewide assessment of Alabama’s forests and forest-related resources is underway . Share your ideas by taking the Alabama Forestry Commissions’s (AFC) survey. It’s available at www.forestry.alabama.gov until March 30. (Click on “Take the Survey.”)
— Survey results will be posted in May on the AFC’s website. This public input will help identify the ‘critical’ natural resources of the state, to understand the threats to those resources, and to develop sound management strategies to mitigate the risks. Future federal, state, and private funding projects can be then be focused accordingly.
Let your voice be heard to ensure that Alabama never sees “A Life without Forests.”
INTERESTED IN POSSIBLE STIMULUS FUNDING FOR LOCAL PROJECTS? Go to: www.StimulusWatch.org !
This website lists projects for which local governments have submitted for stimulus funding. Along with information on projects submitted by other states, it shows projects the mayors of Alabama submitted in the 2008 U.S. Conference of Mayors report. You can click on a project to read (and add to) its description. You can also discuss the project and vote on whether you believe it is critical or not.
Auburn’s submitted list of ‘shovel ready’ projects – a total of $25,329,425 — is available at: http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_city/Auburn/AL.
ONLINE SEARCH AVAILABLE FOR ADEM VIOLATOR/ORDER INDEXES 1991-2009
Though the efforts of environmental attorney David Ludder (www.enviro-lawyer.com), 27 years of ADEM order indexes have been posted on http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/ADEM-AOs.html. With one click you can now search all 27 years for a particular violator or order number. Review the indexes shown in the results to verify the order numbers of interest and e-mail David Ludder or ADEM for a copy of the orders you are interested in. (Ludder has all final orders from 1991 to 2009.)
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS — UPCOMING EVENTS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 & THURSDAY, MARCH 26 — 2009 SOUTHEAST LAND TRUST ALLIANCE CONFERENCE
Held at AU’s Dixon Conference Center. http://www.lta.org
Conference schedule, details & registration at http://www.landtrustalliance.org/learning/training/rc/southeast.
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM — CITY OF AUBURN HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY Held at the City of Auburn Environmental Services Complex, located at 365-A North Donahue Drive.
The City of Auburn Environmental Services Department will host the 7th Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. This annual event offers citizens the opportunity to safely dispose of hazardous household chemicals. Computers and related equipment will also be accepted for recycling during the event. Participation is limited to Auburn residential solid waste service customers only. Citizens may bring up to 20 pounds of materials per household for disposal. No farm, commercial, or industrial waste will be permitted. Participants are asked to bring a recent water bill to demonstrate proof of residency. For a complete list of acceptable items, please visit us online at www.auburnalabama.org/es. More info: City of Auburn Environmental Services Department at 501-3080.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 1:00 – 5:00 PM — GARDENERS’ 8TH ANNUAL PLANT SALE / Benefit for the East Alabama Food Bank
Held at 562 Forest Park Circle, Auburn. Buy wonderful herbs & plants while supporting a great local agency!
More info: contact Evie Ratner 887-2244; email: gardenersplantsale@mac.com; web: http://gardenersplantsale.org/
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MEETINGS & EVENTS THIS WEEK: MARCH 9 – 13
MONDAY, MARCH 9 through FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 9:00 – 10:00 am — AUBURN’S MARCH FOR CLEAN / LITTER-FREE CAMPAIGN
Held at different locations each day: for details, go to http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/es022509.asp.
The City of Auburn Environmental Services Department, in conjunction with the Keep Auburn Beautiful Committee, will host the “March for Clean” Litter-Free Campaign. The campaign will consist of a series of litter stops in areas with a high incidence of litter. Organizers will distribute litter bags for cars and flower seed packets with the assistance of the City of Auburn Public Safety Department – Police Division. The City is asking residents to utilize the litter bags in their cars and keep Auburn’s streets and sidewalks free of litter. Citizens are also encouraged to plant the seeds in their yards and help Keep Auburn Beautiful. More info: City of Auburn Environmental Services Dept at 501-3080.
MONDAY, MARCH 9, noon — AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all. [Note: The regular PC meeting is at 5:00 pm, this Thursday, March 12.]
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp. Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
NEW BUSINESS
1. West Pace Village PDD PUBLIC HEARING / PL-2009-00045
Applicant: West Pace, LLC [members: Tom Hayley/ Redd Family Partnership LLLP, Eagle Management LLC]
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD) (pending annexation into the City limits [Case PL-2008-00790] and rezoning [Case PL-2008-00791])
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to apply the Planned Development District (PDD) designation to approximately 165.81 acres
[PLACE editorial note: The planning staff report notes the lack of an up-to-date traffic study. The staff recommends the Planning Commission (PC) hold the already-advertised public hearing, keep the hearing open and continue the item to the April Planning Commission meeting. The PC will vote on this item, and decide whether they agree with the staff recommendation, at Thursday night’s PC meeting.]
2. Grove Hill Subdivision, 12th Addition PUBLIC HEARING / PL-2009-00094
Applicant: Cleveland Brothers, Inc.
General Location: Off of Moores Mill Road, near Interstate 85
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 78 lot subdivision (73 performance residential lots, three open space lots and two lots for future commercial development). Includes a waiver to Section 421.01(D) regarding open space requirements.
3. Grove Hill Subdivision, 12th Addition PL-2009-00095
Applicant: Cleveland Brothers, Inc.
General Location: Off of Moores Mill Road, near Interstate 85
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 76 lot subdivision (73 performance residential lots and three open space lots)
4. Longleaf Crossing, Phase 5, Redivision of Lot 1 PUBLIC HEARING / PL-2009-00097
Applicant: Tiger Crossing
General Location: At the terminus of West Longleaf Drive
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 3 lot conventional subdivision
[note: This involves connecting West Longleaf Drive to Cox Road, and involves subdivisions variously known as College Crossing, Taylor Park South, & Longleaf Crossing]
5. IDB Incubator Building #1 PUBLIC HEARING / PL-2009-00099
Applicant: Industrial Development Board of the City of Auburn
General Location: Lot 21, Auburn Technology Park West (near the intersection of West Tech Lane and Innovation Drive)
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for an industrial use (manufacturing use)
6. Flip Flops PUBLIC HEARING / PL-2009-00100
Applicant: Brandon Haynes for Margaret Brown
General Location: 214 North College Street
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC) with an overlay of the College Edge Overlay District (CEOD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a lounge
7. Heritage Park PUBLIC HEARING / PL-2009-00101
Applicant: Donald H. Allen Development, Inc. [Donald H Allen] and West Alabama Bank & Trust [for corporate info, go to http://arc-sos.state.al.us/cgi/corpdetail.mbr/detail?corp=002030&page=name&file= ]
General Location: 316 North Donahue Drive and 319 Bragg Avenue
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a performance residential use (multiple family development)
8. Hamilton Place PUBLIC HEARING / PL-2009-00103
Applicant: Hamilton Place, LLC [members: Michael V Shannon, C Hadley Weaver, David L Strobel, Edward E Rogers, Brent Gladden]
General Location: 1940 Hamilton Road
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Limited Development District (LDD) underlying and with a portion in the Conservation Overlay District (COD)
Action Requested: Waiver to landscape requirements of Section 424.09 that would allow 33 of 40 canopy trees and 3 of 52 understory trees to be planted outside of required buffer areas and a waiver to landscape requirements of 426.02 that would allow 78 of 130 tree inches to be relocated outside of street frontage buffers.
9. Donahue Ridge Subdivision PUBLIC HEARING / PL-2009-00119
Applicant: Donahue Land, LLC [members: Tom Hayley/ Redd Family Partnership LLLP, Eagle Management LLC]
General Location: Off of North Donahue Drive, east of Camden Ridge Subdivision 1st Addition, and south of Farmville Road
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Waiver to the City of Auburn Subdivision Regulations, Article IV, Design Standard, Cul-de-sac streets (Maximum Length) of 536.06’ from the maximum
700’ cul-de-sac length in order to allow a cul-de-sac length of 1,236.06’
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. STAFF COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT.
MONDAY, MARCH 9, 3:00 PM – LECTURE: IMPORTANCE OF COLLECTIONS TO DARWIN (plus tour of AU’s Animal Collections)
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all. Tour of AU’s Animal Collections follows lecture.
Speaker: Jon Armbruster (Department of Biological Sciences)
This event is part of a semester-long celebration of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
MONDAY, MARCH 9 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Recognition of Deputies Rebecca Tate & Pamela Revels
b. State Champion Loachapoka High School Basketball Team
6. Reports from Staff:
a. Report on Lee Road 513 – Neal Hall
b. Update on Salem Tornado Damage – Deedie Matthews
c. Update on Stimulus Package & Legislation – Wendy Swann
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting February 23, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. 1st Reading SW Lee County Volunteer Fire Department – Commissioner Holt
b. 2nd Reading Various Board Appointments – Judge English
c. Centerline Striping Annual Maintenance Bid – Neal Hall
e. Bid #8 Portable Satellite System – Deedie Matthews
f. Update on EMA Director Hiring Process – Kim Oas
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Energy Efficiency Presentation – Eric Hodge
b. Domestic Violence Intervention Center Emergency Grant– Lisa Stephens/Lisa Sandt
c. Approval of County Credit Account – Oline Price
d. Retail Beer (off-premise) License for Discount Grocery – D3
e. Restaurant Retail Liquor License for White House Restaurant – D4
f. Educational Reimbursement – Neal Hall
10. Discussion Items
11. Executive Session on Current Litigation
12.Adjourn
MONDAY, MARCH 9, 7:30 PM – TASMAN STRING QUARTET / AU MUSIC FACULTY
Held at AU’s Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall.
Tasman String Quartet; Michael Koon, baritone; David Odom, clarinet, Jeremy Samolesky, piano. Email goldsha@auburn.edu or phone 844-3167 for more information. AU Music Dept calendar of events: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/calendar/listing.cfm
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 8:30 AM – READY TO RUN WORKSHOP
Held in room 502, the Alabama Power Room, AU’s Lowder Business Bldg. Materials fee: $39. AAUW will provide scholarships to 10 women who would like to attend.
The Ready to Run one-day program gives women who are considering a run in office the tools and training to make the attempt a successful one. Ready to Run is a nonpartisan program for women who want to run for office, seek higher office, work in a campaign or position themselves for other types of public leadership. The Women’s Leadership Institute in the College of Liberal Arts is teaming up with the American Association of University Women (AAUW) to provide this one-day intensive training session. According to AAUW, Alabama has no women in the United States Congress and there are only five women serving in statewide elected executive positions. AAUW will provide scholarships to 10 women who would like to attend. The scholarship covers the $39 fee for materials. There are no other costs associated with this session. To apply for one of the scholarships, e-mail Audrey Salgado at audrey5190@yahoo.com. More info: Martina Janska at janska@auburn.edu.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
TUESDAY, MAR. 10, 4:00 PM — ART LECTURE / HALE ASPACIO WOODRUFF, THE ACADEMY, AND THE PAUL R. JONES COLLECTION
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jscm.auburn.edu
Speaker: Dr. Amalia K. Amaki
Amalia Amaki, Professor of Art History and Curator of the Paul R. Jones Collection at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, will present two distinct programs for “Art and the Academy”. The first looks at Tuskegee photographer P. H. Polk, who captured campus and community life from the late 1920s through the early 1980s. The topic of Amaki’s second lecture is the life and work of artist and educator Hale Aspacio Woodruff, who played a significant role in educating and advancing the work of generations of African American artists. Amaki will discuss his far-reaching influence and will also consider the connections between Woodruff’s oeuvre and legacy and the Paul R. Jones Collection.
— The New Perspectives lecture series is sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities in Auburn University’s College of Liberal Arts and the Alabama Humanities Foundation, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The series is co-sponsored by the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, the Access and Community Initiatives unit of the Office of Diversity of Multicultural Affairs, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University and the Department of Art. After premiering in Auburn, the lectures will be offered in selected locations around the state. For dates and more information, go to www.auburn.edu/cah or call (334) 844-4946.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all. www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.asp
TUESDAY, MARCH 10 – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner: Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting: Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 12:30 PM —- ALABAMA PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON WATER POLICY AND MANAGEMENT
Held in the Joint Briefing room of the Alabama State House. Open to all.
Agenda includes the Committee’s initial report on Water Policy. (For a copy of the draft report, email placeforum@gmail.com.)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 3:00 PM — ART LECTURE: WOMEN ARTISTS AND GENDER ISSUES IN EARLY MODERN EUROPE
Held in AU’s Biggin Hall, room 005. Free & open to the public. Speaker: Dr. Joyce de Vries, Assistant Professor of Art History
More info: 844-1974 or 844-6647; http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/index.html.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, noon – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA /Brown bag lunch meeting
Held at the Frank Brown Recreation Center, 235 Opelika Rd, Auburn. Open to all.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all. www.jscm.auburn.edu
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. This week’s performance by pianist Bill Summerfield and cellist Charles Wright. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society www.auburnchambermusic.org.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 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 (See details above, Monday, noon, March 9, PC packet meeting)
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 5:00 – 7:00 PM – EXTENSION WORKSHOP “HOME GROWN PRODUCE”
Held in AU’s Comer Hall. Cost: $10 for the three-night series or $5 per night.
Pre-registration required – contact the Lee County Extension office at 749-3353.
A three-part “Home Grown” workshop series will be held on consecutive Thursday evenings beginning March 12. Topics: March 12 – “Vegetable Garden Basics”; March 19 – “Soils and Plant Nutrition and Raised Bed Gardening”; and March 26 – “Container Gardening and Home Fruit Selection.” The “Home Grown” series will be a continuing effort; workshops are already being developed for this summer and next fall. More info: Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s News Line: http://www.aces.edu/department/extcomm/npa/newsline/archives/003881.php#more
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 9:30 AM – ALABAMA COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION/ACHE
Held in the PSC Hearing Room, 9th Floor, RSA Union Bldg, 100 North Union, Mont. Ph: 334-242-1998. Open to all.
9:30 am – Committee of the Whole; 10:00 am – regular meeting. Agenda: www.ache.alabama.gov.
Agenda includes:
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call of Members and Determination of Quorum
III. Approval of Agenda
IV. Consideration of Minutes of Previous Meeting
V. Chairman’s Report
VI. Executive Director’s Report
VII. Discussion Items
VIII. Decision Items
IX. Information Items
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM —- 2009 HEROES TAKE FLIGHT FLY-IN / Benefit for the Lee County Red Cross
Held at the Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport.
Tickets Adults $5 in advance, sold by local retailers, or $8 at the gate. Children $2.
Attractions include vintage and experimental airplanes; warbirds and military vehicles; parachutists; helicopter rides; veterans’ hospitality area; and other activities for the whole family. All proceeds benefit the Lee County Red Cross and its services.
More info: (334) 749-9981 or visit www.leeredcross.org.
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CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
CITY OF AUBURN SURVEY – The City of Auburn’s annual citizens survey is underway. See details at 2009 Citizen Survey Underway. http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm020209.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
March 8, 2009
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MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES — WEEK OF MARCH 2, 2009
MONDAY, MAR. 2, 11:45 am – 1:30 pm — AU WOMEN’S STUDIES AWARDS LUNCHEON
Held in Ballroom B, at AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conf. Center. Lecture is free & open to the public, however the luncheon costs $23. Seats are limited, please RSVP no later than Feb. 27 by phone 844-1974 or online at http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/ .
Keynote speaker, Dr. Marjorie Spruill, Professor of History, Univ. of South Carolina, a former Auburn resident, will speak on “Women’s Rights and Family Values.” Spruill is an expert in Southern women’s history. She was a consultant for the movie, *Iron Jawed Angels* (starring Hilary Swank). In addition, she is editor of the acclaimed anthology, “VOTES FOR WOMEN’” (which accompanied the PBS film of the same name), the author of, “NEW WOMEN IN THE NEW SOUTH: THE LEADERS OF THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT IN THE SOUTHERN STATES”, and editor of four additional books. Copies of Dr. Spruill’s books will be available for purchase and signing after the luncheon. For more information please call 844-1974 or 844-6647
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/index.html
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 3:00 PM – 5:00 pm - INTERDISCIPLINARY PANEL ON EVOLUTION
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
Panel features Elizabeth Brestan Knight (Psychology), “Mate Selection and Darwin’s Theory of Evolution”; Giovanna Summerfield (Foreign Languages and Literature), “(R)evolution of Man, Pinocchio: From Wooden Puppet to Real Boy”; Brigitta Brunner, Margaret Fitch-Hauser, Robert French (Communications and Journalism), “Technology and the Evolution of Public Relations”; and Chris Qualls (Theater), A Dramatic Reading.
Co-sponsored by Pebble Hill. This event is part of a semester-long celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 6:00 – 8:00 PM — TOWN HALL MEETINGS RE: LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN – PLEASE ATTEND!
All who live or work in Lee County, whether in the rural areas or a city, are invited to attend.
Please attend one of this series of town hall meetings and join in the small groups discussions about the future of Lee County — its natural environment, growth and development, transportation, education, parks and recreation, housing and other aspects of quality-of-life. Bring your concerns about water quality in our creeks, erosion & sediment control, storm water runoff, waste water treatment, etc. Opinions and ideas gathered through these meetings will help guide the creation of the first master plan for Lee County.
More info: Wendy Swann 334-737-3674, wswann@leeco.us or http://www.leeco.us/masterplan/.
Please attend one of this week’s town hall meetings:
Monday, Mar. 2:
6:00 to 8:00 pm CST, Beauregard High School
6:00 to 8:00 pm CST, Loachapoka High School
Tuesday, Mar. 3:
6:00 to 8:00 pm CST, Beulah High School
6:00 to 8:00 pm CST, Southern Union CC Opelika Campus
Thursday, Mar. 5:
5 to 7 pm CST, Smiths Station High School
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM —- INTERACTIVE DIVERSITY WORKSHOP / Tunnel of Oppression
Held in AU’s new Student Center rooms 2222, 2223, 222. Open to all. Sponsored by the Multicultural Center.
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 12:15 – 1:00 pm - WOMEN’S STUDIES EVENT / WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND FAMILY VALUES: THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT IN AMERICA SINCE 1980
Speaker: Marjorie Julian Spruill, University of South Carolina
Held in AU’s Thach Hall, room 217. Free & open to the public.
For more information please call 844-1974 or 844-6647
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/index.html
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 4:00 PM – ART LECTURE / ARTS AND THE BLACK ACADEMY AT MID-CENTURY: DAVID C. DRISKELL IN CONVERSATION
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to the public. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Speakers: Dr. Julie L. McGee, with Dr. David C. Driskell
Julie L. McGee is Curator of African American Art at the University Museums at the University of Delaware and author of David C. Driskell: Artist and Scholar (2006). David Driskell will join McGee for a discussion of his art and teaching, in particular his formative years as an educator at Talladega College. She will discuss the significant role of scholastic philosophy in his life, the underlying spirituality in his art and teaching relative to the concept of the universal, and his work and African American art in general in the context of his years in Alabama.
— The New Perspectives lecture series is sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities in Auburn University’s College of Liberal Arts and the Alabama Humanities Foundation, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The series is co-sponsored by the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, the Access and Community Initiatives unit of the Office of Diversity of Multicultural Affairs, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University and the Department of Art. After premiering in Auburn, the lectures will be offered in selected locations around the state. For dates and more information, go to www.auburn.edu/cah or call (334) 844-4946.
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 6:00 – 8:00 PM —- TOWN HALL MEETINGS RE: LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN – PLEASE ATTEND!
6:00 to 8:00 pm CST, Beulah High School
6:00 to 8:00 pm CST, Southern Union CC Opelika Campus
More info: Wendy Swann 334-737-3674, wswann@leeco.us or http://www.leeco.us/masterplan/.
See details above, Monday, March 2.
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 6:30 – 8:00 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APJ) www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, 508 Auburn Drive (the 2nd house, just off the parking lot behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 450 E. Thatch Ave). Open to all.
Note: Members of Rose of Sharon and C-MOVE (Citizens Making Opportunities Visible for Excellence) will be joining the meeting.
Agenda includes: introduction of guests and brief description of group mission and accomplishments; Thursday, March 19, 5-6pm, 6th anniversary of War on Iraq, Toomer’s Corner; future events; update on SAN (Student Action Network).
TUESDAY, MARCH 3 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:30 6:50 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:
3. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. Nominations.
a. Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) – Citizens Advisory Committee. Five Positions. Incumbents: Kirk Iverson (has served one partial term and one full term; Jay Conner, Joyce Ringer, Mattie Simms, and Lu Strand (have served one full term). Four Year Terms Expire March 8, 2013.
b. Commercial Development Authority. Two Positions. Incumbents: Wendy Hassett and Robert McDaniel (have served one partial term). Four Year Terms Expire March 15, 2013.
Regular agenda includes
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses.
(1) Archie’s Oyster Inc. dba/Archie’s Oysters. 830 Opelika Road, Unit 9, Gentry Village Shopping Center. 040 – Retail Beer (On or Off Premises) License.
(2) Tiger Package Inc. dba/Tiger Package 6. 1940 South College Street. 010 – Lounge Retail Liquor – Class II (Package) License. Police Jurisdiction.
b. Announcement of Board Vacancies. Appointments at the April 7, 2009 Meeting.
(1) Library Board. One Position. Four Year Term Expires April 14, 2013.
(2) Historic Preservation Commission. Two Positions. Three Year Terms Expire April 20, 2012.
9. ORDINANCES. None.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Auburn City Schools. Recognitions.
(1) 2009 Teachers of the Year Honorees.
(2) Jennifer Dempsey. Wrights Mill Road Elementary School. National “I Love My Librarian” Award.
b. Designating “Earth Hour.” 8:30 – 9:30 PM on March 28, 2009.
c. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) McIntyre Building Company. Gregory Forthofer (Authorized Representative). Subdivision Amenity-Swimming Pool and Restroom Facilities (Amenity Lot-Tuscany Hills Subdivision) in the Development District Housing (DDH) zoning district. Property Located at 107 Tuscany Hills Drive.
(2) C & S Investments, LLC. Robert Selby (Authorized Representative). Institutional Use (Church and Classrooms) in the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) zoning district with an Overlay of the Planned Development District (PDD). Property Located at 1667 Shug Jordan Parkway, Suite 400 and 1661 Shug Jordan Parkway Suite 501.
d. Industrial Development Board. CNJ, Inc. 265 Teague Court. Tax Abatement.
e. Contracts and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Public Works Department.
(a) $1,143,609.68. Contract. D & J Enterprises, Inc. Donahue Drive and Magnolia Avenue Intersection Improvements Project.
(b) $64,450. Agreement. Gonzalez-Strength & Associates, Inc. Engineering Services – North Donahue Drive Bridge Replacement Project.
(2) $39,995.31. Environmental Services Department. Long Lewis Ford of the Shoals. 2009 Ford F-550 Chassis and Dump Body. State Contract T-193A.
(3) Water Resource Management Department.
(a) $758,650.66. Contract. Strack, Inc. Timberwood Interceptor Reinforcement Project.
(b) $27,918. Agreement. Compliance EnviroSystems, LLC. Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Inspection, Cleaning, Rehabilitating, and Root Control. Northeast Outfall Sewer.
(c) Lindsey Management Company, Inc./Jim Lindsey. The Greens at Auburn Development. Sanitary Sewer Access Fees. Agreement for Payment.
f. Drainage and Utility Easements, Roadway and Traffic Signal Easements, Sidewalk Easements, Temporary Construction Easements, Warranty Deed, Sewer Easements, and Street Light and Utility Easements. Acceptance and Payment For Value Lost.
(1) Donahue Drive and Magnolia Avenue Intersection Improvements Project.
(a) Auburn University. O. D. Smith Hall. 135 South College Street. Drainage, Utility, Roadway, and Traffic Signal Easement.
(b) 128 North Donahue Drive LLC. Van Northcutt (Authorized Representative). Property Located on North Donahue Drive. Sidewalk Easement and Temporary Construction Easement.
(c) Gameday Center at Magnolia Corner Home Owners Association, Inc. 428 West Magnolia Avenue. Warranty Deed. Payment of $65,000 for Value Lost.
(2) GEM Auburn LLC. Eric Siegel and Jared Schenk (Authorized Representatives). Property Located on West Glenn Avenue. Logan Square Apartments. Drainage and Utility Easement.
(3) New Life Hispanic Church. Abimael Arenas (Authorized Representative). Property Located on Drake Avenue. Historic District Lighting Project. Street Light and Utility Easement.
(4) East Glenn Investment Property, LLC and Sunsouth Properties Auburn, LLC. Samford Glenn Subdivision, First Revision. Property Located at the Intersection of Samford Avenue Road Extension and East Glenn Avenue. Drainage and Utility Easement.
(5) Hope W. Shannon. Charleston Place Subdivision, Revision of Lots 43-49. Property Located on Lots 44A, 45A, and 46A on west side of Carolina Court. Sewer Easements.
g. Boards and Commissions. Appointments.
(1) Metropolitan Planning Organization – Citizens Advisory Committee. Five Positions. Four Year Terms Expire March 8, 2013.
(2) Commercial Development Authority. Two Positions. Three Year Terms Expire March 15, 2013.
11. OTHER BUSINESS. 12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, MARCH 3 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL www.opelika.org
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Work session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=170
Regular session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=169
WEDNESDAY, MAR 4, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
OLD BUSINESS
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2008-00856
Continued from February 4, 2009
Applicant: William Tolbert
General Location: 1433 Ogletree Road
Zoning District: Rural (R)
Action Requested: Variance of 100 feet to the required 150 feet between curb cuts on a collector street to allow a driveway to be located 50 feet from an adjacent existing driveway to the south
NEW BUSINESS. OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 8:00 am – ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 100 N Union Street, Suite 382, Mont., ph: 334-242-5568. Open to all. Agenda includes:
I. MINUTES
A. Review Agenda and Approval of Minutes
1. Review Meeting Agenda
2. Approve Meeting Minutes
3. Action items from Board meeting
II. HEARINGS
B. Public Hearings
C. Formal Hearings
III. COMMITTEE REPORTS
D. Applications -
1. Without personal appearance
2. With personal appearance
E. Law Enforcement Committee
1. Complaints/Investigations
F. Certificates of Authorization
1. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorizations
2. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorization with Exceptions
G. Communications and Publications
H. Legislative
I. Continuing Professional Competency
J. Finance/Personnel
K. Land Surveying – Education & Examinations
L. Engineering – Education & Examination
III. OTHER REPORTS
M. Chair’s Report
N. Executive Director’s Report
IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND CORRESPONDENCE
O. Unfinished Business
P. Correspondence – action required
Q. Information only – no action required
V. NEW BUSINESS
R.
VI. OPEN FORUM – Time during which anyone who may be attending meeting as a member of the public can ask questions or make comments.)
CLOSING REMARKS
Review of Calendar
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 3:30 PM — DISCOVER AUBURN LECTURE / DR PAULA BACKSCHEIDER: LEADING THE WAY: WOMEN, POETRY, AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY BRITAIN
Held in AU’s Special Collections and Archives, Ralph Brown Draughon Library. Free & open to all.
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 5:00 – 7:00 PM —- TOWN HALL MEETINGS RE: LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN – PLEASE ATTEND!
5 to 7 pm CST, Smiths Station High School.
More info: Wendy Swann 334-737-3674, wswann@leeco.us or http://www.leeco.us/masterplan/.
See details above, Monday, March 2.
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all.
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 7:30 -8:30 PM – PANEL DISCUSSION / Solving the Problems of Racism in the Auburn Community www.thegnusroom.com
Held at the Gnu’s Room Bookstore, 414 S. Gay St. Open to all.
The Gnu’s Room Bookstore is hosting this panel discussion through the Sun Belt Reading Series. The panel will feature A.U. Multicultural Center Director Shakeer Abdullah, Auburn citizen Marjorie Watson, local police officer(s), and other panelists from Auburn University’s campus and Auburn’s community. The hope is to have a community discussion on what needs to occur to eradicate racism in Auburn. All are welcome and voices will be heard; bring yours!
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 7:30 PM – EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. Info and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING PIERCE PETTIS
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Pierce Pettis, go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 8:00 am —- CREEK CLEAN-UP
Held at various locations. All invited to participate.
Save Our Saugahatchee (SOS), Friends of Chewacla Creek & the Uphapee Watershed (CHEWUP) and other groups will work together to clean trash from local creeks. If you’d like to participate, contact seesowc@auburn.edu.
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 10:00 AM – 4:45 PM — ART EXHIBIT OPENS: El Alma Mexicana/The Mexican Soul
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2:00 PM — SOUTHEASTERN INDIANS: CULTURE & CHANGE OVER TIME
Held at the Auburn Public Library. Free & open to all. Speaker: Jackie Matte
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 7:30 PM – AUBURN COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA
Held at the Opelika Performing Arts Center.
The program begins with Felix Mendelssohn’s “Reformation” Symphony, performed to honor the composer’s 200th birthday this year. The Auburn University Concert Choir, the Civic Chorale, and mezzo-soprano Anne Duraski will then join the orchestra to perform Sergei Prokofiev’s rousing cantata Alexander Nevsky, drawn from the music he composed for the 1938 film of the same name. This concert is sponsored by Arts Association of East Alabama, Auburn Arts Association, and the Auburn University Department of Music.Email goldsha@auburn.edu for more information. For up to date information on all Music Department events visit our calendar at http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/calendar/listing.cfm. The Auburn University Department of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.
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CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
CITY OF AUBURN SURVEY – The City of Auburn’s annual citizens survey is underway. See details at 2009 Citizen Survey Underway. http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm020209.asp
CITY OF AUBURN Board Vacancies
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260.
Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
** ** ** ** **
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
March 1, 2009
Comments Off
COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE: Auburn’s past has a direct influence on its future
First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Feb. 20, 2009. http://placeforum.org
ACTION ALERT: House vote on Grocery Tax Bill likely this Thursday!
The grocery tax bill is likely to go to the House floor for a vote Thursday, February 26! Your help is needed to get this important piece of legislation passed!
There are four easy things you can do to help:
* First, please make sure to e-mail your representative before Thursday. Click here.
Consider e-mailing Gov. Bob Riley, who opposed last year’s version, and encourage him to support the new compromise. Click here.
* Also consider calling the House switchboard at (334) 242-7600 and leave a message asking your representative to vote yes on HB 116.
* Encourage your friends and family to do the same by forwarding them this e-mail.
This information provided by Alabama Arise www.alarise.org.
CAMPUS COMMUNITY ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE TO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
The AU Office of Sustainability is writing a campus-wide report on sustainability. While they do know many of the activities on campus, they want to have as comprehensive a list as possible. If you are engaged in any activities or projects that might be regarded as promoting sustainability, please send an e-mail to sustain@auburn.edu. Examples of things they will be including are: campus energy saving projects, the solar car and solar house, biofuels research, LEED buildings, Tiger Transit, and the campus bike network.
AU WOMEN’S STUDIES AWARDS LUNCHEON- RSVP DEADLINE THIS FRIDAY, FEB. 27
MONDAY, MAR. 2, 11:45 am – 1:30 pm — AU WOMEN’S STUDIES AWARDS LUNCHEON: Held in Ballroom B, at AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conf. Center. Lecture is free & open to the public, however the luncheon costs $23 and seating is limited. Please RSVP no later than Feb. 27 by phone 844-1974 or online at http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/ .
Keynote speaker, Dr. Marjorie Spruill, Professor of History, Univ. of South Carolina, a former Auburn resident, will speak on “Women’s Rights and Family Values.” Spruill is an expert in Southern women’s history. She was a consultant for the movie, *Iron Jawed Angels* (starring Hilary Swank). In addition, she is editor of the acclaimed anthology, “VOTES FOR WOMEN’” (which accompanied the PBS film of the same name), the author of, “NEW WOMEN IN THE NEW SOUTH: THE LEADERS OF THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT IN THE SOUTHERN STATES”, and editor of four additional books. Copies of Dr. Spruill’s books will be available for purchase and signing after the luncheon. For more information, call 844-1974 or 844-6647 or go to: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/index.html
UPCOMING TOWN HALL MEETINGS / LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
March 2, Monday Beauregard High School, 6 to 8 PM CST
March 2, Monday Loachapoka High School, 6 to 8 PM CST
March 3, Tuesday Beulah High School, 5 to 7 PM CST / 6 to 8 PM EST
March 3, Tuesday Southern Union CC-Opelika campus, 6 to 8 PM CST
March 5, Thursday Smiths Station High School, 5 to 7 PM CST / 6 to 8 PM EST
Bring your ideas to these open meetings to gather input for the first ever Lee County comprehensive plan. The meetings will be open to all who live and/or work in Lee County (both in cities and in unincorporated areas). Attend a meeting that is most convenient to you. All meetings will be two hours long. More info: Wendy Swann at 334-737-3674, wswann@leeco.us or visit the project web site: www.leeco.us/masterplan/.
Opelika Citizens Planning Academy begins Monday, Feb 23
Held in the Administration Building, Planning Commission Chambers at 700 Fox Trail. (Main entrance located on Jeter Street across from Greater Peace Baptist Church).
The City of Opelika’s Planning Department has designed, and is offering, a “Citizens Planning Academy” for interested persons in the Opelika area. The academy is open to all Opelika residents and will consist of six (6) sessions held on Monday afternoons from 5:00 pm -6:00 pm. Classes will be held on February 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30.
During the training period, participants will learn how different departments, developers, and individuals interact in the planning process. Participants will also learn about the upcoming City of Opelika Comprehensive Plan update and other ongoing projects such as Celebrate Alabama and expansions/new commitments to our two industrial parks.
Other topics include:
1. Planning in Opelika (Requirements and Responsibilities of the Planning Department). 2. The Roles and Responsibilities of Opelika’s Planning Related Boards (Planning Commission, Board of Adjustment, Historic Preservation Commission).
3. Updates to the Comprehensive Plan.
4. The Role of Other City Departments in Planning.
5. A Professional Transportation Engineer’s View of Transportation Planning in Opelika.
6. Discussion of topics on Historic Preservation, Community Development, Zoning Enforcement and Building Inspections. Citizens interested in participating in the academy are encouraged to apply by February 16, 2009.
More info, including registration: contact Rachel Dennis, Opelika Planning Department at 705-5156.
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MONDAY, FEB. 23, NOON – 4:00 PM — CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM
Held at AU’s new Student Center, rooms 2216 & 2218. Open to all.
The College of Liberal Arts Civic Engagement Symposium will be an opportunity for faculty and students to learn more about civic engagement initiatives and projects happening within the college. Barb Bondy, associate professor of art, will speak about documenting civic engagement activities for tenure and promotion. Community partner organizations will be in attendance to talk about their perspectives of civic engagement and what needs they currently have for civic engagement projects. Students will also be presenting their civic engagement projects in an interactive format. Information will also be available about the Community and Civic Engagement Summer Academy and College of Liberal Arts Engaged Scholars Program and student organizations. For more information, contact Brigitta Brunner at brunnbr@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, FEB. 23, 3:00 PM – LECTURE: EVOLUTION OF THE MIND
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
Speaker: Lewis (Bud) Barker (Psychology Department)
This event is part of a semester-long celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
MONDAY, FEB. 23, 3:00 PM — LAND RESTITUTION IN SOUTH AFRICA
Held in AU’s Student Center, room 2223. Open to all.
Speaker: Bernadette Atuahene
The Africana Studies Program in the College of Liberal Arts will host Bernadette Atuahene, a professor of International Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law. Atuahene will present a lecture, “Getting Back What’s Ours: Land Restitution in South Africa.” More info: Patience Essah at essahpa@auburn.edu.
MONDAY, FEB. 23, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — THE BIG SWAP / AU OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2227. Open to all.
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Got something you’re tired of but just can’t throw out? An awesome item of clothing that you don’t wear anymore? One too many books on your floor? Why not bring it along to The Big Swap and pick up something in exchange? For every item you bring, you get to take one home. The only criterion is, please, no junk. The Big Swap is sponsored by the Office of Sustainability.
MONDAY, FEB. 23 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm — work session / 6:00 pm — regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Resolution Honoring Albert Chambers
6. Reports from Staff:
a. Report on 9-1-1 Lee Road Signs – Neal Hall
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting January 26, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
c. Bid #8 Portable Satellite Equipment – Deedie Matthews
d. Bid #9 Picked-up Bituminous Treatment – Neal Hall
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Board of Education Bond Issue – Bob Young
b. Domestic Violence Intervention Center Emergency Grant-Lisa Stephens/Lisa Sandt
c. Solid Waste Public Hearing & Disposal Contract with Waste Away – Judge English
Public hearing to express views, orally or in writing, as to the contract for disposal of solid waste between the Lee County Commission and Waste Away Group Inc. The proposed contract is for 3-years, with renewal options for a total of 5 years. Additional info may be obtained by contacting the Environmental Services Director, Jack Marshall, 334.745.9835. All pertinent documents are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the Environmental Services Office, 1111 Auburn Street, Opelika.
d. Board Appointment Policies and Procedures – Judge English
e. Potential District 5 Road Funding – Commissioner Harris & Neal Hall
f. Water Board Funding – Commissioner Harris
g. Federal Appropriation Requests – Wendy Swann
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Request to Accept Lee Road 513 – Willie Taylor
b. Travel Approval to NACo Legislative Conference in Washington, DC- Commissioner Harris
c. 1st Reading Various Board Appointments – Judge English
d. Approve Gates Subdivision for County Maintenance – Neal Hall
e. Joint Recycling Grant Proposal – Jack Marshall
10. Discussion Items. 11. Adjourn
MONDAY, FEB. 23, 4:30 PM – GORDON SHERMAN LECTURE / Thomas R. Wilkey — The Art and Science of Elections: Lessons from a Forty-Year Career
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Art Museum. Free & open to all. Reception follows.
The Gordon Sherman Lecture for the 2008-09 academic year, delivered by Thomas R. Wilkey, is “The Art and Science of Elections: Lessons from a Forty-Year Career.” A reception will follow. On Tuesday, February 24, he will participate in a luncheon for MPA students at noon. Thomas Wilkey has served as the Executive Director of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission since 2005. He has worked in the field of elections administration for over 35 years. He is a founding member and former President of the National Association of State Election Directors’ (NASED). From 1992 to 2003, he was the Executive Director of the New York State Board of Elections. The lecture is sponsored by the master of public administration program in the College of Liberal Arts and the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. For more information, contact Brigitte Demasi at demasbl@auburn.edu or 844-6123.
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 12:15 PM – The New Face of Sexual Oppression: Is Healing Possible?
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2216. Free & open to the public.
Dr. Mujah Shakir is an affiliate of the Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care. She is a doctoral candidate with the California Institute of Integral Studies, Humanities Transformative Learning & Change, San Francisco, California. Her dissertation is an oral history project that deals with the impact of the Tuskegee syphilis study on the lives of contemporary women living in Tuskegee and Macon County. She is also a diversity trainer and group facilitator who has worked with community groups for many years on social justice issues, and is Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Occupational Therapy College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Tuskegee University. Co-sponsored by the AU Women’s Studies Program and the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. More info: call 844-1974 or 844-6647; http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/index.html
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 12:30 PM – KIPLINGER EDITOR TO ADDRESS AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD LUNCHEON
Held in the Hotel at AU. Luncheon tickets $25 for students; $35 for others.
Reservations are required, are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, and are not confirmed until payment is received. For reservations, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan at 844-9199 or wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
The College of Human Sciences’ Women’s Philanthropy Board will host its annual winter board meeting and luncheon, featuring Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. The activities will also include two concurrent career builder and networking for life workshops featuring various Women’s Philanthropy Board members and other professionals. Bodnar, who will discuss “Money Smart Strategies: Everything you need to know to Achieve a Lifetime of Financial Security,” is a nationally recognized expert in the field of children’s and family finances. A Business and Professions Expo will feature board members before and after the luncheon. More info: http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb/files/bodnar_feb09.pdf
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — PUBLIC MEETING: FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAPS & FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY UPDATE
Held in the City of Auburn Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor Avenue. (entrance on side of building, behind Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
State officials will host this Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) community coordination meeting for the City of Auburn. Lee County is in the process of updating its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Floodplain Maps and Flood Insurance Study. The City of Auburn’s FEMA Floodplain Maps and Flood Insurance Study will also be updated as part of the countywide map modernization project. Printed copies of the proposed maps are available at the Development Services Building, 171 N. Ross Street. Maps will be available for public review Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Additional information about the FEMA project, and an Interactive Map which will help you determine if your property is located within FEMA’s proposed flood plain, is available online at www.auburnalabama.org/fema.
Additional info: City of Auburn Public Works Dept at 501-3000 or webpw@auburnalabama.org.
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 3:00 pm — OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
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. Hillcrest S/D, First Addition, 1 lot, Frederick Road, Airview Heights Church, P/F approval
2. Smith-Murphree No. 2 S/D, First Addition, 1 lot, Airport Road, Robert G. Young, P/F approval
3. Clifford Heard S/D, 2 lots, Cunningham Drive, Clifford L. Heard, P/F approval
4. East Point Crossing S/D (formerly Stonegate S/D), 38 lots, Argo & Sons, LLC, P/F approval
B. CONDITIONAL USE
5. Jim Parker Family Properties, LLC, Frederick Road, C-3, GC-1, Construct Microtel hotel
6. Sonam Consulting, Gateway Drive, Construct Huddle House restaurant
7. Jesus Favela, 1706 Frederick Road, C-2, GC-2, Construct Durango Mexican restaurant
C. OTHER BUSINESS
8. Nancy Willingham, 13 Samford Avenue, C-3, GC-2, Review temporary conditional use permit approved on June 24, 2008
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 4:00 PM — ART LECTURE / ROBERT R. TAYLOR AND TUSKEGEE: AN AFRICAN AMERICAN ARCHITECT DESIGNS FOR BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to the public. www.jscm.auburn.edu
Speaker: Dr. Ellen B. Weiss, Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery.
Ellen B. Weiss will consider the work and career of architect Robert R. Taylor, an M.I.T. graduate who spent his career at Tuskegee designing buildings, developing campus infrastructure, supervising construction, and heading the boys’ industrial department with its twenty some trades divisions. Weiss will seek to deepen understanding of Booker T. Washington’s educational vision by examining the design and construction history of the campus. Weiss is Favrot Professor of the History of Architecture at Tulane University.
— The New Perspectives lecture series is sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities in Auburn University’s College of Liberal Arts and the Alabama Humanities Foundation, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The series is co-sponsored by the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, the Access and Community Initiatives unit of the Office of Diversity of Multicultural Affairs, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University and the Department of Art. After premiering in Auburn, the lectures will be offered in selected locations around the state. For dates and more information, go to www.auburn.edu/cah or call (334) 844-4946.
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 5:00 PM – SOUL FOOD BAZAAR
Held in the ballroom, AU’s New Student Center Ballroom. Open to all.
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 7:00 PM — SAVE FREDONIA TOWN MEETING
Info: www.savefredonia.com
In response to the Chamber County Commission’s dissolution of their town charter, and established “to protect our rights as citizens of this community, and . . . make sure that our historic, rural town remains exactly the way it is,” the “Free Fredonia Community” was established by a large group of the town’s citizens committed to saving their hometown — Fredonia, Alabama. In addition to this town meeting, they will be holding various fundraisers, including one on April 18. For more info, including an event schedule and news articles, and/or to make a donation to their cause, go to www.savefredonia.com. Free Fredonia Community, Post Office Box 71, Five Points, AL 36855-0071, info@savefredonia.com.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, NOON – GREEN LUNCH / Sustainability Overview
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2218. Free & open to all.
Speakers: Matt Williams, Program Manager and Lindy Biggs, Director, AU Office of Sustainability
http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/newsletter/020909.html#anchor_0
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 4:00 PM — New lecture series on multicultural understanding begins at Auburn University Feb. 25
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2223. Free & open to all. Reception to follow.
The first lecture in the new “Stone Lecture Series for Multicultural Understanding, Equality and Justice” will feature Cecile Coquet-Mokoko, a professor of American Culture and African American Studies at the University of Tours, France. She will present “Biracial Couples in France and the United States.” The lecture series is supported with an endowment funded by Janet and John Stone. A lectureship will be awarded annually to individuals who have made significant contributions to, or are conducting research in, the areas of cultural and racial understanding, equality and justice. More info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/758
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 5:00 PM – WAYNE GREENHAW / DAVIS DISTINGUISHED LECTURE
Held in the auditorium, AU Hotel and Dixon Conf Center. Open to the public.
Alabama writer and prize-winning journalist Wayne Greenhaw will give The Neil and Henrietta Davis Distinguished Lecture presented by Auburn University’s Department of Communication and Journalism. The Davis Lecture Series was established in 1996 to honor the late Neil O. and Henrietta W. Davis and to encourage excellence in journalism. The series features distinguished journalists who can inspire students to follow the spirit and the principles embodied in the couple’s life and work. Greenhaw and Donnie Williams co-authored “The Thunder of Angels: The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the People who Broke the Back of Jim Crow,” which was published by Chicago Review Press in the fall of 2005. Born in north Alabama, Greenhaw has published 21 books of fiction and nonfiction. As a columnist and reporter, he has published hundreds of articles in regional, national and international publications including The New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, Reader’s Digest and The Writer. He has also written for stage and television and worked as an editor and writing teacher. For more information, visit the news release http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/730.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 7:00 PM – ENVIRONMENTAL MOVIE: THE QUEEN OF TREES
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. Free & open to all. Organic cookies provided. www.auuf.org
Ordinary fig trees provide food and shelter for a multitude of species, small and large, and constitute an ecosystem all on their own. Fig trees have a special relationship with a tiny wasp (fig wasps or chalcids) that pushes its way into the green fig to pollinate the tree. Each species of fig tree has its own very special type of wasp. The filmmakers are taking us on an extraordinary journey to show us this symbiotic micro-cosmos and how every tiny aspect of life is truly interconnected. How can we make decisions to alter aspects of nature without understanding the implications that can have dramatic effects on the greater ecology? The documentary is very beautifully made (60 min). Don’t miss it!
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25 through SATURDAY, FEB 28 – AU THEATRE / Into The Woods
Held on AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre Mainstage.
Performances: Feb. 25-28, at 7:30 PM
Tickets: 844-4154 (12-3 M-F) or http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/boxoffice/index.cfm
“Careful the things you say, children will listen.”
Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s masterful take on the Brothers Grimm and what happens after “happily ever after.” Weaving a number of Grimm’s fairy tales including “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Snow White” and “Rapunzel,” together with an original tale involving a childless baker and his wife, “Into the Woods” explores both the joys and the consequences of getting what you wish for. It’s a story about parents and children, winning and losing, and finding the courage to face up to life’s challenges secure in the knowledge that no one does so alone.
THURSDAY, FEB. 26, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm — CLEAN WATER PARTNERSHIP / TALLAPOOSA RIVER BASIN-WIDE MEETING
Held in the training room, Montgomery Water Works & Sewer Board, Mont. Free & open to all. Lunch provided. RSVP by Feb. 24 to: Dawn Stephens; Tallapoosa River Basin Coordinator; (334) 850-4429; dstephens1015@yahoo.com.
This is the quarterly meeting of the Tallapoosa River Basin Clean Water Partnership. All interested stakeholders are urged to attend and get involved! http://www.cleanwaterpartnership.org/alabama-river-basins/tallapoosa/ [PLACE editorial note: Our area is in the Lower Tallapoosa River Basin. This meeting includes that area, as it covers the entire Tallapoosa River Basin.]
THURSDAY, FEB. 26, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC www.jscm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café or a walk through the galleries on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society www.auburnchambermusic.org.
THURSDAY, FEB. 26, 7:30 pm – AU THEATRE / Into The Woods (see details above)
FRIDAY, FEB. 27 – SUNDAY, MAR. 1 — 4TH ANNUAL UNIVERSITY HUNGER SUMMIT / Ending Hunger . . . Yes We Can!
Auburn University hosting fourth annual University Hunger Summit
Held at AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center.
Conference registration is $100 and includes all meals from Friday evening through Sunday lunch. For more information, including a schedule of events and an online registration form, go to http://www.universitiesfightingworldhunger.org/2009summit.
Auburn University, on behalf of Universities Fighting World Hunger, will host the fourth annual University Hunger Summit. Partnered with the United Nation’s World Food Programme, Universities Fighting World Hunger is a coalition of more than 80 higher education institutions around the globe committed to implementing short-term grassroots approaches and long-term academic solutions to ending hunger. Among the attendees will be university students, faculty and administrators, as well as hunger activists from around the country. Summit highlights include keynote addresses by Congressman Spencer Bachus of Alabama; Jonathan Blum, Vice Chairman and President, Yum! Brands; and Alan Jury, Director of U.S. Relations, United Nations World Food Programme. The summit will also feature award-winning student initiatives focused on developing high-impact solutions to ending hunger and poverty; a panel of domestic and international humanitarian aid professionals; models for implementing and maintaining a grassroots student hunger initiative; disciplinary approaches to ending hunger; and journalistic techniques for conveying a hunger message.
—Lead sponsor for the summit is Yum! Brands. Yum!, the world’s largest restaurant company, is the parent organization of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken. The company recently pledged to raise and donate $80 million over the next five years to help the World Food Programme and other agencies provide 200 million meals for hungry school children in the developing world. Co-sponsors are the Alliance to End Hunger, the World Food Programme and Auburn University.
FRIDAY, FEB. 27, 7:00 pm – GNU BREW / POET MARVYN PETRUCCI
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street. Ph: 334-821-5550. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
Poet Marvyn Petrucci will read from his recently published chapbook, Pardon Me, Madam. Marvyn has read at the Gnu’s Room on several occasions and is always entertaining. NOTE: The Gnu’s Room offers a full line of coffee, expresso & teas.
FRIDAY, FEB. 27, 7:00 – 8:30 PM — COPLAND HOUSE CHAMBER ENSEMBLE www.jscm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission is free but seating is limited. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
The Copland House Chamber Ensemble is the acclaimed resident ensemble at Aaron Copland’s landmark New York home, now restored as a unique creative center for American music. The ensemble’s concerts take listeners on lively journeys across the musical landscape, imaginatively uniting past and present, American and non-American. The Copland House Chamber Ensemble has been engaged by some of America’s foremost concert venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, Brandeis University, Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study, Columbia University’s Miller Theatre, Yaddo, and the Caramoor International, Cape Cod, and Bard Music Festivals. Special thanks to the Lethander family for sponsoring the evening’s performance.
FRIDAY, FEB. 27, 7:30 PM – MAGIC SHOW
Held at the AU Hotel and Conference Center. House opens at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door. No admittance after the show begins.
FRIDAY, FEB. 27, 7:30 pm – AU THEATRE / Into The Woods (see details above)
SATURDAY, FEB. 28 – ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION / CITY OF AUBURN www.auburnalabama.org
Details: TBA
SATURDAY, FEB. 28 — 4TH ANNUAL UNIVERSITY HUNGER SUMMIT (see details above)
SATURDAY, FEB. 28, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM – SPREAD THE GNU’S: BUY LOCAL / Fundraising benefit
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St, Auburn. All are invited to attend! www.thegnusroom.com
This fundraising benefit will feature a variety of community-based entertainment including music, poetry and prose readings, artists and actors, as well as a silent auction, bake sale, t-shirt sale, wine tasting and much more. All proceeds will go toward helping the Gnu’s Room keep its doors open for the community and to continue promoting literacy and the arts.
PLACE editorial note: The Gnu’s Room, a great local bookstore, tea & coffee café, & arts venue, is in danger of closing. In an effort to forestall this, friends of the Gnu’s Room have organized this benefit. Want the Gnu’s Room to stay open? Then join the fun on Feb. 28!
SATURDAY, FEB. 28, 7:30 pm – AU THEATRE / Into The Woods (see details above)
SATURDAY, FEB. 28, 7:30 PM – MAGIC SHOW
Held at the AU Hotel and Conference Center. House opens at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door. No admittance after the show begins.
SUNDAY, MAR. 1 — 4TH ANNUAL UNIVERSITY HUNGER SUMMIT (see details above)
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CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
CITY OF AUBURN SURVEY – The City of Auburn’s annual citizens survey is underway. See details at 2009 Citizen Survey Underway. http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm020209.asp
CITY OF AUBURN Board Vacancies
• Metropolitan Planning Organization – Citizens Advisory Committee: Five vacancies will be filled at the March 3 City Council meeting.
• Commercial Development Authority (CDA): Two vacancies will be filled at the March 3 City Council meeting.
• Mental Health – Mental Retardation Board: Two vacancies will be filled at the March 24 City Council meeting.
• Library Board: One vacancy will be announced at the March 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the April 7 meeting.
• Historic Preservation Commission: Two vacancies will be announced at the March 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the April 7 meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260.
Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Feb. 23, 2009
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by Lisa Brouillette
[First published in the Opelika-Auburn News -- February 20, 2009]
Two of Auburn’s few remaining historic buildings — the Auburn Railroad Depot and the Ogletree-Wright-Ivey House — appear to be in danger of what is sadly but descriptively termed “demolition by neglect.” Both have strong historical, cultural and architectural significance.
The Ogletree-Wright-Ivey House sits at the intersection of Drake Avenue and North Gay Street and is “one of two surviving domestic structures owned and occupied by the original settlers of the village of Auburn.”
The Depot on Mitchum Avenue, in addition to its transportation role, “became a centerpiece of social, business and political culture. It has been the venue for many farewells, goodbyes, invasions, rivalries and celebrations.”
Recently both have been nominated for the Alabama Historical Commission’s “Places in Peril” designation. It is given to historically and/or architecturally significant structures that are in danger of demolition, either by intention or neglect. Such recognition could spur protection and preservation of these important landmarks in our cultural landscape.
Thanks are due to those who researched and nominated these structures. They include local resident and Alabama Historical Commission member Dr. Ralph Draughon Jr., the Auburn Historic Preservation Commission and Auburn Assistant Planning Director Carl Morgan. The Auburn Heritage Association and the Auburn Preservation League also lent their support.
Auburn’s history is still unfolding, heralded in the last few decades by expansion and development.
Unfortunately these factors have hastened the demise of many historic buildings, pressured our neighborhoods, substantially changed our area’s physical landscape, reduced our forestland cover, and loaded our streams with sediment.
The result is an informed public concern about the quality of our city’s growth and development.
A current focus of that concern is West Pace Village on Shell Toomer Parkway. Many regard it with skepticism and concern. I’m one of them.
Auburn City Council members’ recent comments about this project also show clear concerns and a consensus: no financial help from taxpayer dollars unless the project meets high standards secured by enforceable, legally binding agreements.
Further, they say there’ll be no such agreement until the developer presents sufficiently detailed marketing and development plans.
That’s a wise position and one likely to meet with taxpayer agreement.
So far, though, as shown by his actions, it has not met with the developer’s agreement.
His property still isn’t annexed into the city. The requested plans haven’t been presented. The proposed tax district and tax-sharing agreement have expired.
The developer could resolve this and raise his credibility with three simple actions.
Annex into the city. Willingly follow its regulations. Be a good neighbor to adjacent landowners.
We’re waiting, Mr. Developer. The next move is yours.
Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her website http://placeforum.org
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PLACE editorial note: Mark your calendar! Gnu’s Room fundraising benefit! The Gnu’s Room, a great local bookstore, café, & arts venue, is scheduled to close soon, possibly at the end of this month. In an effort to forestall the closing, some friends of the Gnu’s Room have organized the benefit listed below. Want the Gnu’s Room to stay open? Then join the fun on Feb. 28!
UPCOMING EVENT:
SATURDAY, FEB. 28, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM — SPREAD THE GNU’S / Fundraising benefit
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St, Auburn. All are invited to attend!
This fundraising benefit will feature a variety of community-based entertainment including music, poetry and prose readings, artists and actors, as well as a silent auction, bake sale, wine tasting and much more. All proceeds will go toward helping the Gnu’s Room keep its doors open for the community and to continue promoting literacy and the arts.
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ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATES:
These four items are excerpts from the Alabama Conservationist, an e-newsletter of Conservation Alabama (www.conservationalabama.org). Check out their site and its many new features.
Legislature starts with energy The Alabama State Legislature started their annual session with lots of energy last week. For two years, a Joint Legislative Committee on Energy Policy has been meeting and developing proposals for moving the energy agenda forward in Alabama. During the first week of the session, several bills from the energy package passed out of House committees. This week, a handful of the bills were passed by the full House. The energy bills include research around biofuels and fossil fuel energy, tax rebates for energy efficiency, and a sales tax holiday on Energy Star appliances. Conservation Alabama is watching these and other conservation-related legislation on our weekly Conservation Hot List. Beginning Monday and each week when the legislature is in session, you can see a summary of legislation we are following on our website.
Felker resigns from EMC Dr. Kathleen Felker, a radiologist from Huntsville, resigned from the Alabama Environmental Management Commission in January. Her resignation comes 18 months before her term expires. She was appointed by Governor Bob Riley in 2005 after a successful campaign by the ADEM Reform Coalition to push for gender and geographic diversity on the Commission. With Felker’s departure, that leaves one vacant seat and two other expired terms on the EMC. Scott Phillips’ (water well-driller) and Ken Hairston’s (attorney) terms expired on September 30, 2008, but Riley has yet to name replacements. If neither are reappointed, that would mean less gender, racial, and geographic diversity on the EMC, making the Commission devoid of anyone from Mobile, Huntsville, and Birmingham.
Quarry quandary With the resignation of Dr. Felker from the EMC, quarry warriors are wondering whether or not they will have a champion on the issue at the EMC. Last fall, Felker pushed the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to study quarries and what the department can do to address citizen concerns and complaints. This was the first major movement by the Commission to address this issue. At the December meeting of the EMC, Director Trey Glenn provided preliminary results of the department’s study and the Commission voted for Director Glenn to proceed with further study for the April 17 meeting of the EMC. While it is uncertain if ADEM and the EMC will proceed on the quarry studies, Conservation Alabama is working with state legislators to again introduce a bill that would give county governments the ability to approve or deny the siting of quarry based on certain criteria. While there are some issues ADEM can address on quarries, ultimately citizens must have a voice in what is happening in their communities.
The Alabama Conservationist blog is back! (And other web fun) After nearly a year hiatus, the Alabama Conservationist blog has returned to the web. You can get more in-depth reports about the legislature each Friday when Jeff Martin gives his recap. During the week, Lindsay Waits and Adam Snyder will talk about the upcoming week and more analysis of legislation and other pressing conservation issues of the day. We have received several requests over the past few months to get the blog revved up again, and we are happy to oblige. We’ve established a Facebook page and you can follow us on Twitter. Please contact us if you have any questions or ideas about how we can stay better connected with you.
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The following items excerpted from the AU Office of Sustainability e-newsletter. See the full newsletter at:
http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/newsletter/020909.html#anchor_0
Alabama Water Watch Workshops
Alabama Water Watch is offering a series of workshops starting February. The workshops will be conducted in Upchurch Hall, Auburn University and participants can receive a certificate which carries Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credit with the university.
For more details on the workshops visit: Alabama Water Watch . To pre-register go to: Workshop registration or contact Rita Grubb at Ph: 334-844-4785.
Water Conservation Tools & Toolkits
Alabama Clean Water Partnership is offering free water conservation tool kits for residents of Alabama. Just visit the website below and receive the following:
Auburn sits at the intersection of the Chattahoochee and Tallapoosa River watersheds. Information required for application form. Clean Water Partnership free toolkit
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GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE / SUSTAINABLE WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT
A former EPA leader touts the advantages of using green infrastructure for sustainable wastewater management
G. Tracy Mehan, III, former assistant administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, spoke before the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Mehan currently is an environmental consultant at The Cadmus Group, Inc.
The date was Feb. 4 and the topic was sustainable wastewater management.
Portions of his testimony, which he said reflect only his views, follow:
Let me start by describing the results from a study done in the area of source water protection (SWP), a concept derived from the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act but analogous to the concept of watershed protection under the Clean Water Act.
The Land
The idea behind SWP is to prevent contamination of drinking water supplies as part of a multibarrier approach which includes treatment. Increasingly, land conservation is seen as a fundamental part of source water protection. In fact, funds for land purchases can be obtained from the State Revolving Loan Funds for drinking water.
A study of 27 water suppliers conducted by the Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the American Water Works Association (AWWA) in 2002 found that more forest cover in a watershed results in lower treatment costs. For every 10 percent increase in forest cover in the source area, treatment and chemical costs decreased approximately 20 percent.
Almost 50 to 55 percent of the variation in treatment costs can be explained by the percentage of forest cover in the source area.
In other words, the natural infrastructure, if you will, is a least-cost approach to protecting water quality that can generate multiple benefits such as habitat, carbon sequestration, and aesthetics. Utilizing such green or natural infrastructure means less hard or gray infrastructure and reduced energy intensity, too. . . . .
To read the full article, go to: http://www.wwn-online.com/articles/70731
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MEETINGS & EVENTS : WEEK OF FEB. 16, 2009
MONDAY, FEB. 16, 3:00 PM – LECTURE: SOCIAL DARWINISM
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
Speaker: Guy Beckwith (AU History Department)
This event is part of a semester-long celebration of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
MONDAY, FEB. 16, 7:00 pm – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA / PUBLIC TRANSIT IN LEE COUNTY AND ALABAMA
Held at the East Alabama Health Resource Center. Open to all. Refreshments provided.
Topic: Public Transit in Lee County and Alabama.
Speakers: Lisa Sandt and Nancy Ekberg.
Lisa Sandt, Director of Planning and Economic Development for Lee-Russell Council of Governments (LRCOG), will describe the Lee County options. Sandt is responsible for overseeing programs in the areas of grant writing and administration, transportation planning, small business loans, emergency management and community planning, public transit and coordinated transportation.
Nancy Ekberg will discuss public transit from the state perspective. Ekberg, a LWV Birmingham board member and former LWV of Alabama board member, serves on the Steering Committee of the newly formed Alabama Transit Coalition as well as the Black Belt Action Committee’s Transportation Committee. She is also currently the Communications Chair for Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform (ACCR) and Chair of the Birmingham Region for ACCR Inc. She reminds us,” As we all know, transportation, or lack of it, can be traced back to this 1901 Constitution.”
MONDAY, FEB. 16, 7:30 PM – FREE CONCERT: THE TASMAN STRING QUARTET
Held in AU’s Goodwin Hall. Free & open to the public. Reception to follow concert.
The Tasman String Quartet, New Zealand’s youngest full-time professional chamber ensemble, will perform a free public concert in conjunction with the quartet’s month-long residency, Feb. 15 through March 15, in the Department of Music in Auburn’s College of Liberal Arts. Quartet members will serve as guest faculty and also give performances and workshops in schools and communities including Huntsville, Tuskegee, Opelika, Mobile, Gorham’s Bluff at Pisgah and the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham. More info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/711.
TUESDAY, FEB. 17, NOON – JAMES W. PORTER / Butterflies and Climate Change in the Cloud Forests of Costa Rica
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2222. Free & open to all. Tropical moth/butterfly collection on display at the talk.
Speaker: James W. Porter, Meigs Professor of Ecology, UGA
Renowned ecologist James Porter will talk about the work he does with student researchers on butterflies and the effects of climate change in Costa Rica. On display at the talk will be an extensive collection of unique and exquisite tropical Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) from high elevation cloud forests. Porter, who received his PhD from Yale, has spent his career studying the ecologies of the Floridian and Caribbean coral reefs, as well as the cloud forests of Monteverde, near UGA’s Costa Rica campus. An expert on the effects of climate change on wildlife, he has testified before Congress five times, most recently on the effects of global warming on coral reefs. In addition to their study of butterflies in Costa Rica, his group also discovered one of the rarest swallowtails in the world in a newly reforested area. The discovery, he said, “is giving Costa Rican conservationists hope that their ambitious carbon sequestration program will protect some of the rarest wildlife on the planet as well as the earth’s atmosphere.” http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/newsletter/020909.html#anchor_0
TUESDAY, FEB. 17, 4:00 PM – ART LECTURE / P.H. POLK’S IMAGES OF ALABAMA
Held at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to the public.
Speaker: Dr. Amalia K. Amaki.
Dr. Amaki will discuss the life and work of photographer Prentice Herman Polk, who was both a studio photographer and the official Tuskegee University photographer for 50 years. His camera captured campus and community life as well as visiting dignitaries and local residents in hundreds of images. His work is a singular record of place and the Southern experiences of African Americans from the late 1920s until the early 1980s. Amaki is a professor of art history and curator of the Paul R. Jones Collection at the University of Alabama. The event is part of the annual New Perspectives lecture series, sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities the College of Liberal Arts. More info: http://www.auburn.edu/cah or call 844-4946.
TUESDAY, FEB 17, 4:30 PM – SENATOR SHELBY LEE COUNTY VISIT / PUBLIC COMMENT-Q&A
Held in the Auburn City Council Chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to the public. Public comment period to follow Sen. Shelby’s comments.
Info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm021009.asp
Senator Richard Shelby (R – Ala) will join the residents of Lee County for a county. The visit is open to the public and members of the media are encouraged to attend. During his visit, Senator Shelby will discuss his legislative agenda for the 111th Congress as well as important issues facing the nation and the State of Alabama. Following his remarks, Senator Shelby will open the floor to questions and comments from citizens in attendance. For more information, contact the Office of the Auburn City Manager at 501-7260.
TUESDAY, FEB. 17, 4:30 PM – LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Held at the old Johnson Gallery building located behind the County Courthouse in Opelika. Open to all. Info: Wendy Swann, Governmental Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission, (334) 737-3674, wswann@leeco.us. More info: http://www.leeco.us/masterplan/
TUESDAY, FEB. 17, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — JCSM Dinner and a Movie
6:00 – 7:30 pm / dinner
7:30 pm / movie
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Film showing is free & open to all. Reservations & fee required for dinner prior to film. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Member of the Club: A New Orleans Cinderella Story with Phoebe Ferguson, director.
This documentary tells the story of a debutante who has been groomed to be a New Orleans Mardi Gras Queen since she was an infant. Member of the Club uses the story of Marisa Mitchell to explore black social clubs of the South, as well as issues of race, class and the powerful desire of an American family to belong.
—The Museum Cafe is offering a delicious dinner before the film. Dinner will be $15 per person and will be served from 6-7:30 pm. Reservations are required. Please call the Museum Cafe at 334.844.7016 or 334.844.3085 to make your reservation.
TUESDAY, FEB. 17, 6:30 PM – LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE / Facilitator Training Session
Held at the old Johnson Gallery building located behind the County Courthouse in Opelika. Open to all. Info: Wendy Swann, Governmental Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission, (334) 737-3674, wswann@leeco.us. More info: http://www.leeco.us/masterplan/
TUESDAY, FEB. 17 – OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL www.opelika.org/
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
Work session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=170
Regular session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=169
TUESDAY, FEB. 17 – AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
Committee of the Whole: 6:55 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/
Agenda includes:
6. AUBURN UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS.
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Announcement of Board Vacancy. Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board. One Position. Six Year Term Expires March 31, 2015. Appointment at the March 24, 2009 Meeting.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish Stop Signs, Speed Limit Signs, and Yield Signs. Barkley Crest Subdivision (5), Tutton Hill Subdivision (5), East Lake Phase 2 Subdivision (7), and Solamere Subdivision (9). Repeal Ordinance No. 2592 adopted January 20, 2009. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. SGA Representatives. Mike Geeslin and Haviland Milling. Commendation.
b. Auburn Arts Association and Auburn Downtown Merchants Association c/o Auburn Chamber of Commerce. Close City Streets. SummerNight Art Walk and Sidewalk Sale.
c. Industrial Development Board. Weidmann Plastics Technology North America, Inc. 204 Enterprise Drive. Tax Abatement Extension.
d. Agreements and Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Agreements.
(a) Environmental Services Department. Waste Away Group, Inc. Solid Waste Disposal Services. Lowest Responsible Bidder. Public Hearing Required.
(b) City of Auburn, Auburn University, Cleveland Real Estate Investments and Scott Land Company, Inc. Bent Creek West Sewer – Phase II Project.
(2) Contracts.
(a) Public Works Department. D & J Enterprises, Inc. Hamilton Road Resurfacing Project. $28,652.
(b) Water Resource Management Department.
(1) Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc. Professional Engineering Services for Surveying, Design and Bid Services. Choctafaula Interceptor Sewer Phase II Project. Amendment 1. $23,200.
(2) Public Resources Management Group, Inc. Professional Services. Wastewater Rate Study. Amendment 1. $11,700.
(3) Civil Design and Consulting, Inc. Professional Engineering Services. Bent Creek West Sewer – Phase II Project. $17,930.
e. Drainage and Utility Easement and Corrective Drainage and Utility Easements. Choctafaula interceptor Sewer Phase II Project. Acceptance and Settlement forValue Lost.
(1) Lance Carroll and Rita Jeannine Eddins. 575 Talheim Drive. Drainage and Utility Easement. Settlement of $174.24 for Value Lost.
(2) Corrective Drainage and Utility Easements.
(a) Henry C. and Shirley G. Helmke. 400 Kuderna Acres.
(b) Martha T. Rogers. 500 Kuderna Acres.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, FEB. 17, 7:00 PM – UNITY STEP SHOW EXPO
Held on the concourse of AU’s new Student Center.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18, 7:30 – 9:00 AM – LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE / Facilitator Training Session
Held at the old Johnson Gallery building located behind the County Courthouse in Opelika. Open to all. Info: Wendy Swann, Governmental Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission, (334) 737-3674, wswann@leeco.us. More info: http://www.leeco.us/masterplan/
WEDNESDAY, FEB, 18, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL (ABC)
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.auburnbeautification.org/
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD (AHA)
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).
Members are encouraged and invited to attend. www.auburnheritage.org
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18, 6:00 pm – LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
Held at the Elks Club, 1944 Opelika Road. All are welcome.
6:00 pm — buffet dinner ($9.00; tax and tip included)
6:50 pm – Program: Jim Spearman Executive Director, Alabama Democratic Party.
Jim Spearman is the Executive Director of the Alabama Democratic Party. He will speak on the use of the Internet and computerized voter files in campaigning.
Jim has served as Executive Director since 2005. In addition, he is serving in his third term as Vice Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party for County Affairs. Jim is a native of Lamar County, Alabama, in northwest Alabama and where he learned the Democratic values that guide him in his everyday life and his public service. He served as Chairman of the Lamar County Democratic Executive Committee for 18 years. His service to the Alabama Democratic Party led to him being named as the 2004 political director for the Alabama for Kerry Campaign and also in that capacity for Gen. Wes Clark in 2003 and early 2004. In 2004 he was honored with a lifetime membership in the Alabama Young Democrats. Jim is a graduate of Auburn University with degrees in Political Science and Health Administration and is a rabid Auburn fan. He is active in various civic groups, First United Methodist Church of Vernon, and president of Spearman & Associates.
THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 9:30 am – 1:30 pm — WORKSHOP: Woody Biomass / Alabama’s Renewable Energy Source Workshop
Held at the CHS Building, 204 E. 19th Street, Jasper, AL.
Info: Katherine Patton at 205/384-0606 or 387-1879 or kpattonwalkersoil@gmail.com
Agenda:
09:30 – 10:00 Registration
10:00 – 10:20 Welcome / Steve Cauthen, Executive Director, Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Districts,
10:20 – 10:40 Introduction of Topic / Charles Holmes, Chairman, National Association of Conservation Districts – Forestry Committee
10:40 – 11:20 Mega Trends in Forestry / Jim Jeter, BMP Coordinator/Hardwood Specialist, Alabama Forestry Commission,
11:20 – 11:40 Break
11:40 – 12:00 Logging Debris Utilization / Daniel Hogue, Forester, American Forest Management,
12:00 – 12:20 Biomass Co-Firing Process / Cindy Ragland, District Ranger, Talladega National Forest
12:20 – 12:40 Wood Chips to Electricity / Mark Hall, Regional Agent, ACES
12:40 – 01:00 Pre-Commercial Thinning / Tim Albritton, State Staff Forester, USDA-NRCS Cost Share Assistance
01:00 – 01:20 Open Discussion / Dorman Grace, Chairman, Walker County Soil &Water Conservation District
01:30 Biomass Session adjourns / Katherine Patton, DAC, Walker County Soil & Water Conservation District
Special Event: 1:35 Champion Tree Dedication American elm (On site at 1608 5th Ave. in front of Diane’s Formal Affair) All are invited!
This workshop is hosted by the Walker County Soil and Water Conservation with grant funding from the Bradley/Murphy Forestry Natural Resources Extension Trust grant.
THURSDAY, FEB. 19, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society.
THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 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.
The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 4:00 – 5:00 PM —- U.S. REP. MIKE ROGERS / CONGRESS ON YOUR CORNER - Meet & greet with citizens
Held at the Piggly Wiggly, 1515 2nd Avenue, Opelika. The public is invited to attend.
Citizens are encouraged to come “meet and greet” with Rogers to voice your concerns.
http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=16&action=view&nid=355
THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 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. Hillcrest S/D, First Addition, 1 lot, Frederick Road, Airview Heights Church, P/F approval
2. Smith-Murphree No. 2 S/D, First Addition, 1 lot, Airport Road, Robert G. Young, P/F approval
3. Clifford Heard S/D, 2 lots, Cunningham Drive, Clifford L. Heard, P/F approval
4. East Point Crossing S/D (formerly Stonegate S/D), 38 lots, Argo & Sons, LLC, P/F approval
B. CONDITIONAL USE
5. Jim Parker Family Properties, LLC, Frederick Road, C-3, GC-1, Construct Microtel hotel
6. Sonam Consulting, Gateway Drive, Construct Huddle House restaurant
7. Jesus Favela, 1706 Frederick Road, C-2, GC-2, Construct Durango Mexican restaurant
C. OTHER BUSINESS
8. Nancy Willingham, 13 Samford Avenue, C-3, GC-2, Review temporary conditional use permit approved on June 24, 2008
THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 6:00 – SAVE OUR SAUGAHATCHEE (SOS) / Alternative sources of water… A better approach
Held in AU’s Comer Hall auditorium, 2nd floor (stairs only; not handicapped accessible).
All are welcome. Refreshments served at 6:00 pm; program begins 6:30 pm.
Speaker: Scott Kubiszyn, from Nature’s Tap http://naturestap.com in Birmingham.
Mr. Kubiszyn will discuss water conservation, how citizens can be part of the solution,and how Nature’s Tap can assist them. While many parts of the country and the world have an approaching water crisis, we have shunned centuries-old and natural practices of collecting water and using it at the source. In the process we are damaging our watersheds, stealing from our water tables, consuming tremendous amounts of energy, and using unnecessary resources. Come hear about practical solutions and new technologies that are emerging to reuse greywater and capture rainwater and stormwater as alternative sources of water for our non-potable needs. Find out how a local school is planning a rainwater harvesting system that will act as a community demonstration site, while reducing the school’s dependence on potable water, and reducing runoff and nonpoint source pollution into the creek that runs right behind the school through a partnership involving the school, Nature’s Tap and SWaMP. Event sponsored by Save Our Saugahatchee (S.O.S.) and the Saugahatchee Watershed Management Plan (SWaMP, a watershed project funded by ADEM and coordinated from the AU Fisheries Department). Info: Eric Reutebuch (334-844-1163; reeutem@auburn.edu) or Wendy Seesock (seesowc@auburn.edu).
THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 7:00 – 8:0 PM — AN EVENING WITH DR. MICHAEL ERIC DYSON
Held in AU’s new Student Center Ballroom. Free & open to all.
Hailed as one of the nation’s most inspiring African Americans, Michael Eric Dyson has been credited with revitalizing the role of the public intellectual with the fervor of an ordained Baptist minister. Infusing intellectual thought with popular culture, Dyson focuses on topics of interest to the public. He eloquently melds scholarly insight with the phenomena of contemporary culture, emphasizing their interconnectedness and force in shaping our society. Dyson bridges gaps between generations, connecting civil rights identity to hip-hop culture while forging links between older and younger Americans, especially black Americans. As a cutting edge historian, he educates the general public on the significance of hip-hop, not only in understanding black culture, but American culture as well. With his powerful voice, Dyson reaches beyond race, addressing the universal commonality of American concerns.
FRIDAY, FEB. 20, 10:00 – 11:30 AM — PROJECT ON CIVIC REFLECTION http://www.civicreflection.org/
Held via conference call and online. Free & open to anyone interested.
RSVP by Feb. 18 to receive conference call instructions; contact Mark Wilson at 334-844-4948 or mwilson@auburn.edu.
Are you interested in helping your community talk more comfortably about values, think more deeply about choices, and respond more imaginatively to pressing needs? Join this online introduction to the Project on Civic Reflection with director Dr. Elizabeth Lynn. The meeting will take place via conference call and online at https://connect.auburn.edu/cah. For over ten years, the Project on Civic Reflection has helped civic groups build capacity, commitment and community through discussion of short readings from a variety of genres — classic and modern — as a means of reflecting on basic questions at the heart of their giving, service and leadership.
FRIDAY, FEB. 20, 10:00 AM – ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION (EMC) – Rulemaking committee
Held in the Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, 1400 Coliseum Boulevard , Mont. Ph: 334-271-7706. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on January 9, 2009**
2. Discussion and consideration of resolution to recommend to the full Commission for adoption – The Committee will discuss and consider the following resolution to recommend to the full Commission for adoption: Should a Commission member request the Director to take any action, the Director shall immediately notify the Commission’s Chair for direction with regard to resolution of the matter. The Chair shall report the disposition of the matter at the next regularly-scheduled Commission meeting.
3. Discussion and consideration of Commission rules of conduct to recommend to the full Commission for potential rulemaking – The Committee will discuss a compilation of comments from Commission members on standards of conduct for the Commission and consider recommending rules of conduct to the full Commission for potential rulemaking.
4. Other business
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.
FRIDAY, FEB. 20, 11:00 AM – ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Held in the Abama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Building, Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Mont. Ph: 334-271-7706. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on December 12, 2008**
2. Report from the Director
3. Report from the Commission Chair
4. Report from the Rulemaking Committee
5. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to the Division 3 – Air Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to the Division 3 – Air Regulations. The Department proposes to amend ADEM Administrative Code Rules 335-3-5-.06, 335-3-5-.07, 335-3-5-.11, 335-3-5-.13, 335-3-5-.14, 335-3-8-.16, 335-3-8-.17, 335-3-8-.18, 335-3-8-.21, 335-3-8-.23, 335-3-8-.25, 335-3-8-.30, 335-3-8-.32, and 335-3-18-.01, and delete Rules 335-3-21-.01, 335-3-21-.02, 335-3-21-.03, 335-3-21-.04, 335-3-21-.05, 335-3-21-.06, and 335-3-21-.07. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on December 10, 2008.
6. Consideration of adoption of proposed addition to the Division 6 – Water Quality Regulations (NPDES-Related Matter) – The Commission will consider the proposed addition of a new chapter 335-6-13 – Financial Assurance Requirements for Privately-Owned Sewage Treatment Systems. The purpose of adding this new chapter to the division 335-6 Code is to prevent the discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage by certain privately-owned sewage treatment works lacking adequate resources to operate, maintain, repair or upgrade the treatment works or sewage collection system. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on January 7, 2009.
7. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to the Division 14 – Hazardous Waste Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to the Division 14 – Hazardous Waste Regulations. The Department proposes to amend ADEM Administrative Code chapters 335-14 chapter 335-14-1 to 335-14-8, 335-14-11, and 335-14-17. The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on December 11, 2008.
8. Utilities Board of the City of Andalusia v. ADEM, EMC Docket No. 08-06 (NPDES-Related Matter) – The Commission will consider a “Joint Motion to Dismiss of the Utilities Board of Andalusia and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management” in this appeal concerning the Utilities Board of the City of Andalusia, Andalusia Riverside Wastewater Treatment Facility, NPDES Permit AL0055417, Covington County.
9. Other business
10. Future business session
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.
SATURDAY, FEB. 21, 2:00 – 6:00 PM —- GEE’S BEND QUILTERS / BOOK SIGNING & QUILT DISPLAY
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
The Gee’s Bend Quilters have a new book featuring many of their unique folk art quilts. Quilts will be on display during the signing along with other art pieces. www.geesbend.net
SATURDAY, FEB. 21, 2:00 PM — CURSES, CONJURE & JOHN THE CONQUEROR: Folk Magic In Alabama
Held at the Auburn Public Library. Free & open to all. Speaker: Dr. Alan Brown
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UPCOMING EVENT:
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — PUBLIC MEETING: FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAPS & FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY UPDATE
Held in the City of Auburn Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor Avenue. Open to the public.
Lee County is in the process of updating its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Floodplain Maps and Flood Insurance Study. The City of Auburn’s FEMA Floodplain Maps and Flood Insurance Study will also be updated as part of the countywide map modernization project. State officials will host a Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) community coordination meeting for the City of Auburn.
Printed copies of the proposed maps are available at the Development Services Building, 171 N. Ross Street. Maps will be available for public review Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Additional information about the FEMA project, as well as an Interactive Map which will help you determine if your property is located within FEMA’s proposed flood plain, is available online at www.auburnalabama.org/fema. You may also contact the City of Auburn Public Works Department by phone at 501-3000 or by e-mail at webpw@auburnalabama.org for answers to your questions. Additional information regarding the study and the public meeting is available in the February 2009 issue of Open Line and on the City’s website at www.auburnalabama.org/fema. More info: City of Auburn Public Works Department at 501-3000.
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CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
CITY OF AUBURN SURVEY – The City of Auburn’s annual citizens survey is underway. See details at 2009 Citizen Survey Underway. http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm020209.asp
CITY OF AUBURN Board Vacancies
• Metropolitan Planning Organization – Citizens Advisory Committee: Five vacancies will be filled at the March 3 City Council meeting.
• Commercial Development Authority (CDA): Two vacancies will be filled at the March 3 City Council meeting.
• Mental Health – Mental Retardation Board: Two vacancies will be announced at the February 17 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 24 meeting.
• Library Board: One vacancy will be announced at the March 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the April 7 meeting.
• Historic Preservation Commission: Two vacancies will be announced at the March 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the April 7 meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260.
Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
** ** ** ** **
Thanks for your interest and support.
PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009
Comments Off
ACTION ALERTS:
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM BILL TO BE INTRODUCED
This Tuesday, Feb. 10, a Joint Resolution to Let the People Vote – to call a Constitution Convention to rewrite the 1901 Alabama Constitution — will be introduced by Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton in the House of Representatives and by Senator Ted Little.
What can you do? Call your state representative and state senator today while they are in their home district or call them at the State House office and ask them to support the resolution to Let the People Vote on the question of calling a Constitution Convention. Contact information for your individual legislator can be found at www.legislature.state.al.us. Please also forward this information to your friends and family and ask them to call their legislators as well. The Joint Resolutions are the same as the bills that have been offered by the sponsors for the past three years. More info: http://www.constitutionalreform.org/
PHYSICIAN PAYMENTS SUNSHINE ACT REINTRODUCED
On January 22, U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Herb Kohl (D-WI) reintroduced the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (S. 2029) requiring all drug, biologic and medical device manufacturers to report gifts and payments made to physicians. These “transfers of value” would then be registered in a national and publicly accessible online database. . . . contact Senators Shelby (202-224-5744, senator@shelby.senate.gov) and Sessions (202-224-4124) and ask them to cosponsor S. 2029.
Excerpted from a Columbus Ledger-Enquirer letter-to-the-editor written by John Frandsen. To read the entire letter, go to http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/172/story/594705.html.
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MONDAY, FEB. 9, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
[Planning Commission regular meeting on Thursday, 5:00 pm, see details below.]
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Stonewood Farm Subdivision, Redivision of Lots 65-70 PL-2009-00025
Applicant: Jones and Minear Homebuilders, LLC
General Location: East of North College Street and north of East Farmville Road
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Revised final plat approval for a 6 lot conventional residential subdivision
2. Stonehaven at The Preserve PL-2009-00066
Applicant: Stonehaven Development L.L.C. and Maxwell Engineering and Land
Surveying, Inc. for The Preserve, L.L.C. (Jerry Johnson)
General Location: Within The Preserve PDD, adjacent to The Preserve Phases 1A and 1D and east of Conservation Drive
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Revised final plat approval for a 24 lot conventional residential subdivision
[PLACE editorial note: Approx 18 lots in this plat are subject to the following comment by city staff re: possible sewer backflow issues: All lots with finish floor elevations that are not at least 12-inches above the nearest manhole rim elevation shall be individually identified on the plat as having potential backflow issues. Note 10 should read as follows: "The indicated lots have potential backflow issues due to the finish floor elevation being less than 12-inches above the nearest upstream manhole rim elevation. These lots are required to have backflow prevention devices installed on the customer's service line. The property owners, successors and assigns for each lot of record as indicated shall be fully responsible for the maintenance and repair of this backflow prevention device and shall indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the City of Auburn for any backflows that occur due to improper maintenance, use, repairs or omittance of this device".]
NEW BUSINESS
3. Charleston Place Subdivision, Redivision of Lots 43-49 PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00028
Applicant: Hope W. Shannon
General Location: On the west side of Carolina Court
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 4-lot performance residential subdivision (lot consolidation of 7 lots into 4 lots)
4. Charleston Place Subdivision, Redivision of Lots 43-49 PL-2009-00029
Applicant: Hope W. Shannon
General Location: On the west side of Carolina Court
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 4-lot performance residential subdivision (lot consolidation of 7 lots into 4 lots)
5. Tuscany Hills Subdivision Amenity Lot PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00026
Applicant: McIntyre Building Company
General Location: 107 Tuscany Hills Drive
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a subdivision amenity (swimming pool and restroom facility)
6. Donahue Crossing Church PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00031
Applicant: C&S Investments, LLC
General Location: 1667 Shug Jordan Parkway, Suite 400 and 1661 Shug Jordan Parkway, Suite 501
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for an institutional use (church and classrooms)
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. STAFF COMMUNICATION.
MONDAY, FEB. 9, 3:00 PM – DR. GEOFF HILL / EXCHANGES BETWEEN DARWIN AND WALLACE
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
Speaker: Dr. Geoff Hill, AU Dept of Biological Sciences.
This event is part of a semester-long celebration of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
TUESDAY, FEB. 10, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/greenspace/
TUESDAY, FEB. 10 – AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION EVENTS/ HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN ALABAMA BY FRANCIS OSBORN ROBB
2:30 pm / SLIDE PRESENTATION: Shot in Alabama: A Brief Photograph History
4:00 pm / AHA MEMBERS’ WORKSHOP: Family Photographs: Solving the Mysteries
5:00 pm / RECEPTION-Cocktail party: hors d’oeuvres and cash bar; tickets: $25; $20 for AHA members.
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. www.auburnheritage.org
Seating is limited for both events. Call 844-3085 for reservations. Contact Mary Norman at pinetucket@gmail.com for tickets.
Speaker: Frances Osborn Robb, an expert in Alabama Historical Photography.
Info: Kitt Conner, kitconner@mindspring.com or 332-7911 or Mary Norman, pinetucket@gmail.com or 826.0390.
Robb’s slide presentation, Shot in Alabama: A Brief Photograph History, features photographs taken in Alabama from 1839 to modern times. Some are by photographic notables, others by local photographers and amateurs. They run the gamut from the ever-popular portrait likenesses to images of scenes and events. They reflect the dominant technologies of their eras: daguerreotypes and other cased photographs; mounted paper prints and the familiar Kodak-type prints, including some interesting curiosities.
In Robb’s 4:00 pm photographic workshop for AHA members, Family Photographs: Solving the Mysteries, she will identify members’ old photographs. This workshop focuses on dating photographs accurately: the key to identifying the people in them and connecting them to genealogical records and family history. A brief slide presentation on historic technologies and formats will be followed by a question and answer session. A display of period photograph and another of clothing, 1840-1940, will be on view before and after the presentation. Participants are invited to bring puzzling photographs for help in dating and identification.
Frances Osborn Robb is a photography and cultural historian who has given scores of presentations and workshops on historic photography. She works as a consultant to museums, libraries and archives, curates exhibitions on historic photography and is currently completing a book on the history of photography in Alabama, 1839-1941. She was curator of historic photographs for the 1995 Made in Alabama traveling exhibition, curator of Encounters: Photographs by Kathryn Tucker Windham, and curator of Science into History: Photographs by the Geological Survey of Alabama 1885-1910. She holds degrees from Birmingham-Southern College, the University of North Carolina and Yale University. Co-sponsored by the Auburn Heritage Association and JCSM.
TUESDAY, FEB. 10 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all. Agenda will be online at http://www.leeco.us/co/agenda.html.
TUESDAY, FEB. 10, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all. www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.asp
TUESDAY, FEB. 10, 6:00 PM – LEE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Held at the old Johnson Gallery building located behind the County Courthouse in Opelika. Open to all. Agenda: business meeting. Discussion topics will include the status of the Lee County Master Plan currently being conducted by Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood.
TUESDAY, FEB. 10, 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.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11 – WOMEN’S STUDIES PROGRAM EVENT / SPEAKER ON HEALTH CARE REFORM
10:30 – 11:30 am – Discussion — National Health Care Reform: Will Women’s Needs Be Forgotten?
11:45 am — lunch
1:00 pm – workshop
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2107. Free & open to the public.
Participants are encouraged to attend both events, but can choose to attend only one event. Both events are free and open to everyone. Students are especially invited to attend.
Held The Women’s Studies Program will host Eesha Pandit, director of advocacy for Merger Watch (http://www.mergerwatch.org/index.html), a New York based nonprofit organization, for two programs. Pandit will lead a discussion from 10:30-11:30 a.m. titled, “National Health Care Reform: Will Women’s Needs be Forgotten?” At 1 p.m., Pandit will lead a workshop geared toward community organizing strategies and training. The focus will be on getting young people involved in health care reform. The workshop will be informal and collaborative. Lunch will be served at 11:45 a.m. For info: Ruth Crocker at crockrc@auburn.edu; 844-6647 or 844-1974. http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/Spring_2009.htm
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11, 1:30 PM – ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Mont. Ph: 334-242-2230. Open to all.
Agenda online:
https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama%20Home%20Builders%20Licensure%20Board%20&submissiondatetime=1/22/2009%203:45:10%20PM
THURSDAY, FEB. 12, noon – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA http://www.lwval.org/eastalabama/
Held at Bruno’s community room. Open to all. Brown bag lunch meeting. Topic: state and local League programs for the upcoming year.
THURSDAY, FEB. 12, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society.
THURSDAY, FEB. 12, NOON – 2:00 PM – SOUTHERN GROWTH POLICIES BOARD COMMUNITY FORUM / THE BUSINESS OF SOUTHERN ENERGY: MAKING CHOICES FOR YOUR COMMUNITY
Held in the boardroom, Alabama State Council on the Arts, Mont. Open to the public. Lunch provided. To RSVP and to receive a copy of the discussion guide and directions to the forum, e-mail mwilson@auburn.edu or call 844-4946 by Tuesday, Feb. 10.
The results of this forum will be used in developing a policy report to be presented at the 2009 regional meeting scheduled for June 7-9 in Biloxi. Formed by the region’s governors in 1971, the Southern Growth Policies Board is a nonpartisan public policy think tank based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and provides a network for collaboration among a diverse cross-section of the region’s governors, legislators, business and academic leaders, and the economic and community development sectors. Sponsored by DesignAlabama, the Alabama State Council on the Arts, and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities.
THURSDAY, FEB. 14, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, FEB. 12 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE
4:30 PM / Coordinating Committee meeting
6:30 – 8:30 PM / Facilitator Training Session
Held in the old Johnson Gallery building, located behind the Courthouse, Opelika.
More info: Wendy Swann, Governmental Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission, wswann@leeco.us, (334) 737-3674.
THURSDAY, FEB. 12, 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 (See details above, Monday, noon, Feb. 9, PC packet meeting)
THURSDAY, FEB. 12, 7:00 – 8:00 PM — EAO / ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ORGANIZATION
Held in AU’s new Student Union, room 2109. http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/eao/index.html
THURSDAY, FEB. 12, 8:00 PM – SUN BELT READING SERIES
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. www.thegnusroom.com Free & open to all.
The Sun Belt Series returns with special guests Jill Patrick, Peter Huggins and Jim Hilgartner.
Playwright and poet Jill Patrick made her Atlanta debut with the concert performance of The Prisoner, a work in which a sister visits her imprisoned brother. Her award winning one-act If I Told You I Love You Would You Believe Me? premiered in Austin in 1986 to rave reviews. She is an Affiliate writer with Working Title Playwrights and a member of the Midtown Atlanta Writers Group.
Auburn professor Peter Huggins has had over 200 poems in 100 publications, including Atlanta Review, Colorado Review, Laurel Review, Mid-American Review, New Virginia Review, North Dakota Quarterly, Southern Poetry Review, and Texas Review. He has been a Tennessee Williams Scholar at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and won the Dickinson Review Prize for Poetry. Hard Facts, a book of poems, was published by Livingston Press in 1998. Two poems from that collection were nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He has published two other books of poems, Necessary Acts (2004) and Blue Angels (2001), a picture book, Trosclair and the Alligator (2006), and a novel for younger readers, ages 9-13, In the Company of Owls (2008). South, a new volume of poems, is forthcoming from Louisiana Literature Press in 2009.
Jim Hilgartner has published fiction in Mid-American Review, New Orleans Review, Another Chicago Magazine, Greensboro Review, Worcester Review, Red Mountain Review, and elsewhere. Recipient of a Fellowship in Literature from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, he serves as Director of the Alabama Center for Literary Arts. (He also enjoys ninjutsu.)
FRIDAY, FEB. 13, 7:30 – 9:00 AM — LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE / Facilitator training session
Held in old Johnson Gallery building, behind the Lee County Courthouse, Opelika.
This committee has been formed to ensure broad-based participation of Lee County Residents in the creation of the first Lee County Comprehensive Plan. Info: Wendy Swann, Governmental Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission / wswann@leeco.us; 334-737-3674.
FRIDAY, FEB. 13 & SATURDAY, FEB. 14 – TUSKEGEE VOLUNTEER POWER CORP SYMPOSIUM / THE ANATOMY OF RECONCILIATION, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, AND HEALING: HISTORICAL LEGACIES AND COMMUNITIES AT A CROSSROAD
Benefit banquet, 6:00 pm Saturday, featuring keynote speaker NAOMI TUTU
Held at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, Tuskegee.
View schedule and register online: http://www.tuskegeevpc.org/.
The panelists and presenters will share a wealth of information that has the potential to transform our community in many ways. The highlight of weekend will be our benefit banquet on Saturday Feburary 14th, featuring keynote speaker Naomi Tutu, daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. You are invited to register for the entire two day symposium, or just to spend Valentine’s evening in a celebration of agape love and healing with TVPC. Register for all or part of the symposium on the TVPC website.
FRIDAY, FEB. 13, 4:00 PM – AU BOARD OF TRUSTEES / Trustee Selection Committee Meeting
Held at the Governor’s Office, Mont. Ph: 334-844-4866. Open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html
FRIDAY, FEB. 13, 7:00 PM – DOC WALLER ONE-MAN SHOW / I HATE LOVE WITH ALL MY HEART
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street. Free & open to all. http://www.thegnusroom.com
Multi-talented actor, Doc Waller, performs a one-man show in honor of Valentine’s Day. See his website at www.thedocwaller.com
FRIDAY, FEB. 13, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING GREG GREENWAY
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Greg Greenway, go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, FEB. 14 – TUSKEGEE VOLUNTEER POWER CORP SYMPOSIUM / THE ANATOMY OF RECONCILIATION, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, AND HEALING: HISTORICAL LEGACIES AND COMMUNITIES AT A CROSSROAD
Benefit banquet, 6:00 pm Saturday, featuring keynote speaker NAOMI TUTU
See details above. View schedule and register online: http://www.tuskegeevpc.org/.
SATURDAY, FEB. 14, 6:00 – 8:00 PM — A MUSICAL VALENTINE
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
Keyboardist/Vocalist, Errick Johnson, a member of the Auburn Knights will perform love songs for you and your valentine. Enjoy the live music along with drink specials during the performance.
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CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
CITY OF AUBURN SURVEY - The City of Auburn’s annual citizens survey is underway. See details at 2009 Citizen Survey Underway. http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm020209.asp
CITY OF AUBURN Board Vacancies
• Metropolitan Planning Organization – Citizens Advisory Committee: Five vacancies will be filled at the March 3 City Council meeting.
• Commercial Development Authority (CDA): Two vacancies will be filled at the March 3 City Council meeting.
• Mental Health – Mental Retardation Board: Two vacancies will be announced at the February 17 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 24 meeting.
• Library Board: One vacancy will be announced at the March 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the April 7 meeting.
• Historic Preservation Commission: Two vacancies will be announced at the March 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the April 7 meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260.
Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Feb. 8, 2009
Comments Off
CORRECTION — No Auburn IDB meeting today (Feb. 3)
There is no Auburn IDB/Industrial Development Board meeting scheduled for this afternoon. Apologies for this error.
REMINDER — TONIGHT, TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 6:30 pm
NEW FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAP INFO PRESENTATION AT AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
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:
FEMA MAP MODERNIZATION PROJECT. Presentation. Public Works Director Jeffery Ramsey and Assistant Public Works Director Brett Peterson.
UPCOMING MEETING: TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 3:00 – 6:00 PM — PUBLIC MEETING: FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAPS & FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY UPDATE
Held in the City of Auburn Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor Avenue. Open to the public. Lee County is in the process of updating its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Floodplain Maps and Flood Insurance Study. The City of Auburn’s FEMA Floodplain Maps and Flood Insurance Study will also be updated as part of the countywide map modernization project. State officials will host a Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) community coordination meeting for the City of Auburn.
Printed copies of the proposed maps are available at the Development Services Building, located in the Douglas J. Watson Municipal Complex on Ross Street. Maps will be available for public review Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Additional information about the FEMA project, as well as an
Interactive Map which will help you determine if your property is located within FEMA’s proposed flood plain, is available onlineat www.auburnalabama.org/fema. You may also contact the City of Auburn Public Works Department by phone at 501-3000 or by e-mail at webpw@auburnalabama.org for answers to your questions.
Information regarding the study and the public meeting is available in the February 2009 issue of Open Line and on the City’s website at www.auburnalabama.org/fema. More info: City of Auburn Public Works Department at 501-3000.
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UPDATE: AUBURN-OPELIKA TRANSPORTATION PLAN
AOMPO Auburn-Opelika MPO 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan
Last Fall the Lee-Russell Council of Governments (LRC) gathered info from the cities of Auburn and Opelika, Auburn University, the U.S. Census and private companies to inform their 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The first of three public meetings on the LRTP was held Dec. 13, 2008.
The information (posters) presented to the public at that meeting are now available online at http://www.lrcog.com/Meeting%20Posters%201%20of%203,%202035%20LRTP.pdf.
If you have questions, or want more info about the LRTP or future public meetings, contact Keith M Bryan, Transportation Planner/GIS Coordinator, Lee-Russell Council of Governments, 334.749.5264 ext.214; keith.bryan@adss.alabama.gov.
RECENT CHANGES TO LETA PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM
The LETA public transit system underwent major service and fare changes last September, as outlined on the Lee-Russell Public Transit website.
Lee-Russell Public Transit (LRPT) / 334.749.9092 or 877.743.3739 / http://www.lrcog.com/LETA.html
Summary of changes: Starting September 29, 2008, Lee-Russell Public Transit (LRPT), formerly LETA, ELIMINATED the LETA Fixed Route in Auburn and Opelika and is only offering Dial-a-Ride services in Lee and Russell County.
WHAT IS DIAL-A-RIDE? Dial-A-Ride is the new demand response service offered by Lee-Russell Public Transit (LRPT). This service is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The number of trips that are available each day will be based on designated time slots. It is open to all general public who live in the designated service areas of Lee and Russell Counties. More info at: http://www.lrcog.com/LETA.html
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CITY OF AUBURN SURVEY — The City of Auburn’s annual citizens survey is underway. See details at 2009 Citizen Survey Underway. http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/ocm020209.asp
CITY OF AUBURN Board Vacancies
• Metropolitan Planning Organization – Citizens Advisory Committee: Five vacancies will be announcedat tonight’s (February 3) City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 3 meeting.
• Commercial Development Authority (CDA): Two vacancies will be announced at the February 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 3 meeting.
• Mental Health – Mental Retardation Board: Two vacancies will be announced at the February 17 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 24 meeting.
• Library Board: One vacancy will be announced at the March 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the April 7 meeting.
• Historic Preservation Commission: Two vacancies will be announced at the March 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the April 7 meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260.
Information on the city’s boards and commission is available online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Feb. 3, 2009
Comments Off
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE: Special 5-Mill Referendum Results
OPELIKA TO HOLD CITIZENS PLANNING ACADEMY / REGISTER NOW
http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=16&action=view&nid=349
LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT PASSED / BOTH SENATOR SESSIONS & SHELBY VOTED AGAINST IT
BOTH Senators Sessions & Shelby voted against the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. If you wish to call them to register your displeasure with their vote, call 202-224-3121 (Capital Hill Switchboard) and ask for either Sessions or Shelby. Tell the WOMAN who answers the phone your name, that you reside in Alabama, and that you are disappointed the Senator voted to consider women’s labor to be less important then that of men.
For background on this historic legislation and Lilly Ledbetter, the Alabama woman who instigated the lawsuit which led to it, go to this NY Times archive: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/lilly_m_ledbetter/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=ledbetter&st=cse.
KATRINA DOCUMENTARY / TROUBLE THE WATER http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/
Held at the Capri Theatre, Mont. http://www.capritheatre.org/
Film showings: FRIDAY, FEB. 6 – THURSDAY, FEB. 12 / Fri & Sat: 7:00 & 9:00; Sun – Thurs: 7:30 only
This 93 minute documentary about an aspiring rap artist and her streetwise husband, armed with a video camera, who show what survival is all about when they are trapped in New Orleans by Katrina.
THROUGH SATURDAY, FEB. 14 – AUBURN ARTS ASSOCIATION ART EXHIBITION: FOUND OBJECTS
Held in the Art Gallery, Jan Dempsey Arts Center. Free & open to all.
The Auburn Arts Association invites you to view this exhibition — 37 works by 19 artists– using found objects, etc. You are also invited to “find” in the supermarket a non-perishable item that you feel has artistic, imaginative, appealing or humorous, etc. packaging. These items will be displayed in an assemblage during the exhibition and then donated to the Food Bank of East Alabama. Items may be brought to the Arts Center Gallery at any time. Call 501-2963 for information.
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MONDAY, FEB. 2, 3:00 PM – DR. DAVID KING / DARWIN AS GEOLOGIST
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, room 112. Free & open to all.
All attendees will receive a nice door prize, and three lucky attendees will receive a very nice surprise gift from Darwin himself!
Speaker: Dr. David King, AU Dept of Geology
When Darwin left the University of Edinburgh, he was disgusted with geology, having taken the ‘creation geology’ class of Prof. Jameson. But at Cambridge he came under the mentorship of Prof. Adam Sedgewick, one of the founders of stratigraphic geology and spent the summer of 1831 in the field with Sedgewick learning the ways of geology. Later in 1831, he set sail on the Beagle as the voyage’s naturalist, bringing with him the first edition of Charles Lyell’s masterwork, The Principles of Geology. This event is part of a semester-long Celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
MONDAY, FEB. 2, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
MONDAY, FEB. 2, 4:00 PM – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD / SPECIAL CALLED MEETING
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue. Open to all.
TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 11:30 am – AUBURN CITY COUNCIL / SPECIAL “ADJOURNED” SESSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Auburn citizens voted to approve the proposed package of public improvements under the Special Five Mill Referendum by a vote of 608 – 54. Unofficial results are available online at www.auburnalabama.org/5mill. Results will not be official until canvassed by the City Council during this Adjourned session.
For more information, please visit www.auburnalabama.org/5mill or contact Auburn City Hall at 501-7260.
TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 1:30 PM – ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 100 N Union Street, Suite 382, Mont., ph: 334-242-5568. Open to all. Agenda includes:
I. MINUTES
A. Review Agenda and Approval of Minutes
1. Review Meeting Agenda
2. Approve Meeting Minutes
3. Action items from Board meeting
II. HEARINGS
B. Public Hearings
C. Formal Hearings
III. COMMITTEE REPORTS
D. Applications -
1. Without personal appearance
2. With personal appearance
E. Law Enforcement Committee
1. Complaints/Investigations
F. Certificates of Authorization
1. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorizations
2. Engineering and Land Surveying Certificates of Authorization with Exceptions
G. Communications and Publications
H. Legislative
I. Continuing Professional Competency
J. Finance/Personnel
K. Land Surveying – Education & Examinations
L. Engineering – Education & Examination
III. OTHER REPORTS
M. Chair’s Report
N. Executive Director’s Report
IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND CORRESPONDENCE
O. Unfinished Business
P. Correspondence – action required
Q. Information only – no action required
V. NEW BUSINESS
R.
VI. OPEN FORUM – Time during which anyone who may be attending meeting as a member of the public can ask questions or make comments.)
CLOSING REMARKS. Review of Calendar.
TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 4:00 – 5:00 PM – ART LECTURE: DR. MARILYN LAUFER, DIRECTOR, JCSM / BUILDING A COLLECTION: TO FOCUS OR NOT TO FOCUS?
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Many of us grew up visiting museums with encyclopedic collections, which gave a taste of the whole of art history from an Egyptian scarab to a cubist painting by Picasso. Collections such as these are difficult to build with today’s art market. A discussion of the important role collections play in today’s museums and how we have planned for the future of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University. Laufer, who assumed the role of director of JCSM in April of 2007 after having served as interim co-director since April of 2006, has had a long career as a curator and as an educator both in museums and as a university art history professor. Her wide employment within such institutions as Saint Louis Art Museum; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA; and the Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, to name a few, has given her the scope to examine the important issue of building collections within an art museum. Co-sponsored by the Auburn Heritage Association and JCSM
TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 4:00 pm – AUBURN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB)
Held in the City Manager’s Conference Room, Auburn City Hall, 144 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, FEB. 3 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
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:
FEMA MAP MODERNIZATION PROJECT. Presentation. Public Works Director Jeffery Ramsey and Assistant Public Works Director Brett Peterson.
BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT. Two Positions. Incumbents: Trey Rankin-Supernumerary No. 1 and Bob Cochran-Spernumerary No. 2 (appointed as regular members). Unexpired Terms End January 20, 2011.
Regular meeting agenda:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Announcement of Board Vacancies. Appointments at the March 3, 2009 Meeting.
(1) Metropolitan Planning Organization – Citizens Advisory Committee. Five Positions. Four Year Terms Expire March 8, 2013.
(2) Commercial Development Authority. Two Positions. Four Year Terms Expire March 15, 2013.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Zoning. JEDD Land Company, LLC. Fred Peak (Authorized Representative). Property Located at the current terminus of the right-of-way for Richland Road (The Cotswolds). SECOND READING.
(1) Rezone from Rural (R) to Development District Housing (DDH). 311.6 Acres.
(2) Establish Planned Development District (PDD) in a Comprehensive Development District (CDD) and Development District Housing (DDH) District. 410.7 Acres.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Industrial Development Board. 2458 West Tech Lane. Auburn Technology Park West. Short-Term Construction Financing. Concurrence.
b. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Public Works Department. Rexel DOT Municipal. Three (3) Galvanized Curved Mast Arm Traffic Signal Poles. $25,126.71.
(2) Water Resource Management Department. CH2M Hill.
(a) Amendment 2 to Task Order 12 – General Professional Engineering Services. $60,000.
(b) Amendment 3 to Task Order 1 – Professional Consulting Engineering Services. Northside Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) Improvement Project. $65,000.
c. Drainage and Utility Easements. Acceptance and Settlement for Value Lost.
(1) Auburn University. South College Street and Devall Drive.
(a) Traffic Signal and Turn Lane. Installation and Maintenance. Roadway and Utility Easement.
(b) Traffic Signal Installation. Utility Easement.
d. Boards and Commissions. Appointments.
(1) Auburn Hills/Gold Hill Plantation Improvement District. c/o Ronald T. Calloway. Six Positions. Staggered Terms.
(2) Board of Zoning Adjustment. Two Positions. Supernumerary No. 1 and Supernumerary No. 2. Unexpired Terms End January 20, 2011.
11. OTHER BUSINESS. 12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 6:30 – 8:00 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APJ)
Held at the Busch Center, 508 Auburn Drive (the 2nd house behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 450 E. Thatch Ave). Open to all. www.peaceeagle.org
TUESDAY, FEB. 3 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Resolution/agreement, Workers Compensation program: Lisa McLeod
(2) - a. Resolution/agreement, sewer extension for Celebrate Alabama: Walter Dorsey
(3) - a. Amend Text of Zoning Ordinance, request to advertise: Jerry Kelley
(4) - a. Resolution/agreement, CISCO Smart Net, telephone data system: Gary Cantini
(5) - a. General updates
(6) - Discuss/review CM agenda items of 2/03/09
a. Remarks by Mayor
b. General business
c. Bids
d. Resolution
e. Ordinances
f. Board Appointments
(7) - Discussion
a. New / Old Business; b. Board appointments; c. Other City business.
Regular 7:00 pm session agenda includes:
5)READING OF MINUTES —– Council Meeting of January 20, 2009
6) UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
7) REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
8) CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less)
9) REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS
1. Request for a “Walk for Autism – 2009″ at 8am on April 25 at Monkey Park.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS – Shirley Washington (NONE)
13) RESOLUTIONS – Guy Gunter
1. Budget adjustment for Municipal Court.
2. Special appropriation, Project Graduation – Legislative.
3. Renew lease agreement for the Brown Center.
4. Demolition, 1905 Hurst Street.
5. Demolition, 1718 Bulloch Street.
6. Demolition, 616 Marion Avenue.
7. Demolition, 604 Martin Luther King Blvd.
14) ORDINANCES - Guy Gunter
1. Amend zoning ordinance, designating portions of Society Hill Rd. as GC-2 – 2nd Reading.
15) APPOINTMENTS -
1. Board of Zoning Adjustments.
16) ADJOURN
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4, 9:30 AM – ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION
Held in the 9th Floor Hearing Room, RSA Union Building, Mont. Ph: 334-242-2997. Open to all.
Agenda: In Open Session, to render Advisory Opinions requested by public officials/public employees. An Executive Session will be held to discuss matters relating to complaints filed with the Ethics Commission and the results of those investigations. These matters are covered by the Grand Jury Secrecy Act. No matters will be discussed which are outside the scope of the State guidelines for the holding of Executive Sessions. Matters discussed in Executive Session will be voted on in public.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Annual Meeting of the Board to Elect New Officers
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2008-00856
Applicant: William Tolbert
General Location: 1433 Ogletree Road
Zoning District: Rural (R)
Action Requested: Variance of 100 feet to the required 150 feet between curb cuts on a collector street to allow a driveway to be located 50 feet from an adjacent existing driveway to the south
Variance to Section 707A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00009
Applicant: Donald Allen Development, Inc.
General Location: 331 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: University Service (US)
Action Requested:Variance of 5 feet to the minimum acceptable bufferyard width of 8 feet to allow a 3 foot bufferyard width along the eastern property line (adjacent to Felton Little Park) for an existing, nonconforming performance residential development
Variance to Section 707A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2009-00013
Applicant: Donald Allen Development, Inc.
General Location: 331 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: University Service (US)
Action Requested: Variance to the requirement for a Type 1 structure (fence) along the eastern
property line (adjacent to Felton Little Park) for an existing, nonconforming performance residential development
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT
THURSDAY, FEB. 5, 9:30 AM – ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD/ SPECIAL-CALLED MEETING / Investigative Committee
Held at 445 Herron Street, Mont. (334-242-2230).
THURSDAY, FEB. 5, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society.
THURSDAY, FEB. 5, NOON – 8:30 pm – NATIONAL TEACH-IN ON GLOBAL WARMING
Held in AU’s new Student Center. Free & open to the public.
Guest speakers: James McClintock and Adam Snyder.
AU’s Office of Sustainability (334.844.7777; www.auburn.edu/sustainability) is hosting the 2009 National Teach-In on Global Warming, a symposium that will focus on solutions to global climate change. Following from last year’s highly successful Focus the Nation, the 2009 symposium will include guest speakers, workshops, movies and public discussion about individual and community actions to begin affecting the changes we need to minimize climate change. The Teach-In is part of a national effort to raise awareness and to focus discussion and action now, during the first 100 days of the new administration. Auburn’s program this year consists of an afternoon of movies and engaging speakers and an evening of practical workshops.
Schedule details: http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/nti.php
For information on the national event, visit: http://www.nationalteachin.org/
FRIDAY, FEB. 6, 7:30 PM – EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. Info and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh,
bartojl@auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, FEB. 6, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING JAMES LEE STANLEY
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of James Lee Stanley, go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, FEB. 7 – LOVE YOUR HEART RUN / CRANK YOUR HEART RIDE
Held in Chewacla State Park.
Info/registration: www.loveyourheartrun.com / www.crankyourheartride.com; Alison Hall, ph: 501-2940, email: ahall@auburnalabama.org
Join the Exceptional Outreach Organization and Auburn Parks and Recreation on Saturday, February 7th for the 20th Annual Love Your Heart Run and the 2nd Annual Crank Your Heart Ride. These events benefit individuals with special needs and support Special Olympics of Lee County, Best Buddies of Auburn University and other therapeutic programs. Love Your Heart Run participants may choose to run or walk either a one-mile or 10K (6.4 mile) course. The Crank Your Heart Ride will consist of a 3, 10, and 22 mile bike ride. All routes begin and end at Chewacla State Park.
SATURDAY, FEB. 7, 9:00 AM – ALABAMA DEPT OF CONSERVATION & NATURAL RESOURCES / Conservation Advisory Board
To be held at : State Capitol Auditorium, Montgomery; 334-242-3486. Open to all.
Agenda: Regular meeting of the Conservation Advisory Board.
Registration 9:00 AM until 9:30 AM
Agenda includes:
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. INVOCATION
3. INTRODUCTION OF BOARD MEMBERS
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETINGS
5. MEMBER REPORTS BY DISTRICT
6. OLD BUSINESS
7. PUBLIC HEARING
8. NEW BUSINESS
9. SELECTION OF LOCATION OF MARCH 7, 2009 ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
10. ADJOURN
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CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
=== === === === ===
Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Feb. 1, 2009
Comments Off
UPDATE: changes, additional events & info
CHANGE OF LOCATION — TODAY, TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 4:00 PM – THE 9/11 ATTACKS, IRAQI WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, AND THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE CIA New location: Held in AU’s new student center, room 2225. Open to all. Professor Loch Johnson of the University of Georgia will serve as Auburn University’s visiting Phi Beta Kappa scholar Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 26-27. Johnson is the Regents Professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia and the recipient of the university’s Meigs Prize for outstanding teaching as well as the Owens Award for research in the social sciences. He is senior editor of the international journal, “Intelligence and National Security,” and is the author of more than 150 articles and numerous books on U.S. national security, among them, “Seven Sins of American Foreign Policy, Handbook of Intelligence Studies, and Strategic Intelligence.” His visit to Auburn is cosponsored by Auburn’s Phi Beta Kappa Gamma chapter of Alabama, the university’s Honor College and the Department of Political Science. For more information, contact Cal Clark at 844-6460 or clarkcm@auburn.edu.
NEW EVENT – WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28, NOON – GREEN LUNCH SERIES: NORBERT LECHNER / FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE: SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE Held in AU’s new Student Center. Room 2218. Free & open to all.
The Office of Sustainability’s first Green Lunch of the new year, “Future of Architecture: Sustainable Architecture,” will be presented by guest speaker Norbert Lechner, former professor in the College of
Architecture, Design, and Construction; Fulbright senior specialist; and author of “Heating, Cooling, Lighting: Sustainable Design Methods for Architects.” Lechner states, “The use of energy is causing global
warming, and buildings use about 48 percent of all the energy in the U.S. Thus, buildings are the main cause of global warming. Fortunately, buildings can be designed at little cost to be much more energy efficient, and they can get most of the remaining energy directly from the sun.” Students, staff, faculty and members of the community are all welcome to attend.
NEW EVENT – WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28, 7:00 PM – ENVIRONMENTAL FILM Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. Free & open to all. Please all come to see “Flow: For Love of Water,” (2007, 84 min) an excellent documentary about water and the social, political and environmental aspects connected with water. The film builds a case against the growing privatization of the world s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel. Can anyone really own water?
NEW EVENT – THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 6:00 PM – JAMES HOWARD KUNSTLER / MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION: HOW THE FINANCIAL CRISIS, ENERGY CHALLENGES & SUBURBAN SPRAWL ARE INTER-RELATED
Held at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art, Mont. Free & open to the general public.
6:00 – 7:00 pm / Wine & cheese gathering, book signing
7:00 – 8:00 pm / Kunstler presentation
The Hampstead Institute Speaker Series Presents a Free Public Presentation by James Howard Kunstler, author of The Long Emergency, World Made By Hand, Geography of Nowhere, Home from Nowhere, and City in Mind. For the event, Kunstler will bring his unique blend of humorous social commentary and cutting critiques about all things sprawl related to Montgomery for the first time. His multimedia presentation will focus on how the financial crisis, energy challenges, and suburban sprawl are all inter-related problems. But, rather than just identify problems, Kunstler will discuss the key steps that we can take to reverse the current challenges and embrace sustainable, time-honored development practices in the River Region. Kunstler’s work has been featured on numerous national programs including The Colbert Report, CNN, The New York Times, and NPR. This is the first Montgomery appearance by the nationally-renowned speaker. What is the Hampstead Institute? The Hampstead Institute is a non-profit corporation affiliated with the Hampstead development in Montgomery. Patterned after successful projects like the Seaside Institute, The Hampstead Institute offers River Region residents an exciting new resource for exploring the many opportunities that sustainable development practices bring to our communities. These opportunities will include events such as hands-on learning at Hampstead Farms, presentations on how to improve your family’s health and the local economy through natural food and products, and demonstrations of the latest green technology for home building and improvements. www.hampsteadinstitute.com www.townofhampstead.com Media Contact: Chad Emerson t.334.201.5241/ chad@townofhampstead.com
NEW EVENT – THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 6:30 pm – AUUF ‘GREEN PLANNING’ MEETING Held at the Busch Center, 504 Auburn Drive (Auburn Drive runs alongside the AUUF Hall, which is located at 450 E. Thach. The Busch Center is located just beyond the AUUF Hall parking lot.) All Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship/AUUF members and friends interested in helping with AUUF green work are invited. Meeting will include discussion of an upcoming Sunday service on ethical eating (March 1) and ideas for our Green Sanctuary environmental justice project. Contact Jim Allen for more info (334-499-2380, vineyfig@knology.net).
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ACTION ALERT from Alabama Arise
Contact Your US Representative today!
The U.S. House of Representatives has scheduled a vote for Wed., Jan. 28, on the proposed economic recovery plan. Right now the plan includes an additional $19.2 million for Alabama child care for each of the next two years. The money would come in the Child Care Development Block Grant.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes about $3 billion over the next 2 – 3 years for Alabama programs (education, health, housing, etc.) that will not only help families make ends meet, but will also pump money quickly into the economy.
Contact your U.S. Representative by Tue., Jan. 27, and urge him to support the economic recovery plan and not allow any cuts in child care. If we fund child care adequately, parents can stay on the job and do a good job with the assurance that their children are in good hands.
Please call, email, or fax your US Representative today. To email your US Representative, go to the web site listed below your Representative and find a link to email or a form for you to complete or go to Alabama Arise’s website legislative action page and send an automatic message at: www.alarise.org.
District 1: Jo Bonner / Phone: (202) 225-4931, Fax: (202) 225-0562 /http://bonner.house.gov/HoR/AL01/Contact+Jo/
District 2: Bobby Bright /Phone: (202) 225-2901, Fax: (202) 225-8913 / http://bright.house.gov/contact/
District 3: Mike Rogers / Phone: (202) 225-3261, Fax: (202) 226-8485 / http://www.house.gov/mike-rogers/contact.shtml
District 4: Robert B. Aderholt / Phone: (202) 225-4876, Fax: (202) 225-5587 / http://aderholt.house.gov/?sectionid=195§iontree=195
District 5: Parker Griffith / Phone: (202) 225-4801, Fax: (202) 225-4392 / http://griffith.house.gov/contact/index.shtml
District 6: Spencer Bachus /Phone: (202) 225-4921, Fax: (202) 225-2082 / https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
District 7: Artur Davis / Phone: (202) 225-2665, Fax: (202) 226-9567 / http://www.house.gov/arturdavis/zipauth.shtml
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Upcoming event: Southeast Land Trust Alliance Conference – March 25-26 in Auburn The 2009 Southeast Land Trust Conference is coming to Alabama on March 25-26 at Auburn University’s Dixon Conference. Check out the conference schedule and details at http://www.lta.org (visit “events” on the webpage)
Alabama Cities Join Forces – Create the Alabama Green Initiative – Last week, several Birmingham area municipalities announced the formation of the Alabama Green Initiative (AGI), a non-profit organization created to assist Metro Birmingham cities and Jefferson County in applying for green-only and stimulus grant monies from President Barack Obama’s upcoming stimulus package. AGI organizers cite low emission vehicles, public works projects and large scale community structures utilizing green-building standards as examples of what programs will be targeted. For more information on the Alabama Green Initiative and an upcoming January 29th press conference to be held at Aldridge Botanical Gardens in Hoover – contact Lydia Wilbanks at 205-251-2225.
Job Opening – TNC Director of Philanthropy – The Nature Conservancy of Alabama is seeking a Director of Philanthropy. To apply, by February 6th submit a cover letter and resume to job #10678 at http://www.nature.org/careers.
Clean Water Partnership Water Conservation Kits – The Alabama Clean Water Partnership has water conservation kits available. Each kit has information and tools available for checking for toilet leaks, conservation for lawn watering including a rain gauge, and a timer to save water when showering. To request a free kit go to – http://www.cleanwaterpartnership.org/request-kit/
These four items courtesy of BEN – Bama Environmental News http://www.BamaNews.com
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Jan. 27, 2009
Comments Off
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES:
Special Five Mill Referendum Set for January 27
Monthly Sewer Charges and Access Fees to Increase Effective April 1, 2009
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MONDAY, JAN. 26 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION agenda: www.leeco.us
4:00 pm — work session / 6:00 pm — regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
MONDAY, JAN. 26, 7:00 pm – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
Agenda: annual meeting with Alabama legislators from our local districts. Refreshments served.
TUESDAY, JAN. 27 — VOTE TODAY / CITY OF AUBURN ELECTION / FIVE-MILL TAX REFERENDUM
This referendum does not involve the addition of any new taxes, but instead allows voters to approve how existing tax monies are used. For details, see: Special Five Mill Referendum Set for January 27.
TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 12:30 PM – PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON WATER POLICY & MANAGEMENT
Held in Room 727 of the State House, Mont. Open to the public.
NOTE: This will be the last meeting of this committee before the legislative session.
Committee Members: Sen. Kim S. Benefield, CHAIR; Rep. Greg Canfield, VICE CHAIR; Sen. T.D. “Ted” Little; Sen. “Walking” Wendell Mitchell; Sen. Arthur Orr; Sen. Quinton T. Ross, Jr.; Sen. Harri Anne Smith; Rep. Chad Fincher ; Rep. Thomas E. Jackson; Rep. Richard J. Laird; Rep. Artis J. “A.J.” McCampbell; Rep. W.F. “Frank” McDaniel; Rep. Jeffrey McLaughlin.
Agenda includes:
12:30 – 1:00 COMMITTEE BUSINESS; Subcommittee Reports
1:00 – 1:20 DISCUSSION : -Inland Waterways Bill; -Water Resource Assessments, -Studies, Data Collection and Storage Subcommittee Resolution; -Other Business
1:20 – 1:30 DISCUSSION OF DRAFT COMMITTEE REPORT
TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 2:00 PM – PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY / STATEWIDE ENERGY DAY PRESS CONFERENCE Held in the Joint Briefing Room, (Stars Wars Room), 8th Floor, Alabama State House. Open to all. Press conference follows meeting. Agenda: Meeting of the Legislative Joint Energy Committee (Legislators) for consideration and approval of “2009 Joint Energy Committee Legislative Initiative.” Immediately following this meeting the Energy Committee will hold a press conference to release the 2009 Legislative Energy Initiative. More info: Kristen Rector, Executive Assistant to Rep. Greg Wren, repgregwren@yahoo.com, 334-395-0123.
TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 3:00 pm — OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. agenda: www.opelika.org
TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 4:00 PM – THE 9/11 ATTACKS, IRAQI WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, AND THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE CIA Held in the exhibit lounge of Foy Hall (formerly Foy Student Union). Open to all. Professor Loch Johnson of the University of Georgia will serve as Auburn University’s visiting Phi Beta Kappa scholar Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 26-27. Johnson is the Regents Professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia and the recipient of the university’s Meigs Prize for outstanding teaching as well as the Owens Award for research in the social sciences. He is senior editor of the international journal, “Intelligence and National Security,” and is the author of more than 150 articles and numerous books on U.S. national security, among them, “Seven Sins of American Foreign Policy, Handbook of Intelligence Studies, and Strategic Intelligence.” His visit to Auburn is cosponsored by Auburn’s Phi Beta Kappa Gamma chapter of Alabama, the university’s Honor College and the Department of Political Science. For more information, contact Cal Clark at 844-6460 or clarkcm@auburn.edu.
TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 4:00 PM — Littleton-Franklin Lecture: Natalie Angier / The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science Held in AU’s Science Center Complex Auditorium, Roosevelt Drive. Free & open to the public. http://www.auburn.edu/littleton-franklin/
– Parking areas nearest the auditorium are the lot in front of Comer Hall on the corner of Roosevelt and College Streets,and the Library parking deck off Roosevelt. Tiger Transit buses (Charcoal Line) run between the Jules-Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts and campus regularly until 6:00 pm weekdays. Persons parking in the Museum lot should be at a bus stop by about 5:30 in order to be sure to catch the last bus back to their car. The nearest bus stop to the COS Auditorium is on Mell Street at Roosevelt.
TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 6:00 PM – TRAVELING FILM FESTIVAL AT ART MUSEUM Held at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art (http://jcsm.auburn.edu/index.php ). Free & open to all. Complimentary snack provided during intermission break at 7:00 pm. JCSM will present the Southern Arts Federation’s second annual Short Circuit Traveling Film festival, theonly program that spotlights short films created by filmmakers living and working in the Southeast. This event, is comprised of 12 short films, ranging from fiction and animation to experimental and documentary, all of which were selected for their artistic merit by a panel of media arts professionals. For more information, visit this link http://www.southarts.org .
TUESDAY, JAN. 27 , 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/ Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28, 12:30 PM – WOMEN’S STUDIES EVENT / DR. PAM MURRAY: FOR GLORY AND BOLIVAR: THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF MANUELA SAENZ, 1797-1856 Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2216. Brown bag lunch. Women’s Studies Events are free and open to all. Students invited to attend.
Dr. Pam Murray, Assistant professor of Latin American history, University of Alabama at Birmingham, will talk about will talk about her new biography of the woman who “liberated the liberator”, Simon Bolivar’s mistress, Dona Manuela Saenz. For Glory and Bolivar: The Remarkable Life of Manuela Sáenz, 1797-1856 (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2008). For more info: 844-1974 or 844-6647; lco0001@auburn.edu.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/events/index.html
THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 8:30 AM – AU BOARD OF TRUSTEES / agenda: http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/meetings.html
THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 10:00 AM – AUBURN LIBRARY BOARD Held in the Library Board Room, Auburn Public Library. Open to all.
THURSDAY, JAN. 29, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all. Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society.
THURSDAY, JAN. 29, 1:45 – 3:45 PM — AUTHOR READING/BOOK SIGNING: NANCI KINCAID Held at the Auburn Public Library. Free & open to all. The Auburn Public Library will host a reading and book signing with author Nanci Kincaid, who will read from her latest book, Eat, Drink and Be From Mississippi: A Novel. Nanci Kincaid is the author of Crossing Blood, Balls, Pretending the Bed Is a Raft (made into a feature film), Verbena, and As Hot As It Was You Ought to Thank Me.
FRIDAY, JAN. 30, 10:00 – 11:00 AM – LECTURE: LOGISTICS FOR DELIVERING HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
Held in AU’s Shelby Center, Room 3210. Free & open to all.
Burcu Balcik, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences at Northwestern University, will present “Equitable Routing Decisions in Humanitarian Relief”. Her lecture is hosted by Auburn University’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. In her talk, Balcik will introduce the “last mile distribution problem,” which addresses making equitable vehicle routing and delivery scheduling decisions for relief supplies. She will present a mathematical model and a simulated annealing-based heuristic, as well as an overview of incorporating equity in operations research models and routing applications that consider equity. A majority of operations research applications and models focus on performance metrics and objectives based on effectiveness and efficiency. Equity is a key goal of nonprofit and public sector operations that has been studied less than effectiveness and efficiency, particularly in the area of humanitarian relief. Balcik earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering from Middle East Technical University in Turkey. She received her doctoral degree in industrial engineering from the University of Washington. Her research interests include developing mathematical models and solution methods to improve the performance of nonprofit supply chain and the transportation and logistics applications in disaster relief and food bank operations.
FRIDAY, JAN. 30, 7:00 PM — GNU BREW FEATURING AUTHOR BREWSTER ROBERTSON Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
SATURDAY, JAN. 31, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM —- 8th ANNUAL CULTURAL CROSSROADS ALABAMA HISTORY SYMPOSIUM Held at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Registration includes refreshments and lunch: $30/MMFA members; $35/general public; $20/students & faculty. Auburn professors Angela Lakwete and Patience Essah of the AU Dept of History and Gary Mullen of the AU Dept of Entomology will present talks at the eighth annual Cultural Crossroads, an Alabama history symposium. Titled “Settling In,” the program will focus on the settlement and early development period of Alabama, 1820s-1840s. More info: contact AU’s Caroline Marshall Draughon Center at 844-4946.
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CITY OF AUBURN / RECENT GROWTH MANAGEMENT & PLANNING DOCUMENTS
*Comprehensive Planning in the City of Auburn January 8, 2009
*FY 2008 Annual Report to the Planning Commission (for comparision, see FY 2007 Annual Report to the Planning Commission)
*Auburn Interactive Growth Model Final Report
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/Contact.html.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Jan. 26, 2009
Comments Off
CORRECTION: TUESDAY, JAN. 20, 5:00 PM — INAUGURAL CELEBRATION
Although the AUUF Hall has been reserved as a venue for this Inaugural Celebration, this event is not sponsored by, nor an official function of, the AUUF. Please also note the event is open to all who wish to celebrate the inauguration.
Held at 450 E. Thach, Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall. Come celebrate!
Open to everyone who wishes to celebrate the Inauguration. Everyone welcome. If you wish, bring a potluck dish and/or beverage, but you’re welcome regardless! We will have the doors open at 5:00 PM, especially for those who wish to come directly from work. We plan to have video of the actual Inaugural Ceremony and other historic events pertinent to the occasion running throughout the evening. We will have a “well wishes card” available for all to sign and to add their own personal note to the Obama Family as they begin their life in the White House. Great conversations, music, dancing….celebration. Come dressed as you wish – from work and play clothes to formal attire. Come early, leave late, come late, leave early. We want to fill the hall and the pages of the “well wishes card” to let the new First Family know that in the Auburn/Opelika, Alabama area we support our new President.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:PLACE WEBSITE REPAIRED
For a few hours yesterday the PLACE website (http://placeforum.org/blog/) had technical difficulties which prevented some items, such as Lisa Brouillette’s Jan. 16 column, from being viewed. The site should be working now. (If you have problems with it, please notify placeforum@gmail.com. Thank you.)
AUBURN CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY – ITEMS OF INTEREST
Tuesday, Jan. 20 — Auburn City Council chambers, 141 N. Ross St.
Full agenda & packet online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/
6:00 pm: Sewer Rate Study
At the 6:00 pm Committee of the Whole meeting there will be a presentation on the recently completed Sewer Rate Study. This will provide information supporting the proposed sewer rate increase, which will be voted on at Tuesday’s regular 7:00 pm council meeting. Also included will be details regarding Auburn’s current infrastructure and financing for future infrastructure improvements. This information was first presented at a December 2008 sewer rate workshop and can be reviewed online at: http://www.auburnalabama.org/
7:00 PM — 2nd reading & vote on sewer rate increase;
West Pace conditional use request for gas station and convenience store;
Cotswolds’ rezoning requests and development agreement
These items are on the regular 7:00 pm meeting agenda.
AUBURN 2030 PLAN UNDERWAY SOON
Auburn 2030, which will be an update of the Auburn 2020 plan, will be underway soon. (http://www.auburnalabama.org/2020/) It is estimated to be completed by mid-year. The goals defined by Auburn 2030 will be used to guide the city’s future, and will be referred to as the city prepares a new Future Land Use Plan and Comprehensive Plan for its growth and development. The work on these two other documents, done by city staff and a Comprehensive Plan task force/committee, is scheduled for the second half of this year. More details on these projects will be included in future PLACE emails.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Jan. 19, 2009
Comments Off
WEEK OF JAN. 19, 2009 — MEETINGS, EVENTS & UPDATES
COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE — Auburn faces same issues as last year
(first published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Friday, Jan 16, 2009)
http://placeforum.org/blog/
CHRIS NEWLAND APPOINTED TO NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL SPECIAL PANEL
Chris Newland (AU Dept of Psychology) appointed to a special panel for the National Research Council, a division of the National Academy of Sciences. This panel will provide a comprehensive, year-long review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s policy for regulating perchlorethylene (perc) a chemical that has long been associated with dry cleaning or certain industrial operations. For full story, go to: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/
JOHN ARCHIBALD COLUMN / BIRMINGHAM NEWS – JAN. 15, 2009
http://blog.al.com/archiblog/
ASH SPILL HITS ALABAMA
Last week, a Stevenson, Ala. Tennessee Valley Authority waste pond ruptured, releasing chemical byproducts of the coal “scrubbing” process. This pond failure follows on the heels of a similar tragic incident in Tennessee just before Christmas. John Wathen, Hurricane Creekkeeper and former chair of the Citizen Coal Council, has been on the case. He’s flown over both facilities, thanks to Southwings, and taken pictures of the spills.
Conservation Alabama released a statement and call to action in response to the incident last Friday [Jan. 9, 2009]. You can find our statement here.
From the Jan. 2009 issue of ALABAMA CONSERVATIONIST E-newsletter
BALDWIN-21 APPROVES ZONING — BARELY
Sandwiched between Christmas and New Year’s, the citizens of Baldwin County Fire District 21 barely approved zoning authority on December 30. With 32 percent voter turnout, the referendum passed 159-143, or 52.6 percent to 47.3 percent. High praise goes to Max Reed and the citizens of the Magnolia Springs area who went door-to-door, made phone calls, and put up signs and fliers throughout the district.
Conservation Alabama is pleased to provide funding to help underwrite this successful effort. Hopefully other areas of the county and state will look to take control of the future of their communities by seeking local zoning authority. With a new constitution, such efforts would be easier to achieve.
From the Jan. 2009 issue of ALABAMA CONSERVATIONIST E-newsletter
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE: Portion of Cox Road to Close January 20 – March 1
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MONDAY, JAN. 19, 7:30 – 8:30 AM — Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. Scholarship Breakfast
Keynote speaker: Bryon Franklin, Auburn Board of Trustees
Held at the Hotel at AU & Dixon Conference Center. Individual Tickets: $25.00 and Table for 10 $250.00.
Scholarship breakfast sponsored by the Auburn Alumni Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators.
MONDAY, JAN. 19, NOON – 19th ANNUAL MLK, JR. COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM
Held at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 541 Pitts St, Auburn. All are welcome.
Speaker: Christopher Senie, Attorney at Law, Westborough, MA. This event is sponsored by Rose of Sharon OES 914 and C-Move (Citizens Making Opportunities Visible for Excellence).
MONDAY, JAN. 19, 7:00 pm – LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Held at the East Alabama Health Resource Center.
7:00 pm: Meet’n'Greet
7:30 pm: General meeting – Off-site Voting Study Consensus
TUESDAY, JAN. 20 AND WEDNESDAY, JAN 21 — NON-POINT SOURCE CONFERENCE
Held at Renaissance Hotel Conference Center, Mont. Free, but registration required.
Registration: http://www.
Conference info: http://www.
Alabama Clean Water Partnership and ADEM will be holding the 20th Annual Non-Point Source Conference: “A 20 Year Journey of Alabama’s Non-Point Source Program”.
TUESDAY, JAN. 20, 5:00 PM — INAUGURAL CELEBRATION
Held at 450 E. Thach, Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall. (Note: Although the AUUF Hall has been reserved as a venue for this celebration of the Inauguration, this event is not an official AUUF function.) Open to everyone who wishes to celebrate the Inauguration. Come celebrate! Everyone welcome. If you wish, bring a potluck dish and/or beverage, but you’re welcome regardless! We will have the doors open at 5:00 PM, especially for those who wish to come directly from work. We plan to have video of the actual Inaugural Ceremony and other historic events pertinent to the occasion running throughout the evening. We will have a “well wishes card” available for all to sign and to add their own personal note to the Obama Family as they begin their life in the White House. Great conversations, music, dancing….celebration. Come dressed as you wish – from work and play clothes to formal attire. Come early, leave late, come late, leave early. We want to fill the hall and the pages of the “well wishes card” to let the new First Family know that in the Auburn/Opelika, Alabama area we support our new President.
TUESDAY, JAN. 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:
SEWER RATE STUDY. Presentation.Water Resource Management Director Laura Koon and Professional Resource Management Group, Inc.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage License. Nazrana Inc. dba/Philly Connection. 2328 South College Street, Unit 2. 040 – Retail Beer (On or Off Premises) License.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Sewer Ordinance. Establish and set monthly sewer usage charges and sewer system access fees. SECOND READING.
b. Annexation. Ronald and Diane Cooper. 1633 Lee Road 080. Property Located south of Bud Black Road (Lee Road 080). 12.5 Acres. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
c. Zoning. The Cotswolds. JEDD Land Company, LLC. Fred Peak (Authorized Representative). Property Located at the current terminus of the right-of-way for Richland Road. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
(1) Rezone from Rural (R) to Comprehensive Development District (CDD). 99.1 Acres.
(2) Rezone from Rural (R) to Development District Housing (DDH). 311.6 Acres.
(3) Establish Planned Development District (PDD) in a Comprehensive Development District (CDD) and Development District Housing (DDH) District. 410.7 Acres.
d. Zoning Ordinance Text Changes. Article II (Definitions) and Article IV (General Regulations). Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
e. Traffic Control Signs and Devices. Establish Six (6) Stop Signs and Three (3) Yield Signs. Solamere Subdivision. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
f. General Obligation Warrants, Series 2008-F. $2,031,270. Revise Amortization Schedule. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Change Meeting Date. Second Meeting in March. March 24, 2009.
b. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) Daniel Phipps. Jerome Anderson (Authorized Representative). Road Service Use- Car Wash (Dean Road Car Wash) in the Commercial Conservation (CC) zoning district. Property Located at 231 North Dean Road, Suite 1.
(2) Dilworth Development. Gregory Forthofer (Authorized Representative). Subdivision Amenity-Playground and Private Park Area (Amenity Lot – Tutton Hill) in the Limited Development District (LDD) zoning district. Property Located at 720 Oakdale Drive in Tutton Hill Subdivision.
(3) West Pace, LLC. Keith Maxwell (Authorized Representative). Road Service Use-Convenience Store and Gas Station (West Pace Village Station) in the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) zoning district. Property Located at the northeast corner of South College Street and Shell Toomer Parkway.
(4) Hoke V. Harper. Randall Phillips (Authorized Representative). Commercial and entertainment Use-Sports and Recreation Instruction (Martial Arts Studio) in the Industrial (I) zoning district. Property Located at 2515 East Glenn Avenue, Suite 204.
c. Development Agreement and Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Planning Department. JEDD Land Company, LLC. (Fred Peak) The Cotswolds Phase II Development Agreement. Property Located at the current terminus of the right-of-way for Richland Road.
(2) Contracts.
(a) Information Technology Department. Enterprise License Agreement (ELA). Unlimited GIS Software and Maintenance. ESRI Inc. $35,000.
(b) Finance Department. Uniform Rental and Cleaning. ARAMARK Services. Lowest Responsible Bidder. Three-Year Contract.
(c) Public Works Department. Boykin Center HVAC Renovations Project. Associated Mechanical Contractors, Inc. $239,389.
d. Drainage and Utility Easements, Sidewalk and Street Easement. Acceptance.
(1) EDR Auburn LLC c/o Marvin F. Poer & Company. Sterling Apartments Subdivision. Drainage and Utility, Sidewalk, and Street Easement.
(2) Cleveland Brothers, Inc. Grove Hill eleventh Addition and Redivision of Grove Hill Tenth Addition, Lot 1. Drainage and Utility Easements.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.
Adjourn to Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 11:30 AM to canvass results of Special Municipal Bond Election held on January 27, 2009.
TUESDAY, JAN. 20 – OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:35 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda includes:
(1) - a. Resolution, request to fill Tree-trimmer position
(2) - B. Resolution, change order – drainage project
(3) - a. Robins & Morton, Maintenance building & Softball field.; b. General updates
(4) - Discuss/review CM agenda items of 1/20/09
a. Remarks by Mayor; b. General business; c. Bids; d. Resolutions; e. Ordinances; f. Board Appointments.
(5) - Discussion: a. New / Old Business; b. Board appointments; c. Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
READING OF MINUTES – Council Meeting of January 6th, 2009
UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
REMARKS BY THE MAYOR - Gary Fuller
a. Appointments to the Planning Commission – Jesse Seroyer and Al Cook.
b. Monthly Building Inspection report for December, 2008.
c. Monthly Financial Summary for December, 2008.
CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less) Bob Shuman
REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
COMMITTEE REPORTS
GENERAL BUSINESS
a. Public hearing, amend zoning ordinance and zoning map to reflect GC-2 along the East and West segments of Society Hill Road.
AWARDING OF BIDS
1. Contract for construction of maintenance building and site work for the softball complex as part of the new SportsPlex and Aquatic Center.
2. Purchase a ¾ ton truck for the L&P department.
RESOLUTIONS – Guy Gunter
1. Authorize payment to the RSA for the City’s portion of past military service.
2. Set public hearing date for fixing cost of repairs to 3807 Heritage Place.
3. Special appropriation to the Opelika School System for our MLK celebration.
4. Amend the term expiration date for a Utility Board appointment.
5. Designated City personal property as surplus and authorize disposal.
ORDINANCES – Guy Gunter
1. Amend zoning ordinance and zoning map, GC-2 on Society Hill Rd. – 1st Reading.
APPOINTMENTS –
1. Tree Commission - reappoint Lehman Bass and Helen Levett.
2. P&R Board - reappoint Clay Humphries.
3. Board of Education - reappoint O.D. Alsobrook.
4. Medical Clinic Board - reappoint Dr. Clint Hurd
ADJOURN
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21 and THURSDAY, JAN.22 — UPLAND RAINWATER BANKING CONFERENCE
Upland Rainwater Banking: An Alternative to Damming Larger Perennial Streams for Municipal, Industrial, and Agricultural Water Sources
Held at the Lake Guntersville State Park Conference Center. Pre-registration preferred, but registration upon arrival will be accepted as space allows.
Co-sponsored by the Auburn University Butler/Cunningham Endowment, the Auburn University Water Resources Center, the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and the Alabama Farmers Federation.
The purpose of this conference is to explore the potential for capturing overland flow of rainfall from upland, rural watersheds in complexes of small impoundments to provide water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use. This technique has been used very successfully at some places in the United States and several other countries to increase water supply. Because there is relatively high rainfall and resulting overland flow across Alabama, water harvesting could be a particularly attractive source of water for municipalities in areas without access to significant sources of groundwater. Water would usually be harvested from privately-owned land, and water harvesting could provide a source of income for property owners. Speakers will discuss hydrologic, environmental, legislative, regulatory, and socioeconomic issues related to water harvesting.
This conference should be of interest to:
–Federal, state, and local officials concerned with water quality, scarcity, distribution, and policy
–Organizations of private citizens concerned with water quality and other water-related issues
–Representatives from water-related industry
–Scientists and researchers from the academic community as well as the private sector
–University students in water-related areas of study
Info about the conference, including an agenda of all presenters and topics,and links to the on-line registration form and the Guntersville State Park webpage for making lodging arrangements: http://www.nrmdi.auburn.edu/
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21, 11:30 AM — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided. http://www.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD www.auburnheritage.org
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities). Members are encouraged and invited to attend.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21, 3:00 PM – DR. BERT HITCHCOCK / DEAD OR ALIVE: THE CODE DUELLO IN EAST ALABAMA
Held in AU’s Special Collections and Archives, Ralph Brown Draughon Library. Discover Auburn Lecture Series. Free & open to all.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21, 6:00 pm – 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 – Program: Martha Faupel, Executive Director, Food Bank of East Alabama.
Martha Faupel grew up in the Congo as the daughter of missionary parents and came face to face with the impact that hunger can have on people’s lives. After moving to Auburn in 1982, she spent five years working with Presbyterian Community Ministries and got acquainted with hunger in our community. She went to work at the Food Bank in 1995 and found a place where she could make the most impact on fighting hunger.
–The Food Bank is a non-profit distribution center that distributes donated and purchased food through 187 agencies, including our own Community Market. Through heavy use of volunteers, the Food Bank makes good use of donated money. Of every dollar in their budget, 96 cents goes for food. Every dollar buys 14 pounds of nutritious food and more than 300,000 pounds (equivalent of 12 tractor-trailer loads) are distributed each month. Their budget has increased nearly ten-fold from its begininning of $77,650 in 1994. The needs are still not being met and the current economic crisis has made things worse, with donations down and unemployment up.
THURSDAY, JAN. 22, NOON — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA
Held in Bruno’s meeting room, Auburn. Open to all. http://www.lwval.org/
Agenda: Brown Bag Lunch, to complete consensus on Off-site Voting Study, if needed.
THURSDAY, JAN. 22, noon – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society.
THURSDAY, JAN. 22, 4:00 pm — OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Note: Opelika PC regular meeting to be held Tuesday, Jan. 27, 3:00 pm.
Agenda includes:
I. Elect Officers to Planning Commission (Chairman, Vice Chairman)
A. PLATS (preliminary and prel. & final) – Public Hearing
1. Wyndham Industrial Park S/D, First Rev. of Lot 2, 4 lots, Gateway Drive, Wyndham Properties, LLC, P/F approval
2. Collinwood S/D, First Addition, Resub Lots 73,75,76, 2 lots, West Collinwood Circle, Mary S. Drake, P/F approval
3. Milespoint S/D, South 3rd Street, 1 lot, Troy Booth, P/F approval
B. FINAL PLAT APPROVAL
4. Gates S/D, 34 lots, Lee Road 147, Debra Garrett Pinkard, Final approval
5. Stevens Street S/D, 1st Addition, 2 lots, Stevens Street, Jacob Stevens, Final approval
C. CONDITIONAL USE
6. Marsh Real Estate & Investments, 115 South 8th Street,, Residential in C-1 zone
7. Marsh Real Estate & Investments, 833 South Railroad Ave., Residential in C-1 zone
8. Troy Booth, 200 South 3rd Street, R-4, Group Home
D. AMENDMENT TO ZONING ORDINANCE – Public Hearing
9. Amend Section 8.18 Planned Unit Development Regulations, Subsection C. Applicability, by adding the following sentence: If any development is located in either a Gateway Corridor 1 or Gateway Corridor 2 Overlay District, the land use categories of Section 7.3.C. Use Categories shall apply.
E. OTHER BUSINESS
10. Nancy Willingham, 13 Samford Avenue, C-3, GC-2, Review temporary conditional use permit approved on June 24, 2008
THURSDAY, JAN. 22, 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. Note: The Board meets on the1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
FRIDAY, JAN. 23 — LEWIS NORDAN AND THE HEARTBREAKING LAUGHTER OF TRANSCENDENCE AND HOPE http://media.cla.auburn.edu/
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM / Symposium
7:00 PM / KEYNOTE: Lewis Nordan “Don’t Cry For Me Itta Bena”, with special guests Hal Crowther and Clyde Edgerton.
Held at AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Free & open to the public. Info: www.auburn.edu/cah or 334-844-4946.
Participants: Marcel Arbeit, Barbara A. Baker, Manual Broncano, Mary Carney, Hal Crowther, John Dufresne, Edward J. Dupuy, Clyde Edgerton, Roberta Maguire, Lee Martin, Constance Relihan, Robert Rudnicki, Terrell L. Tebbetts. Sponsored by AU’s Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, College of Liberal Arts. Contact: Maiben Beard, 334-844-4903, meeb0015@auburn.edu, http://www.auburn.edu/cah.
FRIDAY, JAN. 23, 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM — “Our Call to Conscious: Dreaming with the Courage to Act” – Roundtable Discussion
Held in AU’s Multicultural Center Reading Room. Free & open to all. Bring your lunch.
Facilitated by Professor Chippewa Thomas and Shakeer Abdullah, this interactive education program promotes civil dialogue and explores ways to improve the campus climate for all AU students. The legacy of Dr. King’s work provides the opportunity to reflect on the principals of social justice as the foundation for civic engagement, community empowerment, diversity, non-violence, and peacemaking. To achieve Dr. King’s call for social harmony and equity demands the heartfelt dedication of individuals and organizations with a vision for the future.
FRIDAY, JAN. 23, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING ERIC TAYLOR
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Eric Taylor, go to www.sundilla.org.
SATURDAY, JAN. 24, 9:00 – 10:00 AM — “Removing Walls/Building Bridges” :Seminar and Panel Discussion
Held at AU’s Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. Free & open to all.
Seating is Limited: Pre-registration required, 334-844-5042.
Removing Walls/Building Bridges — Facilitator: Dr. Curtis May, Reconciliation Ministries.
Public discussions can help participants learn how to begin the process of reconciliation in their communities, and foster an understanding of the concept. Public forums and community dialogue are now widely embraced as a way to address a variety of broken relationships and as a path toward reconciliation within and between communities. The use of a balanced range of authentic oral history enables listeners to have their own perceptions and beliefs acknowledged while experiencing contrasting views in a credible but non-threatening context. Ideally this is supported by expert facilitation and open debate. We invite you to join us for this interactive and stimulating event.
SATURDAY, JAN. 24, 3:00 PM – DR. LEWIS NORDAN /READING & BOOK SIGNING
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 South Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all. www.thegnusroom.com
AU alum Dr. Lewis Nordan will be reading & signing books at The Gnu’s Room. Copies of his books can be ordered ahead for signing. A Southern icon, Dr. Nordan is perhaps best known for the collection, Music of the Swamp (1987), which garnered him a best fiction prize from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters, a Notable Fiction award from the American Library Institute of Arts and Letters, and the Porter Fund Prize. Music of the Swamp exemplified his development of the art of adding the message of hope and transcendence through comedy and pathos to the master storytelling of his childhood experiences in Itta Bena, Mississippi – the basis for Nordan’s imaginary town of Arrow Catcher, Mississippi. Dr. Nordan’s body of work includes Wolf Whistle, winner of the Southern Book Award and the Notable Book Award from the ALA; The All-Girls Football Team; Arrow-Catcher Fair; Sharpshooter Blues (compared to The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and the best of Flannery O’Conner); Sugar Among the Freaks; and Lightning Song. Nordan’s memoir is entitled Boy with Loaded Gun.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Jan. 18, 2009
Comments Off
Auburn faces same issues as last year
Many local issues for 2009 are hold-overs from 2008.
Auburn is still grappling with the West Pace project, a proposed sewer rate increase and the public’s concerns about crime rates. These items may be on next Tuesday’s council agenda.
Lee County is still working on its first-ever comprehensive plan, and will hold town hall meetings in March to gather public comments about that plan.
The overarching hold-over issue, though, is the economy. And opinions about the future of our local economy differ widely.
I’ve heard claims that Auburn and Lee County have a rosy future, especially when compared to the rest of the state, the region, the country. Many who espouse this view are local business owners, politicians, represent business associations, or are involved in local economic development.
They note new businesses have opened and other openings are scheduled in the near future, especially with the expected phase-in of BRAC. They argue that the local real estate market is in good shape. Further, they say many local builders are still making a good living.
One can’t help but wonder, though, whether their analyses are colored by fear that admitting anything negative about the economy would be self-reinforcing, would make the situation worse.
As you’d expect, not everyone agrees with the ‘all is well’ view. Many see a bleaker economic picture.
Interestingly, many with an ‘all-is-not-well’ view also are local business owners; some even are involved in local development. Also included are those who often first feel the brunt of an economic downturn – sub-contractors, manual laborers, part-time workers, students, those on fixed incomes or with few family resources.
As evidence, this group points to the recent businesses that have closed, the jobs lost, the many empty commercial buildings, the vacant and unfinished local subdivisions, low interest rates paid on savings, the plans deferred or cancelled due to economic stresses. They note the severe cut in state education funding and its negative impact on our local economy.
They cite the drop in real estate sales prices, the longer time needed to sell a property, and the slow-down in local construction as both significant and worrying. The increase in number and frequency of local foreclosure proceedings, including those in upscale local subdivisions, also is considered a telling indicator.
Opinions may differ on the degree of severity of the situation, but these issues are real. Our business leaders and elected officials cannot simply chorus that ‘all is well.’ They must acknowledge and address the real problems that are emerging. And they must pay special attention to the more vulnerable among us in this time of change.
Comments Off
UPDATE: Additional events & info
ADDITIONAL EVENTS
TOMORROW, THURSDAY, JAN. 15, 6:00 PM — STATE REP. PEBBLIN WARREN / TOWN HALL MEETING
Held at the Boykin Center, 400 Boykin Street, Auburn.
All are invited to attend this town hall meeting with State Rep. Pebblin Warren, who represents AL House District 82 (which includes parts of Bullock, Lee & Macon counties).
For info about Rep. Warren, go to : http://www.pebblinwarren.com/ and/or http://www.legislature.state.
[Note: District 82 includes much of Auburn west of College Street. To see a map of the House districts, go to http://www.legislature.state.
TOMORROW, THURSDAY, JAN 15, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — TOWN HALL MEETING / FROM DR. KING TO MR. PRESIDENT: THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN JOURNEY FROM CIVIL RIGHTS TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Held in AU’s new Student Center, room 2222. The public is invited.
Moderator: David Carter, AU assoc. professor of history.
Participants: a panel of university experts on race and politics including Professor Susana Morris of the English Dept., Dean of Students and Poli-Sci Professor Johnny Green, Wylin Dassie of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, the Rev. Wells Warren of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Student Center.
AU faculty will guide a dialogue on the significance of the election of President-elect Barack Obama in relation to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision for America. The forum will explore the international, economic, social and cultural implications of the recent presidential election in conjunction with the observation of Martin Luther King Jr Week activities at Auburn University. The town hall meeting is part of the 10th annual celebration of King’s life and ministry. It is sponsored by St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Auburn and co-sponsored by the Auburn University Collegeof Liberal Arts Diversity Officers Team.
More info on this event: Laura Nan Fairley at 844-4593 or fairlln@auburn.edu or Mike Clardy, (334) 844-9999 (clardch@auburn.edu).
More info on King Week activities: https://fp.auburn.edu/aci/
SUNDAY, JAN. 18, 6:30 PM – GATHERING TO HONOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Held at Toomer’s Corner, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
All are welcome to gather in peace to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Join with those gathered to sing and speak King’s message, all while acknowledging the need for continued efforts toward peace and justice for all people.
SUNDAY, JAN. 18 — REMEMBRANCE SERVICE / WHITE STREET MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Held in the new sanctuary, White Street Missionary Baptist Church, Carlisle Drive.
AU Dean of Students and Baptist minister Johnny Green and the Rev. Wells Warren are co-leading a service of remembrance commemorating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
SUNDAY, JAN. 18 THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 24 — FULFILLING THE DREAM THROUGH SERVICE: ONE AUBURN ONE COMMUNITY / A week-long tribute honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
Held at various locations (see details below). All events open to the public.
Auburn University will host a week-long tribute to Martin Luther King with the theme “Fulfilling the Dream Through Service: One Auburn One Community.” Highlights of the week will include an oratory contest, a university-wide interfaith event, scholarship breakfast, guest speakers,
lectures, student performances and community service projects. The week’s events begin with speeches from student finalists in the “Word from the Mountain Top” oratory contest on Sunday, Jan. 18, at 5 p.m. at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce. A scholarship breakfast on Monday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 a.m. at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center will feature Byron Franklin, Auburn University Board of Trustees member, as the keynote speaker. To purchase tickets for this event, call 501-3084 or 844-5042. Founder and chairman of Chick-fil-A Inc., Truett Cathy, will speak on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 3 p.m. in the Student Center ballroom. To see the complete list of events next week, see this link (https://fp.auburn.edu/aci/
MONDAY, JAN. 19, NOON – 19TH ANNUAL MLK, JR. COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM Held at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 541 Pitts St, Auburn. All are welcome. Speaker: Christopher Senie, Attorney at Law, Westborough, MA. This event is sponsored by Rose of Sharon OES 914 and C-Move (Citizens Making Opportunities Visible for Excellence).
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RECENT CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES – www.auburnalabama.org
Work Begins on Donahue Drive – Bragg Avenue Project
Citizens Reminded to Turn Off Irrigation Systems During Cold Weather
Special Five Mill Referendum Set for January 27
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Schedule
City of Auburn LifeSouth Blood Drive January 20
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UPLAND RAINWATER BANKING CONFERENCE REMINDER
JANUARY 21 -22 — Upland Rainwater Banking: An Alternative to Damming Larger Perennial Streams for Municipal, Industrial, and Agricultural Water Sources
Held at the Lake Guntersville State Park Conference Center. Pre-registration preferred, but registration upon arrival will be accepted as space allows.
Co-sponsored by the Auburn University Butler/Cunningham Endowment, the Auburn University Water Resources Center, the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and the Alabama Farmers Federation.
The purpose of this conference is to explore the potential for capturing overland flow of rainfall from upland, rural watersheds in complexes of small impoundments to provide water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use. This technique has been used very successfully at some places in the United States and several other countries to increase water supply. Because there is relatively high rainfall and resulting overland flow across Alabama, water harvesting could be a particularly attractive source of water for municipalities in areas without access to significant sources of groundwater. Water would usually be harvested from privately-owned land, and water harvesting could provide a source of income for property owners. Speakers will discuss hydrologic, environmental, legislative, regulatory, and socioeconomic issues related to water harvesting.
This conference should be of interest to:
–Federal, state, and local officials concerned with water quality, scarcity, distribution, and policy
–Organizations of private citizens concerned with water quality and other water-related issues
–Representatives from water-related industry
–Scientists and researchers from the academic community as well as the private sector
–University students in water-related areas of study
Info about the conference, including an agenda of all presenters and topics,and links to the on-line registration form and the Guntersville State Park webpage for making lodging arrangements: http://www.nrmdi.auburn.edu/water/conference/2009/.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Jan. 14, 2008
Comments Off
Week of Jan. 12, 2008 — Meetings, events & updates
MONDAY, JAN. 12, 3:00 PM – AU DARWIN CELEBRATION EVENT: DARWIN, GOD & DESIGN: EVOLUTION AND THE BATTLE FOR AMERICA’S SOUL
(A filmed showing of the September Littleton-Franklin Lecture by Kenneth Miller, Professor of Biology, Brown University.)
Held in AU’s Rouse Life Sciences Bldg, Room 112. Free & open to all.
Is acceptance of what evolutionary biology says about the origin of humankind and other living things compatible with religious faith in a Creator God? Miller, a professor of biology at Brown University, addresses this and related questions about the nature of science and faith and the teaching of science in the United States. Miller was lead witness in the 2005 Pennsylvania “intelligent design (ID)” case, and his testimony was critical to the trial’s outcome resulting in barring the teaching of ID in biology class in a Pennsylvania public school district and a federal court ruling that ID “is a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory.” The film showing is the beginning of a semester-long Darwin Celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection.” The Darwin Celebration is sponsored by AU’s College of Science and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, and the Outreach Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Its purpose is to present Darwin’s ideas and their impact on diverse disciplines for general audiences in a friendly, clear, accurate, non-proselytizing way.
MONDAY, JAN. 12 – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
6. Reports from Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting December 29, 2008
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
c. Bid #7 Domestic Water Heaters for Justice Center – Jerry Lynch
8. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Results from Solid Waste RFP – Judge English
b. Report on EMA Applications – Judge English
c. Resolutions for Legislative Considerations – Wendy Swann
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Letter of Support for Smiths Water Authority Federal Funding – Dick Key
b. Infrastructure Priorities – Commissioner Harris
c. Possible Re-schedule of February 9 Commission Meeting – Judge English
d. Dirt Road Paving Program – Neal Hall and Roger Rendleman
10. Discussion Items
11. Adjourn
TUESDAY, JAN.13, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the city of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
Agenda includes: Charles Pick will make a presentation on the “Cary Creek” development on North College. If you plan to attend, to ensure sufficient seating, please notify Becky Richardson brichardson@auburnalabama.org.
TUESDAY, JAN. 13, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/
TUESDAY, JAN. 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. [Dinner for the Board of Education members is at 5:00 p.m. at the Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Avenue.]
THURSDAY, JAN. 15, 10:00 AM – ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. Open to all.
Agenda: The Board will meet to approve minutes from the previous month’s meeting, to approve applications for licensure, and to conduct the general business of the Board.
THURSDAY, JAN. 15, NOON – ART MUSEUM / A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. Free & open to all.
Enjoy lunch in the museum café on Thursdays while the lovely sounds of local musicians echo through the museum. Sponsored by the Auburn Chamber Museum Society.
THURSDAY, JAN. 15, 5:00 PM – ARTIST TALK & RECEPTION
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art (JCSM). This event is free & open to the public. Reception follows talk.
Noted painter, printmaker and illustrator Rafal Olbinski will be discussing his current exhibition New Dreams of Old Values. This collection of recent paintings by Olbinski is on display at JCSM from December 13, 2008 through February 28, 2009. This program is part of the museum’s Third Thursday Free Nights and is open to the public.
More info: 334.844.7075 or visit http://www.jscm.auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, JAN. 16, NOON – WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / LUNCHEON & ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: DEBT FREE & FINANCIALLY FIT
Held in the private dining room of Ariccia, in the Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center. Dutch treat luncheon.
Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For reservations, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan at 844-9199 or wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
The College of Human Sciences’ Women’s Philanthropy Board will host a roundtable discussion focusing on how to be “Debt Free and Financially Fit” featuring Jeff Holloway, president of Holloway Credit Solutions of Montgomery. Topics will include how to balance your cash flow, credit scores, interest rates, credit risk and reducing debt during today’s credit crunch. Holloway joined the Credit Bureau of Montgomery in 1992 after completing graduate studies at Tulane University in mathematical economics and finance. In 2003 the Credit Bureau of Montgomery became Holloway Credit Solutions and the company transformed into a medical billing and collection agency. Holloway has served as state president of the Associated Credit Bureaus, advisory board member to Experian and board member of the American Collectors Association.
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WEST PACE GAS STATION & CONVENIENCE STORE / SHELL TOOMER PARKWAY AT SOUTH COLLEGE STREET
Last week the Auburn Planning Commission voted to recommend that City Council grant conditional use approval for a road service use (gas station & convenience store) in the corner parcel of the West Pace project. The recommendation included a number of conditions, affirmed the requirement for a 20-foot-wide bufferyard adjacent to the Shell Toomer Parkway & bikepath, but removed the requirement for a fence structure in that bufferyard.
PROPOSED AUBURN SEWER RATE INCREASE
The City of Auburn is proposing a sewer rate increase. The city council will vote on the increase at its Jan. 20 meeting. A presentation from the city’s recent sewer rate workshop, which includes information about needed sewer improvements, proposed financing and increased rates, is available online at:
http://www.auburnalabama.org/
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Jan. 11, 2008
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UPDATE: additions & corrections
ADDITIONAL MEETING
TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Held in old Johnson Gallery building, behind the Lee County Courthouse, Opelika.
Agenda: workshop on outreach, review program & role of facilitators for upcoming Lee County town hall meetings, etc. This committee has been formed to ensure broad-based participation of Lee County Residents in the creation of the first Lee County Comprehensive Plan. Info: Wendy Swann, Governmental Relations Coordinator, Lee County Commission / wswann@leeco.us; 334-737-3674; or contact your Lee County Commissioner.
CORRECTION (starts at 6:30 pm) & AGENDA DETAILS
TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 6:30 – 8:00 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APJ) www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 450 E. Thatch Ave. Open to all.
Proposed agenda items include: consideration of signing a resolution re Gaza, planning for annual MLK Interfaith Peace Vigil, and opposing Jan. 15th scheduled execution of James Callahan.
ADDITIONAL MEETING
FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 8:15 AM – ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD / special-called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery; 334-242-2230. Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting.
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Jan. 5, 2008
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Week of Jan. 5, 2009 — Meetings, events & updates
CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASE: Auburn Water Works Board to Switch to Multi-Cycle Billing
(http://www.auburnalabama.org/
CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES
• Board of Zoning Adjustment: Two vacancies will be filled at the January 6 meeting.
• Metropolitan Planning Organization – Citizens Advisory Committee: Five vacancies will be announced at the February 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 3 meeting.
• Commercial Development Authority: Two vacancies will be announced at the February 3 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 3 meeting.
• Mental Health Mental Retardation Board: Two vacancies will be announced at the February 17 City Council meeting and will be filled at the March 17 meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact a City Council member or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or call 501-7260.
MONDAY, JAN. 5, noon– AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Cooper Annexation PL-2008-00855
Applicant: Ronald and Diane Cooper
General Location: 1633 Lee Road 80 (Bud Black Road)
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 12.5 acres
NEW BUSINESS
2. North Dean Car Wash PUBLIC HEARING PL-2008-00859
Applicant: Jerome Anderson for Danny Phipps
General Location: 231 North Dean Road, Suite 1
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (car wash)
3. Tutton Hill Subdivision Amenity Lot PUBLIC HEARING PL-2008-00864
Applicant: Dilworth Development, Inc.
General Location: 720 Oakdale Drive
Zoning District: Limited Development District (LDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a subdivision amenity
4. West Pace Village Station PUBLIC HEARING PL-2008-00867
Applicant: West Pace, LLC
General Location: Northeast corner of South College Street and Shell Toomer Parkway
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (gas station)
5. Auburn Mixed Martial Arts PUBLIC HEARING PL-2008-00868
Applicant: Randall Phillips for Hoke Harper
General Location: 2515 East Glenn Avenue, Suite 204
Zoning District: Industrial (I)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a commercial and entertainment use (sports and recreation instruction)
OTHER BUSINESS
6. Annual Meeting of the Commission to Elect New Officers
7. CompPlan 2030 Process/Update – Justin Steinmann, Principal Planner
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. STAFF COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT
MONDAY, JAN. 5, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 4:00 pm – AUBURN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB)
Held in the City Manager’s Conference Room, Auburn City Hall, 144 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.
TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.
TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 6:00 PM – LEE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the old Johnson Gallery building located behind the County Courthouse in Opelika. Open to all.
TUESDAY, JAN. 6 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:40 pm – work session / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all. www.opelika.org
Work session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/
Regular session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/
TUESDAY, JAN. 6 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 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:
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. Nominations.
a. CEMETERY ADVISORY BOARD. Two Positions. Incumbents: Genyth Brown Carr and Maury Matthews (have served two full terms). Four Year Terms Expire December 31, 2012.
b. BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT. Two Positions. Incumbents: Phil Thompson and Karen Turner (have served partial terms and two full terms). Three Year Terms Expire January 20, 2012.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses.
(1) Mardi’s by the Lake, LLC dba/Mardi’s. 190 East University Drive, Suite 1406. 050 – Retail Beer (Off Premises Only) and 070 – Retail Table Wine (Off Premises Only) Licenses. Relocation and Transfer of Existing License.
(2) Goal Post Estate, LLC dba/Goal Post Package. 190 North Donahue Drive. 011 – Lounge Retail Liquor – Class II – (Package) License. Addition to Existing License.
(3) Tiger, LLC dba/Ahi’s Restaurant and Bar. 1936 South College Street. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License.
b. Announcement of Board Vacancy. Tree Commission. One Position. Resignation. Unexpired Term Ends November 7, 2009. Appointment at February 3, 2009 Meeting.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexation. Lorenza Herbert Clark. 7786 Alabama Highway 147 North. Property Located east of Alabama Highway 147 North (Heath Road) and south of Gold Hill Road (Lee Road 086) and the Central of Georgia Railroad. 2.0 Acres. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b. Sewer Ordinance. Establish and set monthly sewer usage charges and sewer system access fees. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
[PLACE editorial note: For more info on sewer rate increase, see Sewer Rate Workshop presentation — http://www.auburnalabama.org/
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Special Municipal Bond Election. January 27, 2009. Election Officials. Appointment.
b. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) Lennie & Martin Squiers. David Slocum (Authorized Representative). Commercial Support Use – Warehouses and Offices (Airport Warehouses) In the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) zoning district. Property Located at 1914 Saugahatchee Road. 2.00 Acres.
(2) Reddy Munagala. Goal Post Estate, LLC. Commercial and Entertainment Use – Package Store (The Goal Post) in the University Service (US) zoning district. Property Located at 1956 North Donahue Drive. 0.25 Acres.
c. Jones & Minear Homebuilders, LLC. Stonewood Farm Subdivision. Rename Five City Streets.
d. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Information Technology Department. TekLinks. Cisco Systems/SmartNet. Network Maintenance. Contract Renewal. $59,665.04
(2) Office of the City Manager. Classification and Compensation Study. Condrey and Associates, Inc. $57,500.
e. Tiger Crossing, an Alabama General Partnership. Longleaf Crossing, Phase Five. Property Located at the terminus of West longleaf Drive. Drainage and Utility easements and Rights-of-Way. Acceptance.
f. Economic Development Department. Revolving Loan Fund. Gold Valley Development, LLC. Up to $150,000.
g. Boards and Commissions. Appointments.
(1) Auburn Cemeteries Advisory Board. Two Positions. Four year terms end December 31, 2012.
(2) Board of Zoning Adjustment. Two Positions. Three year terms end January 20, 2012.
11. OTHER BUSINESS. 12. ADJOURNMENT.
TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 7:00 8:30 6:30 – 8:00 pm — ALLIANCE FOR PEACE & JUSTICE (APF) www.peaceeagle.org
Held at the Busch Center, behind the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 450 E. Thatch Ave. Open to all.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 7, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda: www.auburnalabama.org/bza/
OLD BUSINESS –none
NEW BUSINESS
Variance to Section 605.04 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2008-00849
Applicant: Beck Bradham Inc.
General Location: 2336 Bent Creek Road
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Variance of 192 square feet to the maximum sign allowance of 60 square feet to allow 252 square feet of signage on a building
Variance to Section 502.02A of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2008-00857
Applicant: Winona Coker
General Location: 626 Kalypso Circle
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Variance of 8.88 feet to the required 20 foot rear setback in order to allow a rear setback of 11.12 feet for a single-family residence for a covered patio
Variance to Section 515.02, Table 5-3 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance PL-2008-00865
Applicant: Chris Kearns
General Location: 151 North College Street
Zoning District: Urban Core (UC) with an overlay of the College Edge Overlay District (CEOD)
Action Requested: Variance of 22.3% (2.75 feet) to that requirement that an awning extend no more than 75% of the length of a building façade along the street line to allow an awning to extend 97.3% (12 feet) of the width of the building façade (12.33 feet)
OTHER BUSINESS. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION. ADJOURNMENT.
THURSDAY, JAN. 8, 4:30 PM — OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
THURSDAY, JAN. 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/
FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION / Rulemaking Committee
Held in Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Mont. Open to all.
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on June 1, 2007**
2. Discussion and consideration of Commission rules of conduct to recommend to the full Commission for rulemaking
3. Other business
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.state.al.us, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.
FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all.
FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 7:30 PM – EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab. Open to all.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics. For further information and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh, bartojl@auburn.edu.
FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING JUNI FISHER
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of JUNI FISHER, go to www.sundilla.org.
FRIDAY, JAN. 9, 9:00 PM – AU THEATRE: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
Held in AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Mainstage. http://media.cla.auburn.edu/
Tickets: Admission is a mandatory donation of $10 to AU Players. Everyone will receive their own throw bag that will be used during the show. More info: 334.444.8569
The student produced Rocky Horror Picture Show is an annual fundraiser for AU Players and also a unique Auburn University tradition. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a tale about two innocent young lovers who are forced to seek refuge in the castle of the bizarre Dr. Frankenfurter, who is having a special gathering. An unforgettable night of music and madness ensues, where, like a circus act, you never know what’s going to come next. By the end of the night, fantasies will be realities, men will be women and everything will be explained. It’s definitely a show you won’t forget! Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to experience A Very Rocky New Year.
AUBURN SEWER RATE PRESENTATION
On Wednesday, Dec. 17, the City of Auburn held a sewer rate workshop. The presentation, which includes information about needed sewer improvements, proposed financing and increased rates, is available online at:
http://www.auburnalabama.org/
CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Want to report info on ADEM, environmental violators or other environmental issues, but prefer to do it anonymously? You can do it via this website: http://www.enviro-lawyer.com/
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Thanks for your interest and support.
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog
Jan. 3, 2008
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