City Council - Regular Meeting

Good morning, Coleman. Thank you for joining us on Coleman Today. I'm your host, Dustin Isom, and today is Monday, August 24th. Coming up on Coleman Today, new city records confirm former city attorney Roy Williams initiated an investigation involving allegations of time theft at the Coleman Police Department. Plus, Coleman City Schools renews its partnership with the North Alabama Agriplex through 2028. And a proposed duplex on Dripping Springs Road gets approval for a smaller than required lot. All this plus your Friday night football recap for and for weather and more. So now let's take a closer look at the top stories happening in Coleman today. A City of Coleman response to a public records request has confirmed that former City Attorney Roy Williams initiated an investigation involving allegations of time theft at the Coleman Police Department. The August 7th response also reveals previously undisclosed communications involving human resources and the Alabama Ethics Commission, but it does not disclose the investigative records themselves. The City said William's investigation occurred before the Coleman Tribune submitted its original records request August 26, 2025. A Human Resources document states there was, quote, no active investigation into any Coleman police officers stealing time when that request was submitted, while acknowledging previous investigations had been conducted at William's instruction. However, the city's withholding log identifies a September 3rd communication from Human Resources to Williams containing information he requested, quote, related to his investigation. That leaves an unresolved question about whether the investigation had ended by August 26, remained open, or was later resumed. The log also identifies an October 29th communication from Mayor Woody Jacobs to the Alabama Ethics Commission. The City has not disclosed the nature of that communication, and its existence does not establish that anyone violated Alabama Ethics Law. The response also includes a letter from Coleman Police Chief Joey Duncan, who has served as chief since October 1, 2024. Duncan wrote that since his appointment, there have been no allegations of time theft, payroll fraud, falsification of time records, or related administrative or criminal investigations. The records released so far do not establish whether all allegations and investigative activity occurred before Duncan became Chief or whether William's inquiry was classified differently. The Tribune is submitting a supplemental request seeking earlier records connected to the investigation, including timesheets, payroll information, and other factual or financial records. It is also asking the City to distinguish attorney-client communications from independently existing government records. The Tribune will report the City's response when it's received. From City Hall, we turn to Coleman City Schools, where the School Board has renewed a long-time educational partnership. The Coleman City School Board of Education approved a two-year agreement with the North Alabama AgriPlex through 2028. Superintendent Kyle Koloff said the district will pay $20,000 annually for help with outdoor classrooms, summer outreach programs, and outdoor classroom lessons. The board also approved an agreement with Athens State University allowing teacher candidates to complete field experience and internships in Coleman City Schools. Two budget hearings are scheduled for September 3rd and September 8th at 5 p.m. at the district's central office. And in other city business, a proposed duplex on Dripping Springs Road is moving forward after receiving a zoning variance. The City of Coleman Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals approved the request for 1432 Dripping Springs Road NW. The required lot size is 10,000 square feet, while the proposed lot contains 9,561 square feet. Hillary Sharpton with Leonard Design said the request would allow the lot line to shift five feet and the building to be repositioned because of a nearby drainage pipe that could create future foundation concerns. And that's all for our top stories this morning. Coming up, week one brought a pair of 48 and zip shutouts and a dramatic fourth quarter comeback in the Brandon Iron Bowl. Your Friday night football recap is next. Thank you. Welcome back. Week one brought a pair of shutouts, a rivalry comeback, and several close battles for Coleman County teams Friday night. Third-ranked Addison dominated Winston County behind quarterback Elijah Roberts, who threw for 140 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 167 yards and two more scores. Major Snoddy led the defense with 10 tackles and a sack, while Joey Wilson added eight tackles and a blocked punt. Vinemont shut out Falkville behind three rushing touchdowns from Preston Hanners. Josh Rhodes intercepted a pass on Falkville's opening possession and later scored on a three-yard run. Brennan Marleau capped the win with a 49-yard touchdown run on the final play. The wildest finish came in the 10th annual Brandon Iron Bowl. West Point led Fairview 19-7 in the fourth quarter, but the Aggies scored 20 unanswered points to win 27-19 in Brian Simmons' debut as head coach. With less than 30 seconds left, quarterback Connor Scott connected with Colt Dean for the go-ahead touchdown. Fairview then returned an interception for another score to seal the comeback. Good hope fell to Plainview 31-24. Parker Johnson accounted for three touchdowns, including an 80-yard kickoff return, while Carson Hollis rushed for 119 yards. Coleman led Boas 14-0 in the first quarter before falling 21-14. Colt Colvard threw touchdown passes to Sam Ellerbee and Morgan Holley, but the Bearcats were intercepted on two late drives deep in Boas territory. Elsewhere, Holly Pond shut out JB Pennington 20-0. Hansville fell to Carbon Hill 59-28. And Meek lost to Curry 41-15. Addison, Vinemont, Fairview, and Holly Pond all picked up wins Friday night. Coming up, Alabama rolls out a new hunting and fishing license system, a Coleman grooming business expands, a local farm stand offers fresh produce and handmade goods, and seniors start getting ready for Oktoberfest. Your 4 in 4 is next. Welcome back. Now it's time for a news rundown. Four stories in under four minutes. Alabama hunters and anglers can begin purchasing licenses for the 2026-27 seasons today through a new online system. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has launched My Outdoor Alabama, replacing a licensing platform used for about 20 years. Customers can access the system at myoutdooralabama.com, outdooralabama.com, or through the Outdoor Alabama app. Existing license history, game check records, and conservation ID numbers have transferred, but payment information did not. ADC&R is encouraging customers to claim their profiles, verify their information, and enter new payment details. The system also allows people seeking certain disability, military service, or other special licenses to upload eligibility documents online for state review instead of visiting a county probate office. Commercial saltwater licenses will still require an in-person visit to Marine Resources Division offices in Orange Beach or Dauphin Island. Back here in Coleman, Suds and Scissors has opened a larger grooming and boarding facility. Owner and groomer Kennedy Kunahofsky started the business four and a half years ago as a one-woman operation. The team now includes groomers Bree Kohn and Gabby Gilliland. The new facility focuses on one-on-one, low-stress grooming with walk-in floor tubs and adjustable tables for large, elderly, and mobility-impaired dogs. The expansion also includes private boarding, with each dog receiving its own 5-by-7-foot kennel and outdoor run. Dogs from different households are kept separate. Suds and Scissors is located at 1971 County Road 702 in Coleman. Also on the local business scene, Sister-in-Law Produce is offering fresh produce and handmade goods on County Road 222. The farm stand, operated by Lisa Anderson and her sister-in-law, Cindy Brown, offers tomatoes, peppers, squash, onions, potatoes, okra, bell pepper, and cucumbers, along with handmade soap, jewelry, and natural luffas. It's located at 2833 County Road 222 between Vans Sporting Goods and Ryan's Creek Produce. And looking ahead to Oktoberfest, Coleman County seniors have some new competitions to prepare for this year. The Coleman County Commission on Aging will host Senior Day at Oktoberfest, Friday, October 2nd, beginning at 10 a.m. at Depot Park. Contests include best dressed Oktoberfest attire, separate men's and women's stein hoisting competitions, a chicken dance contest and a yodeling contest. Organizers will also crown the first Ms. Senior Oktoberfest. The Good Bellows Band will provide live entertainment, a free lunch sponsored by Walmart will be made available, and transportation will be offered to the first 600 seniors. And that's your four stories in under four minutes. After the break, we'll check today's forecast and see what the weather has in store this week. We're starting the work week with warm conditions and no rain. Let's check out your forecast. Today will be partly sunny with a high near 88. Tonight starts mostly cloudy before gradually clearing with a low of around 66. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a high near 89. Tomorrow night will be partly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers late with a thunderstorm possible toward daybreak. The low will be around 69. And that wraps up today's edition of Coleman Today. Thank you for sharing your morning with us, and remember to follow us on social media and visit ColemanTribune.com for the latest from our community. We'll be back bright and early tomorrow morning at 6.30 a.m. Until then, I'm Dustin Isom with Coleman Today. Have a great Monday, Coleman. Bye.