HOUSTON COUNTY: On Monday two Houston County Commissioners and Chairman Brandon Shoupe met in the regular scheduled Houston County Commission Meeting. Those were D2 Commissioner Tracy Adams and D4 Commissioner James Ivey.
D3 Commissioner Ricky Herring was in Houston County District Court and according to Chairman Shoupe D1 Commissioner Curtis Harvey text he would not be able to attend today’s meeting.
The presentation from the Chief Administrative Officer, Stacy Holland: Houston County will close fiscal year 2025 – 2026 in the red in the amount of $ 10,500.413.00
The approved budget for Fiscal Year 2026 – 2027, Houston County will be in the red in the amount of $ 2,974,421.00.
Combined total loss in the 2025 through 2027 budgets, a loss of $ 13,474,834.00 for Houston County
This $ 13.5 million dollar loss is under the leadership and management of Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe and Houston County Commissioners Curtis Harvey, Tracy Adams, Ricky Herring and James Ivey.
The Houston County Commission voted this morning to contract with Mrs. Dempsey, the wife of Dothan Performing Arts Director Clay Dempsey, to manage Houston County Farm Center at a contract amount of $ 60,000.00. After Mrs. Dempsey brings in $ 60,000.00 on the Houston County Farm Center, Mrs. Dempsey will be paid 10% of what is brought in over and above the $ 60,000.00. This is to be paid from the Lodging Tax passed a coupel of years ago.
Chairman Brandon Shoupe stated there was $ 200,000.00 or $ 300,000.00 left over from the $ 6.2 million renovations of the Houston County Farm Center. The commission voted for tables, chairs and equipment to be purchased for the future Farm Center rentals.
DOTHAN: Dothan Mayor and Associate Commissioners have called a special Dothan Commission Meeting for Wednesday. The agenda item is renewal of Dothan City Manager Randy Morris contract.
Atfer serving almost two years as Dothan City Manager, the contract for Randy Morris states the contract is to be addressed six months before expiration. And the six months date is September, 2026. Should the commission fail to renew the contract, Randy Morris would continue to be City Manager for six months.
Mayor Saliba and the Associate Commissioner appear to have agreed on a contract. Morris will continue at the beginning salary of $ 225,000.00, which is the same salary Morris was hired at in the beginning. Morris will receive up to a 3% performance bonus each year, decided by the Mayor with input from the Associate Commissioners. Morris will recieve the same cost of living increases that all employees of the City of Dothan receive. Morris is currently receving a vehicle allowance for furninshing his own vehicle and that will continue at the current rate.
There is no salary increase from what Morris salary was when hired.
This is below where the discussions began. The first proposed salary would have bumped Morris to $ 247,500.00 per year, with increases each year following. And it appears the majority of the commission refused that increase. After negotiations, there was no increase in salary. The performance bonuses of up to 3% appears not to compound salary increases. Meaning, the 3%, as it appears in the contract published, will be based on base salary of $ 225,000.00. However, the cost of living increases to all employees will bump to base salary up and increase what the 3% is figured on.
To make sure I am explaining it, if all Dothan employees are given a 2% cost of living increase, that would increase Morris base salary by $ 4,500.00 a year. The following year a 2% cost of living is given to all employees of the City of Dothan, will increase Morris base salary to $ 229,500.00 per year. Therefore the next cost of living increase will be based on $ 229,500.00.
In the political arena, minds can change by the second. But it appears the contract will be approved. Four of the Commission is what it takes to approve anything.
The City of Dothan daily operation and management decisions are made by the City Manager. The Mayor is considered a part time job and pays $ 42,000.00 per year with no retirement benefits. In fact, Mark Saliba is the first Mayor in the history of the City of Dothan to be elected to a third term in office. But the Mayor nor the Dothan Commissions can get into the day to day management of the workforce of the City of Dothan. If following the law, the Mayor or Dothan Commissioners can not meet with members of the City of Dothan workforce unless the City Manager approves such meeting. Therefore the City Manager yields a lot of power.
The City Manager of Dothan can spend up to $ 30,000.00 without getting approval from the Mayor and Associate Commissioners. And the City Manager can spend the $ 30,000.00 an unlimited amount of times per day. Just per item can not exceed $ 30,000.00.
DOTHAN: 07:50 AM Dothan 911 dispatched Dothan Fire, Pilcher Ambulance and Dothan Police to 708 East Lafayette Street at railroad tracks. A person has had a complete foot amputation.
Reports are a person was crawling under the train. At this time unknown if the person was an employee of the railroad or what status the person is. There are a lot of homeless people who roam the area.
Dothan Police Patrol was first on the scene. The officer applied a tourniquet on the patient.
Dothan Fire and Pilcher Ambulance transported the injured, emergency, trauma alert to Southeast Health.
The railroad crossing was reported closed for a period of time for investigation.
TAYLOR: Taylor Mayor Robert Lamb has struck AGAIN!
Reports are that he has fired long time Senior Citizens Director Amanda Henderson. She was never a issue during retired Taylor Mayor Billy Snell.
It was not long ago that Mayor Robert Lamb cut the hours of Ms. Henderson to a part time position. Now he has terminated her.
The actions of Mayor Lamb are on a track to United States Federal Court. Lamb terminated former Taylor Police Chief James Brazier 30 minutes following taking the oath of office. From November 3, 2025 until last meeting the Taylor City Council never took action. The one night the appeal was to take place Brazier asked for, and it was agreed to, continue until his attorney could be present. Another hearing date was never set and the City of Taylor did not follow it’s own Personnell Rules and Regulations.
When the counil was presented with the Code of Alabama last meeting, prior to a vote, Councilman Thompson admitted they had followed “some” and “did not follow some” of the laws in their actions against Brazier. However the council said two attorneys said they could terminate him.
Yet based on pattern and practice, Mayor Robert Lamb does not always tell the truth. And all the attorney’s know is what they were told. The sitting members of the Taylor Council who decided to uphold the termination of Brazier has now let the Mayor lead them into future actions in the United States Federal Court.
By the City of Taylor own’s personell rules and reguslations, they were required by law to notify Brazier of the matter being before the City Council.
Since November 3, 2025 Robert Lamb has been on a direct path of destruction of Taylor. He has been an embarrassment to his beautiful wife, and to the citizens of Taylor Alabama. The members of the council have been puzzled about what to do. Well, except Councilman Kelly and he often times does not even realize he is at a council meeting!
And on, Robert Lamb had made the statement he was going to fire Police Chief James Brazier when he took office. The interiem Police Chief, Tim Miller, was at the swearing in just to watch Lamb fire Brazier. It was not for official actions, it was because Lamb did not like Braizer. Brazier is a retired Jail Commander of the Houston County Jail.
DALE COUNTY – OZARK: Over the last several years John Cawley of Fuqua – Bankston Funeral Home has been the host to law enforcement, fire, EMS, 911 Dispatchers and other emergency responders for 911.
It was 25 years ago today that the United States of America came under attack by 19 highjackers. An estimated 240 passengers and crew members on four commercial airlines were being used as attack weapons on America soil.
Two commercial jets struck the twin towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and an estimated 37 passengers and estimated 7 crew members over powered 4 highjackers and crashed a commercial jet which saved an attack on the U.S. Capital or White House.
According to information available, in 16 minutes or so after the crash into the World Trade Centers the buildings fell to the ground killing thousands of citizens, law enforcement, fire and EMS. The emergency responders ran into the danger as people ran from the building. Along with civilians, the emergency responders all lost their lives.
John Cawler, Owner/Manager of Fuqua – Bankston Funeral Home also serves as Dale County Coroner. In both jobs he works with the emergency responders. Also the late Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson was working with Fuqua – Bankston Funreal Home at the time of his death.
John Cawley, serving in both of his jobs, see’s the jobs performed daily by both paid and volunteer emergency responders. And he has great respect for them. Each year he and some other businesses sponser the event to feed the responders and say THANK YOU for placing others above self.
The event has normally been held at Fuqua – Bankston Funeral Home. This year it had to be moved to the Ozark Civic Center because it has outgrown the capacity of the funeral home.
Got to see several friends such as retired Dale County Sheriff Bryant Mixon. And one person not seen in years that I very much enjoyed seeing was Mrs. Earl Bankston. He husband, Earl, was one of the founders of Fuqua – Bankston Funeral Home and served 34 years as Dale County Coroner.
THANK YOU to all emergency responders and what you do.
DOTHAN – HOUSTON COUNTY: 10:52 AM Dothan 911 dispatched Dothan Fire to the Houston County Courthouse in reference to a gas smell throughout the Houston County Courthouse, 114 North Oates Street. Responding Dothan Fire Engine Companies were instructed to meet with Houston County Sheriff Deputies.
Dothan Fire Truck1 ( Central ), Dothan Fire Haz Mat Semi, Dothan Fire Rehab, Dothan Fire Battaltion Chief Lee and Pilcher Ambulance were on the scene.
The Courthouse was evacuated. Dothan Fire Haz Mat checked the building and all was clear. Dothan Fire then checked Alabama Pardons and Parole Building. Some downtown Dothan businesses had complained of an odor.
Dothan Fire Deputy Fire Chief Ash was on the scene.
