Here we go pothole, pothole, pothole, Virettia said as they headed into Aliskas ward on the west side of town, past the wood-frame houses and churches where theyd both grown up in families that went back generations in Fayette. The Rule of One really was broken. Suggest Listing For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for Fayette, Alabama . In 2005, City Council began holding informalwork sessions on the first Monday of eachmonth. Mayor Hinges on Voter Rolls, Preventing a Repeat of WWII-Era Imprisonment, Fox News Told Viewers What They Wanted to Hear. Federal election monitors were sent to Aliceville, and in the years after that more Black people were elected, a development that led to White flight and divestment that is the story of rural towns across the South. After upending a racial norm in the rural South, a Black councilwoman contends with defiance from a community she wants to serve, The Fayette City Council with members Tommy Williams and Virettia Whiteside meets at City Hall in the small Alabama town in January with Mayor Rod Northam in attendance. Information about LaFayette, Alabama City Council Members City Council District A Terry G. Mangram (334) 497-9935 Click here to email Councilman Mangram District B David Ennis (706) 518-4441 Click here to email Councilman Ennis District C Toney B. Thomas (334) 864-5335 Click here to email Councilman Thomas District D Michael C. Ellis (706) 350-9762 It wasnt just the house she had bought in another ward, he said, explaining why he opposed her election. Official Facebook page for the City of Fayette Alabama She walked by the men chatting in the corridor and took her seat next to her colleagues, wondering if they had supported Scotties lawsuit. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), TOP: Virettia talks with a resident at the Mayfair Manor apartments in Fayette. Here lately Ive just been down in the dumps, the woman said, and after they talked awhile, another tenant came by to discuss her sons mental illness. The City of LaFayette, Alabama, the county seat of Chambers County, in East Central Alabama provides the perfect balance between rural and urban life. The per capita income for the city was $15,553. Virettia asked him who was on the abatement board. Hey Jordan, she said, and began telling him what the woman had told her. When I moved to my house it looked like nothing, and I fixed it up. Photo editing by Bronwen Latimer. Posted-By: City of LaFayette, Alabama City Council: Meeting-Date: 2/13/2023 Meeting-Time: 5:30 PM: Notice History: Meeting-Location: FARMERS FEDERATION(ALFA) BUILDING 1006 AVENUE A SE LAFAYETTE, AL 36862. About Us Contact Us Fayette Map. She wanted to call Aliska or Cedric, but before she could do that her phone was ringing. A sign for a business in Virettia's ward. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post). Its mine. He needs to go to the hospital.. The more members the more the Chamber can promote Fayette and Fayette can promote your business. Wilson died poor and obscure in Yonkers, NY, in . [10] Citizens only vote for a candidate running in their respective districts. The Fayette City Council meets the Second and Fourth Tuesday of each month. Check out the Gas Board website. According to the Kppen Climate Classification system, Fayette has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. He came in and stood in front of her desk. Im getting tired of this, Virettia said. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. How a White woman hed known for years had asked him to get on a video call so she could see his face when she asked if he really was going to fire all the White department heads if he won, which was not true. That the judge had dismissed the lawsuit. After she won, she spoke only of being humbled and grateful, even as she worried about what else could happen. It was like living through Rod Serlings old Twilight Zone episode, The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street, over and over again. Four Black candidates were running for major positions, something that had never happened before in Fayette. I cant understand why all of a sudden we are allowing this, said a White woman sitting in the front row with her daughter, addressing the board. He needs to go to the doctor. BOX 87 LAFAYETTE, AL 36862. She got up and followed the sound outside where she found a tenant she knew as a veteran with PTSD, saying over and over I did a lot of bad things, and so she had held his hand for a while, saying We serve a God thats a forgiving God until he calmed down. You can also pay your bill on-line. Youre going to see some things, Cedric said. Cotton fields, such as this one in Fayette, still permeate the South. The per capita income for the city was $16,602. The median household income was $25,714 and the median family income was $36,589. Theyd talked previously about what had happened. Learn about the county commission that cares for our region of Alabama. Rod Northam, Mayor FAYETTE, Ala. The men in ties stood in the corridor of City Hall, talking with a kind of familiarity that the newest council member did not yet feel. She was on her own. Gas: 205-932-5269 After Hours: 205-270-0088. A White woman Virettia had known for years had sent her a private message asking how she was holding up but nothing public. Besides Virettia, her cousin was running for a seat on the five-member City Council in another mostly White ward. The mayor acts as theofficial head of City government and presidesat City Council meetings. You see what Im saying? Here in the shebeen, we are longtime fans of Stephanie McCrummen, who is posted in the South and who writes for the Washington Post. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), TOP: Despite aging buildings and the occasional downed sign, Fayette has been trying to revive its downtown area. The new mayor had told Virettia he supported her but had said nothing publicly. When investigators from the district attorneys office showed up at Mayfair Manor three times asking tenants if their absentee ballots had been coerced, she decided not to file a complaint with the NAACP. Aliceville was like Fayette 25 years ago, he said one afternoon, launching into an interpretation of history that had long fueled the fiercest White resistance to change, one in which Black progress meant White loss White flight, White fear, a kind of White death. Learn more about the history of our probate office and the people currently operating it. She listened as he told her that he had just gotten the decision. There were 2,239 housing units at an average density of 257.4 per square mile (99.4/km2). 1.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below. Our history of is one of people with the vision and daring to achieve outsized goals for a town our size. A & E Family Restaurant has opened in the old Cruze-In location in The Triangle. The racial makeup of the city was 73.4% White, 24.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. She punched the girl in the face, which solved the immediate problem but also began a period of acting out that she later decided had to do with feeling abandoned and wanting someone to rescue her. The only municipal election within the county this year will occur on Aug. 25 in the City of Fayette, with every position on the ballot being contested. But no one wants to talk about race in this town, she said. LaFayette, Alabama maps, city districts, nearby cities, location One percent of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the four Black candidates who ran, they were the two who had won. She had imagined another version of the moment, one where she had turned to the camera and said to the whole town of Fayette, Why are you so frightened? The City Manager is responsible for managing the Citys employees, and the finances and resources as the chief budget officer. Always one, a situation that had long described the reality of entrenched White power outside big Southern cities like Birmingham or Atlanta. Local elections were coming up. You got some old ordinances with some old language. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census,[2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. They drove through downtown, then crossed over into Virettias ward on the east side of town, which she had won in a runoff against a White candidate, 184 to 104, with most of her votes coming from her tenants. The Fayetteville City Council is the elected governing body representing the citizens of Fayetteville. Besides the Mayor, there are five council members. This new twist on the old idea of gerrymanderingcloaking old Elbridges original notion in the moral camouflage of the Civil Rights Movementis not that uncommon. The City Clerk's Office maintainsmeeting minutesfrom City Council meetings and publishes a schedule of upcoming City Council meetings. BOTTOM RIGHT: Like many other Mayfair Manor residents, Zach supported Virettia during her council run. Appointees are to serve on only one boardor commission at a time and shall attend atleast 75% of regularly scheduled meetings onan annual basis from the date of theirappointment. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Mailing Address: 103 First Avenue NW, Suite 4, Fayette, Alabama, 35555-2627 Each council member is assigned oversight for a unit of city government. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), Fayette maintains a Civil War monument downtown. The City televisesregularly scheduled Council meetings liveand on playback on FayTV. Phone-Number: 334-864-7181 Meeting-Type: regular Submission . Council members and the mayor are notfull-time City employees, but they arefinancially compensated for their time andcertain expenses. It was a resident from somewhere in her ward, telling Virettia that her son was in the county jail and was in need of medical attention. LaFayette has a mayor-council form of government. Location of Fayette in Fayette County, Alabama. City Council March 8, 2016 @ 5:00 pm Add to calendar Details Date: March 8, 2016 Time: 5:00 pm Venue City Hall 203 Temple Avenue North Fayette, AL 35555 United States + Google Map Phone: 205-932-5367 View Venue Website Fayette City Council certifies election results. She had surprised herself by deciding to run. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of my hometown. Please join me, the Council and others of our community as we strive to make Fayette an even better place to live, work and play. It began with the gift from Lois Wilson, a Fayette native, of her art collection, which ultimately totaled 2,600 pieces of her own and of other artists' work. When a rumor started that her candidacy was illegal because she had recently bought a house in another ward, she explained that yes, she had bought the house she hoped to live in someday but as her tax returns, voter registration, bills and sworn oath indicated, she lived with her sons in an apartment at Mayfair Manor. She was still saying it now, trusting that the high road people had been advising her to take would eventually bring some relief, but it did not. Of the 2,092 households 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. Aliska Hughes-Monroe, Virettia's best friend, was elected in November to represent Ward 4. A federal judge later tossed out the decisions, but not before the matter helped spark the largest civil rights march in the South since the famous Selma-to-Montgomery march in 1965. Her best friend was running in the traditionally Black ward. Yet.. Fayette is a city in Fayette County, Alabama. You will be surprised at what you can achieve here. All of the City Council's regular meetings are broadcast live onFayTV, the City of Fayetteville's Government Access Channel. We are also the home of the Sipsey Arts Alliance. Its going to look fine. We strive to hear every single question, concern, and comment to better enhance the quality of life in our City. The volunteerswho are appointed to the boards andcommissions serve as the link that connectsthe public to its governing body and serve asadvisors who make recommendations thathelp shape the policies and programs ofFayetteville. An indication that the actual power structure might change surely brings the night sweats to the good white citizens of the town. People think we dont have a problem, but we do. Incumbent Jason Cowart did not qualify for re-election in Ward Three, leaving qualifiers Brad Cox and Tommy Williams to battle for the position. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Over the course of its history our town has been the starting point of many endeavors that became larger than the the city itself. Black citizens are allowed to participate in local government, but not to approach anything remotely like controlling it. Rod, Jerry, Eddy, Tommy, and at the far end of the dais was Councilwoman Virettia Whiteside, now writing something down to keep herself focused. She had often stared at the Trailblazer Award hanging on his living room wall, but she had not asked him about his experience, and he had not offered many details. Ox Bodies, now a division of TBEI, is a world leader in truck dump bodies, Fayette Fabrication, founded in 2014, provides custom carts, racks and skids for the automotive industry across the southeast. No suggestions! On Election Day, someone called police to report a possible fight outside a polling place, which turned out to be Virettia and the other Black candidates who were outside greeting voters when the sirens came screaming, and through it all, Virettia tried to maintain her composure. Each office holder is elected to a four year term. Rioters were going to target downtown Fayette, where the Garden Club had planted flower beds and people gathered on holidays in the courthouse square. Social media was aflame with boogedy-boogedy about busloads of Black Lives Matter and Antifa activists coming to wreak havoc in Your Town. Drop by between 6:30 and 8:30 PM for free refreshments and a visit. Ward One Councilwoman Linda McCraw is not seeking re-election. The residents have got protection because weve got ordinances, said the mother, going on about declining property values, until Ericka finally stood up. Under the current electoral system, the City Council consists of nine council members and a mayor. People got to live, said the Black board member, Scott Walker, who had become visibly angry as the hearing went on. We would love to have you come and visit Fayette County and see rural living at its best! These dreams have been realized by the formation of several companies that grew to be leaders in their fields before being merged into larger entities. The Fayette Art Museum was founded in 1969 by Fayette City Council and Jack Black, who was the Musuem's Director for 35 years. Generally, no votes are taken. Males had a median income of $34,271 versus $27,500 for females. Virettia took a deep breath. It was a small town. . Virettia closed her eyes and thought about all the things she had wanted to say but had not said during the past months as she felt her legitimacy questioned. Its hard even now to believe how crazy with fear the protests last summer made white people in this country. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), Share your feedback by emailing the author. The building houses government offices, including the Fayette legislative body, and provides public records, government services, and information about Fayette services. He pulled his hoodie over his face, pretending to avoid her. It was officially shortened to "Fayette" in 1898. Copyright 2015 City of LaFayette Website Development by Red Sage Communications, Inc. Click Here to watch the latest City Council Meetings. Its 20 years I worked for that. What do you expect people to do???? Their combined presence changed the longtime makeup of the council. Under the current electoralsystem, the City Council consists of ninecouncil members and a mayor. ? her cousin wrote. 2023 County Office. Welcome to Fayette, a city of opportunities and beginnings. She listened as the mayor opened the first regular meeting of the new council. She is the newly elected City Council member for Ward 1, which includes the complexes she manages. Virettia held her hand as the board voted, each of the White members siding with the White neighbors, and the one Black board member siding with Ericka, thwarting the unanimous vote needed to block the trailer. There were 2,336 housing units at an average density of 273.0 per square mile (105.4/km2). A few days later, Virettia was still upset, and when a tenant whod helped on her campaign stopped by her office, she started telling her what had happened. State officials The city had 4,285 residents as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau. Basically, what happened was that Whitesides election broke what McCrummen calls the Rule of One in Fayette. With a beginning as one of the earliest settlements in West Alabama, Fayette grew with the region to become a provider of initiatives that have enriched our people with an environment of willingness to dream. How White colleagues hed come to consider friends after 24 years on the council had backed off supporting him after the rumors started that he had recruited all the Black candidates to run at once, which was not true. Ultimately, Donald Trump Beat the System. If you wish to speak before the City Council you may fill out a Request Form that can be found on the main menu under About > Council Meetings. She needed his advice deciphering Fayettes zoning laws, but she also knew that Cedric had barely left his house since losing the election, and she was worried about him. Learn more about our 15-man engineering crew and view their contact information here. For all other departments, please click here. About Us. Four days later, a sheriffs deputy knocked on her door and handed her a lawsuit aimed at overturning her election based on the residency issue. including West Point Lake in Georgia, 15 minutes to the east and Alabama's Lake Martin, 30 minutes to the west. That creates the opportunity for minority representation on the council roughly equal to minority representation within thecity'spopulation. One world order. To speak before the City Council on a matter of importance fill out and submit this Agenda Request Form. The Municipal Court has created an Amnesty Program for all defendants that have outstanding balances from cases prior to December 31, 2020. City government works closely with the local community college to provide employee training and programs for several companies that supply the region, nation and world with products in a variety of fields. speckle park bull sales 2021 847-461-9794; fayette, alabama city council. For additional information on events at the Civic Center or to host an event at the Civic Center, please contact Glenda Robertson at 205-932-8727. Individuals are also encouraged to become members. Few people will say what I say, but people in this town were scared to death. The City Council appoints a manager who carries out the laws and policies enacted by Council. We are conveniently located 40 miles from the City of Tuscaloosa and approximately 90 miles to the City of Birmingham. In her new role, she works to help people beyond the complex. Take the high road, people kept advising. I lost everything. Didnt nobody do nothing to help me.. We are also the home of the Sipsey Arts Alliance. The mayor is a voting member of the Council. Here's a small story from a small place that teaches us big lessons about what kind of country we actually are. P.O Box 1111 Montgomery AL. Leading us in prayer will be Wade Jackson, he said. The Civic Center will be celebrating their 40th Anniversary on March 25th. Can You Prove Those Colonists Weren't Witches? Fayette municipal election is Tuesday, Aug. 25. Subscribe now! Should an appointee fail tocomply with the attendance requirement orfail to attend three regularly scheduledmeetings, the appointee shall beautomatically removed. How he wasnt exactly upset that he lost, but that he lost behind all those things that were said by people he thought he could trust. Eddie Williams is on it, Cedric said. All nine Council members are elected from individual districts, and only citizens within the city limits can vote for those seats on the Council. The age distribution was 21.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% 65 or older. The only municipal election within the county this year will occur on Aug. 25 in the City of Fayette, with every position on the ballot being contested. There were 11 provisional ballots counted in the final results of the Fayette municipal election, and four provisional ballots cast were ruled ineligible to be counted. Now she called Cedric Wilson, the former city councilman who had lost his bid for mayor. The Fayette City Council met in a special called meeting at noon on Tuesday Sept. 1 to add the legitimate provisional ballots cast during the Aug. 25 primary and to certify the election results. The City of Fayette is located in Fayette County in the State of Alabama.Find directions to Fayette, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more.According to the 2019 US Census the Fayette population is estimated at 4,249 people. If they werent, wed still have slavery.. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), Virettia stands in Mayfair Manor's Community Room. We may earn a commission from these links. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post). You not ready for the next level if you allowing this pettiness to get to you, her cousin had texted back. The City of Fayetteville adopted the council/manager form of municipal government in June 1949. Our county is fortunate to have an abundance of industries ranging from agricultural and timber to industrial manufacturing. Dont talk to her, talk to them, said the womans daughter, pointing to the board of three White men and one Black man. The Fayette City Hall, located in Fayette, AL, provides municipal services for residents of Fayette. . The City of LaFayette Alabama website home page WELCOME TO THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE The City of LaFayette, Alabama, the county seat of Chambers County, in East Central Alabama provides the perfect balance between rural and urban life. Shown from left: Councilman Cedric Wilson (sitting in chair at far left), Councilman Jerry Nichols, Councilman Jason Cowart, Mayor Ray Nelson, City Clerk Dawn Clapp, Councilwoman Linda McCraw and Councilman Eddy Campbell. The median age was 40.2 years. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Fayette city, Alabama", "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990", "NOAA NCEI U.S. Residents sit outside Mayfair Manor. 433 Hay Street The city is situated on the southern edge of the Piedmont Plateau. The situation became so delicate that when local ministers held a prayer vigil for racial justice during the height of nationwide protests, an organizer quietly asked people not to bring Black Lives Matter signs for fear of confirming the imagined apocalypse. Thats why theyre so mad.. She was not the first Black person on the City Council in the rural town of Fayette. All Rights Reserved. . (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), A corkboard at Mayfair Manor displays a newspaper clipping about Virettia's council election win in November. The Fayetteville City Council meets regularlyin formal session on the second and fourthMonday of each month. Under the current electoral system, the City Council consists of nine Council members and a mayor. Her third chance came after the mayor went over the budget. She felt the same sense of uncertainty that she had felt since all of this began, and the feeling continued until she called her lawyer a few days later to check on her case. She read the post again, which gave her a feeling that reminded her of a time when she was a little girl and living for a while in a tough part of Detroit after her parents got divorced. Males had a median income of $29,857 versus $21,899 for females. The population density was 530.2 inhabitants per square mile (204.7/km2). See complete story in The Times-Record. You won, they kept reminding her, as she kept thinking of how she was supposed to handle this moment in a changing America, and now the mayor was moving through the agenda, turning to his left for comment. Maintain a leisurely lifestyle featuring natural beauty and historic architecture in the city limits, while still enjoying the fast pace activities of nearby Auburn/Opelika (30 miles), Montgomery (70 miles), Atlanta (80 miles) or Birmingham (120 miles). In the row behind them, Virettia sat with Ericka, a hand on her shoulder, thinking this would not be happening, not in this way, if Ericka were White. He only has one kidney. In addition to these . And I said, Sure is, which in his mind was the put-down of the century, a luxury he would normally not allow himself. Fayette is organized in a mayor-council form of city government, with a mayor elected citywide and five council members elected from districts. It is time to renew your membership. In accordance with that act, four of the nine districts are drawn so that minorities are assured a voting majority within that district. Population control. And I think developing those relationships is a good thing, the mayor said, moving on. All of that was still in the air as Virettia, preparing for the first full City Council meeting, drove through town one day with her friend Aliska Hughes-Monroe, the new councilwoman from the traditionally Black ward, to see about a zoning issue. The Fayette City Council with members Tommy Williams and Virettia Whiteside meets at City Hall in the small Alabama town in January with Mayor Rod Northam in attendance. In May 2000, voters approved the current election system of nine Council members elected by single-member districts and a voting mayor elected at large. I worked for that spot. No, said Jerriolyn Lacey. Any discussion around that? the mayor said. City Council - Fayette, Alabama All Events This event has passed. City of Fayette 203 Temple Avenue N. Fayette, AL 35555 Phone: 205-932-5367 Fax: 205-932-5788 email: cityhall@fayetteal.org Contact Numbers If Emergency, please call 911 Police: 205-932 5312 Fire: 205-932-5311 Gas: 205-932-5269 After Hours: 205-270-0088 Water: 205-932-5311 For all other departments, please click here. At the 2010 census there were 4,619 people, 1,924 households, and 1,206 families living in the city. Virettia was alone in her office, and after she hung up, she allowed herself a moment to feel an unexpected sense of vindication. What is the reason for that? She had imagined a big speech about love and fear and bravery that would end with her telling people, It doesnt matter if youre rich, poor, old, young, Black or White, I care about you. (Jared. People say it could never happen here. The White city councilmen: nothing. The local radio stations are WLDX Big Cat and WTXT. But.. Design by Tara McCarty. Fayette County was founded on December 20, 1824 by an act of the Alabama Legislature and was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero General Marquis de Lafayette. City government is comparable to a private corporation under the council/manager form of government. Sign up for Weather Alerts because seconds matter. The syrup is still produced locally in a manufacturing facility in downtown Fayette. BOTTOM LEFT: Residents sit outside Mayfair Manor. CountyOffice.org does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The matter involved a Black woman named Ericka Espy Hollis, whose house had burned down. The Fayette City Council is shown at its Sept. 1 meeting that was called to certify the election. The Fayette Art Museum has over 5,000 pieces of art by nationally recognized artists. The Fayette City Council held a public hearing concerning property abatements and later voted to charge the owners for the city's costs for cleanup at six of the abated properties. Their combined presence changed the longtime makeup of the council. Its me. I dont even know where to begin, she said. She told Virettia she wanted to speak on her behalf at the meeting, but by now Virettia had decided she needed to speak for herself. Rent out our incredible multipurpose complex for your next event. Listen to me. We could never have death panels where you start euthanizing people, but I believe that. Posted-By: City of LaFayette, Alabama City Council: Meeting-Date: 2/1/2023 Meeting-Time: 4:30PM: Notice History: Meeting-Location: 50 Alabama Avenue West P. O. You may not use this site for the purposes of furnishing consumer reports about search subjects or for any use prohibited by the FCRA. Finally, she said, Hey Cedric. I wouldnt be so rude, so I said, Hey. And she said, Whatre you doing? And I said, Keeping busy. She said, Thats good.' Fayette is a city and the county seat of Fayette County, Alabama, United States. All council members and Mayor Ray Nelson were present for the meeting.