THE BEST RUN SYSTEM IN THE STATE Birmingham Water Works Board

April 23, 2015

THE BEST RUN SYSTEM IN THE STATE
Birmingham Water Works Board

1.Management Team – Strong, Diverse and Professional
a.General Manager – Certified Public Accountant, 14 years water experience, 25 years management.
b.AGM Operations – Professional Engineer, 27 years water experience, 15 years management.
c.AGM Maintenance & Engineering – Professional Engineer, 12 years water experience, 20 plus years management.
d.AGM Finance – Certified Public Accountant, 6 years water experience, 20 years management experience.
2.Financial Condition – Company’s financial position has improved every year for last 10 years.
a.Company budgeted to generate $13.1m PAYGO Funds and actually generated $15.7m.
3.Bond Rating – Company’s bond rating has improved significantly since 2005.
a.Bond ratings improved from single A (A) to double AA (AA) with a positive outlook
b.2015 Bond Ratings affirmed and both agencies indicated that system has strong financial policies and strong management team that continues to deliver positive results year after year.
b.2015 Bond Issue completed in approximately 5 hours.
4.Board Pay – board pay is properly managed. Minutes are drafted to support every day/meeting to support board members pay.
a.Board pay has decreased by 47% since 2009.
b.2014 average pay per board member is less than $20,000.

5.Consulting Cost – consulting cost decreased from $5m to $3.3m since 2007.
a.Industry average for consulting cost is 9% of a $100m operating budget.
b.BWWB operates with only 3% consulting cost.
6.Main Replacement Expenditures – main replacement projects have increased significantly since 2000.
a.Putting more money back into the water system.
7.Representation of Customers Outside of Jefferson County –
a.95% of company revenue is generated from customers in Jefferson County.
b.91% of company customers are in Jefferson County.
c.BWWB has 195,000 water connections.
d.Walker County has 50 or fewer customers.
e.Blount County has 600 or fewer customers.
f.St. Clair County has 3,700 or fewer customers.
g.Shelby County has 16,000 or fewer customers.
h.Collectively 4 counties outside of Jefferson County have approximately 20,350 customers which is approximately 10% of system total connections.
i.Items above do not support the claim that Walker, Blount, St. Clair and Shelby County should have appointments on water system board.
8.Management – Company’s rules and regulations, financial and operational policies and procedures require employees to provide the same services to all customers, no matter which municipality or county they reside in.
a.Company has a strong management team that handle day-to-day operations in accordance with established policies and procedures.
9.Public Hearing on Budget and Rate Increase
a.BWWB held 3 Town Hall meetings to provide detailed information on the system’s operations (January 6; April 17 and May 6, 2014).
b.BWWB held a public hearing on its 2015 proposed operating budget on November 6, 2014.
c.Management presented 2015 budget and discussed proposed 3.9% rate increase (average rate increase for similar utilities is 7.2%). Public and News Media asked no questions. Public hearing will be held on future budgets and rate increases.
10.BWWB Initiatives – strategic initiatives are underway to reduce cost and generate revenue.
a.Health Clinic – effective reducing healthcare cost the last two years.
b.HomeServe – over 16,000 customers signed up and $500,000 additional revenue.
c.Bottled Water – due diligence is under way to determine if it works.
11.Ethics Law – Board of Directors currently comply with State of Alabama Ethics Law.
12.Operational Reports to Local Official – BWWB will commit to providing municipalities it serves semi-annual or quarterly financial and operational updates designed to clearly communicate overall objectives and accomplishments. It should be noted that payments to municipalities for FY 2014 franchise fees exceeds $4m. The top five payments were as follows:
a.Birmingham       $ 1,876,000
b.Hoover        $    432,000
c.Vestavia       $    289,000
d.Homewood       $    227,000
e.Mountain Brook   $    215,000
13.Employees
a.55% of our employees live in Jefferson County.
b.Employees live throughout our service area.
14.Awards and Recognition
a.Board recently ranked #24 in Training Magazine Top 125 Award.
b.Board previously ranked #95 year 1; #75 year 2; and #24 current years. BWWB ranks in top 20% of Training Magazine organizations.
Senate Bill 89 Specific Comments
15.Section 4 (c) of SB 89 requires a specific notice to be given to the public 30 days “prior to any vote on the rate increase.”   This section of SB 89 contemplates that water rates will be adjusted through the use of a traditional rate resolution.   In 2005, the BWWB adopted a rate stabilization and equalization formula (RSE). This is a formula that automatically adjusts water rates either up or down depending on various financial circumstances effecting the BWWB. Since the implementation of the RSE, the BWWB has not taken any vote to increase rates. The RSE has routinely been cited by the bond rating agencies as being one of the major initiatives by the BWWB that has led to the excellent bond ratings that the BWWB enjoys. SB 89 seems to require the BWWB to abandon the RSE and move back to the traditional rate resolutions to alter water rates. Such an action by the BWWB would have a negative impact on the BWWB’s bond rating.   (Note – RSE Model is very similar to Public Service Commission Model or formula for APCO, Alagasco and other organizations they regulate).
16. Section 2 of SB 89 requires the BWWB “to be reorganized and composed” of a total of 9 members on January 1, 2017. One interpretation of this provision would be that on that date, all currently serving members’ terms would by law end and the Birmingham City council would appoint six new members, the Mayor’s Association would appoint one new member and Shelby County and Blount County would each appoint one new member. This would effectively remove all of the institutional knowledge from the board of directors and replace it would novices. Also, since SB 89 does not provide that the positions will have staggered terms of office, every four years, the board of directors is subject to losing all, or a majority, of its institutional knowledge. Continuity of Leadership is a key consideration for the bond rating agencies and may negatively affect the BWWB’s current bond rating.
17. Section 2(3) of SB 89 only requires a board member that is appointed by Shelby County and Blount County to be a resident of that county and not a customer of the Water Works Board. The BWWB can have various interests that are in direct conflicted with the interests of Shelby County and Blount County.   For example, Blount County has been trying for years to force the BWWB to pay an annual fee ($2,000,000) for the right to withdraw water from Inland Lake. By not requiring these board members to be a customer, they will have no incentive to try and protect the interests of the Water Works Board, its customers and its bond holders and every incentive to try and protect the interests of their individual counties.

What’s Happening at Talladega Superspeedway and in the motorsports Industry with Gwen DeRu!

Birmingham Times

April 23, 2015

What’s Happening at Talladega Superspeedway and in the motorsports Industry with Gwen DeRu!

HONDA INDY GRAND PRIX OF ALABAMA….this weekend…

This weekend is the INDYCAR Series in Birmingham at the Barber’s Motorsports Park. Andretti Autosport driver Ryan Hunter-Reay, the Verizon IndyCar Series driver who has won the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park the past two years will be back.

This is the sixth running of the event scheduled this weekend:

Saturday, April 25  9-10 a.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series practice  12:40-1:25 p.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series practice  3:55 p.m. – Three rounds of Verizon IndyCar Series knockout qualifications (live-streamed on racecontrol.indycar.com; taped coverage, 2 a.m. (ET) Sunday, April 26, NBCSN)  Sunday, April 26  10-10:30 a.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series warm-up  2 p.m. – NBCSN on air  2:37 p.m. – Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama green flag (NBCSN, Live).

Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Ryan Hunter-Reay are the only drivers to have won at Barber Motorsports Park. Castroneves won the inaugural race in 2010, Power won the race in 2011 and 2012 and Hunter-Reay won in 2013 and 2014.

Castroneves, Hunter-Reay and Power are the only drivers to have won the pole position at Barber Motorsports Park.

At least six drivers will compete in their first Verizon IndyCar Series race at Barber Motorsports Park: Gabby Chaves, Stefano Coletti, Francesco Dracone, Luca Filippi, Rodolfo Gonzalez and Sage Karam.

Team Penske has three wins at Barber Motorsports Park. Andretti Autosport is the only other team to win at the track, winning in 2013 and 2014 with Ryan Hunter-Reay. See you are the races!!

RACING AT ITS FINEST IS BACK …AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY

NEXT WEEKEND…..The anticipation for Talladega Superspeedway’s “Big One on the Blvd” – the one-of-a-kind party at NASCAR’s Party Capital – is at an all-time high! And, it’s not only for the fans, but also NASCAR drivers alike.

Six drivers are already scheduled to participate in “The Big One on the Blvd,” which showcases a Mardi Gras-style parade on Talladega Boulevard – Party Central – in the track’s infamous infield. The drivers planning to be back for Friday, May 1, “The Big One on the Blvd,” which debuted a year ago, includes Clint Bowyer, Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Ty Dillon, Brendon Gaughan and Ryan Blaney. Other NASCAR stars are expected to be a part of the event as well and will be named in the near future.

“One of the good things about Talladega is Talladega Boulevard,” said Bowyer, who will race the No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3. “It’s always a good time but last year we went to the track and talked to them about bringing back some of that fun that comes with going down the Blvd. That’s how this Mardi Gras parade got started. It just adds a little bit more to the experience for the fans. The track has done a good job of making this bigger and better since we started it so I know it’ll be even better this time around. It’s not very often you get to see some of the drivers outside the garage or the race track, so this is a cool opportunity for us to kind of kick back and interact with some of the fans. There’s no way you won’t have a great time. Make sure to check it out. It’s Talladega baby!”

This time around fans can expect even bigger and better from the wild side of Talladega with a new flurry of fan activities that the drivers will oversee during the “Big One on the Blvd.” New competitions include “Angry Wieners” and “Body Pong” which are sure to get the fans wound up. The huge crowd, as well as the drivers, will play a key role in determining the fan that walks away with a lifetime of bragging rights. The main event will be the return of the ever so popular BBQ Sauce Wrestling.

The “Big One on the Blvd.” is part of a huge weekend featuring the Winn-Dixie 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, May 2, as well as the GEICO 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event on Sunday, May 3. The parade gets rolling at 7:30 p.m. (CST) on Friday evening at the north end of Talladega Blvd. Drivers can be found atop the lead float throwing out swag and welcoming fans to the party that trumps all others. The parade will pass through the most colorfully decorated campsites in all of NASCAR and wind up at the south end of the Blvd. at the main staging area for the fan competitions.

“Talladega definitely knows how to throw a party for their fans,” Stenhouse, Jr., a regular visitor to Talladega Blvd. during the weekend, says. “It is just awesome.”

In addition to the “Big One,” Friday will consist of a full slate of on-track activity which includes practice sessions for the Winn-Dixie 300 and GEICO 500 plus practice, qualifying and the drop of the green flag for the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards race – the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200. Start time for the traditional Talladega Superspeedway race is set for 5 p.m. (CST).

Saturday will see both NASCAR XFINITY and Sprint Cup Series qualifying, followed by the Winn-Dixie 300 at 2 p.m. (CST). Later in the evening, the track’s popular Saturday Night Infield Concert featuring Chase Rice, will take place at 7 p.m. (Free admission with purchase of a Sunday GEICO 500 ticket). Sunday’s GEICO 500 gets underway at 12 p.m. (CST).

The track has many ticket options for fans of all ages, as well as hundreds of acres of FREE Camping. To find out more, call the Talladega ticket office at 1-877-Go-2-DEGA or visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.

THIS IS MORE THAN A RACE!! THIS IS TALLADEGA!!

7 Ways LGBT Couples & Modern Families Benefit from Same-Sex Marriage 

Birmingham Times

April 23, 2015

7 Ways LGBT Couples & Modern Families Benefit from Same-Sex Marriage 
Wealth manager reviews the many financial and legal advantages
Advocates for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender couples and modern families are adding another victory to their list, with 36 states, along with Washington D.C., to allow marriage among same-sex couples.
A critical turning point came in October last year, when the Supreme Court chose not to hear appeals against lower court rulings that had overturned same-sex marriage bans in five states. Despite actions such as Indiana’s recent Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which would allow businesses in the state to refuse service to the LGBT community, the tide has been swift and overwhelmingly in favor of gay rights.
“I’ll always remember June 26, 2013 – the day that the Defense of Marriage Act was ruled unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court, effectively breaking down the major door standing between LGBT couples and marriage equality,” says financial professional Holly Hanson, founder and principal of Harmony Financial Strategies, www.harmonyfinancial.com, a firm that, in part, focuses on the needs of the LGBT community. “As a member of the LGBT community, the day is etched forever in my mind.”
“Naturally, a lingering suspicion remains in the back of our minds, ‘Is it too good to be true?’ And, despite the positive direction the country is taking toward same-sex couples, there remain many practical concerns regarding laws and finances.”
Hanson, author of “The LGBT and Modern Family Money Manual,” touches on benefits that have become available recently to millions of Americans.
• Social Security and Medicare: In states where same-sex marriage is legal, LGBT couples have access now to federal programs such as Social Security and Medicare.
“Not only is it plainly fair – we’ve been paying into these systems as taxpayers regardless of your ability to take advantage of marriage – it will no doubt improve some of the issues that elderly people in the LGBT community face as they age and need assistance via partner benefits,” she says.
• Military Benefits: Not only can same-sex couples now serve without fear of being dishonorably discharged or otherwise forced out, we can live openly together with military assistance as other military families have for years.
• Federal and State Tax Benefits: Just by changing your tax status to “married filing jointly,” you can save thousands of dollars. We now have more choices in tax planning, and this is obviously something that ties into long-term financial planning as well.
• Legal Titling to Assets: In the past, LGBT partners were unable to access retirement funds and pensions as heterosexual spouses could have. There are considerable taxation consequences for inheriting an investment vehicle from someone other than a spouse. Now, legally married LGBT spouses can have the proper access to these funds, both while their spouse is living or deceased.
• Ability to Gift Money: Spouses can make monetary gifts to one another free of taxation. However, in the past, an LGBT couple would have had to pay gift tax on anything more than $14,000 (the current limit as of 2014). If I wanted to buy my wife a car, for example, that asset would have been subject to the gift tax. Not so anymore.
• U.S. Visas for Same-Sex Couples: In the past, many LGBT couples would be ripped apart by forced deportation once visas ran out.
“My wife is a Swedish national, and now that we are legally married, I can sponsor her permanent residency in the United States,” Hanson says.
• Parenting Rights / Family Planning: Second-parent adoptions have undoubtedly been smoothed over by the fact that it’s now easier to get a legal same-sex marriage in many states. Not all states in the U.S. have the same laws, so it’s recommended you attain the appropriate paperwork.
“Of course, there are millions of other Americans who, currently, do not have access to these and other benefits,” Hanson says. “Fortunately, those states are becoming an ever-receding minority. I think most of us can reasonably expect the possibility of marriage benefits within our lifetimes.”

Parker Community School: Living Legends – “A Generation of Stolen Dreams.”

Birmingham Times

April 23, 2015

Parker Community School

Parker Community School Advisory Council Presents a Theatrical Production,
Living Legends – “A Generation of Stolen Dreams.”
Featuring choral, dance and drama depicting violent situations that prevent our children from becoming productive adults and intervention methods to help them avoid violence. Directed and Choreographed by Gareith Swanigan, Saturday, April 25th, 3 p.m., Arthur Harold Parker High School auditorium, 400 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr., Blvd. , Birmingham, AL 35204.
Admission Free.

2015 Volkswagen Golf R

Birmingham Times

April 23, 2015

2015 Volkswagen Golf R
By Frank S. Washington
SAN DIEGO – The high powered low volume 2015 Volkswagen Golf R could play a big role in getting the German automaker’s U.S. sales back on the good foot. That would be more VWs rolling out of showroom doors.
Here’s the deal: the VW Golf recently was named car of the year by two very prestigious organizations. Now the Volkswagen Golf R helps to fill out a lineup that includes the regular Golf, a performance version of that compact car, a diesel powered Golf and an electric Golf. A station wagon is on the way but we came here to test drive the Golf R. It is the high powered version of this car.
By the numbers this Golf R had a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood that made 292 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. It was mated to a direct sequential gearing, read six speed dual clutch, automatic transmission branded (DSG). This version goes on sale this spring. It will be joined by a six-speed manual Golf R this summer that will be sold as a 2016 model; it will cost about $1,000 less than the automatic.
With the fast shifting DSG, the Golf R can get to 60 mph from a standing start in a blistering 4.9 seconds and it has a top track speed of 155 mph. Because of low sales for the two-door Golf R in the past, the 2015 version will only be sold in this market as a four-door. Mileage is expected to be 23 mpg in the city, more than 30 mpg on the highway and 26 mpg combined.
The car had the 5th generation permanent 4Motion but don’t let semantics fool you. The Golf R is front-wheel-drive, the back wheels, using sensors, gained instant torque before the front wheels slipped. That could be often as the torque band hits its peak from 1,800 rpms to 5,500 rpms.
The Golf R had huge vented disc brakes: 13.4 inches in the front and 12.2 inches in the rear. It was 0.8 inches lower than a regular Golf and the ESC (electronic stability control) could be switched off.
However, that is something that should be done on flat smooth surfaces like race tracks and not on tight twisting two lane country roads that climbed to more than 4,000 ft. in altitude as we headed to Julian, California, about 100 miles northwest of here.
The 2015 Golf R’s exhaust note was formidable as the push button start engine came to life. The quad exhaust had what my driving partner called turbo blip with the change of every gear. The tight turns and switch backs reminded us that four-wheel-drive is good on dry pavement too as the Golf R planted on the road and stayed in its track. When we approached turns too fast, its big brakes slowed us down without a lot of fuss, removing anxiety in the process.
You’ve got to know your Volkswagen Golfs in order to distinguish the Golf R. The exterior package included subtly different bumpers with larger air intakes, side skirts, and a rear diffuser. The quad adaptive Xenon headlights had LED daytime running lights forming a square U under each, the side view mirror caps were painted black and it had a modified grille with the “R” logo embedded. But the easiest way to differentiate it was to get a look in the rear, which most vehicles on the road did as we sped away, and glimpse the four chrome-tipped exhaust pipes and the “R” badge on the liftgate. The five exterior colors were Tornado Red, Limestone Grey Metallic, Deep Black Pearl Effect and Oryx White and Lapiz Blue Metallic.
Inside, the 2015 VW Golf R featured extensive upgrades. It had front passenger sport seats, Nappa leather seating surfaces and a three-spoke sport steering wheel that featured a chrome “R” logo on the crossbar. While dash and door trim panels had a “carbon touch” design, the sills had a stainless steel “look” with a blue hue. The pedals, dead pedal and gear shift knob were trimmed with an aluminum alloy and the center stack template had a black piano finish. There was blue ambient lighting that we didn’t see because of our daytime drive.
The car had a bunch of creature comforts: satellite radio, heated front seats, LED reading lights, a media device interface (but USB plugs won’t come until summer), Bluetooth, a rearview camera, power driver’s seat, dual zone climate controls, a navigation system, adaptive damping, 19-inch wheels, front and rear park assist and a premium audio system.
We think the new Golf R’s drive mode selection was really distinctive. It featured comfort, normal, sport and individual selections. Engine response, shift points, suspension settings and steering ratios would adjust depending on the setting.
But what made the drive mode selector different was that the change in driving characteristics was distinctive and immediate. And the individual setting let you mix and match settings to your liking. The engineering that went into the Golf R was evident in big and small ways.
Prices start at $37,415 for the model with 18-inch alloy wheels. It climbs to $39,910 for the model featuring 19-inch alloy wheels, an adaptive damping system, and premium audio system, a touchscreen navigation system and park assist. There were a few quibbles about the price, the main gripe being that it was in range of some other small sporty German luxury brands.
That may be true. However, the 2015 Volkswagen R has a following. During an internet pre-sale, 500 copies were sold in less than 12 hours. This is a low volume halo car. It’s got the performance that enthusiasts love and it has the aspirational traits which should get more people into other trim levels of the Golf. VW marketers can’t ask for the new Golf R to do too much more than that.

Frank S. Washington is Editor of AboutThatCar.com.

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE

Birmingham Times

April 23, 2015

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE
by Steve Flowers

On a picture perfect sunny January day Governor Robert Bentley was sworn in for his second term as governor, along with all of the other constitutional state officeholders. Taking their oath of office on the same day were Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey, Attorney General Luther Strange, State Treasurer Young Boozer, and State Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan. They were all sworn in for a second four year term. Newcomers Secretary of State John Merrill and State Auditor Jim Ziegler also took office on January 19.
Speculation has already begun as to which of these folks are eyeing Dr. Bentley’s office four years henceforth. It is shaping up as quite a governor’s race in 2018. Unlike Bentley’s 2014 coronation victory trot, this one will be quite a horse race. Beginning in September, I will handicap the potential horses for the 2018 derby for the brass ring of Alabama politics. I have a list of 18 potential horses that we will begin with as we handicap the derby.
However, I will give you a sneak preview of the race with a quick look at the current statewide officeholders. Luther Strange begins the derby as the favorite. Big Luther’s victory for reelection as attorney general was very impressive. He was the only one of the five running for reelection to get serious opposition. He destroyed the Democratic candidate despite close to $2 million of Indian casino gambling money being spent against him. If Luther quietly does his job as AG and sticks to his knitting he has a political bonanza on the horizon. The BP settlement will come in at almost the time that the horses are entering the chute. This could be the salvation of the State General Fund and a political windfall for Strange.
When John McMillan and Young Boozer ran for their respective positions as Agriculture Commissioner and State Treasurer, I said that I had never seen two people run for these posts who were any more qualified. Indeed, if they had applied through the State Merit System they would have been hired. They were hired by the people of Alabama in 2010 and rehired in 2014. Both men have done exemplary jobs as was expected. However, I doubt that either one has decided whether or not they want to run for governor.
Boozer seems even more ambivalent than McMillan. He has a sincere demeanor that is totally apolitical. That sincerity and aloofness is what appeals to people. He also has a memorable name.
McMillan is just a good honest guy who has done a good job in a very important position for the State of Alabama. Despite being in his mid-70s he is getting a lot of encouragement to run.
John Merrill won an impressive victory for Secretary of State. His reception on Inauguration Day was extremely eye-opening. He had people lined up for blocks outside the State Archives Building. It looked like a Wallace rally of bygone days. It is obvious that he built a statewide grassroots organization during his three year journey of running for secretary of state. He is probably the best retail politician of the entire aforementioned horses.
Jim Ziegler is probably the most colorful of the pack. His predecessor as state auditor was the quietest state officeholder in memory. This will not be the case with Mr. Ziegler. He will be fun to watch.
Roy Moore came to life again as the same-sex marriage issue took front and center of the state news for over a month. State law prohibits someone from running for a judgeship in Alabama if they are over 70. Moore will be 72 in 2018, the year his term will be up. He is in good health and looks much younger than 70. He has seemed to always aspire to be governor. He ran several times during his sabbatical from the Supreme Court. However, people seem to think of him as a Supreme Court judge rather than Chief Executive.
There is a move afoot within the legislature to remove the age 70 retirement provision. Most observers believe that this legislation is designed specifically to allow Moore to continue as Chief Justice. If this provision is not achieved, look for Roy Moore to be in the 2018 Governor’s Race.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column on Alabama politics appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.

State of Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles

April 23, 2015

State of Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles is facing a projected
budget cut of 18 percent for FY 2016 on top of what has already amounted to a devastating 25 percent cut
from FY2009 funding levels. The projected cut not only poses a threat to public safety, but will
also prevent the agency from implementing prison reform efforts and negatively impact the
state’s prison overcrowding crisis.
Pardons and Paroles is statutorily charged with supervising Alabama’s adult felony offenders on
probation and parole. On an annual basis the agency supervises over 64,000 probationers and
parolees living in Alabama’s communities, operating 61 field offices throughout the state, a
Central Office in Montgomery, and a residential LIFE Tech transition facility in Thomasville,
Alabama. Offender caseloads for probation and parole officers currently average 198 per
officer, far above the recommended range. Probation and parole officers continue to do the
best they can to effectively supervise large caseloads despite the numbers. The state’s Prison
Reform Task Force has recommended increasing the number of officers by 100 to bring
caseloads into a manageable realm, which will not be possible with a budget cut.
An additional impact of the projected 18 percent budget cut will be the agency’s closure of LIFE Tech
Thomasville, the state’s only reentry facility, providing meaningful education, vocational
training, substance abuse and mental health treatment, and life skills to participating male
offenders with an 11 percent recidivism rate. The facility serves approximately 700 offenders
annually, most all of which would have to be absorbed by the Department of Corrections upon
closure. These offenders will be released directly to communities without receiving needed
services.
The agency would also be forced to forfeit $1,100,000 in federal grant funds awarded to
operate two different evidence-based programs: a Day Reporting Center in Birmingham and a
program to replicate Hawaii’s HOPE probation model, applying swift, certain, and fair sanctions
to probationers, in four pilot locations in the state—Decatur, Montgomery, Greenville, and
Mobile.
Forced layoffs of over 90 Pardons and Paroles staff from an 18 percent budget cut would result in
minimal supervision of offenders in Alabama’s communities, posing a significant threat to
public safety. In turn, increases in revocation rates of supervised offenders will result,
negatively impacting the Department of Corrections, as well as local jails. After suffering the
loss of a critical amount of staff, delays in processing investigations and reports for the courts
and the Board, which the agency is also statutorily responsible for completing, will be
inevitable. Likewise, the Board’s parole and pardon dockets will be forced to substantially
decrease with a loss of staff to prepare and process cases for consideration.
As state policymakers attempt to reform Alabama’s correctional system while also addressing a
critical revenue shortage, cutting funding to Pardons and Paroles is the last thing that should
happen in order to adequately preserve public safety.

Assistant Director Eddie Cook, (334) 242-8718, Eddie.Cook@paroles.alabama.gov
Chief Legal Counsel Meridith Barnes, (334) 353-3730, Meridith.Barnes@paroles.alabama.gov

2015 Evening of Stars with UNCF

Birmingham Times

April 23, 2015

Greater Birmingham Humane Society welcomes Katie Shaddix as Director of Marketing

Birmingham Times

April 23, 2015

Greater Birmingham Humane Society welcomes Katie Shaddix as Director of Marketing

Birmingham, Ala. — The Greater Birmingham Humane Society, Alabama’s largest and oldest humane society, is proud to welcome Katie Shaddix to its staff as Director of Marketing
Prior to joining the staff at the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, Shaddix served for nearly eight years as Development and Communications Coordinator for theAlabama Rivers Alliance after a decade working in the private sector.
An active volunteer for animal causes, Shaddix serves on the board of Do Dah Day, an annual Birmingham festival that has raised over $1.3 million for homeless animals in Jefferson County. She has also volunteered with numerous animal rescue organizations and has been a volunteer “foster parent” to over 100 cats and dogs in need.
“My professional background is in marketing and communications, and my heart is in my work on behalf of animals,” Shaddix said. “I am thrilled to be in a position that combines both and gives me the opportunity to join the phenomenal team at Greater Birmingham Humane Society.”
As Director of Marketing, Shaddix will oversee the marketing strategy that will keep the community informed of the work of Greater Birmingham Humane Society as the organization strives to become known as a center of excellence at aiding homeless, injured, abused, and neglected animals.
“With our expansion into Animal Care & Control, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society’s programs are growing at a faster rate than ever before,” said Allison Black Cornelius, Executive Director and CEO.
“Katie’s experience and expertise will be invaluable in helping us let the community know about our organization, its work, and new expanded range of services,” Cornelius said. Communicating our work to the community will be key to us meeting our ultimate goal of saving the lives of as many adoptable pets as possible.”
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800-lb Woman (Marla McCants) Stands for First Time in Years

Birmingham Times

April 23, 2015

800-lb Woman (Marla McCants) Stands for First Time in Years
By EURWeb

It might be hard to imagine someone putting on hundreds of pounds from eating all kinds of comfort foods, but this is reality for Marla McCants, who weighs in at 800 lbs from doing just that.
Stress eating became her way of dealing with the trauma following being kidnapped by her former boyfriend. Now, after years of doing nothing but eating and sitting still, she stood up for the first time and it was captured on Wednesday’s TLC program, “My 600-lb Life.”
McCants, who says she never had a weight problem in the past, used eating as a means to cope with being kidnapped at gunpoint by her boyfriend after she tried to call it quits. The traumatic experience left her afraid to leave the house for fear that her boyfriend would locate and kill her.
By the time he was captured, she weighed 700 pounds.
McCants, 43, moved from Nashville to Texas with her daughter, Sierra, so she could work with Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, who specializes in weight loss. But the trip alone nearly killed her. It had been so long since she used her legs, a blood clot had formed and worked its way to her lung.
Upon her arrival to the doctor’s office, he described her as being “…in the worst condition health wise that I have ever seen,” and he revealed that her condition showed she was only weeks or months from death.
Unable to do anything for herself, McCants is totally dependent on her daughters.
To help manage her weight, she was placed on a 1,000-calories-a-day diet and had gastric bypass surgery. Even with all of this, she still made excuses when her family and doctors pleaded with her to try to stand up. She said it was too painful and would scream whenever the attempt was made.
Frustrated and feeling helpless, the doctors discharged her from the hospital because of her lack of cooperation. “Marla has convinced herself that she cannot walk, but the reality is that she doesn’t want to walk,” Dr. Nowzaradan said.
“If Marla won’t get up, we can’t treat her,” he continued. “This is a life or death situation. She is going to die.”
McCants moved back in with her daughter and insisted she could do it on her own, but to no avail.
After an exasperating eight weeks, Sierra called Dr. Nowzaradan again and McCants finally acquiesced and stood on a scale for the first time in years.
Shocked by what she saw, a 266 lb. weight loss, McCants claims she is now motivated to continue.
“Getting up and standing was one of the most encouraging things I’ve done and now I don’t want to stop,” McCants said, noting that she was “proud” of herself.

(Photo/Video Source: YouTube)

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