What the Sheriff Wants, the Sheriff Gets

At least, that is how it is in Lee County. The Lee County Commission has given the Lee County Sheriff, Jay Jones, a $24,300 raise. Continue reading to find out more about the meeting. ______________________________________ Lee County Commission Meeting March 14, 2022

Public Comments are still CENSORED. That is, they are no longer allowed in the public record nor shown on the taxpayer funded audio/video feed of Lee County Commission (LCC) Meetings. This makes it difficult for anyone who wants to watch this meeting. (Public Comments were sacrificed on the altar of the LCC in July 2021 after too much exposure of their malfeasance was coming to light).

The March 14, 2022 5pm LCC meeting (online or on mobile device) was not available until 5:14pm due to the new “streamlining” of the Lee County Commission. The LCC “streamlined” the meeting by sacrificing the Public Comments from the meeting.

If anyone were interested, they can look at the Agenda on the leeco.us website to discover that on July 12, 2021 District 3 County Commissioner Gary Long Proposed Changes to Agenda Format. This "Streamlining" stripped Public Comments from the record.

LEE COUNTY COMMISSION AGENDA July 12, 2021 5:00 PM

8. NEW BUSINESS: a. Proposed Changes to Agenda Format ­ Commissioner Long

With the ability to Cloak their Avarice further, the LCC was able to increase the lack of transparency and deny citizens access to the record, access for input to Commissioner actions that affect all of Lee County as well as access to simple answers to simple questions, the Lee County Commissioners were overjoyed to “streamline” their wealth transfer.

Fortunately, there are still some who see what is really going on with the Lee County Commission. They have thankfully taken the time and effort necessary to procure a camera to record the Public Comments that our LCC have happily stripped away from the Minutes or the Audio/Video feed. The TAXPAYER FUNDED Audio/Video feed if you recall.

One Lee County property owner expressed concerns that he has shared with me here;

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The Lack of “Mutuality of Remedy” by Peter Byrd

If the citizen does not pay for solid waste removal the Sheriff can issue a citation which will result in a fine between $50 and $200. However, what is the citizen’s remedy when Arrow Trash Services does not empty the container? There should be a remedy for the citizen who has paid for a service which he does not receive. Why should Arrow have access to the Sheriff’s office to enforce the contract but the citizen must hire an attorney, prove their case and go to court on their own dime? A built-in remedy has been granted to Arrow but no remedy provided the citizen. Will the Sheriff issue a citation to Arrow when it has not picked up the garbage and give it 2 weeks to show up and pay a fine? Of course not, the question is: why has an out-of-town company been given so much privilege when those local companies which were providing these same services had their businesses destroyed?

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John Sophocleus once again was forced to request a clock that is readily visible to the public when they take time to come and give a Public Comment. He was again ignored by the Lee County Commission.

Mr. Sophocleus applauded Holly Leverette (Holly Leverette has replaced Roger Rendleman as the County Manager for Lee County) when noticing there were only 2 No Name Vendors in the Agenda instead of the usual dozen that were commonplace during Roger Rendlemans time as County Manager. Example here;

12/21/21 No Name Vendor Base plugs for Beulah & Beauregard Parks $188.13 Recreation 1/13/22 No Name Vendor 1-serco hyd filter 2-o-rings 1-outgoing freight/5462 Boom truck $159.93 Solid Waste Removal

Mr. Sophocleus asked for a narrative on the multiple RSA Reimbursements the County has recently been paying. Such as this example from March 14, 2022 LCC meeting,

2/17/22 RETIREMENT SYSTEMS OF ALA Service error/Member #E476944 $7,625.76 Commission Office

As he understands it, Holly Leverette is dealing with a great deal of litigation from the Rendleman era and wants her to be cautious not to get connected with any cover up of current indecencies or prior indecencies with the Lee County Commission.

He went on to ask if the LCC would recover the $509k+ sent to the Alabama County Commission Association ACCA on Valetines Day February 14, 2022.

Happy Valentine's Day ACCA

LEE COUNTY COMMISSION INVOICES FOR COMMISSION APPROVAL February 14, 2022

ASSOCIATION OF CO COMMISSIONS OF AL First half of Administrative fee for ARPA Funds $509,207.10 Commission Office

Mr. Sophocleus expressed his opinion that the ACCA is one of the most corrupt Administrations in the State of Alabama.

Mr. Sophocleus wanted to include the wrongdoings of unbonded employees. This is basically because the Commission failed to do its job. With regards to Bonding, following Subdivision Regulations, following Access Management policies etc.

Mr. Sophocleus asked the Commission to please consider these things when including the merits of this employee (County Engineer Justin Hardee). Who should have been removed by Law when he was discovered to be unbonded, not given a raise, which was scheduled for the Commission meeting that evening (March 14, 2022).

Mr. Sophocleus went on to encourage the LCC to look to the outstanding lieutenants under Justin Hardee who would make excellent replacements if needed. High integrity individuals who would not dream of aiding and abetting some of the filth that goes on currently.

Finally, Mr. Sophocleus asked why did the LCC not follow existing laws to stop the Quarry? Why did they use false pretenses of stopping a Quarry in Beat 13 to create a Zoning/Planning Commission that have already admitted that they CANNOT STOP A QUARRY?

Commissioner Long was smirking alongside Commission Ham as Mr. Sophocleus was finishing his input, they were obviously overjoyed with their power grab and wealth transfer these past few years, especially with an oath breaking sheriff that has already admitted publicly that he would abandon his post as Sheriff if he was told to by a Federal Authority.

Sheriff Jay Jones is an Order Follower of the Nuremberg kind it seems.

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During the Lee County Commission February 28, 2022 Meeting, Sheriff Jay Jones received a $24,300 increase in salary. This raise becomes effective the beginning of the next term of office. A 24.1311% increase in salary pushed forward by a unanimous vote of the Lee County Commission (oddly enough the LCC waited until AFTER the qualifying had ended before showering Jay Jones with this gross raise). This raise is 87.0095% of what the Alabama per capita income was in 2019 dollars at $27,928, according to census.gov records.

This raise came after Jay Jones’s tearful protest against the 2nd Amendment Civil Liberties of the Lee County citizens during the Lee County Commission meeting on November 8, 2021. The liberty to defend yourself or your children are not as important to Sheriff Jay Jones as his Permit Fees it seems.

Once again, the Lee County Commission failed to understand procedure.

6. CONSENT AGENDA:

d. First Reading to replace District 2 Representative on Lee County Planning Commission

The procedure however, states that an “Announcement” is required before a first reading.

Jay Jones will use already existing citation and merely include the Noise Ordinance to it.

If you want to Appeal the citation you will have 14 days to file the appeal with the Lee County Commission. If the Appeal is not filed, you must pay the Citation to the Lee County Commission.

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Rita Smith requested the Commission to draft a Letter of Support from the Commission Chairman.

Commissioner Long questioned the time and effort that will be used for this endeavor.

“How will this help the citizens of Lee County?” -District 5 Commissioner LaGrand

District 4 Commissioner Robert Ham make a Motion to Support Rita Smith to run for 1st Vice-President of the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers Board. Seconded by District 1 Commissioner Cannon.

All voted YES to Support Rita Smith except for District 3 Commissioner Long who voted NO.

The video feed cut out at 5:29pm. I was finally able to get the LCC video to start at 5:14pm. 15 minutes' worth of the LCC meeting was viewable, all due to the LCC "Streamlining" the meetings, which we all know is cloaking their theft of the Lee County property owners and residents. The wealth transfer per minute was amazing in the March 14, 2022 LCC Meeting.

Until next we meet,

-M