New Report Shows City Revenues Up, Expenditures Down
According to reports, the city is starting this fiscal year with income exceeding expenditures, as has been the case for several years.
City Clerk Bill Fann said the new accounting software was no in city computers, and the council will be receiving monthly expenditure and revenue reports. According to the February report, revenues are at 41 percent, while expenditures are only at the 36-percent mark. In more accurate figures, the revenues stand at $5,315,492, while expenditures have been $3,858,880, the report showed.
In commenting on the report, Mayor Charlie Fagan said, "Our finances look exceptionally good. Our revenues are up, and our expenses are down. That's the way it should be."
The city is now the owner of the dental office formally occupied by Dr. Tony Davis. Renaissance Bank had originally asked about $80,000 for the structure. At the last City Council meeting, the panel agreed to stick to their $35,000. Fann told the group that on the second conference with the bank, the offer was accepted.
Dr. Ben Ingram will buy the dental equipment and move it to another location. Official said Dr. Dorothy Nelder had expressed some interest in relocating her practice there.
While progress was made on the Davis building, the clerk reported a stalemate in the negotiations with Shine-N-Stars. The children's home was originally scheduled to pay $2,000 per month rent, but the Piedmont Health Care Authority dropped that payment to $700. When the city regained control of the old Piedmont Hospital and Nursing Home building, the rent was to be increased to the original $2,000, Shine-N-Stars officials appeared before the council to point out the difficulties the increase would place on their operation.
Fann and Fagan were authorized to conduct negotiations with the company to reach a fair agreement. Fann said he made several proposals to a delegation from the home, but none were acceptable. The clerk said he explained that state law would not allow the city to rent the building at below a fair market value.
The group is currently considering a rent based on the census of children on a quarterly basis. Fann said he would meet with them later. Dr. Maer Gao has received his lease proposal, and Fann said there have been no complaints.
Turning to other business, former Piedmont Police Sgt. Terry Kiser was named to a term on the Piedmont Housing Authority.
Fagan said the new Courthouse annex was opening here yesterday and urged the council to visit the new facility. He said it would allow the county and city offices more space and would provide room for all city business to be conducted under one roof. The new office is on the north side of the present City Utilities and Administrative building.
Fagan said he wanted the council to think about some new equipment for the street department. He said a new knuckle-boom truck, a dump truck and a bucket truck were currently needed.
In closing, Fagan said, "I want to apologize for the high gas bills. I did everything in my power to give 5-6 months notice." He added, however that the wholesale cost of natural gas had gone down, and spring temperatures would being lower rates.
The only other business conducted by the council was approving the payment of $246,918.40 in monthly bills. Of that, $120,020 was for electrical energy, and $47,975 was for the operation of the water, gas and sewer utilities.

Local Teacher Among 14 To Be Cited By Alabama Power
Fourteen first-year teachers from across Alabama, including one from Piedmont Middle School, are winners of this year's New Teacher Grants, sponsored by the Alabama Power Service Organization.
 Stephanie Steward received her degree in education Jacksonville State University, then came home to teach at the middle school. She and the other winners each receive a $1,000 grant to buy classroom materials and supplies.
³We are delighted to recognize and support these new teachers,² said Carla Roberson, manager of Education and Volunteer Services for Alabama Power. ³They certainly earned the distinction as winners. But their students are also winners, as the money will enhance the educational opportunities in their classrooms.²
The Alabama Power Service Organization has awarded grants to new teachers since 1995.  Candidates are submitted by the state¹s public teacher colleges. Winners are selected by a committee that includes education school deans.
The Alabama Power Service Organization includes more than 4,000 Alabama Power, Southern Nuclear and Southern Company employees and their families who give their time to help improve communities.  Last year, the organization contributed more than 50,000 hours to worthy projects across Alabama.

Elementary School Principal Placed On Medical Leave; Contract Won't Be Renewed
At a called meeting early last week, the City Board of Education accepted the elementary school principal's resignation
City School Supt. Matt Akin said Chris Dowdy had requested to be placed on medical leave for the remainder of the school, ending June 30. he told the board Dowdy had another year left in hius contract, but the principal requested it not be renewed.
Akin recommended the board accept the requests, and the panel complied with a unanimous vote.
Akin said he, Karen Kisor from the school's central office and Larry Ball, assistant Piedmont High principal, would divide the duties of over5seeing the day-to-day operations at Piedmont Elementary School.
"We will continue to focus on the kids," Akin said.
The superintendent did not cite Dowdy's specific health problem, he only said it was "stress related."

Strictly Personal
A Fond Farewell - I Love You, God Bless You and Goodbye
My friends, the time has come for me to write my final "Strictly Personal" column. I reached this decision several weeks ago, and I freely admit it was not an easy one.
At the end of the year, I was lost. My wife, Carol, had passed away a few days more than two months before 2005 came to a close. The folks at The Star offered to let me stay, and I have retained my duties for about 75 days.
It has been a difficult period. Not a single day passes that I don't find something at the office that reminds me of Carol. I have come to accept these things as blessings and reminders of happier times. However, walking into that office each day has become somewhat of a burden.
March means many things. It was exactly 40 years ago that I came to Piedmont. A young man of 22 came to this newspaper in March 1966, only two weeks after my first child was born. A more mature man of 62 will walk out the back door of this newspaper at the close of business Friday.
It will not be an easy journey as I pass through that portal for the final time, but it is timely and probably necessary.
You, our readers, and our advertisers have put bread on our family's table for 42 years. Dad came here in 1964. Unlike my father, I opted to live in Piedmont. I have made some poor decisions in my life, but one of the best was deciding to make my home here. Piedmont is the home of the finest people in the world, many of whom I have the pleasure to call my friends.
Carol and I were both from other cities, but due to the kindness of Piedmont's residents, we were accepted as a part of the community. We invested in a home and raised a family among our friends.
I have enjoyed my career. Sure, there have been difficult time, but those times were the exception, not the rule. I have had the pleasure of being a part of the newspaper industry as it went through unprecedented changes. In 1966, offset printing was new to the industry. Most papers, including The Star, were will using Linotype machines and "hot type" to print each edition.
The first offset press in Calhoun County (and I believe this part of the state) was in Jacksonville. It was a small contraption, compared to the present presses, but it represented a giant step forward. I have been through the evolution of computers and electronic pagination. Each week, I send the pages of this paper to the press room using a high-speed interment service. It is done in only a matter of minutes.
The business and its technology are still changing. I understand that completely new programs will be used to publish this paper in the coming weeks.
Despite the technological advancement, a newspaper, especially a small one like this, is made up of people. In October, we lost one of the people who made this paper work. Others can do the work she did, but it's just not the same. Spring is a time of renewal. Even the skeletal branches of the trees will soon don their luxuriant green coats. The flowers will begin to bloom, and gardens and farms will again bear their bounty. It is a time that nature changes from the drab landscape of winter and the temperatures become more agreeable.
The key word is change, and it is an appropriate time for me to bow out of the local newspaper. For four decades I have enjoyed serving this community, but like every good book, the final chapter must be read and the covers closed.
I again want to express my sincere gratitude to members of my family for their support during the past few months. There are many friends who have joined in that effort. They have my deep appreciation, especially the four who have meant so much to me.
I would like to take a moment to mention Betty Lawler. Except for Carol, she has been with the paper the longest. She is a model employee, and outstanding person, and I list her as among my top best friends. I can't thank her enough for all she has done for me and for the paper. I appreciate and love you BOB.
To all the school and governmental officials who have unselfishly served as sources for weekly stories, I offer mny sincere gratitude.
I could not write this column without expressing thanks to every advertiser and to each reader. Without the financial support of our advertisers and the faithful readers, there would be no Piedmont newspaper.
I am not leaving this community. Piedmont is my home, and I love our community and its residents. I could never abandon the friendship and love I have found here.
The name of this publication returns to "The Piedmont Journal." this week. That is as it should be. I changed the name some 24 years ago, because it was the only paper of record in Calhoun, Cleburne and Talladega counties that was not totally owned by Consolidated Publishing Co. Consolidated will be in complete control as of Saturday. I also understand the newspaper office will have a new location, but that is for the new owners to announce.
I could fill pages with amusing anecdotes, some tales of the past and fond memories. I could write volumes on the friends who have passed on and those that remain dear. The changes I have seen in our city could be chronicled in many a tome, but that would only prolong this column.
By offering my thanks, I have attempted to pay a huge debt I owe to each of you. I love you, God bless you and goodbye.