Is War With Woodstock Inevitable?

Over the past several days, the volcano of financial strife between Lake View and Woodstock at Exit 100 has rumbled with signs of a possible eruption once again. Last month, CBLV reported that the Township of Woodstock in nearby Bibb County had received approval for several million dollars in state funds to build a new treatment plant for the update and expansion of their sewer system. This is a concern because the town will no longer have its ability to expand limited by the capacity of the West Blocton sewer system. Earlier this week, it was announced that eastern Bibb County near Woodstock would be the site of the new $40.4 million dollar Moller Tech factory, representing a massive influx of potential revenue into the area, particularly Woodstock. Finally, on October 17, Woodstock posted legal notice in the Tuscaloosa News that announced a meeting to discuss the formation of a Lodgings Incentives Agreement. This final item points toward an expansionist mentality toward Exit 100, a mentality that isn’t good for Lake View.

Lake View City Government: Up To Their Old Tricks?

Is it just a box, or a symbol of Lake View’s financial future in the trash can at the Municipal Complex?

While on the surface the two primary campaign issues of the 2016 Lake View municipal elections were public safety and the long standing sewer debacle and the associated government corruption surrounding it, the voters were truly only voting on one thing: money. Beneath all the posturing and rhetoric the true issue was town financial practices and the stewardship of the citizenry’s resources. On one hand was the Weathers camp who championed by-the-book, policy-driven financial responsibility that pulled the town out of debt and built a strong surplus in the municipal coffers, but also led to several unpopular decisions. On the other was the old guard Calhoun crew who pushed to return to the ways of the past that saw more cooperation and flexibility with policy taking a back seat, which nearly bankrupted the town during his tenure on the council ending in 2012 but restored the Lake View Police Department to full force in short order after his gubernatorial appointment in July of 2016. In the end, Calhoun made promises that this time would be different and made outlandish claims that Weathers would dismantle the police department if elected. Seemingly that ultimately won him the mayor’s office. Now, less than two months after the election with the new council not even on the dais yet, it appears that the old way of playing fast and loose with town funds has peeked out from behind the curtain again.