Mentone

Mentone Election 2008

Scuttlebutt
(Contributed by Mentone Residents via Election@Mentone.ws)

Rob Hammond shouldn't claim credit for the caution lights for the school zone and the bridge. The groundwork for these projects was laid well before Hammond took control of the our government. Instead, Bill Berry was probably the person most responsible for the school zone warning lights and Linda Brown was probably the person most responsible for the bridge warning lights. Ex-mayor Brown (and not Hammond) was also the person most responsible for the initiation of actions regarding the problems with the Mentone Bridge, as detailed elsewhere on this web site.

According to Slate McDorman, a prominent Mentone citizen says that there is a letter from State Senator Lowell Barron being circulated that says that the McDorman family is responsible for the Mentone Bridge problems because of their property being on the State of Alabama's Historic Register. McDorman was told that 90% of Mentone's residents have seen this letter. However, McDorman says that he hasn't seen the letter and the source says that he doesn't have a copy. Incumbent Mayor Hammond has been asked what he knows about this issue, but he has not responded. His only comment has been, "Currently the project is being reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office." All of these excuses for delays on the project may actually be red herrings, because, not only do they smell, but ALDOT's published plans do not show significant conflicts with any historic properties.

Rob Hammond never replied to Slate McDorman's queries about the letter from Lowell Barron. Is this document actually a smoke-screen conjured up by behind-the-scenes powers who are trying to cover up the real reason the Bridge has not been replaced or repaired? Here is a copy of the letter for everyone's personal evaluation. Attorneys specializing in environmental law aren't all evil (as the letter suggests) and the only attorney in the McDorman family has virtually no experience in this area. It's very hard to believe that progress on the Bridge as been stopped cold for the reasons argued in the letter. What really has happened to bring an end to the momentum for action on the Mentone Bridge which existed prior to Rob Hammond being in charge?