Sand Mountain Reporter

About 60 residents turned out for the first mayor’s forum Monday night in the Albertville Primary School cafeteria.

Albertville Mayor Lindsey Lyons addressed questions ranging from immigration issues to the city’s proposal to buy a new landfill.

All of the people who signed up to ask a question had the opportunity. In all, there were nine questions.

Daniel Escorcia asked the mayor what the Hispanic community can do to help Albertville.

“The Hispanic community needs to trust this administration,” Lyons said. “We don’t have any ulterior motives other than pulling this community together.”

He said the biggest thing people can do is learn English and that the Hispanic community should take advantage of the classes offered at the Crossroads Mall.

George Carr wanted to know why the police department would not enforce illegal U-turns downtown.

He said people were making the turns from the opposite side of the road, which means they have to cross the double lines.

Lyons said he expected the officers to stop the people, but whether or not to issue citations or warnings was up to them.

Terry Poffinbarger asked about the city’s proposed plan to purchase a new landfill.

Lyons said that he did not support the idea of buying the landfill and, since the city’s current landfill does not expire until March, he urged the city council to take its time in making a decision.

He said people should think about it as if someone wanted to put a landfill next to Albertville High School, which references the proposed site being next to where Marshall Christian Academy is located.

“Don’t base a decision strictly on finances,” Lyons said. “Until we exhaust all the means and measures out there, let’s just stand still.”

He said regardless of what the city decides to do, the garbage rates would still have to increase, but he suggested a smaller monthly increase of $1 instead of the original $2.

Magdalena Matias brought up the issue of a mistrust between the Hispanic community and the city.

She said some in the Hispanic community lost trust in the city after what happened at the last town hall meeting, when an interpreter was promised, but none was provided.

“I feel there was some miscommunication at the last forum,” Lyons said. “And, tonight there was a lot of missed opportunity because we are here tonight.”

He said the two sides were going to have get beyond what happened last time and he asked the Hispanic community for their trust again.

Aylene Sepulveda asked the mayor about the letters he sent to Washington, D.C., and why those letters singled out the Hispanic population as the main cause of crime in the city.

The mayor said he disagreed.

“There’s criminal elements in every walk of life and we have sworn an oath and we have to deal with it,” Lyons said.

Elias Luna asked the mayor how he was going to gain the trust of the Hispanic community while still continuing to have safety checkpoints, which he said targeted the Hispanic population.

Lyons said the checkpoints have been proven to reduce the number of accidents in the area.

“You cannot, with all due respect, ask us not to protect the citizens of this city by not utilizing checkpoints,” Lyons said.

Candelario Ramirez asked what the mayor planned to with the 287(g) program he has requested.

Lyons said he plans to continue to pursue the training and said the city needed it.

Jose Lopez Gujon asked the mayor what his options were when dealing with an uncooperative landlord.

Lyons said he would look into it.

Hilario Lopez asked the mayor why the police department does not arrest more criminals, since the city says it is such a big problem.

Lyons said the police needed more help from the Hispanic community in regards to getting information about those criminals.

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Serving Albertville and the Sand Mountain region

Publisher: Ben Shurett

1603 Progress Drive
Albertville, Alabama 35950

Tel: 256-840-3000 | Email

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