Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
11:50 pm Sunday, June 8, 2008

Questioning council actions

By Staff
Dear editor, the Times:
As I take pen in hand I can't help but wonder when the best officers Red Bay has ever had will start resigning. Judging by their actions, it seems to me that nothing would please four of our city council members more.
In my opinion, David Martin, Bobby Nelson, Ann Wilkins and Patsy Hammock have continued to pursue a vindictive campaign against the police department, the citizens of Red Bay and just plain common sense. Here are just a few examples, starting with the June 2 meeting.
David Martin has declared the police need no training at all, especially not for emergencies such as a school crisis or shooting as has happened in small schools nationwide. Yes, David, it could happen here too.
We can thank Ann Wilkins, Patsy Hammock and Bobby Nelson for adding Martin to the council.
This notorious trio are the ones who gripe and criticize the police department at every meeting about every action we take, complain about the price of pens we use and question every cent spent to keep the department running despite the fact that Wilkins has been unable to find any misappropriation of anything.
This is the trio that has refused to replace police cars with well over 100,000 miles on them – two of which no longer start without being jumped off.
Officer Rodney Belue recently responded to a call in his own vehicle rather than try to start an actual police car.
When asked to replace just one of them, Wilkins expressed no concern about risks to citizens' lives, health and property.
Instead, she demanded to know what officer would be using the new patrol car and helped kill the proposal. No reason was given as to why. What does that say about her priorities?
Let's not forget how the original trio of Hammock, Wilkins and Nelson embarrassed themselves and all of Red Bay in their botched and illegal March attempt to get rid of Chief Creel.
Anyone with any sense of honor would have resigned after dragging Red Bay through the mud but they refused to even apologize. What does this say about them?
Stephen Moore
Red Bay

Also on Franklin County Times
Russellville to host MLK march on Monday
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The Franklin County Martin Luther King Memorial Scholarship Committee is planning its annual commemoration march, which this year will ...
Career tech programs return to remodeled RHS building
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Students at Russellville High School returned from winter break last week to a newly remodeled and expanded Career Technical Education ...
Dowdy sentence delayed
Main, News, Russellville
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The sentencing of Brandy Dowdy will have to wait until another day after her defense attorney suffered a “medical emergency.” Dowdy’s s...
MLK march is about ‘keeping the dream alive’
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The Rev. B.J. Bonner was 11 years old in the summer of 1963 when the civil rights movement reshaped the South and communities across Al...
FCREA finalizes 2025, looks ahead to 2026
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
January 14, 2026
There are moments in our meetings that stay with you long after the chairs are folded and the dishes are washed. One of those moments came in November...
This year, let’s resolve to be more involved
Columnists, Opinion
January 14, 2026
Stop eating desserts. Go to the gym every day. Read 50 books this year. Learn a language. Start my retirement savings. Every year we make our resoluti...
RHS track looks ahead to state meet
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville High School track athletes have posted multiple top 10 and top 20 section finishes this season, along with podium performa...
Vote of Red Bay budget delayed until February
News, Red Bay
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RED BAY — City councilmembers will vote next month on the 20025–26 fiscal year budget. Mayor Mike Shewbart told the council last week the budget was n...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *