Members of the Greene County, Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta sorority Inc. present gifts to families for the chapters annual adoptive family event 2025 in Greene County, Alabama.
Picture left to right Johnni Strode Morning, Leisa, Gaines Means, Phillis Belcher, DHR Representative Rebecca Pendergrass, Jacqueline Allen, AAF Committee Chair and Marva Smith. Not pictured Tameshia Porter and DHR Representative Kim Tyree
Members of the Greene County Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated present gifts to families for the chapter’s annual Adopt-A-Family event 2025 in Hale County, AL
Picture left to right Cynthia Hogue, Schiquetta Burrell, Hale County DHR Director Natasha King, Hale county DHR Representative Sandra Brown Marva Smith, Phillis Belcher, Jacqueline Allen, AAF Committee Chair. Not pictured Erika Long and Samoria Beck with Hale County.
EUTAW, AL — The Greene County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated has consistently served Greene and Hale Counties since 1978. Our legacy of service has operated in this community for over 46 years.
The Greene County Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated kicked off its 45th Annual Christmas Adopt-a-Family Project 2024 in early November. Members were encouraged to take advantage of Black Friday and other seasonal sales.
“During this most wonderful time of the year, we show our love for others by giving from the joy of our heart to help those in need” said Phillis Belcher, Chapter President. The chapter has adopted children through Department of Human Resources of Greene and Hale Counties to provide a little bit of Christmas Cheer. Families are recommended by the Department of Human Resources for each county. The chapter requested at least five children per family. Gifts were presented in festive holiday wrappings no later than the middle of December. Committee Chairperson, Jacqueline Allen stated, “We want to make this holiday season as memorable as in previous years for the adopted children.” This year a special treat was provided to each child that was adopted, a $25 gift card. This empowered each child to make a purchase of their own choosing for either themselves or someone else. The Adopt-a-Family Committee is chaired by Jacqueline Allen and Marva Smith serves as Co-Chair.
EUTAW, AL — The Greene County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated has consistently served Greene and Hale Counties since 1978. Our legacy of services is best captured in a quote by our sister, Dorothy Height. She said, “Without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It’s important to the person who serves as well as the recipient. It’s the way in which we ourselves grow and develop.” This spirit of service has guided our chapter since its chartering in 1978. Today we are doing more for the community and enlarging our circle of service,” said Phillis Belcher, President of the Greene County Alumnae Chapter. Each November, families across Greene and Hale County enjoy a Thanksgiving Dinner together. We typically share words thanks for the meal and count the many blessings in our lives. Unfortunately, there are families in our community who struggle daily to get a meal each day. Our goal is to ensure that every large family who wishes to receive a traditional holiday meal with all the trimmings does so. A long-standing project of the Greene County Alumnae Chapter this service began over 46 years ago and has grown to feed six families in Greene County and Hale County. Three families of 5 members or more are identified by the Greene County Department of Human Resources and three families of 5 members or more, are identified by the Hale County Department of Resources. Our objective is to help families while creating optimism for a brighter tomorrow. Chapter members Miriam Leftwich and Loydleetta Wabbington lead this service project.
At its August 23rd regular meeting approved purchase of a used 2006 Pierce Quint 75, 60-foot-long firetruck, with a forty-foot ladder, for $250,000. Several members of the Eutaw Fire Department went to inspect the truck in New Jersey and found it meet the city’s basic requirements and the truck could be housed in the current space below City Hall.
The firetruck will be moved to Huntsville, where some minor adjustments and mechanical repairs will be made before it can be picked up by the Fire Department, according to Brandon Broach, Deputy Fire Chief. The Fire Department will be able to pick up the truck within a few weeks and drive it to its new home in Eutaw, Alabama.
At the regular meeting the City Council opened bids for the grass cutting and maintenance of the two cemeteries. There was one bid which was higher than the current cost. Mayor Johnson suggested continuing to contract with Kay Dees Lawncare for 3 or 4 more cuts of both cemeteries at $1,500 per cut. The Mayor’s suggestion was approved. The Council tabled opening bids for the roof at the Robert H. Young Community Center because the bid had not been properly advertised.
The Council approved soliciting bids for the repair of Robert Street, Woodfield Street and Wheatland Circle, pursuant to earlier decisions to use American Rescue Plan and gas tax monies for these repairs.
Eutaw-Boligee Water Grant Agreement
At the August 23, 2022, regular meeting the Eutaw City Council agreed to accept a $3.5 million grant to consolidate and improve the water systems of Eutaw and the Town of Boligee. The Council in a previous meeting declined to accept a $3.5 million, half grant and half loan proposal, from ADEM and USDA, because the City of Eutaw could not go into further debt and because most of the funds would be used to upgrade the Town of Boligee’s service.
Mayor Johnson and Mayor Samuels of Boligee discussed the problem of accepting the grant-loan combination with Congresswoman Terri Sewell. Sewell was the only Alabama Congressperson who voted for the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Bill, and the Inflation Reduction Act, which contain funds for water and sewer improvements, targeted to historically underserved communities. Sewell was able to negotiate a change from a $3.5 million grant-loan combination to a 100% grant for what is needed to improve the water and sewer systems of both Eutaw and Boligee.
There have been two subsequent meetings of Eutaw and Boligee mayors, councilpersons, attorneys, engineers, press and others. The Town of Boligee raised some concerns about giving up its water and sewer systems to consolidated control and management by Eutaw. They also wanted Eutaw to take on some past indebtedness of Boligee to USDA Rural Development, which Eutaw did not want to accept. Boligee also wanted its sewer system improvements included in the consolidation.
In a combination in-person and zoom meeting on Monday, August 29, 2022, most of these issues had been resolved. John Laney of ADEM said that USDA Rural Development would “take care of the Boligee water indebtness” and that Eutaw would not need to assume the costs.
Laney said he was open to a proposal from Eutaw and Boligee for use of the $3.5 million water grant and a $1.3 million sewer grant to Boligee, and potentially more funds as needed for the consolidated system, provided the consolidated water and sewer system insured proper pressure and quality of drinking and wastewater for Boligee; improved the City of Eutaw water and sewer system for its residents, was not overdesigned and was of reasonable cost.
Another factor in these negotiations is that the Greene County Industrial Development Authority’s water and sewer system, in the Crossroads of America Industrial Park, is linked in to Boligee’s system and ties back to the City of Eutaw as well. Phillis Belcher, Executive Secretary of the GCIDA, stated that in making any improvements to the water and sewer system, that there should be no reductions in service to the Crossroads of America Park, and that improvements, with a view toward attracting new industries, should be considered in making changes to the system.
The zoom meeting with Laney from ADEM ended with an agreement that Eutaw and Boligee’s attorneys and engineers would prepare new preliminary plans, cost estimates and phasing in of all needed improvements, no later than the end of September. The City Councils of Eutaw and Boligee would need to approve these new plans to make sure they were acceptable.
In other actions, the Eutaw City Council:
•Approved a resolution for an annual review water and sewer rates and adjustments according to the CPI if needed. • Approved a new water purchase agreement to be presented to Consolidated Catfish Processing Company. • Heard a request from First Baptist Church to repair a road that passes behind the church. • Approved declaring a Dodge Charger police car surplus and sell to the Town of Pickensville for $10.00, to use for parts. • Approved travel for City Clerk and Assistant to training in Tuscaloosa in October. •Approved payment of all bills and claims. • Police Chief Tommy Johnson announced Police Night Out for September 15, 2022, at Robert H. Young Community Center.
Rev. James Carter, a former Greene County Commissioner District 4 passed away on Sunday, April 10, 2022, after a long illness.
Carter was honored earlier that same day with a benefit program to raise funds to help his family with expenses. Members of the Eta Mu Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Paramount Class of 1979, members of churches he pastored and others supported the program.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1:00 PM at Carver School gymnasium.
The Greene County Commission held a special meeting on March 31 and its regular monthly meeting on April 11, 2022 to mostly deal with and approve financial matters.
The special meeting was called to approve a refunding of the county’s bond issue for construction of the William McKinley Branch Courthouse and the Jail. There are 15 years left on the 2007 warrants, with a balance of $3,855,000 remaining, with an interest rate of 4.61%, after the February 2022 annual payment.
The bonds were refinanced by PiperSandler Investment Corporation, at 2.99% for remaining 14 years of the warrants from February 2023 to February 2037. The county will realize a net savings of $339,263 on the transaction (around $25,000 per year), which includes payment of issuance and placement fees and restoration of the bond warrants fund. Walter Lewis, a former University of Alabama quarterback, represented the company and secured placement of the bonds at a more favorable interest rate.
At the April 11 regular meeting, CFO Mac Underwood reported that the bond refinancing had been completed as of April 5, 2022, at the rates promised.
At the start of the April 11 meeting, the Commission observed a moment of silence to honor the late Rev. James Carter, who had served as a commissioner for District 4 in the past.
CFO Mac Underwood provided a financial report as of March 22, 2022, which showed $6,627,903 in various accounts in Citizens Trust Bank, $4,981,946 in Merchants and Farmers Bank and several certificates in Robertson Bank for a total of $11,971,738, plus an additional amount for the county’s bond fund in the Bank of New York. He also presented a report showing $640,650 in claims and payroll for March and $138,000 in electronic payments for taxes and retirement funds.
All agencies including the General Fund and Sheriff’s Department are in line with the budget and have spent around half of their budget funds by this mid-point in the fiscal year which began October 1st. Underwood recommend an increase of $14,500 in the Coroner’s budget due to high cost for transportation for people who died from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission approved the financial reports, payment of claims and the budget amendment.
The Commission heard a report from County Engineer, Willie Branch, and approved his recommendations, including:
• Awarding a bid of $197,715 to ST Bunn Construction for Project No. RA-GCP 01-02-2022 for spot leveling and patch county roads.
• Awarding a bid of $549,735 to ST Bunn Construction for Project No. RA-GCP – 01 -01-2022 for patching multiple sections of CR 117,120 and 154. • Approving a Memorandum of Agreement with ALDOT regarding federal exchange funds.
• Approving a proposal from JM Wood Auction for sale of equipment at the June action and declaring that equipment as surplus.
The Commission also acted on a request from Phillis Belcher, Executive Director of the Greene County Industrial Development Authority (GCIDA), agreeing to serve as a co-applicant for EDA, Infrastructure Appropriations and Broadband grants for 2022-2023, including a proposal to repair transportation network roads in the Crossroads of America Industrial Park and Port.
The Commission tabled a request from the GCIDA for improvements to its office building on the Courthouse Square, across from Eutaw City Hall. The GCIDA and the Eutaw Chamber of Commerce jointly lease this building, for a nominal amount, from the County Commission. Commission Chair Turner requested a meeting with the GCIDA and Chamber of Commerce to consider sharing the cost of these expenses for the building.
At the Special Meeting on March 31, 2022, the Commission adopted a resolution to ask its attorney Mike Parnell to request an opinion from the State Attorney General on the use of county facilities, like the Courthouse and Eutaw Activity Center for “political meetings”. In the public comments section of the meeting, John Zippert, Democrat Co-Publisher, asked why an AG’s opinion was needed for a practice of using public buildings for political meetings, that Greene County had been implementing for fifty years.
Attorney Parnell said that he wanted to be sure it was legal to use county-owner facilities for political meetings. Zippert asked if the decision would be available before the May 24th Primary Election. Parnell said he hoped to have the decision before the November general election.
All Commissioners were present either in person or on the phone for both meetings, except that Commissioner Corey Cockrell was absent for both meetings.
Senator Bobby Singleton and Representative A. J. McCampbell, who represent Greene County in the Alabama State Legislature held a Town Meeting on August 25 at the Eutaw Activity Center. The purpose of the Town Meeting was to share a report on the past 2021 legislative session and discuss upcoming issues and special sessions expected in the Fall. Representative Ralph Howard, who also represents Greene County was listed on the agenda but did not attend the meeting. About 100 people attended the meeting, many had on Greenetrack T-shirts. Representative McCampbell reported that, “Our Census numbers in Sumter and Greene counties were down from the 2010 Census, which means that the district boundaries may change. Rural areas have their populations shrinking while urban areas are growing.” McCampbell said that the State would be holding public hearings during the first weeks of September to give information about the redistricting process. He said he expected a special legislative session to be held in October or November to set district lines. “The current legislature is controlled 75% by Republicans to 25% for Democrats, which means that the Republicans will be drawing districts to maintain their super-majority and we will do what we can to achieve fair voting districts,” said McCampbell. McCampbell said there was a federal lawsuit against conditions in Alabama prisons which required the Governor and the State Legislature to act to build new prisons and rehabilitate others. Senator Singleton called the conditions in the prisons “inhumane” and said that if the state did not act to invest in new prisons, Federal Judge Myron Thompson might take over administration of the prisons. Singleton said he was pushing for more “drug courts” and “mental health courts” to provide treatment for people rather than incarceration and reduce prison populations. McCambell suggested that some geriatric prisoners should be released to home confinement, since that would be a cheaper way of handling their care, since it was expensive to maintain them in jail, when they were no longer a threat to society. McCampbell indicated that the Governor would likely call a special legislative session on the prison issue once a plan for financing prison expansion and rehabilitation had been developed. Both legislators said that the last session had produced the largest Education Budget of $7.7 billion and the largest General Fund Budget of $3.5 billion in the state’s history. Both warned that the law to holdback third grade students, who do not read at third grade level, is going to be a problem in Black Belt rural school systems. “Especially with COVID-19, so many of our students have lost ground. We have added funds for additional reading teachers in our rural schools but I am not sure that this will be enough,” said Singleton. Senator Singleton said, “I know many of you came to hear about the future of gaming in Greene County but because I have been sued by some of the bingo places in the county, my lawyers advised me not to talk about it. I am sorry that some people are trying to take away my voice in Montgomery, through these lawsuits.” Singleton said there was money for broadband, starting in rural areas and money for rural healthcare, maybe Medicaid Expansion, in the state lottery and gaming bills that were defeated in the last legislative session. He did not go further to address the future status of bingo in Greene County and ways in which the state, which would receive most of the revenues from the statewide plan, would assist Greene County agencies, municipalities and charities, currently receiving funds from the county’s Constitutional Amendment 743. The two legislators discussed other issues in the State Legislature that they had worked on to benefit Greene County residents. Other Greene County officials including Mayor Latasha Johnson of Eutaw, Mayor Charles McAlpine of the Town of Forkland, Phillis Belcher, Executive Director of the Greene County Industrial Development Authority and Dr. Carol P. Zippert, Chair of the Greene County Board of Education gave short reports on the work of their municipalities and county agencies.
Kinya Isaac standing speaking about Census 2020 and Scarlet Pearce, Demoplis Career Center seated both spoke at GCIDA Annual Business and Industry Appreciation Luncheon.
The Greene County Industrial Development Authority (GCIDA) held its Annual Business and Industry Appreciation luncheon, last Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at Ruby’s Restaurant in Eutaw. Phillis Belcher, GCIDA Executive Director said, “We hold this annual event to honor our existing industries and major employers in Greene County. The GCIDA sees its mission as serving existing business to improve their operations and helping to attract and develop new industries and businesses to start operations in our area.” The crowd of about 40 people heard from two valuable luncheon speakers who brought relevant information on topics of interest to business and community leaders.Scarlet Pearce of the Demopolis Career Center, which is part of the national and state Department of Labor, spoke of opportunities provided by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the nation’s workforce training legislation. “Employers can seeking on-the-job training support, workforce training positions, apprenticeship opportunities by contacting the Alabama Career Center. We are in Workforce Region 3, which covers much of the Alabama Black Belt area. We have a budget of $6 million dollars annually for workforce development initiatives,” said Pearce. “People looking for work or education and training to upgrade their work skills should visit the Career Center at 1074 Bailey Drive in Demopolis, Alabama, to get information, advice and assistance in seeking employment,” said Pearce. Kinya Isaac, regional representative for the 2020 U. S. Census in Greene, Sumter and Pickens counties, spoke about the upcoming U. S. Census to be held 0n April 1, 2020. “We need to be sure to count every single person in the Census. The population count by the Census will determine allocation of many Federal and state resources. The Census will also be used to reapportion voters in Congressional and Legislative Districts for the coming decade. Alabama could possibly loose one of its seven Congressional seats if all the people are not counted in this upcoming Census,” said Isaac. Issac pointed out that sections of Greene County are shown on the Census map as having an under-count in the 2010 Census. “We need to be sure to count everyone, especially people who live in these areas for the 2020 Census. Any assistance that businesses and industries can provide would help Greene County overall,” said Isaac. Danny Cooper, Chair of the GCIDA thanked people for attending the luncheon and encouraged them to seek assistance from the GCIDA when they needed help in starting or expanding their businesses. The GCIDA office is located on the Thomas Gilmore Courthouse Square, in a building across from City Hall. The phone number is 205-372-9769.
Alabama Power’s Business Office Manager of Greene County, Susie Harris, and the GCIDA members present at the September 2019 meeting. Seated: Vice Chair Tiffany Grisby, Member Calvin Knott, Member Darrow Jones and Member Debbie Duncan Standing: Treasurer Ralph Banks, III, Member Luther Winn, Chairman Danny Cooper accepting check from Susie Harris, and Secretary John Zippert.
By John Zippert,
Co-Publisher
At its regular meeting on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, the Greene County Industrial Development Authority (GCIDA) received a contribution of $1,000 to advance its work in bringing economic development to the county.
Danielle Kimbrough, Alabama Power public relations officer for west Alabama, at Tuscaloosa, said, “We help bring industrial and commercial customers to our area, which in turn brings jobs, tax revenues and improvement in the overall quality of life. Donations to organizations like GCIDA, allow us to help communities have resources to grow their communities.”
Phillis Belcher, Executive Director of the GCIDA said, “We appreciate the support of companies like Alabama Power Company to assist us in our basic mission of bringing development and jobs to Greene County,”
Belcher pointed out that the GCIDA has a 1000 acre Crossroads of America Industrial Park at Boligee, which is served by Interstates 20 and 59, railroads running north and south and east and west to connect to anywhere in the nation and access to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway for barge traffic to the Port of Mobile and inland river parts across the nation.
“We have two major industrial companies, located in our Crossroads Park.
These are EPPCo, a petroleum products distributor that has a Waterway port and West Rock, a paper company, which has a warehouse on the interstate highway. We are always looking for new industries to come and locate in our park or other industrial locations around the county,” said Belcher.
Belcher pointed out that the GCIDA has been instrumental in helping to recruit and support Love’s Truck and Travel Store company, to locate its truck stop at the Interstate 20/59 Exit 40, in Eutaw. GCIDA assisted the City of Eutaw in securing over a million dollars in grant and loan support to bring sewage to the Love’s site and make other site and lighting improvements.
“This commercial development will bring 43 jobs and new tax revenues to Eutaw and Greene County. It also opens up the Exit 40 area for other needed development,” said Danny Cooper, Chairperson of the GCIDA.
At Wednesday’s meeting the board heard from Donnie Wedgeworth, owner of Consolidated Catfish Producers, the catfish processing plant on Highway 43 in Eutaw. Wedgeworth stated his interest in working closely with the IDA in future development of his catfish processing business.
At the meeting the GCIDA discussed various projects and prospects that are considering Greene County. A hemp processing company is interested in lease-purchasing the 50,000 square foot Speculative Building, which stands empty in the Crossroads of America Park. A railroad company is negotiating to store railroad cars on a temporary basis on tracks in the park. Other wood products industry prospects have visited the park in the past year to see if it was suitable and useful for their future plans.
Phillis Belcher said, “We have one great challenge remaining to make our Crossroads of America Park attractive to industrial prospects. We do not have a natural gas pipeline serving our industrial park. We have met with many industrial prospects for whom this was a ‘deal breaker’. We need access to natural gas for industries that need gas heat in their industrial processes.
“We have been working on exploring ways to bring natural gas to our Crossroads Park. The nearest gas sources are 15 to 20 miles away and the cost of constructing a large diameter pipeline to serve our Crossroads Park is estimated in the $15-20 million dollar range. We have asked for help from Spire, the gas company serving our area and our state and Federal public officials. The GCIDA is continuing to work on this challenge.”
The exhibit celebrating Alabama’s Bicentennial (200 years – 1819 to 2019) was officially opened with a reception on Monday afternoon at the Eutaw National Guard Armory. The photo shows Commissioner Allen Turner, Jr. speaking at the opening in front of some of the panels in the exhibit.
The exhibit has eight panels, with interactive computers that explain Alabama history, culture and people over the past two hundred years.
There is a central set of panels about specific people that influenced Alabama history, including two African-Americans, Rosa Parks, civil rights activist from Montgomery and Justice Oscar Adams, lawyer and Supreme Court Justice.
Commissioner Turner in his remarks thanked the state for bringing this exhibit to Greene County. Armand DeKeyser, Executive Director of the Alabama Humanities Foundation also spoke. DeKeyer said, “This exhibit has been traveling around the state since last year. This is the 58th county that it has had this exhibit. The celebration will end with an all day program on December 14, 2019 in Montgomery. The program includes a parade, musical guests and other celebrations.”
“On December 14, we will dedicate a Bicentennial Park across the street from the Capitol where there will be a permanent exhibit to the 200 years,” said DeKeyser.
Phillis Belcher, Chair of the Greene County Bicentennial Committee said, “We welcome all people to visit this exhibit, including school children, so they can better understand this history. The exhibit will be open, until Wednesday, August 28, 2019, and will be curated by community volunteers.”
Phillis Belcher thanked all the county agencies and individuals that helped to make the exhibit available to people in Greene County. She indicated that group’s wishing to help or visit the exhibit may contact her office at 205-372-9769 if they have questions or concerns.
In a three day celebration that included a Grand Ball on Friday, March 8, Community Impact Day, Saturday, March 9 and A Sisterhood Luncheon, Sunday, March 10 at Embassy Suits in Tuscaloosa, the Greene County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority observed its 40th chapter anniversary. The chapter, organized in 1978 currently has an active membership of 32. Isaac N. Atkins serves as chapter president. Nancy Cole served as 40th Anniversary Committee chairperson. Photo above shows the majority of participants at the Sisterhood Luncheon on Sunday, with chapter members and guests. The Greene County DST Chapter sponsored a Community Impact Day, as part of its 40th year celebration, for local residents in appreciation of the support the chapter receives for its projects and programs. Impact Day, held at the Eutaw Activity Center, included service booths, games, food and fellowship. The Sisterhood Luncheon gave tribute to charter members of the chapter and the former chapter presidents. — Photo by Cythina Crawford
