Greene County Democrat

Tag: Valarie Watkins

  • Corey Cockrell elected new Mayor of Eutaw Jonathan Woodruff (D-2), Carrie Logan (D-5),Tracie Hunter (D-3) elected to City Council

    In the August 26, 2025, Eutaw Municipal Election, Corey Cockrell ( 508 votes – 51.6%) defeated incumbent Mayor Latasha Johnson (411 votes – 41.8%), Tyrone Atkins (64 votes – 6.5%) also ran. A total of 983 votes were cast in the mayor’s race.
    These results are unofficial and subject to change based on the final certification of votes on September 2nd by the Voting Managers and Board of Registrars. There were some provisional ballots cast which must be checked against registration lists to determine if they will be counted. In two council races, where the vote count is very close, these provisional ballots may affect the results.
    In the District 1 Council race, incumbent Valarie Watkins received 94 votes to KeUndra Cox with 93 votes. Watkins is leading by one vote, so this race is too close to call, until after any provisional ballots are counted and the winner is certified by the Election Managers on September 2nd.
    In District 2, incumbent Jonathan Woodruff Jr. was re-elected with 123 votes, with challengers Charles Naylor receiving 35 votes and Quentin M. Walton 43 votes.
    In District 3, Tracie Hunter was re-elected because she was unopposed by any other candidate in this election.
    In District 4, Lorenzo French leads the field with 83 votes to Sarah Duncan Brewer with 47 and incumbent Larrie Coleman with 37. Lorenzo French is a few votes short of the required 50% plus 1 vote, and will face a run-off with Sarah Brewer, unless the provisional ballots give him the needed majority to win.
    In District 5, challenger Carrie Logan with 123 votes, defeated incumbent Suzette Powell with 86 votes.
    About half of the registered voters in the city came out for the election. Young people, under the age of 35, played a key role in electing Corey Cockrell as mayor. He takes office on November 1, 2025, and the new City Council will be sworn in at their first meeting in November.
    Forkland and Union results
    In Forkland, Mayor Charlie McAlpine was re-elected for another term by a vote of 166 to 87 for challenger Sharon Washington. In the District 3 City Council race, Alfonso Thomas defeated Preston Davis, by a vote of 41 to 12.
    In Union, Mayor James Gaines was re-elected over challenger Loydleetta Wabbington, by a close vote of 54 to 52.
    There was no election in Boligee, since all candidates were unopposed.

  • Eutaw City Council receives positive financial news; approves funding for August 26 municipal election, begins absentee voting

    Special to the Democrat by John Zippert,
    Co-Publisher

    This is a report of the two regular Eutaw City Council meetings on July 8 and 22, 2025. Mayor Latasha Johnson and all five City Council members were present except Valarie Watkins at the July 8 meeting and Tracey Hunter at the July 22 meeting.
    At the July 22nd meeting the Eutaw City Council received positive financial news from Ralph Liverman, Financial Advisor, who submitted a financial report for the nine months of the fiscal year from October 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.
    Liverman pointed out that the City of Eutaw had repaid all but two payments on a $500,000 loan from Merchants and Farmers Bank taken out in 2021, with a 3.5% interest rate, to purchase new equipment to maintain streets in the city. The remaining payments of $22,338.16 will be made by September 15, 2025.
    This fulfills a promise made by Mayor Johnson for responsible handling of the financial affairs of the city, by paying off this needed loan during her first term in office. Liverman indicates that this will free up $134,028 of funds for use in the General Fund, for the new annual budget for 2025-26. This additional funding may help the city get other needed equipment and staff to repair potholes, culverts and other street problems.
    A second piece of good news was a report from Liverman of General Fund Revenue and Expenses for 9 months of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Liverman states in his report, “ As of June 30, 2025, you should have collected at least 75% of the budgeted revenues for the fiscal year, and your expenditures should not exceed 75% of the budgeted amount.”
    “As of June 30, 2025, you have collected 97% of budgeted revenues. It is obvious that you will exceed the budgeted projection for revenues.

    All of your major revenue sources such as property tax, franchise tax, sales tax, and privilege licenses have or should exceed 100% of budgeted amounts.”
    “General Fund Expenditures are running at 78% of budgeted amounts, but most of your single payment items (such as insurance) have been paid. Unless some major event happens, you should end your fiscal year with a surplus in the General Fund.”
    These reports were in the council member’s meeting packets but were not analyzed and discussed by the members in the public meeting. This was strange to me, as a reporter who regularly covers Council meetings, since the Council professes great concern about its powers to oversee and approve city finances. In fact, the Council has used limited finances to justify rejecting the Mayor Johnson’s requests to buy a new tractor and mowers, increase staff and staff pay, even rejecting some trips for city staff to travel to training, as part of their supervision of finances.
    There was another example of this strict financial supervision at the start of the July 22nd meeting. The Mayor asked to add payment to two contractors for grass cutting at the Mesopotamia and Clarence Thomas cemeteries. Councilman Woodruff objected to considering payment of this item until he and the Council received more information justifying this expense. Mayor Johnson said the grass in the cemeteries needed cutting and this expense was in the budget, so as part of her day-to-day authority she had the grass cut. Woodruff’s motion initially prevailed to block payment for the cemeteries to two separate contractors. However, at the end of the meeting, the Council approved payment of bills including grass cutting at the cemeteries.
    At the July 22nd meeting, the Council approved a resolution (No. 2025-8) providing $25,000 for expenses in holding the municipal election on August 26, 2025. It also approved several changes in election poll officials.

    Absentee Voting in Municipal Election is Underway

    Joe Powell, Assistant Election Manager announced that Absentee Voting is underway. Voters can come to the City Hall on Monday to Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Thursday and Friday from 8:00 AM to Noon, to request an absentee ballot for someone who is homebound. Voters can also walk-in and request an absentee ballot, if they are not going to be in town on election day to vote, and vote right then. August 19 is the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot to vote by mail. August 21 is the last day to walk-in and vote absentee.
    Powell said, “We are following instructions from the Alabama Secretary of State on the rules for absentee balloting. You can go to this website to see the rules and apply for an absentee ballot, without coming to City Hall to vote by mail in this election, if that is your preference. Be aware that you will need a copy of your driver’s license, or acceptable state ID, to get an absentee ballot and vote in this election.”
    In other actions, the Eutaw City Council:
    • Approved Resolution No. 2025-9 for Weather Preparedness Tax Holiday for February 20-22, 2026.
    • Approved travel for City Attorney Zane Willingham and City Judge Joshua Swords to attend annual Municipal Law Conferences.
    • Approved payment of claim of $89 for Christopher Branch.
    • Approved recommendation from Zane Willingham on Planning Commission rezoning.
    • Approved payment of $1,976 for annual dues to the Alabama League of Municipalities
    • Approved payment of $952 for annual dues to National League of Cities.
    • Approved payment of bills, including grass cutting in the cemeteries.

    Mayor Johnson announced that a public hearing would be held in August concerning sidewalks and a traffic roundabout at the intersection of Highway14 and Highway 43. The date will be announced later.
    Chief of Police Johnson announced Police Night Out will be held September 9 at 5:00 PM at Carver School to improve community relations.
    Danny Cooper announced that the Eutaw Area Chamber of Commerce was sponsoring a political forum for all candidates in the municipal election on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at the Courthouse Square starting at 10:00 AM.