A new post just to do away with the old dateline.
Flo Water Elections
In a signed column the writer is allowed to give opinions, but I don’t want to tell you how to vote in the upcoming water board election, just to vote. It is the
All of the candidates are our neighbors and members of Flo Community Water Supply Corp. Each of them wants the best water at the lowest cost to their fellow members. There is an interview in today’s Buffalo Press with the eight candidates who are still running. They were each given the same form to fill out, and their answers were unedited, although the right to edit was there, but they were all polite.
They differ on some issues and are remarkably similar on others. It is your job as a member and voter to read and listen and find out what those issues are and to cast your vote accordingly.
You can read the stories from previous meetings of Flo Water, by permission of The Buffalo Press at; theflonewsonline.blogspot.com
Please don’t pay any attention to the rumors and myths that seem to accompany any election. No candidate has said that they want to raise rates, or do an assessment, but some in each group have admitted that it may become a necessity if there is another well failure. While some attendees at meetings and letter writers have made what may be hasty or unfounded remarks, this writer has not heard that from any candidate.
Please hold our friend and neighbor, Mr. Claude Moore in your thoughts and prayers as he is in the
-30-
By Mac Shadix
Forty-five people showed up to hear two of the candidates for Flo Community Water Supply Corporation answer questions on Tuesday night February 27. At the Lone
Presumably Directors Ann Boykin and Richard Moran were absent for the same reason. Candidates Ron Carmichael, and Richard Blanchard were absent because they were ill, Candidate and moderator Hollis Bradshaw told the group. Candidate Ken Jones was traveling, and the other two candidates possibly did not want to attend a forum with one of the opposition candidates as moderator where they had no previous notice of the rules, or program.
Both Nancy Spivey and Bradshaw spoke about their qualifications and their hopes for Flo CWSC. Both these candidates, and Blanchard and Carmichael are opposing the candidates of the group calling itself The Flo Water Reform Committee.
Several questioned the mailer that the Reform Committee had sent out, with Mrs. Bell saying that she thought that they were trying to make it seem that they represented the Corporation and were telling people how to vote.
Flo WSC member Stan Stevens who had earlier in the meeting been critical of some of the letters in the newspapers about the issues seemed to disagree, asking the group.
“Did you’all get the same one I got?”
“Who gave them permission to form this Committee?
“They didn’t need permission.” Bradshaw told her.
Interviews and photos of all the candidates for the Flo Water Corporation Board are in this weeks Buffalo Press.
-30-
Isn't it good?Isn’t it good that in
That high, dry wind pulled about four inches of water out of my pond in three days. Did you notice that after pretty good rains that night and in the morning it was blowing dust by afternoon. Then we had and old fashioned dust storm that must have been like it was back in the depression years. Can you remember ever seeing such a dust storm here in
Flo Firefighters Ron and Margo Carmichael answered the alarm and helped extinguish a car fire on FM 831 down about Buffalo Creek.
About forty five people attended the Auction at the
Flo WSC now has a slot in the door for those who need to drop in a ballot, or a payment after hours.
Flo Water Candidate Withdraws
By Mac Shadix
One candidate on the ballot for the Flo Community Water Corp. Board of Directors no longer wishes to run. Wayne Bennett gave the following statement to the Buffalo Press this weekend; “I Wayne Bennett remove my name for nomination to the Board of Directors for Flo Community Water Supply Corporation.”
Bennett’s name will still appear on the Ballots because they are already printed and should have been mailed on Feb. 26.
-30-
Flo Boil Water Notice Rescinded
The boil water notice for those areas west of Highway 75 that were experiencing low or no water pressure has been lifted following water tests, according to Flo Water General Manager Jim Martin. As several directors were preparing to help Martin search for the source of the leak, Director Richard Moran found it while walking the eight inch line that runs down the power line right of way.
Flo Water Reform Committee Meets
By Mac Shadix
The Flo Water Reform Committee met on Monday night, February 19th to introduce their consolidated slate of candidates to the committee and to the public. Ninety people attended the meeting in the
The Reform Committee was formed in January as a result of concerned citizens meeting to discuss recent problems with Flo Water Supply Corporation including; bankruptcy, brown water in a part of the system, multiple line breaks and boil water notices, strained relations with neighboring water systems and concerns about the way meetings were managed and the denial of invoices and records to members and directors and other issues.
The candidates chosen are opposing two of the three appointed current directors who are up for election. Director Richard Moran who has been butting heads with the current administration by seeking change is a member of the Reform Committee. The other three Reform Committee candidates are; Jimmy Davis, Ken Jones and Bob Boettcher. These candidates have agreed to seek new officers for Flo Water, to replace President Gary Bell, Vice President Bobby Pittman who is not seeking reelection, and Secretary-Treasurer Ann Boykin if the Reform Committee achieves a majority on the new Board.
See the Buffalo Press interviews and photos of all the candidates in today’s paper.
-30-
It wasn’t hard for me to decide what I thought was the most exciting thing to happen around the Flo Crossroads this week. On Saturday morning during those high winds as I was rounding the first curve on FM 831 just about a mile south of the crossroads traveling North, right behind Don Lathrop’s grandson, Dustin Baker, a big pine tree over on Ken Woodard’s place blew down across the fence and fell between Dustin’s pickup and my car. The tree only reached the edge of the road, but with it falling right in front of me, and right behind Dustin it was enough to make me emergency brake, and get off the road on the other side.
Typical of Flo, Dustin turned around to see what had happened and then roared off to Ken and to offer to fix his fence before the cows could get out. Typical of Flo, Dustin didn’t expect any payment for his neighborliness, and also typical of Flo, Ken insisted on paying him.
Flo WSC General Manager Jim Martin called to ask everyone to check their pipes for leaks following the cold snap. My gauge showed about 12 degrees early. Apparently the cold caused problems with the pumps, and Jim has been working day and night for the last three days trying to get everything back in order. If there are any weekender places you watch, check on them, and try to hold down use until the pipes are fixed by the owners.
Tonja, and Steve Post were visitors in Flo over the weekend along with their sons James and Cody. They were helping grandpa, Leon Moore over at the Bar Running M.
The
I received good news this week. My son Luke, who has been a visitor to Flo since he was born, announced that he had proposed to his girlfriend, Amanda McCoy of Timpson. Amanda said yes, and they are expecting to set a date in the middle of June after his older sister, Tasca returns from
Well, the weather here in Flo has been typical of
By Mac Shadix
Following an open records request by a Buffalo Press reporter on Monday morning February 12, the Flo Community Water Supply System held a called meeting on Monday afternoon at five thirty p.m. to adjust their time frames for mailing and receiving documents in relation to the upcoming water board election.
The Buffalo Press reporter had requested a copy of the Procedures for Conducting an Annual Stockholders Meeting. Maverick Flo WSC Director, Richard Moran had placed a request on the agenda of the last meeting of the WSC to; “Discuss and take action on clarifying the procedure used to receive, process and secure the proxy ballots.” No such document had been forthcoming in response to the agenda item but a written policy is called for in the Corporation Bylaws, and hence the Public Records request.
All members of the Board were present at the meeting except for President Gary Bell. Vice President Bobby Pittman presided over the brief meeting. The procedure was amended and no further business was conducted.
-30-
FLO Annual Stockholders procedures discovered
By Mac Shadix
An open records request to the Flo Community Water Supply Corp. on Monday, February 12th yielded a printed policy for conducting an Annual Stockholders meeting as required in the Bylaws. For some reason this policy was not mentioned in response to Director Richard Moran’s agenda item at the Thursday February 8th meeting which read; Discuss and take action on clarifying the procedure used to receive, process and secure the proxy ballots. We will report on the contents of the Procedures Policy in upcoming posts. Moran was trying to find out how the election would be held and his inquiries showed that the privacy of member ballots would not be upheld. That has now been changed to where you can seal your ballots in an envelope and mark it... do not open until election.
The Reddest Redbirds in the World
Flo has to be the home of the reddest redbirds in the world. The Cardinals are always the first to capture my attention with their exuberant red a promise against the sear brown of winter. The Blue Jays are here and the Robins. Early spring is such a wonderful time of year.
Pat Vann of Leona, previously of
Flo’s James Coker is a member of the Beef and Forage Committee of Leon County and he invited me to attend one of their meetings. Coker is this years forage champion for the quality of the hay he presented at contest. The
Beef and Forage committee is planning three events for
The
Something occurred this week that I never thought I would live to see. While partaking of the great fish at the Flo Café on Friday night I was served complimentary wine, and homemade chocolate covered cherries. I had my choice of white, or red wine and ever being correct, I chose the white to go with my fish. An added treat was that the fish plate arrived with a shrimp cocktail that was delicious. Margo says that she will open the Flo Café on Saturdays now, soon.
Don’t forget that the Flo News is online now, along with the stories of the Flo Community Water System.
theflonewsonline.blogspot.com
You can also mail your comments or news to;
The Flo News at FM 831 &,
Post Office Box 1511