July - East Alabama Continues to Grow
July 12, 2008
East Alabama Continues to Grow
By State Senator TED LITTLE
With summer in full swing, I’ve had the good fortune of joining groups throughout my District in productive discussion and hometown celebration. I believe that East Alabama is the brightest and most progressive region in Alabama. Our support of education and our reasonably low unemployment numbers bear this out. It is truly an honor and a privilege to serve our area and to work with the many talented individuals who lead our region.
I was in attendance at a meeting with BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) officials on regional growth planning in Phenix City on June 18th. BRAC will bring 28,000 military personnel and families to Ft. Benning, increasing Russell County’s population 10% over the next two to three years. My first concern with the rapid growth lies in our educational system and its ability to fully address the needs of the community. We are discussing ways to meet some potential problems with legislation that is presently being drafted.
I am pleased to have been appointed as a member to the Joint Legislative Committee on Water Policy & Management. The committee met over the course of two days at Auburn University and provided roundtable discussions to study Alabama's water resources and to assess our future water needs. My district is home to Lake Martin and Lake Harding, along with other critical water resources. Consequently, the future vitality of the Tallapoosa and Chattahoochee rivers are of utmost importance. Because of this, I find it critical to plan for future water needs and preserve the resources we have available to avoid any potential replay from 2007.
One of the highlights from the past month was having the opportunity to welcome home local veterans of Tallapoosa County from their four-day trip to our Nation’s capital. On that warm afternoon in June, I was filled with pride as I witnessed their charter bus drive toward Dadeville High School, with no less than a half dozen law enforcement officials escorting their arrival. I feel privileged to live among and represent those who have dedicated their lives to protecting all that we benefit from today. I am ever mindful of the men and women of our armed forces, veterans and active duty, and will continue my mission as a strong advocate as I serve you in the Alabama Senate. The Honor Troop’s mission in Tallapoosa county was supported by many but this event could not have happened without our friends Laeman Butcher of Dadeville and I.J. Motley of Alexander City. A huge thank you goes out to them.
Complex issues pepper our daily lives and often seem to overwhelm any positive events that are surely going on around us, such as last weeks’ announcement of job and plant expansion by Mando in Opelika. I hope you will all continue to join me in recognizing our collective accomplishments and let’s continue to work together to prepare for those yet to come.
At the time of this press, the governor had not yet set a date for the next special session, but the understanding is that is may come reasonably soon and his call will emphasize additional measures for economic development for Alabama.
Ted Little can be reached at tedlittle@mindspring.com, www.tedlittle.com or 1-800-835-4885
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