Rep. Robbins gives legislative updates during Republican meeting
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Rep. Ben Robbins addresses the audience at the Coosa County Republican Party meeting. Robbins explained that he will be the only state representative for the county soon, as proposed redistricting no longer has Coosa County split into multiple districts. Photo by Christa Jennings
By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
The Coosa County Republican Party held its monthly meeting Tuesday evening with a crowd of about 30 people at the E-911 building.
Elected officials in attendance included Alabama District 33 Rep. Ben Robbins, District Judge Carlton Teel, Circuit Judge David Law, Superintendent of Education David Stover, Revenue Commissioner Debra Lamberth, Coroner Jack Brewer, District 4 County Commissioner Ronnie Joiner, and District 5 County Commissioner Lamar Daugherty.
Rep. Robbins was the primary guest speaker for the meeting, and he provided attendees with updates from the regular legislative session, as well as special sessions. He reviewed the three-phase prison plan and other safety measures as a key part of his speech regarding legislative updates.
Additionally, Robbins said that the next special session would start Thursday, yesterday, regarding redistricting in the state based on he U.S. Census data.
He said that based on the proposed redistricting map, he will be the lone representative for Coosa County. He further explained that the county will no longer be divided into multiple districts based on the proposed map.
“I know Rep. Ed Oliver is very sad about losing Coosa, but I was very excited to be able to be ‘the’ representative for Coosa,” Robbins said. “So no longer will you have to figure out where you are [in districts]. I will be your representative for Coosa County, so I’m very excited.”
He said they will vote on the redistricting bill early next week, and he will have all of Coosa County and a southern portion of Talladega County in his district. He said that Coosa County will have just one state representative and one state senator.
Based on the proposed redistricting maps, Coosa will be fully in Robbins’ State House district, in Sen. Clyde Chambliss’ Senate district and will be moved into U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers’ congressional district.
In other discussion, Robbins also said that he expects the next regular legislative session to be relatively calm since they have held these special sessions and also because it is an election year.
During the meeting, Party Chair Terry Mitchell also introduced Joe Ficquette, who was appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey last Friday to serve as district attorney.
Mitchell turned the floor over to Ficquette to say a few words. Ficquette addressed the audience and said that most people there knew him and his wife, Dawn.
“We are true, good, God-fearing Republicans,” Ficquette stated. “As your district attorney I can promise you this – we’re going to seek justice. Those people who have done wrong to the citizens of this county and also Clay County, we’re going to make sure those wrongs are righted and that they are held accountable for their actions.”
He further thanked the members of the local party for having faith in him and said that he appreciates their support.
“We feel like y’all are family, and there’s a reason. It’s because you are,” Ficquette stated. “There are men in this building that I call brother, and it’s because they are my brothers. Ronnie Joiner, you know what I’m talking about. At the end of the day, we’ve got to come together as a party and put the best candidates forward we possibly can to try and do something to stop what is happening in our great nation today. …I promise you, I’m going to work hard as your DA. We’re going to do it right.”
Also in attendance for the meeting was Debra Jones, Republican candidate running for an open seat on the Alabama Supreme Court.
Jones reviewed her experience, stating that she has 31 years of courtroom experience. She reviewed some of her ideals and spoke about her family and her beliefs and qualifications.
“What you see is what you get with me, and I would love to serve you on the court,” she stated.
Jones went on to mention people getting involved in politics at the local level, including school boards, and mentioned taking schools back.
She said, “What is being taught in our schools – my goodness, is it any wonder that our society looks like it does today?”
After her speech, when the floor was opened for questions, Superintendent Stover asked about Jones’ comment regarding the school system making the kids challenged and what she feels they are teaching that is inappropriate.
Jones responded, “First of all, common core is evil, and it needs to be done away with. It’s in the school books, and if they try to purchase school books, all the publishers have common core in the school books. Common core is the number one thing I think indoctrinates our children. The second thing is critical race theory. There is no place in our school system to teach our children to hate. That has nothing to do with education. And the sex education starting at fifth grade – we don’t need to see any of that stuff in our school system. It’s got to start at the local level.”
However, Jones added that “we have a great public school system,” stating that she and all of her children are products of the public school system.
To learn more about Jones and her campaign for the Supreme Court, visit her website at www.judgedebrajonesforalabama.com.
As the meeting began to come to a close, elected officials were given the opportunity to address the audience with any updates or information they would like to share.
Stover took the opportunity to provide updates on the school system, as well as the former Career Tech Center building. He said that a lease with the Department of Public Health is currently in the works to potentially have a health department located in the building, and that they are also working on possibly moving the bus shop to that area.
Stover also reported that they are receiving a $1 million grant over the course of a few years to help with literacy in the county. He said that will allow them to send 10 books home with students each year, redo the libraries and more.
When Stover asked about any questions from the crowd, a parent in attendance asked about masks in the schools.
“Are we going to require masks forever? Because COVID’s not going anywhere,” she said.
“We currently have no COVID in our schools, at all,” Stover said. “That’s why we don’t have COVID in our schools, because we had our masks on since the say it started. We got back into school.”
Circuit Judge Law stated, “I haven’t had a mask on all year, since day one,” saying that he has not had any problems or health issues.
Stover went on to explain that it is something he’s looking into and trying to figure out the best way to work with it.
“I’m looking at it right now, and I’m trying to find the best way to make that transition, because there are some things I have to talk to the board about and figure out how this all works out,” Stover said. “Because the busses haven’t changed. They’re going to have to still wear them on the busses. If I pull it out of school and say they don’t have to wear it in school, they’re still going to have to wear it when they get on that bus.”
Law asked why, and Stover said that is because it’s federal law and is federally mandated.
Law stated that that was not true. However, Stover said that he has checked into it and called multiple people regarding the issue and that it is a federal mandate requiring masks to be worn on school busses.
The parent who initially asked the question said that they do not do that in Madison County, and Stover responded stating that he follows the rules.
“I don’t give a d— what Joe Biden’s told you to do,” Law stated. “He’s not your boss nor your savior.”
Stover said that he is trying to figure out how to stop it because he doesn’t want it on the busses if it can be helped. He went on to say that they are trying to stay safe.
He said the biggest complaint he’s had, before he even became superintendent, was parents saying that they wanted their children back in school and would do whatever it takes to get them back in school because it was so hard teaching them at home.
“They’re coming to school,” he added.
He mentioned that the next step to take is them wanting to get out of the masks. He stated that he does not like wearing them either, but that he believes the masks are helping keep them safe and keeping the school open all year.
“It’s just another step; we’re going to get it done,” Stover said. “We’re working hard for y’all. The teachers are working hard. So just appreciate them. So many parents do, and so many parents have said they appreciate us being back in school because they’re not teachers.”
In other updates, Commissioner Ronnie Joiner said that they are working on finishing out the water line going to Richville. He said they had hit a snag with it, but they are still working on that project.
Additionally, he said the county-run ambulance is very close to being able to be located in Rockford and that they would be working on that more at the commission meeting the next day. However, he said they are close to getting that in Rockford to help respond to calls on the west side of the county.
The next regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Republican Party will be held at 6:30 p.m. November 29, with refreshments prior to the meeting at 6 p.m.
