The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.85. Fayette, Alabama City Council 'Rule of One' Black Member Comes to an End 1 Read Every Article Esquire Has Ever Published 2 The 35 Best Gifts for Serious Whiskey Drinkers 3 Marvel Is Weird About. Subscribe now! Contact Glenda for availability and services provided by the staff. Lord give me the strength, Virettia thought to herself. What do you expect people to do???? Virettia held her hand as the board voted, each of the White members siding with the White neighbors, and the one Black board member siding with Ericka, thwarting the unanimous vote needed to block the trailer. Here we go pothole, pothole, pothole, Virettia said as they headed into Aliskas ward on the west side of town, past the wood-frame houses and churches where theyd both grown up in families that went back generations in Fayette. Stand behind me show up! Virettia had texted then. BOTTOM LEFT: A sign for a business in Virettia's ward. The tentacles are just so far-reaching, Scottie said. See complete story in The Times-Record. Of the 2,092 households 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. Terms and Conditions. Not that Virettia, who had never been in Scotties store and had never been one of the people he sometimes invited in for afternoon tea and conversations amid the antiques, had heard him say any of this; she only had the lawsuit, along with her own knowledge that it was precisely because of what had happened in Aliceville and places like it that in 1988, Black voters in Fayette were able to elect the towns first Black councilperson, who happened to be her father. Phone-Number: 334-864-7181 Meeting-Type: regular Submission . He answered after two rings. Over the course of its history our town has been the starting point of many endeavors that became larger than the the city itself. [3] When Fayette County was created in 1824, the town's name was officially changed to "Fayette Court House", though it was also known as "Fayetteville", which was the name shown on maps and on the U.S. Census in 1880 and 1890. See complete story in The Times-Record. The mayor also appoints Council members to City Council committees and liaison positions. Look at the state Constitution. Mike! she said now, seeing him pass by her office. These people, these problems that she wanted the power to solve. This type of government was developed in Virginia in 1909 and today is the predominant form of local government in North Carolina. The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census,[2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. The population was 4,619 at the 2010 census, [2] down from 4,922 at the 2000 census. Fayette, AL 35555-2684 (205) 932-4510 . Click on the links below to view the Agenda and Minutes from the City Council Meetings. The matter involved a Black woman named Ericka Espy Hollis, whose house had burned down. The reality was that she could not afford to make a scene, she said, not in a town like Fayette, not with so much at stake. Like many other Mayfair Manor residents, Zach supported Virettia during her council run. You can also pay your bill on-line. The mayor acts as the official head of city government and presides at City Council meetings. The same dreams and enthusiasm are still alive today in companies founded in Fayette. All ninecouncil members are elected from singlemember districts and only citizens withineach district may vote for each district seat. The racial makeup of the city was 75.34% White, 23.38% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of my hometown. The residents have got protection because weve got ordinances, said the mother, going on about declining property values, until Ericka finally stood up. Im talking to you all, Ericka said. Again. Were hustling backwards, Virettia said. We just havent said anything about it. I was in the next window. I lost everything. These are just two of the companies that had had their beginning here. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), Former council member Cedric Wilson, at his home in January, served Fayette's historically Black Ward 4 for more than 20 years before stepping down in an unsuccessful run for mayor. Her best friend was running in the traditionally Black ward. Normally thats where the hurt comes from, thinking you know somebody. A small rural town might not be expected to provide an environment for innovation or acceptance of changing economic trends, but our city has initiated many new products and embraced the evolving business world. [16], Coordinates: 334131N 874956W / 33.692068N 87.832358W / 33.692068; -87.832358. Popularity:#1 of 2 Town & City Halls in Fayette County#114 of 236 Town & City Halls in Alabama#3,438 in Town & City Halls. . Posted-By: City of LaFayette, Alabama City Council: Meeting-Date: 2/13/2023 Meeting-Time: 5:30 PM: Notice History: Meeting-Location: FARMERS FEDERATION(ALFA) BUILDING 1006 AVENUE A SE LAFAYETTE, AL 36862. Design by Tara McCarty. Jeremy Dawson . Her first chance to say something came with the first item on the agenda, covid-19. Then she got a lawyer in Birmingham who asked the judge to dismiss the case, describing it as an attempt to intimidate Ms. Whiteside and to punish her for winning election to a traditionally white seat and literally an effort to keep Ms. Whiteside in her place. . All nine council members are elected from single member districts and only citizens within each district may vote for each district seat. State officials She had imagined another version of the moment, one where she had turned to the camera and said to the whole town of Fayette, Why are you so frightened? For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. Privacy Policy The population density was 575.1 inhabitants per square mile (222.0/km2). Elections are non-partisan, with the mayor and council members serving four-year terms. She got up and followed the sound outside where she found a tenant she knew as a veteran with PTSD, saying over and over I did a lot of bad things, and so she had held his hand for a while, saying We serve a God thats a forgiving God until he calmed down. LaFayettes proximity, transportation options, access to outdoor activities and major sporting events makes it a perfect place to live, raise a family, do business or just visit. ? her cousin wrote. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. We are fans because she goes out and finds those small stories in small places that nevertheless teach us big lessons about what kind of country we actually are, a question that has stumped us pretty badly so far in 2021. Posted-By: City of LaFayette, Alabama City Council: Meeting-Date: 2/1/2023 Meeting-Time: 4:30PM: Notice History: Meeting-Location: 50 Alabama Avenue West P. O. get driving directions from your location, Fayette County Death Certificates & Records, Voter poll locations and election procedures. Fayette is organized in a mayor-council form of city government, with a mayor elected citywide and five council members elected from districts. Wednesday, August 19, 2020 - 11:04:46 AM. Look at my heart., But that was not reality, she was saying the next morning, sitting in her office. She felt anxious still. She had been on the phone last May with her boss, talking about how she felt the needs of her tenants and working-class families were being ignored in Fayette when her boss said, So what are you going to do about it?. About 15.4% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over. In addition to these . There had been others, all elected from the same ward since 1988, the one drawn after a federal lawsuit forced Fayette and other towns across the state to create districts that would enable Black representation. She had surprised herself by deciding to run. Here's a small story from a small place that teaches us big lessons about what kind of country we actually are. He only has one kidney. .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}In her latest work, McCrummen tells the tale of a Black woman named Virettia Whiteside, a member of the city council in a place called Fayette, Alabama. If you give me time, my trailer might put a value on your home. She punched the girl in the face, which solved the immediate problem but also began a period of acting out that she later decided had to do with feeling abandoned and wanting someone to rescue her. Cotton fields, such as this one in Fayette, still permeate the South. There were 11 provisional ballots counted in the final results of the Fayette municipal election, and four provisional ballots cast were ruled ineligible to be counted. There were 2,336 housing units at an average density of 273.0 per square mile (105.4/km2). Learn more about our 15-man engineering crew and view their contact information here. Rent out our incredible multipurpose complex for your next event. For a full list of our elected officials and department heads including contact information, click here. Please join me, the Council and others of our community as we strive to make Fayette an even better place to live, work and play. Fayette has a variety of things to see and do during your visit. The more members the more the Chamber can promote Fayette and Fayette can promote your business. See a helpful list of local county services and agencies. The Fayetteville City Council conducts regular meetings on the second and fourth Monday of every month. Tornado activity: Fayette-area historical tornado activity is slightly above Alabama state average.It is 134% greater than the overall U.S. average.. On 4/3/1974, a category F5 (max. According to the Kppen Climate Classification system, Fayette has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. You may rent any of several rooms, including the auditorium, for your special event. Its me. Ultimately, Donald Trump Beat the System. Suggest Listing 2023 County Office. No FBI Agent Should Just Trust Trump to Tell Truth, Republican Senators Form Wingnut Xylophone, How to Line Your Pockets While Reshaping the Court, SCOTUS Ponders Whether to Dub Loans Unforgiven, Effort to Recall N.O. See vital information about voting in our county. I love you too, but theres no work around here, the man said, and that was how it went all day long, a parade of people with problems that could be as small as needing a ride to the grocery store and as large as not being able to afford medication and as difficult as what had happened the night before, when Virettia had been asleep in her apartment when she heard someone crying. He needs to go to the hospital.. These are informal meetings. Hed never told her about the notes he got in his mailbox with messages like Shut your mouth, n-----. Or the restraint he had to summon to ask White colleagues who still used the term boy to refer to Black men: If you know the gentlemans name, would you please call him by his name? He had not told her about feeling like you werent there.. I had a fire. You got some old ordinances with some old language. Her father: nothing. He pulled his hoodie over his face, pretending to avoid her. There are may things we can do together to continue providing the environment of opportunity Fayette has always enjoyed. Fayetteville, NC 28301-5537, Designed by Granicus - Connecting People and Government. We may earn a commission from these links. Yet.. Local elections were coming up. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. BOTTOM RIGHT: Cotton fields, such as this one in Fayette, still permeate the South. Hey Jordan, she said, and began telling him what the woman had told her. Location of Fayette in Fayette County, Alabama. My trailer is paid for, cash. The syrup is still produced locally in a manufacturing facility in downtown Fayette. The Fayette City Council meets the Second and Fourth Tuesday of each month. Scottie Porter had responded to the post. Our history of is one of people with the vision and daring to achieve outsized goals for a town our size. Hey Jerry, the mayor said to one of the other councilmen as he came in. The City of Fayette is located in Fayette County in the State of Alabama.Find directions to Fayette, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more.According to the 2019 US Census the Fayette population is estimated at 4,249 people. 433 Hay Street From 30,000 feet we look at Aliceville and we know 20 years ago it had a White mayor and now it has a Black mayor, and a Black council, and its got s--- left, he continued. It was officially shortened to "Fayette" in 1898. Hed run for the wards City Council seat against her best friend Aliska, losing 244 to 51. But no one wants to talk about race in this town, she said. They drove past the apartments, past an old plantation house, a Christian supply store and out along a strip of highway where there was a Ford dealership, two local banks and a small airport. BOTTOM LEFT: Residents sit outside Mayfair Manor. The womans daughter stood up: My daddy would roll over in his grave if he knew there was a double-wide in there I cannot believe this, she said. Get your date and time reserved early while they are available. The Fayette City Council with members Tommy Williams and Virettia Whiteside meets at City Hall in the small Alabama town in January with Mayor Rod Northam in attendance. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), Virettia stands in Mayfair Manor's Community Room. All of the City Council's regular meetings are broadcast live onFayTV, the City of Fayetteville's Government Access Channel. City of Fayetteville Phone 205-932-5367. What bothered her was not Scottie Porters lawsuit or social media postings exactly, but the silence. Third party advertisements support hosting, listing verification, updates, and site maintenance. Someappointees must have special licenses ormeet certain professional requirements. Their combined presence changed the longtime makeup of the council. She was raising two sons. All meetingsstart at 7 p.m. and are open to the public. (205) 932-4510. Antiques store owner Scottie Porter lost a lawsuit against Virettia that disputed her eligibility to hold office in Ward 1 because she owns a home outside of it. The Council holds special meetings whennecessary; notice of the meeting must begiven to the public and media 48 hoursbefore that meeting. She was walking home on her first day of school when a classmate started pushing her, and another girl told her, Youre going to have to fight. Virettia had never fought in her life but standing there in the strange snow in a strange city, she realized no one was coming to help. Here in the shebeen, we are longtime fans of Stephanie McCrummen, who is posted in the South and who writes for the Washington Post. An indication that the actual power structure might change surely brings the night sweats to the good white citizens of the town. Hes been out, so we scheduled a meeting for tomorrow, so next meeting, Ill be able to bring an update on the airport.. It wasnt just the house she had bought in another ward, he said, explaining why he opposed her election. Have a question about our comment policies? She was a full-fledged councilwoman without challenge. To speak before the City Council on a matter of importance fill out and submit this Agenda Request Form. (Jared Ragland for The Washington Post), TOP: Despite aging buildings and the occasional downed sign, Fayette has been trying to revive its downtown area.