County View

By Jeff Poor

Imagine if there were five county commissioners in Mobile County. Is the answer to all the county’s woes more politicians?

For me, tracking three commissioners down for this bi-weekly diatribe would be easier than tracking down five, I suppose. For now, Commissioners Mike Dean and Stephen Nodine seem adamantly opposed to the suggestion, but you heard it here first – it’s going to be difficult to stop the momentum this proposal has gained. It’s a little late for 2007 prediction, but look for it to happen sometime this year.

Bi-partisan county commission expansion support?

Efforts to expand the county commission have been gaining steam. When the state legislature convenes in Montgomery next month, efforts to expand the Mobile County Commission from three to five will likely be introduced.

“We’re discussing it,” said State Rep. Spencer Collier, R – Bayou La Batre. “I do think we can pass it.”

The idea of expanding the commission was once an issue Republicans championed and Democrats opposed. Now the issue is getting a lukewarm reaction from Republicans and seems to be favored by local Democrats.

“Expansion may offer better services to the county,” said recently elected State Rep. James O. Gordon, D – Saraland. “I think the commissioners are underpaid for their salary if you look at the amount of people they serve.”

Gordon, who is a local businessman, chiropractor and a realtor, according to his Web site, thinks Collier’s suggestion of using the present school board districts for the county commission would be plausible.

“Any fair division of the county would be acceptable,” Gordon said.

Cochran’s first eight months

Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran was sworn into office last June. The first eight months have been quiet for the former City of Mobile Police Chief, however he has been fulfilling his campaign promises from last year’s election cycle.

“I think things are going well,” Cochran said. “We now have a full staff at the jail and have been able to lower the population in the jail from 1,560 to under 1,300.”

The reduction in the jail population is a result of improving the management in jail, not early releases, says Cochran.

One of the new things Cochran says the sheriff’s department is initiating is a parolee mapping system similar to the way convicted sex offenders are mapped.

“We’re making this available to the deputies that patrol the areas where the parolees live,” said Cochran.

Cochran says he also attempting to implement a system that will also map out trends in crime and response times so the department will know where it can focus attention.

“We’re just trying to fine tune our responses to the various needs of the different communities in Mobile County,” Cochran added.

Home-rule lawsuit update

Dr. Ben George’s lawsuit against the county commission over the home-rule referendum that was passed in last June’s primary was postponed last month and is now set for March 26.

County attorney Mark Erwin had to excuse himself because of the potential conflict of interest. Erwin is the chairman of the Mobile County Republican Executive Committee. George and two of three plaintiffs in the suit, Mobile County Commissioners Juan Chastang and Stephen Nodine are members of the MCREC.

George told Lagniappe there’s the possibility all three commissioners could be called to testify in the trial.

“We’re not going to hurry [the trial],” George said.

According to George, the longer it takes for the trial to proceed before Judge Joseph “Rusty” Johnston, the longer it will be before the commissioners can exercise the powers they were granted by the referendum.

“Dr. George thinks it should be more clear and I agree with him the language is a little confusing,” said County Commissioner Juan Chastang. “But, I’m for whatever the people in the county are for.”

Chastang’s concerns involve the potential for the increase in county government to enforce any regulations that are associated with the referendum.

“I don’t want this to become another big entity within the county,” Chastang quipped.

Justice Department decision appealed

Alabama Attorney General Troy King filed a 33-page appeal to the Justice Department earlier this month in regard to its refusal to approve Commissioner Juan Chastang’s appointment by Gov. Bob Riley last month to the commission.

Despite signs pointing toward a special election, Chastang remains optimistic.

“The governor, the attorney general and I feel we’re going to be victors in the end,” Chastang said.

Chastang was appointed as the District 1 commissioner in 2005 when Sam Jones vacated his seat to become Mobile’s mayor. District 1, a predominantly black district, has traditionally voted a Democrat into that position. In 2005, State Reps. Yvonne Kennedy, James Buskey and Bill Clark filed a suit because they felt the appointment was a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Clark’s successor, State Rep. James Gordon, is following with Clark’s conviction that an election should be held.

“The people should have a say on who represents them,” Gordon said.

The appeal puts Chastang in a precarious position. Candidates can begin raising money for the 2008 election cycle since the state legislature decided Alabama would hold its primary in Feb. 2008. Should a special election be held, Chastang could be facing back-to-back elections.

Contact Jeff Poor at jeffreypoor@yahoo.com.

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