Click here for [...]]]>

Click here for more information on Absentee Voting

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — The Madison County chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police today endorsed Madison County Commissioner Dale Strong in his bid for the commission chairmanship and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle in his bid for re-election.

Unofficial city government watchdog [...]]]> Thursday, February 09, 2012
Shelly Haskins
The Huntsville Times

Phil Vandiver Endorsed by the FOP

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — The Madison County chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police today endorsed Madison County Commissioner Dale Strong in his bid for the commission chairmanship and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle in his bid for re-election.

Unofficial city government watchdog Jackie Reed is Battle’s only announced opponent for the Aug. 28 municipal election, though former Mayor Loretta Spencer and developer Sandra Steele have been mentioned as possible candidates. The municipal election is Aug. 28.

Strong, the current District 4 commissioner, will face Wayne Parker, a Huntsville businessman and three-time congressional candidate in the March 13 GOP primary.

The FOP also endorsed:

Eddie Sisk in the Madison County Commission, District 3, race.

Phil Vandiver in the Madison County Commission, District 4, race.

Patty Demos in the Madison County Probate Judge race.

Jane Smith in the Madison County Circuit Clerk’s race.

Chris Comer in the Madison County Circuit Judge Place 6 race.

Don Rizzardi in the District Judge Place 3 race.

2012 Candidates Endorsed by the FOP

MADISON, Alabama – The youngest District 2 Madison County Commission candidate, David Michael Smith, 26, served in the Army in Iraq where he saw children “living in dumps” and in houses they had made from trash.

He said “there has to [...]]]> Thursday, January 19, 2012
Yvonne T. Betowt
The Huntsville Times

Phil Vandiver (The Huntsville Times/Robin Conn)

MADISON, Alabama – The youngest District 2 Madison County Commission candidate, David Michael Smith, 26, served in the Army in Iraq where he saw children “living in dumps” and in houses they had made from trash.

He said “there has to be a better way” to help people all over the world have a better quality of life, which is why he’s running for office.

Smith was among five candidates for commission who spoke at the Republican Women of Madison on Wednesday at the Inn of Madison.

“For our first meeting of the year and so many candidates to present, I thought it went very well,” said club first vice-president Alicia Liburdi.

“I am so impressed with the caliber and quality of the candidates we have in Madison County. We want to have as many speakers as possible so we can get to know them. That is one of the key reasons we are here.”

Other speakers were Madison City Council member Steve Haraway and political newcomer Gerald Clark (both District 2 candidates), and Madison County School Board member David Vess and Phil Vandiver, both farmers and local businessmen (District 4).

Smith, Haraway and Clark are running for the District 2 seat being vacated by Faye Dyer who is not seeking re-election.

Vess and Vandiver are seeking the District 4 seat currently held by Dale Strong who is running against Wayne Parker for the County Commission chair.

Huntsville businessman Todd Slyman who helped develop the Village of Providence, qualified to run in District 4 after the speaking invitations had been issued. He was given one minute to talk at the end of the scheduled speeches. The other District 4 candidate, Ronald Ray Byrd, did not attend.

Roads, schools, public safety and economic development were the main issues among the candidates.

“We want to provide infrastructure to provide economic growth, especially in the western areas of the county,” said Haraway, a two-term member of the City Council. “We need to make sure we have the highest quality of education and make sure fire and police have what they need to do their job.”

Clark, a landscape architect who has worked his entire career in civil engineering, believes the county needs to develop a long-term growth plan by “broadening the tax base through economic development” rather than raising taxes.

“I’m not for higher taxes,” he said. “I’m for jobs and economic development. You have to plan for growth and development.”

Vandiver, an Auburn graduate, has been farming for more than 28 years in the county and runs the Jeff Gin Company. He is especially concerned about road safety in the county.

“It sounds simple until you have a loved one killed in a wreck,” he said. “I want to work on (road) congestion, parks and recreation and our schools. I want to work with the county commission to make sure our money is spent wisely.”

Vess is also interested in improving Madison County roads and drainage problems, as well as helping the volunteer fire departments and the Madison County schools.

“Being involved with the schools, I know the County Commission plans an important role in schools,” said Vess, a former volunteer firefighter. “This just seems like the next level to go to continue helping our schools.”

Slyman believes roads are “the No. 1 issue.” He said “the only way to grow and improve the quality of life is to improve roads.”

Smith’s vision for the area stretches far beyond roads. He wants to bring more factories to the area to provide jobs “because everyone doesn’t have a college education.”

At next month’s meeting on Feb. 15, the three Republican candidates for the probate judge race — Patty Demos, Walt Hennessee and Amanda Gentle — plus Strong and Parker, will be the guest speakers. The social begins at 11 a.m., followed by lunch at 11:30 at the Inn of Madison on Madison Boulevard.

This story was updated Thursday at 10:15 a.m. to reflect that Smith is running for the District 2 seat held by Faye Dyer.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – The Madison County Commission will apparently undergo a major shakeup next year with two members retiring and another commissioner seeking the chairman’s job.

The potential changes have even convinced former longtime Democratic state Sen. Tom Butler to become a Republican as he seriously [...]]]>

Phil Vandiver, Candidate for Madison County Commissioner District 4

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – The Madison County Commission will apparently undergo a major shakeup next year with two members retiring and another commissioner seeking the chairman’s job.

The potential changes have even convinced former longtime Democratic state Sen. Tom Butler to become a Republican as he seriously eyes the District 2 seat being vacated by Republican Faye Dyer.

Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie, a Democrat, last week joined Dyer in choosing not to seek re-election, and District 4 Commissioner Dale Strong, a Republican, will give up his seat to seek the chairman’s position.

Phil Vandiver, a farmer from Monrovia and a Republican, has announced that he will run for Strong’s district seat. Eddie Sisk, a Republican, has announced that he will try to unseat District 1 Commissioner Jerry Craig, a Democrat. District 5 Commissioner Phil Riddick, a Republican appointed in January to serve out now-Congressman Mo Brooks’ commission term, has announced that he will seek a full term.

Butler was a Democrat when Republican Bill Holtzclaw ousted him from the Senate last year, but said Monday he has switched parties.

“I’ve always been a conservative,” Butler said. “I’ve realigned my affiliation to the Republican Party.”

Butler said he didn’t switch parties in order to win the county commission seat. He spent 28 years in the Legislature, including the last 16 in the Senate, and said that he had had the support of many voters in his district regardless of their party affiliation. Butler said being a Republican “fits my philosophy” and that he feels comfortable as a Republican.

Butler, a Madison druggist, would not say definitely if he will run for the District 2 seat, which now encompasses all of Madison and Triana, but strongly hinted that he would. He said polling he had done “said run.”

“I was very honored by the numbers,” he said. “I’m looking at it very seriously.”

Butler said he would have an official announcement about his political plans soon.

“I think I have a lot of things to offer,” he said.

Butler said he didn’t consider running for the commission chairman’s job after Gillespie’s announcement Thursday. He said he’s “been very supportive” of Strong in the past and has known him for many years.

Vandiver, 49, said his priorities are public safety, holding county departments to high standards, safe roads, parks and recreation, and economic development.

“Doing this, along with serving the citizens’ needs, will make Madison County a more desirable place to live,” he said in a statement announcing his candidacy.

Riddick, a commercial real estate agent, said the county needs to continue to improve neighborhoods, support education and bring in new jobs.

“We can do this with strong, conservative leadership (that) will cut wasteful spending and oppose new taxes,” Riddick said in a statement. “As our county commissioner, I will continue to protect our property values and be a vigilant watchdog for our tax dollars.”

Sisk, a former Huntsville city public works supervisor and business owner, announced earlier that he will run as a Republican for the seat held for seven terms by Craig.

No one has publicly announced plans to run against Democratic commissioners Roger Jones of District 1 and Bob Harrison of District 6.

Election 2012

Qualifying begins Nov. 14 for Republicans and Dec. 3 for Democrats, and both parties close qualifying on Jan. 13.

The party primaries will be March 13 with any runoffs on April 24. The general election will be Nov. 6, 2012.

The following local offices, with the current office holder listed, will be on the ballot next year.
Circuit Court Judge, Place 1, Karen K. Hall
Circuit Court Judge, Place 3, Ruth Ann Hall
Circuit Court Judge, Place 5, Laura J. Hamilton (not seeking re-election)
Circuit Court Judge, Place 6, James P. Smith (not seeking re-election)
District Court Judge, Place 1, Claude Hundley
District Court Judge, Place 3, M. Lynn Sherrod.
Probate Judge, Tommy Ragland
Circuit Clerk, Jane Smith
County Commission Chairman, Mike Gillespie (not seeking re-election)
County Commission, District 1, Roger Jones
County Commission, District 2, Faye Dyer (not seeking re-election)
County Commission, District 3, Jerry Craig
County Commission, District 4, Dale Strong (running for commission chairman)
County Commission, District 5, Phil Riddick
County Commission, District 6, Bob Harrison
County Board of Education, District 1, Rich McAdams
County Board of Education, District 2, Kenny Johnson

HUNTSVILLE,AL — Recent natural disasters thousands of miles away have given a glimmer of hope to cotton producers here in North Alabama.

The price of cotton has been at an all-time high recently.

How high? The price is at the highest level since the [...]]]>

Dave Dieter/Huntsville TimesA worker at Jeff Gin watches as the cotton module is pulled apart and sent into the gin for processing.

Sunday, October 31, 2010
Budd McLaughlin
The Huntsville Times

HUNTSVILLE,AL — Recent natural disasters thousands of miles away have given a glimmer of hope to cotton producers here in North Alabama.

The price of cotton has been at an all-time high recently.

How high? The price is at the highest level since the Civil War prevented shipments of the crop.

And the high price means good news for area cotton farmers.

“We’re pretty happy with the higher prices,” said Phil Vandiver of the Jeff Gin, a farmers’ co-op in Monrovia.” It’s a good situation.”

In recent seasons, the local farmers have struggled through droughts and heavy rains to grow the crop that was once “king” in the Tennessee Valley.

This growing season hasn’t been much different, either, but global demand for cotton has created the higher prices.

“It’s great that the market is high,” Vandiver said. “It’s worldwide demand. There are shortages in other countries and that helps us.”

The price Friday was $1.25 a pound, up nearly 3 percent from Thursday. There are about 500 pounds in a bale.

The fact that the “global community” touches the tiny community is a sign of the changing farming industry.

While this area leads the state in cotton producing, the United States is third in the world – behind China and India.

Those countries have had flooding and similar disasters lately – including the deadly floods in Pakistan, another cotton-producing country. And that led to a shortage of cotton.

Which brings us back to Jeff Gin – and other gins in the area.

“We’re dealing with a global economy,” Vandiver said. “Pakistan, India and China were having disasters which led to a tightening of supply. You get the benefit of their problems.”

However, the money for the cotton doesn’t come right away – nor do the producers get the going price.

In fact, some producers had already harvested their crop and took it to the gin before the price skyrocketed.

“It’s a gamble,” Vandiver said. “If you sell too early, you miss the high prices. It’s very difficult to hold off, though … Farmers try to capitalize on the market going up.”

While the local cotton farmers are able to benefit from the cotton shortage, they had to deal with adverse – and finicky – weather all spring and summer.

Parts of the Tennessee Valley had adequate rainfall while other parts had little rainfall to go with the stifling heat of the summer.

“It rained in pockets here,” Vandiver said. “The north and northeast was drier. The western part of the Tennessee Valley had better rain.”

Vandiver said the farmers felt helpless to what was going on with the weather, but worked through it.

“We watched the (weather) radar,” he said. “It gets disheartening … but you’ve got to be happy for the other farmers.”