(Gadsden, AL - August 17, 2010) An unofficial and unscientific poll on GadsdenMetro.com shows a slight tightening of a lead for former Gadsden Mayor Steve Means in the upcoming city race.

The poll, which has been accepting votes since Monday, August 9 shows a slight lead by Means, 118 - 92.  However, individuals are allowed to re-vote every 24 hours in the poll and is, of course, open to individuals who live outside the city limits.

If you'd like to vote in the GadsdenMetro.com online poll, you can do so by visiting this page and making your selection.

(Gadsden, AL - August 17, 2010) Etowah County Circuit Clerk Billy Yates says the Etowah County Commission is disrespectful in their response to the lawsuit he filed against the taxpayers of Etowah County and the County Commission earlier this month.

In a press release received from Yates today prior to the Etowah County Commission meeting, he says "I, Billy Yates will not lower the level of professionalism of this office to publicly defend the Etowah County Commission's pursuit of disrespect to any public official's position."

Yates' lawsuit contends the county owes him an additional $25 per day he served as the appointed Absentee Election Manager. Yates says state law requires that he be paid $125 per day and the county paid him only $100 per day for handling an average of four absentee ballots per day.

"After several attempts to resolve the legality... was unsuccessful, a civil action was filed... [and] The Chief Financial Officer, Patrick Sims (sic) for the Etowah County Commission has insinuated that there is egotistical greed by the Circuit Clerk which erroneously misleads the public's opinion of the office of Circuit Clerk."

In comments before the Commission today, Yates informed the Commission that the county's election baord, consisting of the Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin, Etowah County Probate Judge Bobby Junkins and himself as the Circuit Clerk assigned the poll officials for both the 2010 Primary and Run-Off elections.

Those officials then attended poll official training sessions for both elections. He is now requesting the county pay each poll worker for attending the one training session for both elections as if they had attended two training sessions for each election cycle. The county has refused to do so until the state agrees to repay the county for those expenses.

Yates referred to an Attorney General's opinion, and an individual poll he conducted of "about 15 counties" which indicated that all of those counties had, in fact, paid "the same amount of money for runoff election workers as they did for primary election workers."

None of the County Commission responded to Yate's comments during the Elected Officials Comment section of today's meeting.

(Gadsden, AL - August 17, 2010) Etowah County Commissioners are choosing to change their own rules when it comes to discretionary spending during a political season.

Four years ago, when McKee defeated incumbent Butch White in the Democratic Primary race, White allegedly spent all of McKee's discretionary funds in the six weeks between October 1, 2006 (the beginning of the fiscal year) and McKee's swearing in later in November of that year. The financial difficulties for Etowah County's District 1 caused by the fast spending resulted in a new resolution that restricted spending of any Commissioner running for re-election from spending any discretionary funds during a particular period of an election year.

Today, commissioners voted to amend the "McKee Rule" to allow uncontested commissioners, and those who had already been defeated in primaries to spend any discretionary funds in reserves prior to the new fiscal year which will begin on October 1.

The only commissioner who would fit that description would be outgoing District 5 Commissioner Willie F. Brown. Brown was defeated by his Democratic challenger Carolyn Parker earlier this year.

Of the six county districts, District 5 typically has the largest discretionary funds reserves because it also has the least miles of roads in unincorporated areas of Etowah County.

With the passing of the amendment to the resolution today, Brown will be allowed to spend all of the remaining discretionary funds on almost anything he wishes within the county - whether it is within the confines of his district lines or not.

Occasionally in the past, Brown has been known to share some of his discretionary funds with other commissioners who have significantly more miles of roads to maintain. Commissioners have also spent some of their discretionary funds in the past promoting tourism and other events in Etowah County, although that practice officially ended after the formation of the Etowah County Tourism Board.

County CEO Patrick Simms says Brown will be free to spend his money on any number of projects already approved within the county, whether the project is inside his district or not.

(Gadsden, AL - August 16, 2010) The Northeast Alabama TEA Party has issued its first candidate endorsement of the 2010 political season. Local and state candidates who requested the endorsement of the NEAL TEA Party were sent a questionnaire seeking responses from candidates on issues the local tea party felt are important issues of the day.

During tonight's meeting in Gadsden, the TEA Party members discussed the questionnaire and responses from one candidate who is seeking the endorsement of the group seeking to restore constitutional government back to local, state and federal politics.

Republican candidate for Alabama Senate, District 10 Phil Williams is the first candidate to respond and to be officially endorsed by the TEA Party in Etowah and Cherokee County.

The party's 15-item statement for State Candidates required a candidate's initials signifying their agreement with the statement, and allowed for responses from the candidate on each of the issues. On each of the 15 statements, Williams signified his agreement, giving detailed responses on several.

The 15 statements included an oath:

"I do solemnly pledge my sacred word that I stand in agreement with and will do everything within the power of my position to support, defend, or strive to achieve the following:

1. Uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America- in the spirit it was written and intended by our Founders, it is the ultimage law of our land.

2. I believe in fiscal responsibility; we must enforce the balanced budget, reduce government spending, and allow no unfunded mandates.

3. I believe in limited government; representing 'we the people.'

4. I believe and support the free market system; I will work to promote our state and encourage business development.

5. I will fight to protect our gun rights.

6. I will promote and support legislation to oppose any national Healthcare mandates; and any other national mandate not in the interest of and supported by the people of the State of Alabama.

7. I oppose cap and trade policies that will totally defeat our economy, and will work to encourage the use of our own natural resources.

8. I believe in the sovereignty and security of our state and country and will support measures to close our borders except through measures to allow immigrants to enter legally. I will vehemently oppose any measure giving any otehr nation, country, the UN or any other entity power over Alabama and US citizens.

9. I believe the United States of America is the greatest country on earth and will never apologize for policies or actions which have served to free more and feed more people around the world than any other nation on the planet.

10. I support reasonable term limits on all offices.

11. I will work for ethics reform at every level in our government and for it to be true reform, not in name only.

12. I will work to restore integrity to my office and our state.

13. I believe life begins at conception and will promote and support only pro-life legislation and fight to defeat anything else.

14. I will work to promote and proved transparency in our government.

15. I will work to end PAC to PAC transfers.

In a text message statement from Williams tonight, he expressed excitement in the support shown him by the Northeast Alabama TEA Party, saying "EXCELLENT!"

NEAL TEA Party director Johnny Phillips says other candidates are seeking the support and endorsement from the various TEA parties throughout the state. Those seeking the individual support and endorsement by the Northeast Alabama TEA Party chapter should contact him by calling (256) 892-8882.

The NEAL TEA Party, together with some other east Alabama TEA Party organizations will be conducting a Candidate's Forum on October 8, 2010 at the Gadsden Convention Hall beginning at 1 p.m.