Town of Notasulga

 

elected public servants

Notasulga: Demographics, Notasulga Comprehensive Plan, Notasulga Subdivision Regulations, Draft of Notasulga Zoning Ordinance July 30, 2007, Notasulga issues: SmartGrowthAmerica and Smart Growth update.

• Mayor Tommy Miller
• District 1 - Bub Langford
• District 2 - Donna Denise Pilato
• District 3 - Cline "Shorty" Carmack
• District 4 - Scott Barnhart
• District 5 - Robin Collins

Federal: Zoom in and out over Alabama Congressional map, Family Resource Council Congressional Scorecard


• Senator Doug Jones
• Senator Richard Shelby
• Congressman Mike Rogers - Look at that plane over his left shoulder. No inexpensive coach flying on our dollar for OUR Congressman! Wonder how much that trip cost us. Being military retired none of us looked forward to giving up our free time to prepare for days and wait in formation in the heat or rain for someone to pin on a few ribbons, speak with the troops, and eat a dining room meal before taking off to quit possibly a nice town for an enjoyable layover, commonly referred to as a boondoggle.



State:

• Governor Kay Ivey
• vacant
• Attorney General Steve Marshall
• Secretary of State John Merrill
• President, Public Service Commission Twinkle Cavanaugh
• Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan
• Ms. Ella Bell is our State School Board District 5 representative - must go!



State representatives:

• Senator Billy Beasley, District 28; state senate district map
• Representative Pebblin Warren, District 82; state house district map



 

Protect your family, protect your community. AlertID. Transforming Public Safety.

Notasulga taxes. Notasulga's tax schedule, click the small dot next to see "City" in the search box and type in Notasulga.

A little history of Notasulga first. The attempt to close Notasulga High School and transfer its students to a newly built high school in Tuskegee by the Macon County School Board was rejected by US. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. Upon appeal to the US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit on August 18, 1992 concluded in part, "The value of a school such as Notasulga in a school system such as that in Macon County cannot be underestimated. We agree with the district court's application of its equitable powers in this case and the court's judgment declining to approve the Board's plan is AFFIRMED." Robert Anderson a life long resident, math teacher and NHS principle worked hard to desegregate the school after an all white student flight upon enrollment of the schools first six black students. As a result of Anderson's efforts making Notasulga the only desecrated school in a predominately black county helped Robert Kennedy, Jr. to make the schools 1980 commencement speech.

Notasulga Recent Events

Women In Network Steps to the Cure 2nd annual cancer walk, Saturday, August 20, 2016. The WIN did it, they shattered their donation to the American Cancer Society of last year by $1,000 with a check presented this year totaling $3,300. Entertainment from a NHS 1988 graduate who came back home from Washington, DC and who promised an event next year that will include a live free concert. Slide show of the event can be seen from here.

Notasulga Town Council, August 15, 2016. Without any opposition the council for the next four years was seated by the council themselves. By state law if all candidates for office are void of an opponent, the expensive election can be dismissed providing the council approves a resolution for each new member. Councilperson Terry Broach decided against running for re-election after 16 years of service to the town and Denise Pilato, without an opponent, was included in the six resolutions.

Double Rainbow, July 30, 2016. The welcomed short afternoon showers of today were appreciated by the many fruit trees and vines. However, even though I too appreciated the showers, the beauty after was something to behold; a double rainbow. The southern edge of the lower rainbow was only obstructed by the nearby trees, while the visibility of the smaller was not as bold and large, but none the less contributed to this bueatiful picture of nature.

Discover Notasulga Day, June 18, 2016 was a day for our history books. Over 50 booths lined Church, Lyon, and Main Streets. Daryl Weldon, one of the committee members, estimated that over a thousand people attended the first ever event. Baby items, horse tack, honey, authors personalizing their books, local personalities, veggies, wreaths, baked goods, souped up and antique cars, stuff from the barn and attic, plants, paintings, jewelry, and my Macon County Commission campaign booth brought the Town of Notasulga to rock east Alabama for the day. The day may be the start of a regular fresh farm market. The overcast weather held throughout the entire day and its accompanying light breeze could not have been better. Notasulga's own Flora Moss, one of the four local authors signing books, was personalizing her book, Inspired by Testimonies, copies can still be obtained by contacting her at 334-444-7450 or floramoss332@gmail.com. Coach Pat Dye and Gerald Robinson were greeting us in town hall while three authors were in De De's Treasures.

Christmas Parade, December 5, 2015 was a celebration of Christmas with a "western" theme. There was more horses than on Assateague Island. Notasulga American Legion post decorated a float reverent to Christmas and patriotism with an American flag and patriotic Christmas tree. The women of WIN(ners) looked spiffy on their float and decked out in their cowgirl hats. William's Chapel United Methodist Church took home the "Most Creative" award while Concord Baptist Church and Liberty Methodist Church claimed first and second respectively. One of my favorites was the Citizen's Hardware float with employees and family members on a western decorated trailer pulled by two massive and beautiful Belgian draft horses (the world's strongest and most powerful draft horse breed, according to ponyhorse.com). Enjoy the sideshow.

William Love, lifetime resident and Notasulga Distinguished Service Award recipient for his contributions to the town as council member from 1988 to 1996 and his 28 years of service wearing a US Navy uniform was the distinguished Parade Grand Marshall. 

Reverend John Weaver of the local Methodist Parish, including Notasulga United Methodist, Armstrong United Methodist, and Loachapoka United Methodist was the MC who not only did an outstanding job but also called in beautiful weather for the hundreds lining the streets and 28 entrants of the parade. Enjoy the sideshow.

Here is an ouch if I ever saw one. Two locomotives off the tracks and resting on gravel along the tracks leaving Vulcan Materials on Hwy 14 Sunday, November 1, 2015. Not an easy task to right these upward to 423,000 pound locomotives. This derailment had a long train with many cars loaded with rock denied entrance because only one spur into or out of the quarry. Homecoming 2015 September 22 was a beautiful afternoon complimented by our very own Notasulga High School marching band, cheerleaders, football players and marching bands and majorettes from local high schools and dignitaries. Tons of candy tossed by class Kings and Queens to the hundreds lining downtown. Enjoy the slideshow.

WIN Steps to the Cure - Saturday, August 22, 2015. A beautiful morning for a GREAT cause was enjoyed by 80 people from Notasulga, Macon County, neighboring counties, Birmingham, and as far as Charleston, SC to walk three miles through downtown Notasulga on Saturday, August 22.  Notasulga’s nine-member Women in Network (WIN) and the Town of Notasulga hosted the inaugural Step to the Cure walk generating a $2,300 donation presented by the event’s organizer Kathy Ware, Mayor Tommy Miller, and WIN Darlene Adams to Ms. Ashlee Baggett of the American Cancer Society Lee County chapter.

Founded 20 months ago to do “girl stuff,” WIN expanded their horizons to prepare 100 meals for our elderly neighbors, predominately with their personal donations of food and supplies, and hosted a 2015 Easter Egg hunt for our youth.

Walkers included Tytiana Sparks, a 9 year-old from Tuskegee Public School, Irry Hicks of B'ham, Joshua Drummonds, a Notasulga 3 year-old pushed in a stroller by his mom, and several cancer survivors.

Deborah Ellis, 15-year survivor, of Shorter and Notasulga residents Debra Canada (her 3-year granddaughter battling the disease) and Nelda Lumpkin, a survivor by being "positive," briefly shared their stories of losing loved ones and beating this disease.

Co-host Town of Notasulga provided police and volunteer firefighters to control traffic while the walkers talked and enjoyed themselves on the three-mile course down West Ave., College St. to Hwy 81 South, and walking Railroad Ave back to the starting point, City Hall.

The WIN[ners], as they are in my book, planned for every imaginable contingency including volunteers at two water stations, an EMT on the course, a following vehicle to bring home those who gave it their best effort, and fruit and drinks at the finish; not the least a beautiful and cooler August morning!

Adams of Tuskegee told me after the event the turnout was “Awesome, with every contribution like a drop of water in a glass that overflowed.”

Ellis’s advice included “knowledge is power,” knowing early detection provides best chances of survivorship. Be wise. Get and perform those suggested checkups without failure!

Plan on attending next year's event for a larger donation to battle this deadly and nondiscriminatory disease.

Downtown drug bust - 20 July 2015 The Notasulga PD busted an indoor marijuana manufacturing operation within a mile from town hall. Taken into custody was Walter Lowery. Confiscated from the elaborate operation was grow lights and a tracking system, an irrigation system, many gallon bottles of what appeared to be liquid fertilizer, large bags of perlite, 71 plants, and bags of processed marijuana. Chief Knowles placed a value of $250,000 on the plants and process marijuana.

Widest Yard Sale - 17 and 18 April 2015 was enjoyed by many townsfolk, though the severe storms of Friday put a damper on that day and the threatening skies of Saturday had an affect on both vendor and shopper participation.

However, those who did participate seemed to be enjoying themselves.

My wife and I are still salivating over not being able to bite into smoked ribs and butts sold by the local Masonic Lodge.

I always enjoy refreshing friendships and meeting others about town.  I had a nice conversation with the young couple from Tallapoosa County from whom I bought a wooden map of Alabama with the counties routed out.  Bobbi Miller had a nice display of samples from her The Rumor Mill, opened on Friday and Saturday in the former Pump House Café building.

I now believe Sasquatch really exists. No other creature could walk in those boots Daryl Weldon has on display in his downtown De De’s Treasuries storefront window.

Our loyal and professional Notasulga volunteer firefighters were fund raising (for our benefit) with hot dogs, chips, and drinks and sounds rocking downtown.

Hopefully, next year's event, will be more weather-friendly and see the crowds of two years ago.

Christmas Assistance Christmas Eve day Notasulga’s 2014 Christmas Eve day was a beautiful demonstration of a group of predominately-Lee County residents bringing with them the true meaning of Christmas to Notasulga.

Emmy Sorrells and Crysten Martin-Conner of Auburn and Mallory Hagan,  Miss America 2013, 2007 Opelika graduate, came together to plan for Notasulga’s Christmas season, unparalleled in my memory.  They were expecting upwards to 600 to receive frozen turkeys, fresh greens, fruit, frozen macaroni and cheese, gallons of milk, and hot meals and the trimmings prepared by volunteers in their kitchens.

Principle Belinda Sullen graciously provided the school, including the kitchen, to accommodate the expected great response. She appeared to be having as much fun as the youngsters. Sullen is a marvelous hostess!

The volume of available food was accented by boxes of apples and oranges, the frozen macaroni and cheese, and bags of greens occupying two rows of chairs in the crowded general-purpose room.

Outside Demarquis Cobb, a former resident of Notasulga, was giving away donated gallons of milk. Cobb’s children were among many of the youngsters on-hand helping with the chores. Cobb, a Career Prep teacher at Auburn Jr. High, learned of this event from his wife reading a Facebook post and was immediately committed.

Stacy and David Bence, two volunteers also from Auburn, told me they prepared and cooked macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes for the dinners.

Tables covered in clothing, toys, and books occupied the entire width of the stage in the general-purpose room.  A beautifully decorated Christmas tree had the distinguished position along the back wall capturing the attention of all entering the room.  Some four dozen children were having fun painting, drawing, and making artistic pieces with colorful pipe cleaners at tables along the back wall. 

The volunteers wearing white name badges never stopped moving bags and boxes of toys, clothing, and books to the stage, carrying heavy boxes of food into the general-purpose room and assisting many with the heavy turkeys and food to their vehicles, and serving food from the kitchen. See more pictures.

2014 Christmas celebration and parade. For the second year in a row inclement weather peppered our community within an hour or so before the commencement of our annual Christmas festivities only to leave us with a clear sky. The earlier rains had a toll on several pre-registered parade entries.

However, the children waiting on ole Saint Nick soon forgot the previous down pour and anxiously waited to share their secrets of their wishes of Christmas morning gifts.

Maintenance personnel employees dressed up the town with banners hanging from street lights to a beautifully decorated Christmas tree at the intersection of Highways 14 and 81. Simona Womack and Barbara Inman coordinated the application processes and answered questions from those desiring to participate in the parade. The NVFD answered the call to re-direct traffic for the safety of all along the parade route.

I believe the number of candy pieces tossed from the parade equaled the "Merry Christmas" greetings heard about town.

Superior Gas, Ledbetter Barber Shop, and Hughes Auto Parts were honored for their Christmas spirit in decorating their businesses, first place through third, respectively.  The beautiful floats presented the “secret elves” a tough time choosing the three honorees.  Nevertheless, they awarded Williams Chapel United Methodist Church and their massive birthday cake, Billy Freeman’s colorful “Big Choir” float, and Ms. Kim Daar and Citizens Hardware first through third, respectively.

With the beautiful floats and a Wiseman walking his camel to Bethlehem I had not seen this many horses in one location since visiting Wyoming several years ago. Many of the horses and riders were dressed for the season wearing tinsel and reindeer antlers.

High School paving of its street and parking lots on August 7, 2014, days before the first day of classes on August 12. The county agreed to help the Macon County School Board as did the City of Tuskegee in repaving and paving two schools and one in Tuskegee, respectively. The county saved the school board $112,850 reported superintendent Dr. Jacqueline Brooks at the July 31 school board meeting providing materials and labor for the two schools. Pictured are members of the county road and bridge crew along with several prisoners using county equipment and asphalt from the county owned plant for the benefit of all students, faculty, and visitors to the campus.

Recreation Board and Reeltown Athletics hosted a fun-packed day on May 31 for children of all ages to award and recognize our young athletes following their baseball and softball seasons. The ball field was full of inflatable water slides, helicopters, fire trucks for kids to explore, award winning classic cars, trophies, and of course hamburgers and cold drink. More pictures...

Notasulga High School Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) garden project was showcased by the art club students on Tuesday, May 27, 2014. Collaborative and individual art pieces were on display which will be permanently displayed along the garden stretching from East Main Street to the entrance of the school. The garden is a joint effort with the ecology club and will serve as an outdoor classroom, an area for student and community enjoyment, and a site for a local farmers' market. Besides studying nature and art under the sunny skies of Notasulga the students envision offering classes, such as canning and preservation of food, for the community. Mr. Robert Lyda, music teacher is the art club advisor, while science teacher Mrs. Emily Antoniak will mentor her ecology club students in this joint effort. AU graduate student along with his professor Dr. Mark Wilson, Director of Civic Learning Initiatives, assisted the club advisors with sources of materials and funding. More pictures...

Recent Rain Storms have caused our Macon County Road and Bridge Road crew to render multiple attempts to save a section of Hwy 54 West from succumbing to the heavy and frequent winter and spring rains. In the cold, wind, and rain the crew consisting of Michael Johnson and Jabari Ware and Supervisor Russ Berry have tried their best working against an old and deteriorating drain pipe stretching deep beneath the pavement. However, Mother Nature won out and the damaged road area was closed Friday, 28Mar2014. Commissioner Mike Berry told me the pipe will be replaced as soon as we have a few days of dry weather. The western portion of Hwy 54 is scheduled for re-paving sometime this summer, most likely in August. A 30" diameter cement pipe measuring 50 plus feet was placed beneath gravel and clay soil thereby providing a much wider shoulder and a better road for our safety. [Note 3Apr2014: Thank you David Hurley for sharing your pictures of the trackhoe digging up the offending pipe and the crew adding the final touches the following morning.] more pictures...

Winter storm 2014 Ole Mother Nature reminded us on Tuesday and Wednesday, 28 and 29 January, she is in charge of our environment and may with her shutting down Alabama for two days be reminding us to be better stewards of the earth. She brought freezing temps into Notasulga for a couple of days before a freezing rain followed by about 1/2 inch of snow on Tuesday afternoon. Notasulga schools prepared for the storm and were closed Tuesday as a precautionary. Wednesday and Thursday the schools were closed because of the hazardous icy road condition. Governor Bentley declared a state of emergency preceding many cautionary and road and bridge closings by the Dept. of Transportation. Temperatures on Wednesday never got above freezing. Today, Thursday, the forecast is for a high of 45.

Christmas Parade 2013 looked as if would be rained out but that alternate date was also had rain in the forecast. The town decided to go forward and during the parade itself the sky actually closed up and held the renewed sprinkle until after the festivities which included hot chocolate and cookies. The gourd display is the handiwork of Mrs. Phyllis Ledbetter decorating Louis' barbershop. Carmacks Grocery a staple (pun intended) of our community - Shorty and his family always a contributor to Notasulga's events. Mr. Lyda Notasulga High School band director and some of his band contribute to the spirit of Christmas with their always appreciated music and marching. Tony McCarty and Mr. Smith add the final touches to Notasulga's beautiful Christmas tree for all to see at the intersection of Hwys 14 and 81.

The Mayor mentioned during the town council meeting just days following the parade that everyone had a good time. The route took in more of the streets about town than I can remember from previous years. The town really looked good with the Christmas tree at the intersection of Highways 81 and 14.

Notasulga Volunteer Fire Department responded to a house fire on the corner of West College and Hardwich Streets on November 19, 2013. Fortunately no one was injured however the home and its contents was a total loss. The recently re-activated Macon County Red Cross Chapter was contacted by the Notasulga Acting Police Chief and was ready to respond to the needs of the homeowners as needed.

These men and women train every Thursday for such disasters, including responding to calls on I85, which one fire truck was rear ended narrowly missing a Notasulga fireman from injury.

Hot and big news: Coach James Lucas of our Notasulga High School serves as head football coach, boys and girls track and field coach, and athletic director was recently recognized by Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association with their 2013 Making A Difference Award for going beyond in what is expected of a coach in teaching his athletes sportsmanship, leadership and personal growth skills only found on the playing courts and fields. Congrats Coach.

Aug 24, 2013 All Macon Cnty Day parade Notasulga High School football players, band, and cheerleaders represented Notasulga very well in our recent All Macon County Day parade in Tuskegee. The football players were saving their energy and strength for the next game by riding in a truck driven by Coach Lucas. The band and cheerleaders played the instruments, marched and danced for the hundreds along the parade route.



And I can not forget my Man Alex, one who has been with the NVFD for many many years driving one of the department's trucks in the parade.

Appointments:

• Town staff, Barbara and Simona
• Police Chief, Michael Knowles
• Town Attorney, Brian Strength
• Fire Chief, Mike Whitman
• Tony McCarty, Maintenance Supervisor
• Planning Commission Chairperson, Linda Barresi
• Recreation Board: Chairperson Kris Thompson, Russ Davis, Bernie Zellner, Richard Lumpkin, Donna Barnhart, Jonnie Bentley, and David Morgan

Looking for phone numbers and local businesses that once graced this spot, click here.

Other Macon County Documents Worth Reading

The Alabama Limited Self-Governance Act (tinyurl link), Comprehensive Plan, Economic Development Plan, Proposed Planning Ordinance (tinyurl link), Proposed Subdivison Regulations, and Hazard Mitigation Plan.

STAR ID card

Required by federal law by Dec. 1, 2014 for people born after Dec. 1, 1964 and for those born on or before the regulations will become effective Dec. 1, 2017. Read more....