HOLLY POND, Ala. – Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview and Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman on Tuesday night visited Holly Pond for the first in a series of community meetings sponsored by the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce to bring the legislators face to face with their constituents.
A good sized crowd filled the Guy Hunt Library conference room, including concerned citizens and municipal officials from Holly Pond, Baileyton, Berlin and Cullman. The Chamber’s Jennifer Taylor introduced the speakers.
Gudger talked about legislation he advocated and helped to pass during the last legislative session, including a mental health bill that can extend the commitment/supervision period for mental health patients in outpatient treatment programs. Gudger spoke of this as one of his proudest achievements during the session, and noted that he and Shedd will receive an award on Aug. 24 for their sponsorship of the bill. Cullman County Probate Judge Tammy Brown was present, and spoke during the question and answer time to commend and thank the legislators for getting the bill through.
Gudger briefly mentioned his support for the abortion ban (the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, which was signed into law in May 2019) and the national attention it has garnered. The law makes performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases and does not have exceptions for rape or incest. Gudger said he would be willing to address the matter further during the question and answer period, but the crowd seemed satisfied and did not raise any questions at that time.
Shedd talked about Alabama’s rise in national rankings in economic development fields, including:
- Third in business climate
- Second in economic growth potential
- Second in workforce training
- Fifth in manufacturing based on workforce concentration
- Sixth for automotive manufacturing
He also admitted that Alabama ranks low in a number of areas like education, and said the state needs to continue to work on such things.
Shedd complimented Gov. Kay Ivey for addressing issues head-on “without pandering to the next election.”
He also touched on some of the legislation he supported in the last session, including promotion of rural broadband and rural hospitals, and noted his good relationship with the agribusiness industry and farming community.
During the question and answer phase, the legislators address questions about:
- Fighting opioid abuse versus taking care of people who truly need pain management. Both expressed an understanding of the difference and said they would work to protect patients.
- Getting a second community college or four-year college extension center in Cullman County. Shedd spoke briefly about previous efforts and said he would look into it.
- Spending money on concrete street medians and roadside barriers along U.S. Highway 278 through Cullman, as opposed to projects like the widening of Alabama Highway 157. An audience member and Gudger engaged in a long but well-behaved exchange over issues of federal, state and local funding and jurisdictions, the completion of Highway 157 and the 10-cent gas tax. Gudger shared statistics indicating Cullman County will get more than $1 million more per year for roads under the tax plan, and that the county’s municipalities will see gas tax revenue increases of up to four times what they currently receive. Both legislators spoke of their support for the gas tax in terms of their desire to improve transportation infrastructure in their districts.
- Passing lanes on Alabama Highway 69 between Fairview and Baileyton. Shedd recognized the safety issue, and said that increased revenue from the gas tax could make such a project possible.
- The possibility of a Highway 157 southern bypass. Shedd told an audience member he would like to see a southern bypass, but noted projects on 278 and 157 North that need to be done before new projects could come up.
- The higher tax rate on tags for electric and hybrid cars than gasoline-only vehicles. Gudger pointed out that these taxes will help build infrastructure such as electric car charging stations statewide, and that electrics and hybrids still use the same roads as other vehicles and pay a higher tax to make up for the fuel taxes they pay less of or not at all.
The Chamber’s next community meeting will include Gudger and Rep. Corey Harbison, R-Good Hope, from District 12 and will be held in Good Hope at Good Hope City Hall Thursday, Aug. 15 from 6-7 p.m.
The final meeting will include Gudger and Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle, from District 9 and will be held in West Point at West Point Town Hall Thursday, Aug. 22 from 6-7 p.m.
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