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Niccolo Machiavelli
1469 - 1527

. . . Eminent Domain

Cullman EDA tells the real story

Thursday, 16 March 2006 - We stand to lose one of Cullman's greatest legacies of history, the Messersmith farm. Located on the golf course road on the south side of Cullman, the old German farm is much the same as it was at the turn of the century.

Messersmith farm right in the middle of the industrial park plan.

The Messersmith farm is right in the middle of the industrial park plan.

The City of Cullman has misused eminent domain rights to acquire a few acres of Mrs. Messersmith's farm for a road right of way but it doesn't stop there. If I read the City Comprehensive Plan correctly they will take it all and then reach out for more and more until the whole side of the south of Cullman between US 69 and extending west across US 31 will be taken for industrial development. What is a definition of rape - destroy and strip of its possession; "The soldiers raped the beautiful country"?

Here is a list of some of the people's names (pages 1 & 2) who are associated with the Outlook XXI plan to implement many projects including this action using not only eminent domain but also zoning and ordinances as well for this project:

Quality Council Members	OUTLOOK XXI PARTICIPANTS
Ms. Margaret Allred Mr. Alan Arnett Dr. Jamie Blair Mr. Dale Bright Ms. Brandea Burks Mr. Greg Clark Mr. Billy Coleman Mr. Tim Compton Mr. Mike Cone Mr. Shawn Crider Mr. Kenny Culpepper Mr. Neal Culpepper Mr. Ed Darling Ms. Cherri Drake Mr. Roy Drinkard Mr. Cliff Drouet Mr. Mike Duke Mr. Larry Dyer Mr. Brad Eidson Mr. Jan Farley Mr. James Fields Mr. Frank Fink Mr. Chester Freeman	Dr. Jerry Galin Mr. Joe Golden Ms. Ginger Grantham Ms. Jo Hanes Mr. Casey Hardeman Ms. Peggy Harris Mr. Gregg Hodges Ms. Brenda Howell Mr. Don Hubbard Mr. John Hunt Ms. Amber Jacobs Mr. William Kress Ms. Sheila Kretzschmar Pastor Bob Kurtz Ms. Edna Leeth Ms. Betty Leeth Haynes Senator Zeb Little Ms. Ann Maddox Ms. Cindy Mallard Mr. Bert McGriff Representative Neal Morrison Mr. Kenneth Neal Mr. John North	Representative Jeremy Oden Dr. William Peinhardt Ms. Martha Plunkett Mr. John Riley Sheriff Tyler Roden Ms. Lorene Scott Mr. Glenn Sisk Ms. Donna Sisulak Mr. Bill Slack Ms. Charlotte Slatton Mr. Wes Smith Ms. Evelyn Stevens Ms. Brenda Stitt Mr. Bill Strandlund Mr. Bob Tatum Mr. Wells Turner Mr. Alan Walker Ms. Melba Werner Mr. Roy Williams Dr. Tom Williamson Mr. Tony Wingo Ms. Chris Wisener
Quality Council Steering Committee
Mr. Steve Glasscock, Chairman Mr. Mike Manning, Vice Chair Mr. Grady Smith, Vice Chair Mr. Mark Bussman, Secretary	Ms. Beverly Absher Dr. James Bailey Mr. Eddie Canaday Mr. Dale Greer	Mr. Keith Jackson Mr. Dennis Richard Ms. Peggy Smith
City of Cullman Industrial Development Board
Mr. Dennis Richard, Chair Mr. Mark Bussman, Vice Chair Mr. Eddie Canaday, Secy/Treas	Mr. John Apel Ms. Nell Creel Mr. Barry McGriff	Mr. Tim McMeans Mr. Don Morgan Mr. David Moss
Cullman County Industrial Development Board
Dr. James Bailey, Chair Mr. Elliot Free, Vice Chair Mr. Burl Reid, Secy/Treas	Mr. Greg Barksdale Mr. Dodge Davis Ms. Peggy Doss	Mr. Billy Faulk Mr. Keith Jackson Mr. Gerald Sims
2000-2004 Cullman Mayor & City Council
Mayor Donald Green Mr. Woody Jacobs, President	Mr. Ernest Hauk Mr. Bill Maddox	Mr. Kevin Morrow Mr. Wayne Walker
City of Cullman Planning Commission
Wendell Copeland, Chairman Ms. Cheri Drake Mayor Donald Green	Mr. Ernest Hauk Mr. Earnest Porter Ms. Nancy Reichwein	Mr. Tom Sawyer Mr. James White

I find it hard to believe all of these people above actually had in mind taking a couple of older ladies last bit of family heritage and replace it with more polluting factories. Perhaps they need to be told of the mistake they are making before it is too late. I am sure they would love to hear from you. Public opinion does count. You can make a difference.

The City Comprehensive Plan is supposedly not approved yet but is on the Cullman EDA website visibly under the Outlook XXI. If not approved yet then why is the 278 corridor which is on the list already developed? See for yourself from the 'horses mouth'.

eminent domain - the right of the government to take property from a private owner for public use by virtue of the superior dominion of its sovereignty over all lands within its jurisdiction —see also CONDEMN, EXPROPRIATE, TAKE 1b
NOTE: The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires the government to compensate the owner of property taken by eminent domain, stating “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” State constitutions contain similar provisions requiring that the property owner receive just compensation for the property taken. www.Dictionary.com

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