The Haleyville Board of Education met Tuesday evening and approved the financial statements and board expenditures for November, in the amount of $1,467,476.36. The Board approved an amendment to the Haleyville High School athletic supplement list. The use of the HES lunchroom was approved for the HHS Senior Play February 16-18. One field trip and 5 fund raisers were approved. Under personnel, the Board approved the resignation request of Stephan (Bo) Culver as Head Football Coach and Athletic Director effective January 23. Todd McNutt was approved as interim Head Coach and Athletic Director. Coach Culver will become the Head Football Coach at Deshler High School. Tiffany Smith was granted family medical leave in January and February. The resignation request from Emile Aiton, as Special Education Teacher at HHS as approved. The next meeting of the Haleyville Board of Education will be Tuesday, January 24. 

The New Bethel Baptist Church located on Marion County Highway 167, (just off County Highway 48) was totally destroyed by fire early Wednesday morning. Haleyville, Bear Creek, and Hackleburg fireman responded just before 6 a.m. but the building was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived. The cause of the fire is unknown but is being investigated by an Alabama State Fire Marshall.

An 89-year-old Pennsylvania man, Joseph (Jody) Tarbutton went into the Galley Restaurant early Monday morning and stated he did not know where he was. Haleyville police ran a check and found the man had been reported missing from Boothwyn, Pennsylvania for two days. He had apparently driven to Haleyville in his pickup.

His step son and step daughter flew to Birmingham and then driven to Haleyville by Frankie Hicks, the father of Haleyville policeman Steve Hicks.  Tarbutton spent the night at Lakeland Hospital recovering from dehydration and fatigue. A World War II vet, Tarbutton had left to do some shopping Friday afternoon and apparently became disoriented and continued to drive through the weekend until arriving in Haleyville. He appeared to be in good spirits Tuesday morning when he was discharged from the hospital. He was taken to the Birmingham airport where he took his first airplane ride since WWII. His daughter, Cindy Gotta, reported the was back home and safe. She expressed her thanks to the kind people of this area who took care of her father.

After arriving safely back in Pennsylvania, Mr. Tarbutton’s granddaughter shows him a map of how far he had driven to arrive in Haleyville.

The Haleyville City Council met Monday evening with George Russell absent. The Council approved the general operation bills and purchase orders for November in the amount of $462,948.22.

A change order was approved for the construction of concrete sidewalks at the Haleyville Sports Complex in the amount of $8,337.80.

Another change order was approved for the Sports Complex to construct a Rip Rap Flume and Dam with overflow pipes to handle storm water drainage. The total for the change order is $3,800.00.

Work to improve the flooring in the Old Elementary School on 14th Avenue in use by Haleyville Head Start was approved to the low bidder Barry’s Carpets. Specifically, new flooring will be installed in the entrance hall and front office at a cost of $6,400. Work will be done over the holidays.

Mayor Sunseri announced a grant had been approved for the Haleyville Rescue Squad. The grant for over $2,000 will be used to purchase needed equipment.

The Alabama League of Municipals officially designated Mayor Sunseri as an Advanced Certified Municipal Official. To achieve Advanced Certified status many hours of classroom training, workshops and educational conferences were attended, in addition to the many hours every day spent as mayor of the city.

Dates for the next two council meetings have both been moved by one day.

The first meeting would fall on Monday, January 2. Considered a holiday (New Year) the meeting was moved to Tuesday, January 3, still 5:30 at City Hall. The meeting on January 16, (Martin Luther King Day) was moved to Tuesday, January 17.

Tuesday evening a special called meeting of the Haleyville Water and Sewer Board was held for the purpose of hiring a General Manager to replace David Cox who will be retiring in January. The Board selected Lane Bates from 3 applicants. Bates is presently the Water Superintendent with over 30 years experience in the field.

Cox has been the General Manager of the Haleyville Water and Sewer Departments for 34 years. His retirement is January 11. He and his wife Bebe plan to move to Fairhope following his retirement.

HHS Band Christmas Concert tonight 7 p.m. HHS Gym. Great music and it’s free!

A fire at the home of Justin Wilson at 2814 17th Avenue just after 6 p.m. Sunday night caused fire and smoke damage, but the house was saved by the quick work of Haleyville firemen. No one was home at the time of the fire. Reportedly, Wilson had cooked out on his back deck earlier in the day he and his family had left. The fire appeared to have started on the deck area and burned around his patio doors and filled the house with smoke.

A two-vehicle crash at 3:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, has claimed two lives. Kathryn Mcnutt, 54, of Haleyville was killed when the 1995 Infiniti J30 she was driving collided head-on with a 1987 GMC S10 driven by James Harold Hood, 76, of Haleyville. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. The crash occurred on Alabama 243 near the one-mile marker. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.

– -Senior Trooper Johnathan Appling, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency

Pickup for the Haleyville Rotary Club Toys for Kids is this afternoon starting at 4 p.m. at the Paradise 92.7 Radio Studios on Highway 13 North next to the Razor’s Edge. Please call 486-2277 if you signed up, but cannot pick up.

A single-vehicle crash at 12:30 p.m. today, Dec. 6, has claimed the life of a Haleyville woman. Barbara Godsey Borden, 68, was killed when the 2007 Kia Amanti she was driving left the roadway and struck a culvert. Borden, who was not wearing a seat belt, was transported to Decatur General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The crash occurred on Alabama 195 two miles south of Haleyville. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.