Lee County: 2008 Year in Review

As Lee County enters 2009, it’s time to look back at the major events — good and bad — that shaped 2008:

-- Arsonists arrested for church fire spree: Authorities from the state and Lee and Russell counties arrested two Smiths Station men for allegedly burning three local churches and vandalizing another. Geoffrey T. Parquette and James Scott Clark were self-described satanists, according to authorities. Both men pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 15 years in jail each. A probation hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 20.

-- Joint Bee Hive Road project: Lee County and the City of Auburn entered into a deal to widen Bee Hive Road between Interstate 85 and the Auburn Technology Park West and to replace the weight-restricted bridge.

-- Construction of Auburn satellite office: The county began construction on a 6,800-square foot building by the Village Mall to provide citizens with another avenue to conduct county business. A similar office opened last year in Smiths Station. This year, the revenue commissioner started offering license renewals online.

-- Clean record: The county had a clean audit from the State Examiner’s for a second year in a row.

-- Quarry issue returns to court: The case between Lee County and Oldcastle Materials, the owners of the quarry on Lee Road 148 in Spring Villa, returned to circuit court in August. Even after additional hearings, work at the site is still halted.

-- Lee County deputies involved in shootings: A deputy shot and killed John Derrick Johnson, 29, of Opelika Aug. 9 after he was dragged by Johnson’s car. A few weeks later, a reserve deputy was shot during a traffic stop, and his partner, a deputy, shot the alleged shooter, Christopher Dalton, 20.

-- New board, new outlook: Lee County Probate Judge Bill English swore in members of the county’s new Planning Commission in October. The group will work with the firm of Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood to develop a comprehensive strategic plan, a first for Lee County.

-- Being environmentally friendly: The county took its first step in reducing its carbon footprint when it earned a $200,000 grant in September to install solar panels at the justice center. The system, which will initially generate 20 kilowatt hours of energy, is set to be in place in 2009. County officials say it will be expanded as more grants become available. Eventually, it could generate 100 kilowatts per hour and vastly reduce the facility’s energy bill.

-- November election results: Lee County voters agreed to allow officials to impose a new court fee to generate revenue to remodel and upgrade the justice center, but those that live outside Auburn, Opelika, Smiths Station and Phenix City did not want to pay 1 percent more in sales tax. Officials had planned to use the additional revenue to support a county recreation program and provide school resource officers in every county school.

-- Back again: A proposal to create an elected, part-time county chairmanship for the county commission passed the state legislature but was vetoed by the governor. The commission started talks in December about taking the issue to Montgomery during the next session, which begins Feb. 3.

aweaver@oanow.com