Fredonia residents plan to appeal to commission first

Residents of the Fredonia community plan to ask the Chambers County Commission for more time to build their case to reinstate the town’s charter.
More than 30 residents gathered in the Fredonia Community Center Tuesday night and decided to make their plea to the commission at its Jan. 5 meeting. Resident Jack Cumbee said he would ask the commission to set aside the decision Probate Judge John T. Crowder made Dec. 2 for a few months.
“I intend to go to every meeting from now on, and if it’s ok with you, I’m going to bug them. I’m going to talk,” Cumbee said.
Residents are seeking a reprieve at the first meeting of the new year because the deadline to appeal in court is Jan. 12, and residents would rather avoid the expense of going that far.
Cumbee said District 3 representative Danny Kendrick, who was not invited to the Tuesday night’s meeting, told him he would do what he could to help the measure at the meeting.
Attorney Kent Lauderdale was invited to the meeting to answer resident’s questions about the appeal process. He has not been retained by the residents, but has done research on the matter to assist residents in debating a potential course of action. Lauderdale helped the city of Cusseta reinstate its charter in 2007. He is now Cusseta’s mayor.
“In this case, numbers are more important than passion,” he said.
And according to residents, Fredonia’s got both. A small group of Fredonians led by Cumbee have met several times this month to determine how much interest there was among all residents to fight the commission. They not only contacted every landowner, but held a petition drive last week to get signatures.
Lauderdale had advised residents previously he wanted a majority of land-owning taxpayers to sign a petition for reinstatement. On Tuesday night, residents reported that 57 percent had signed on so far and they expected to collect 72 percent.
A number of residents have also signed a petition to appeal, but after Lauderdale reminded residents at the meeting that the signees could be financially liable if the action is unsuccessful. If they go to trial to appeal and lose, the county could seek reimbursement for court expenses and attorneys fees. The residents thought the list could change. Lauderdale said he’d rather have more names on the reinstatement petition anyway.
“The more people (you have), the better your chances,” he said.
The commission’s Jan. 5 meeting will be at 4 p.m. CDT at the Chambers County Courthouse.