Fredonia’s fate: County dissolves town’s charter

The small Alabama town of Fredonia is no longer a town thanks to action taken Monday evening by the Chambers County Commission.
District 3 Commissioner Danny Kendrick made a motion to allow the town to keep its charter, but without a second, the issue couldn’t be voted on, and therefore failed. Nearly 40 citizens attending the meeting began whispering among themselves, stunned by the board’s swift action.
Retired Judge and former Lanett city manager Joel Holley became irate with the commission because he was promised by Commission Chairman Jack Bunn at the start of the meeting that he would get to address the board when the resolution came up. But without a second on the motion, the issue could not be discussed and Holley didn’t get his chance. Shortly thereafter, Bunn swung the gavel to end the meeting.
Under the advisement of county attorney Skip McCoy, the commission agreed to re-open the meeting just to hear Holley speak. His comments were not going to change the outcome of the failed resolution, McCoy said, but he had the right to address the board.
Holley, speaking on behalf of relatives and friends of Fredonia, questioned why, after more than 100 years, the commission would want to dissolve the charter now.
“It’s about money,” Holley said. “It’s the same little pie and everybody wants a piece.”
Holley and Fredonia residents hope to get some answers at 2 p.m. CST today when a public hearing postponed from last month continues in front of Probate Judge John T. Crowder. Depending on the judge’s decision, Holley said residents may try to reincorporate like the city of Cusseta did.
McCoy said under state law, a county can petition to dissolve a town charter if it hasn’t had a mayor for more than a year or assessed taxes for more than three years. Fredonia has existed as a town in Chambers County since 1840. But as far back as 1876, McCoy said, there is no record of a mayor or town government.

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