Advocacy group nominates board of directors at annual meeting

LAKESHORE - The Winston County Smith Lake Advocacy Group held an annual meeting at Lakeshore Inn Restaurant on May 11, 2018, and held nominations for board of director appointees. Three members were nominated to the board: Ross Cole, Brian Kuntz and Lou Kuntz.

Board of directors are James Barnacastle, Sammy Boggan, Allison Cochran, Ross Cole, Wayne Culler, Charlotte Dougherty, Ray Durham, Paul Gillette, Brian Kuntz, Lou Kuntz, Lee McKibben and Dex Young.

The officers, being in their terms currently, stayed the same. They are President, Jim Eason; Vice-President,  Kenny Kilpatrick; Secretary, Lu Cruce and Treasurer, Judy Lambert.

In other news, Alabama Water Watch gave classes on April 27 and 28 on water monitoring certification. Mike Henshaw, Winston County extension coordinator, has $1,000 for the Advocacy group to use toward the purchase of chemicals for water testing. Information on testing sites can be found on the Alabama Water Watch website at www.alabamawaterwatch.org.

“It was a full class,” said Brian Kuntz, a board of director member.

A newer boat was purchased in time for the April cleanup due to the fact the old one had become waterlogged and leaked. On April 11 and 12, approximately 40 volunteers showed up to help with the cleanup.

The group has had two cleanups since the previous annual meeting.

“We want to thank Hyche for the two dumpsters in April and the one in the fall,” said President Jim Eason.

“We thank Alabama Power for their pontoons, T-shirts, pick-up tongs, bags, and the Curry office of Alabama Power who bought lunches on all three (cleanup) days.”

Thanks on the cleanup also went to Allison Cochran, wildlife biologist for the Bankhead National Forest and the Winston County Sheriff’s Office for helping with manpower.

The Advocacy gives away a scholarship every year in the amount of $1,000. This year’s scholarship went to Haleyville High School Senior Leslie Amber Wright.

“My first load of styrofoam I got to look at, I was amazed. We had 80 tandem loads. I thought ‘who gathered all this up on the lake?’” It was you,” Winston County Commissioner Bobby Everett, guest speakier, said to the group.

“The lake is our revenue,” Everett continued. “It employs so many people. “We must keep it clean.”

The Advocacy is a non-profit corporation founded in 2006 by LaVerne Matheson and organizes and coordinates volunteer efforts for lake cleanups. The group also coordinates water testing efforts in conjunction with Alabama Water Watch. The group has also been responsible for installing signs for creeks and tributaries along with anti-litter signs.

The next board meeting of the Advocacy will be August 7, 2018, at the Traders and Farmers Bank in Arley. The fall cleanup with be Thursday, October 4, with a location to be announced at a later date.

E-mail the Advocacy for information at wcslainc@gmail.com.