In a letter to this column in October 2010, I pointed out the unsavory politics and incompetence that prevailed during the jail fiasco. Specifically, I questioned the role of Public Building Authority Chairman Oscar Montgomery whose day job was a Baptist preacher.
When Huntsville was handed its first court defeat in 2008 over the jail issue and later upheld by the Alabama Supreme Court, Montgomery quoted scripture, declared (by some convoluted logic) that the court decision was "a total win" for the city, and accused Mayor Battle of "public rants" which "inflame public opinion" when the then newly-elected mayor outlined his views on how to deal with the botched project. That was just one of many audacious outbursts by Montgomery.
What were his qualifications to oversee the jail project? What was his professional background other than preaching? He was accused of gross ineptitude by Dawson Building Contractors who won the million lawsuit.
On January 9, the city council had the opportunity to remove Montgomery from that important city position by voting against his reappointment. However, councilmen Showers, Culver, and Olshefski chose to ignore unanswered questions about his qualifications and were successful in voting to keep him on for another five years. Councilmen Kling and Russell showed good judgment by not supporting the reappointment.
We hear unofficial talk about building a new million city hall. Too late now, but given his history, do we really want a person like Montgomery having a position of responsibility on that project?
James B. Brewer
Huntsville