By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
The St. Clair County Republican Party met at the St. Clair County Courthouse in Pell City on Thursday to pick new officers. The meeting had been scheduled for January 17m but was rescheduled to January 31 due to a snow storm
St. Clair County Republican Party Chairman Freddie Turrentine said, “I have enjoyed being Chairman It has been tough though and I do not want to be Chairman again.”
State Executive Committee member Mike Fricker from Pell City said, “We have been blessed by having our Chairman serve us these last two years, but his life is very busy. We begged him (Turrentine) to run again but things didn’t work out.”
Lance Bell was nominated to be the new St. Clair County Party Chairman by St. Clair County Sheriff Terry Surles. The motion was seconded by Fricker. No other candidates were nominated. The gathered St. Clair Republican Executive Committee members unanimously voted for Bell. Lance Bell is a prominent Pell City attorney and already served the county party as a member of the Republican State Executive Committee.
Lance Bell thanked the St. Clair Republicans for their confidence in him and thanked Freddie Turrentine (a St. Clair County Deputy Sheriff) for his service as Chairman.
Chairman Bell then opened up nominations for the Republican state executive committee post that he had previously held. Alabama State Representative Jim McClendon from Springville nominated former Chairman Freddie Turrentine. Vernon Burnes nominated former Chairman Paul Thibado. The St. Clair County Republican Executive Committee selected Turrentine for the open position on the Republican State Executive Committee.
In the other offices the Republicans chose to re-elect Jane Bishop as Treasurer. Chairman of the St. Clair County Board of Registrars Deborah Howard was selected as Party Secretary and St. Clair County School Board member Marie Manning was chosen as Vice Chairman.
Mike Fricker heads the St. Clair County Bass Tournament Committee. Fricker said that the event this year will be on April 20 at Lakeside Landing. Fricker said that the bass tournament has become a big thing in St. Clair County. This is the 17th year that the St. Clair County Republican Party has held the bass tournament to raise money for college scholarships for St. Clair County students. Typically there are 85 to 90 boats participating with two people to a boat. To date the Republican Party Bass Tournament has awarded over $300,000 in scholarships. Fricker said that U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R) had already contacted him about sponsoring a boat again this year. Fricker said that they still needed sponsors and volunteers for the annual event.
