Pastor: Ashville council’s actions ‘reprehensible’

Gary Hanner
01-08-2009

Rev. James Sampley, pastor of First Baptist Church Ashville, addressed the city council Monday concerning an ordinance the council recently adopted that would allow electronic bingo to be played within the city limits. Sampley voiced his displeasure and disappointment with the mayor and council.

The pastor of First Baptist Church Ashville has asked the city council to rescind an ordinance adopted last month that would allow electronic bingo to be played in the city.

Rev. James Sampley addressed the council Monday saying he was “disappointed for the action of the mayor and council with regard to the support of gambling by the way of bingo machines.”

“These machines have been declared illegal in all 67 counties,” Sampley said in a prepared statement. “Gov. Bob Riley has stated his clear opposition to these machines. Our own District Attorney considers them to be illegal and our sheriff has said he would arrest anyone using these machines. This action has been considered a ‘sham’ by the chairman of the St. Clair County Commission (Stan Batemon).”

Sampley added that he finds it difficult to understand how a mayor and council who recently swore to uphold the law has now voted to break the law they swore to uphold.

“You have been so easily deceived by ‘some slick salesman’ from a so called entertainment enterprise,” Sampley said. “It is reprehensible that you would listen to an attorney who declared this gambling enterprise to be a good thing for our children.

“I am tired of politicians riding the backs of the most innocent in our community — our children — to further their personal agendas.”

Sampley added that gambling is a regressive tax exacting the most from those who can afford it least.

“Now Mr. Mayor, unlike you, the more I hear about it, the more I dislike it,” Sampley concluded.

Mayor Robert McKay said he and the council knew there would be moral issues with this.

“Realistically, we didn’t know Gov. Riley was appointing a task force concerning this issue the very next day after we adopted the ordinance,” McKay said. “I will tell you this — once this has been deemed illegal by the courts, we would never pursue it any further. No one is going to stick their neck out and get arrested.”

McKay said the American Legion (where he works) has operated card bingo since 1979.

“We progressed and progressed and then it was shut down,” he said. “I remember the years we were shut down. We then got it in the legislature and they passed a bill so we could operate again. Now, we’ve been operating for a number of years.”

McKay said during the past several years, the bingo situation has changed to electronic bingo.

“People all around us are doing this and we are sitting over here about to lose our jobs,” McKay said. “I know this don’t make it right in your mind at all, but from a personally standpoint, I still have kids to raise and that’s what pays my check. Now, I stand to lose that. However, we will go by the law. If it is not legal, we will respect the law.”

McKay added that the money figures were very enticing and they were looking at the dollar.

“There were so many things we were going to be able to do with the money,” he said. “Build a complete new ball field system and have no worries ever again in the fire, rescue and police departments,” McKay said. “All I can tell you preacher is that we are not going to do anything against the law.”

Councilman David Thompson said although he voted for the ordinance, he personally is against gambling.

“I voted for it because the city was in dire straits,” Thompson said. “I thought hard about this before I voted in favor of it. At the time I voted in favor of it, I thought it would never come to pass and I still believe it will not come to pass.”

Councilman Mike Sheffield told Sampley it was never the intent of him or the council to do anything illegal.

“My position on it is that card bingo was played last night within the city limits of Ashville,” Sheffield said. “Electronic bingo is just a different technology to play bingo.”

Councilman Charles Williams said the thing that stood out in his mind more than anything was it would create jobs.

“I’m against gambling, always have been and always will be,” Williams said. “But Ashville is in the need of jobs for our children and grandchildren. It is a shame kids finish school here and then have to leave Ashville to find jobs in order to live. We have to find avenues to create jobs.”

“The last thing I have to say about this is that we are not going to do anything illegal,” McKay said.

About Gary Hanner Gary Hanner is Associate Editor of The St. Clair Times.

Contact Gary Hanner
205-884-3400
ghanner@thestclairtimes.com

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