Florence, Waterloo gain ally

FLORENCE -- Lauderdale County commissioners followed in the footsteps of the Florence City Council on Monday by requesting that the Trail of Tears board continue to end its motorcycle ride in Waterloo.

This is the 13th year the commemorative ride has traced the route of more than 1,000 American Indians that followed a trail from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Waterloo.

Trail of Tears board members decided to drop Waterloo as an official stop this year, opting to end the official ride in Florence's McFarland Park.

County commissioners passed a resolution "respectfully requesting" the Trail of Tears board reconsider its decision to stop in McFarland.

Lauderdale County Sheriff Ronnie Willis said his deputies would escort the riders from one end of the county to the other Sept. 16, despite the decision by the Trail of Tears board.

"We're trying to make it as safe as we can for our community and those that want to ride in it," Willis said.

But a co-founder of the ride echoed what Waterloo Mayor Jerry McIntyre said this week, that there may not be a ride in Lauderdale County much longer.

Founder Jerry Davis said he was removed from the Trail of Tears board at a meeting of the organization Saturday.

Davis said that a majority of the 11-member volunteer board used to be from Alabama. That's not the case now, he said.

Davis said board members might be trying to end the ride in Decatur or even outside the state.

"We've got to get some political clout, because if we don't, they are going to move this ride," Davis said.

Davis said he was removed from the board because he favored ending the ride in Waterloo.

Phone calls seeking comment from the president and vice president of the Trail of Tears board, as well as member and co-founder Bill Cason were not immediately returned Monday.

In a letter to the Florence City Council last week, Trail of Tears board president Perry White said the board would not reconsider its decision.

Florence Mayor Bobby Irons said Monday that no one in local government wants to discourage the Trail of Tears ride from coming to the Shoals. Irons said Florence officials wouldn't do anything to interfere with the ride stopping at McFarland and will provide an escort within the city limits.

Todd Twilley can be reached at 740-5728 or todd.twilley@timesdaily.com.