Russell Nix’s 2019 Campaign and 2020-2025 Administration (8/10/25)

FALSE & MISLEADING PROMISES MADE TO GET ELECTED MAYOR IN 2019.

Although I was a supporter of Councilman Nix for mayor (a donation, attended campaign rallies, and encouraged others to vote for him) in 2019, it has become obvious that Mayor Nix has not been honest with Montevallo’s residents. He has abandoned his sworn Oath of office to be faithfully honest with the town’s residents.

Before Councilman Nix was elected Mayor, he served in the previous Mayor’s (Dr. Hollie Cost) administration and many suspicious events took place at City Hall at that time,

(1) Over a two-year period, gasoline was consistently stolen from city tanks.

(2) City issued credit cards were used and abused by city employees.

(3) A signature stamp assigned to a financial officer was illegally used by others.

(4) City equipment was illegally borrowed by city employees on weekends.

(5) Two employees were illegally fired. One filed an Ethics Complaint, and the other one filed a lawsuit against Mayor Cost. That lawsuit is still before the courts.

(6) Other troubling events occurred (grievances were filed, a failure to be properly sworn at a hearing for dismissal, illegal bonuses given to a select few, and so on).

At campaign events in the mayoral race, Councilman Nix repeatedly told the town’s residents that he would be open, transparent, spend fewer public funds, investigate possible criminal activities at City Hall, and order a forensic financial audit to uncover whether financial wrongdoing had taken place in Dr. Cost’s administration. The necessity for this audit was based in part on comments contained in the auditor’s annual reports.

FALSE & MISLEADING STATEMENTS MADE BY MAYOR NIX BETWEEN 2020- 2025.

Mayor Nix publicly announced that there was no need for an investigation of these criminal allegations because they were based on rumors and there was no need to undertake the forensic financial audit because it was too costly. Mayor Nix claimed that a forensic audit would cost $70,000.

Mayor Nix’s reasons for not investigating possible criminal wrongdoing at City Hall or calling for a forensic audit that was too costly are deceptive arguments. (1) The investigation could have been carried out by detectives from Montevallo’s own police department at no cost to the taxpayers. (2) A forensic audit could have been used to identify financial problems at City Hall for a small fraction of the $70,000 cost that Mayor Nix mentioned. The average salary for an accountant with CPA certification in 2019 was $165 per hour in Alabama. (3) Since the forensic auditor could simply read through the already published annual auditor’s reports to uncover the financial problems, the time required to complete his examination would be substantially shortened.

(4) The CPA’s work would be further shortened because he could have used a statistical sampling technique rather than a full review of all financial records. Based on actual costs, and assuming his work would have taken approximately 10 days, it would have cost about $10,000 for a forensic audit. (5) Mayor Nix had a legal obligation under state law to find out if criminal activities had taken place at City Hall.

OTHER VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW COMMITTED DURING MAYOR NIX’S TERM IN OFFICE.

Under Alabama law, for years, Mayor Nix has ignored his legal duty to protect the personal health, safety, and well-being of the community’s residents by allowing dangerous Forever Chemicals (collectively grouped as PFAS) to be present in the city’s drinking water.

More than a million dollars in free land, free public money, and tax breaks were given to Cobblestone Hotels to induce them to construct a new 54-unit hotel next to City Hall on a long abandoned hazardous waste site. The contract between Cobblestone, Shelby County, and Montevallo may cause future tax increases for Montevallo’s residents. Also, because of this legal precedent, other local businesses may ask for free land, free public funds, and tax breaks if they decide to enlarge, modernize or relocate their existing businesses.

Under Montevallo Zoning Regulations, homeowners and businessowners face financial discrimination (see Special District’s zoning privileges solely for apartment owners).

By ignoring local and state law, Mayor Nix has allowed an increasing number of “Boarding Houses” to be established in Montevallo.

By approving and permitting defective building plans (for example, the Bluegrass Apts. now called Capstone at Falco Ridge Apts.), stormwater runoff and flooding problems worsened in the Arden and Indian Highlands Subdivisions and overtopped Scott Street and Overland Road. At the intersection of Overland and Shoshone, stormwater runoff and flooding problems have been ongoing public safety and public nuisance issues. The owner of these apartments damaged Montevallo’s stormwater sewer system on the site for Bluegrass/Capstone at Falcon Ridge Apts. which was legally protected by a Utility Easement. To date, the damage has not been repaired.

Whether Mayor Nix had a legal right to demolish the Historic Victory Building is unknown. During the demolition, hazardous chemicals were released into the air and onto the land. When the residents were questioned about making changes in Montevallo’s Historic District, they stated that no changes were to be made. The Historic Victory Building was listed in the Historical Registry which brings federal, state, and local laws to bear.

The mismanagement of Ms. Mahler’s cash gifts ($700,000 or so), house, and farm and the reported raw sewage leaks in the Arden Subdivision need to be investigated