Morgan county commission December 2019 Volume 8 No. 1 25h Anniversary Tour ends in Decatur Chairman: Daikin State’s history enhances life for on display at county residents Arts Center By Sheryl Marsh Communications Director By Sheryl Marsh Daikin America’s 25th anniver- Communications Director sary celebration of its industrial Two hundred years of state histo- existence in Morgan County in ry is on display at the Alabama September was a time of reflec- Center for the Arts in downtown tion for County Commission Decatur. Chairman Ray Long. Titled Making Alabama: A Bicen- He said the company is an asset tennial Traveling Exhibit was as- that continues to give to enhance sembled in the center’s Performing the quality of life for many resi- Arts building on Nov. 6th and will dents. Judge Langham at work in his office in November. He will continue to work until he remain there until Dec. 14th, ac- cording to Morgan County Archi- “From the time they started their retires in January 2021. industrial base here they have vist John Allison. changed and continue to change The exhibit opened in Montgom- the lives of people who live here. ery in March 2018 before begin- We are grateful and we celebrate their growth,” said Long. Judge Charles Langham to Please see Exhibit, page 3 During the celebration, which was held Sept. 12th at The Westin Hotel in Huntsville, Daikin offi- cials announced plans to invest retire from bench in 2021 inside $195 million in the local facility Meet the candidates vying on State Docks Road. The expan- By Sheryl Marsh During his third year of 70. His time has arrived. for district court judgeship, sion is to begin in January and Communications Director law school he resided in He will hang up the robe pages 2,15 once it’s completed officials ex- Clues: Before entering the president’s mansion at and retire the gavel in pect to start adding 50 full-time the legal profession he the university. January 2021. Changes in absentee voting taught mathematics and jobs over a two year period for an Who is this person? “I’m going to miss it very for 2020 elections, page 5 annual salary of about $57,000. science at Snow Hill Insti- Morgan County District much,” said Langham. “I Daikin’s initial investment was tute in South Alabama. Court Judge Charles truly believe that God put Morgan County Schools, He went through the $150 million in the Decatur plant Langham. me in this place at this pages,10, 11 when it was established in 1994. University of Alabama, Judge Langham enjoys time and I believe that I’ve Today it has almost 400 employ- earning three degrees: BS work but his time is lim- made a difference for the ees with an average annual salary in commerce/business ited by a state law that good in the lives of chil- of $90,000, officials said. administration; Master of prohibits judges from run- To date the company has invest- Public Administration; ning for office after age Please see Judge, page 3 and Juris Doctor. Please see Daikin, page 2 2- The Voice of Morgan County December 2019 Daikin Walking into his office on the third Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 -year period; and during growth that will certainly floor of the courthouse, one quickly ed about $600 million in the construction $1.69 million in benefit our local communi- realizes his strong reverence for the th facility and the $195 million city sales and use tax plus ty.” -dren who appeared before me. You 16 president of this country. expansion will increase the $3.38 million in state sales In addition to the expansion have their future in your hands, know- “As a judge I try to model myself after total investment to about use tax. Daikin officials presented ing that your decisions will impact the Abe Lincoln, and based on what I’m $800 million. Local school systems will $200,000 checks to Morgan rest of their lives. It’s a great responsi- seeing today I need to,” said Langham. The expansion will add sev- benefit from the expansion County and the city of Deca- bility. A man came up to me at Publix “President Lincoln once said in an ad- eral components including which is predicted to yield an tur for projects to benefit one day recently and shared that he dress to Congress in 1862 that the polymer/monomer produc- additional $596,400 annual- residents. Morgan will use had adopted a son. He showed me a United States is the last hope on earth tion, utility systems, infra- ly for distribution between $160,000 of the money to picture of him, and thanked me for my for freedom, and I worry about that. structure enhancements, Decatur, Hartselle and Mor- help build a gymnasium at involvement in the matter. That really We have to work really hard to main- research and development, gan County schools, officials West Park in District 2. meant a lot to me.” tain that freedom and the judiciary officials said. said. During construction “For years, I’ve been looking With a legal career that exceeds 40 plays a role in ensuring that.” Initial spending for the ex- sales and use taxes for the at trying to build a gym at years, Langham has practiced law on a Langham dotes on a corner of his of- pansion will be about $147 school systems are expected West Park, but because of broad scale, and spent 28 years in pri- fice where he erected a library with million and with abatements to total $2.27 million. costs it was something we vate practice. shelves of books about Lincoln. granted the amount would Nails lauded Daikin for its didn’t feel like we could un- Shortly after graduating from Univer- “I find every book intriguing, filled total $195 million, according industrial investments. dertake,” said District 2 Daikin officials presented a replica of a $200,000 check to sity of Alabama School of Law Lang- with knowledge.” to Morgan County Economic “Daikin continues to be an Commissioner Randy Vest. Chairman Ray Long for Morgan County during its 25th anni- ham went to work as an Assistant Dis- He is involved with numerous organ- Development President Jere- outstanding community “Thanks to the generous con- versary celebration. The money is a gift to be used on a project trict Attorney under DA Mike Moebes izations and has received many awards my Nails. partner,” Nails said. “We ap- tribution of Daikin we feel for the community. From left: Daikin Executive Vice President/ in 1977. Langham prosecuted criminal including Humanitarian of the Year by The requested abatements preciate the major expansion it’s time to move forward and Plant Manager David Hendrixson, Chairman Long; Noriyuki cases until 1979 when he started his the Decatur/Morgan County Chamber private practice where he specialized in of Commerce. include non-education state announcement on their 25th make that dream a reality for Inoue, Chairman/ CEO of Daikin Industries, Inc.; Masanori To- and county property taxes of anniversary, and look for- all the youth in Morgan gawa, President/Rep Director/CEO of Daikin Industries, Inc.; probate estate, juvenile and family cas- Attorney Robert T. McWhorter, about $5.13 million over a 10 ward to their continued County.” and Yasuhiro Utsumi, President/CEO of Daikin America Inc. es. During that time he was an adjunct whose law office was next to Lang- professor of political science at the ham’s on Cain Street, said the judge is University of Alabama-Huntsville highly esteemed. (UAH), and he served as a special pro- “He’s one of the most honorable men bate judge. I ever met. He pays attention to the Five attorneys seeking A third district court judgeship was cases before him. Although he has created in 2008 and former Gov. Bob ruled against me many times, I know Riley appointed Langham to the posi- that in his heart he’s doing justice,” tion. Elections to fill the judgeship McWhorter said. to replace retiring judge were held in the same year, and Lang- Although he’s planning for life after ham handily defeated candidates in the the bench, he will be in office until the Five attorneys are vying for the judge- a high volume of misdemeanor and primary to become the GOP nominee. time comes for him to leave. ship that District Court Judge Charles traffic cases. She also writes all appel- He won with ease over a Democratic “We have a lot of cases, and I will be Langham will vacate in January 2021. late briefs to submit to the Alabama opponent in the general election and here working until the day I leave of- Four are challengers in the Republi- Court of Criminal took office in January 2009. fice, which will be around the first can primary election and one is run- Appeals and Ala- He laughs about an easy move from week of January in 2021. After that, I ning unopposed in the Democratic bama Supreme his office on Cain Street Northeast to will continue to enjoy life with my fam- primary. Primary elections are March Court. Before em- the courthouse. ily and a life of service.” 3rd. Primary runoff elections are ployment with De- “It’s funny, after I was elected I March 31. The Republican winner catur she worked moved right across the street. I’ve had About Judge Langham will face the Democratic nominee in five years with the a key to the courthouse since 1977 the general election on Nov.