by Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor
The Sebree City Council met in a brief session Tuesday September 3, 2013.
First the council approved the second reading of the ordinance setting the 2013 property tax rates. The new rates will be .338 cents per $100 on real property and .494 cents on personal property.
Mayor Ozzie O’Nan reported that he would meet with the Water Committee later in the month and would make a report on water rates at the next council meeting. That meeting is scheduled for Monday October 7.
During public appeals the council was addressed by James “Silver” Brown, a representative of Soldiers of Truth in God’s Army (SOTIGA), a Christian-based motorcycle club.
“I’m here for introductory purposes,” said Brown. “We have never had the chance to make introductions of who we are and what we do. We are not here to take over the town. We are a Christian motorcycle ministry and club.”
Brown said that shows like “Sons of Anarchy” often give people the wrong idea about groups such as his. SOTIGA is simply a group of Christians who love motorcycles, and they have very strict rules about drugs and alcohol. That is a zero tolerance party.
“If you enjoy going to bars and drinking, then maybe you don’t fit in with us,” Brown said.
SOTIGA briefly had a club on Main Street in Sebree, but according to Brown they lost their lease when the property was sold.
“When we come into a community we are looking to help it,” Brown said. “Someone donated 10,000 books to us. We gave those to the Hispanic church in Sebree to help them teach their members English.”
He also said that his group is also known for going into communities where no one else wants to go. They provide care packages to children in neighborhoods in towns such as Evansville, IN that are known for drugs and violence.
“We are currently planning a fund raiser for Saturday September 28,” he told the council. “We would like to use the Sebree Park for our event. We expect between 125 and 200 bikes.”
Events schedule for that day will include Paul Moore, a chain saw artist from Ringo, IN, inflatables, kids games and face painting.
“There will be no drugs or alcohol, we will take care of that,” Brown promised. “We would really just like to work in conjunction with the city of Sebree and Webster County. If you or anyone else knows of someone in need, we want to know about it.”
The council voted unanimously to allow SOTIGA to use the park on September 28.
James “Silver” Brown is a resident of the Sebree area, where he works as an oil and natural gas consultant for Trinity Oil.
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