FAIRHOPE A CITY OWNED BY OUTSIDE INTERESTS & GOOD OLE BOYS

May 27, 2016

The Ripp Report/ Baldwin County Legal Eagle

A lot of people witnessed the corruption involved with the approval of the Fly Creek Apartments. This was a wakeup call for many citizens that had heard about the corrupt ways of the mayor. Mayor Kant and his sidekick Arthur Corte have cost Fairhope dearly, in money and quality of life. The decisions they are making exclude US and only benefit them. The apartments are only a part of a much more thought out plan between Kant, Corte and the good ole boys. The decisions they are making are not coming before the public, until the deal is done or close to done then the Mayor will elude that it was a city plan all along.

The Triangle lawsuit was settled without any public participation to the tune of 11.25 million dollars. The city borrowed 5.25 million, paid attorneys around 3 million and took 3 million out of the utility reserve fund, all behind our backs. Not one person had the opportunity to even comment on the Kant deal. The attorneys got 3 million dollars and in the end they suggested the city purchase the land to settle the lawsuit. WE paid 3 million for them to tell us to purchase the land?

Now a new deal has “emerged” The Triangle Nature Trail Park. This is another Kant and good ole boy deal that has not come up for public participation, in fact the authorization for Thompson Engineering to come up with a plan has never been approved. Thompson Engineering is one of Kant’s good ole boys, and they are rewarded with any projects the mayor sees fit, without approval from council. So now Fairhope is going to have an “arbortorium” and archery range on 34 acres with 3.2 miles of trails that go in circles? The triangle has been cleared of all the large pines prior to the city purchase rendering the property to thorns, erosion and little natural beauty. The cost will be approximately 1 million dollars to develop, on a piece of property we paid 11.25 million for? Do you see something wrong with this picture? Not one meeting has been held for the Public to comment and you can bet this deal has a hidden agenda. Just like the Fly Creek Apartments, the citizens are left out of the equation.

The only solution to stopping the Mayor and the good ole boys is to vote them out. Rock Creek and Sandy Ford are trying to recruit council candidates and plan to show the Mayor their disapproval at the ballot box. It will take many more neighborhoods to unite in the common cause of voting in a new mayor, our failure to do so will only encourage further corruption and less public participation in OUR city. Please encourage citizens to consider public service and running for office, council or mayor.

Fairhope has no priorities; we have a comprehensive plan, master plan and the Kant plan. The Kant plan excludes us all and all too often only one person is deciding what our direction is that day. The soccer complex is ripe with corrupt practices from its purchase to its 6 to 7 million price tag. The mayor says we will have a world class complex and tournaments will bring in millions. How was a community so gullible? Education got 300,000 dollars, soccer got 6 or 7 million? Let’s not forget the 35,000 we paid for the Senior Bowl practice, for them to practice at our facility? Fairhope has spent almost 100,000 dollars on education “studies” and now we are talking taxes to make up for our stupidity or lack of priorities, but that is what you get when the mayor works for the good ole boys and a majority of the council are good ole boys themselves.

Councilwoman Diana Brewer betrayed the citizens of Fairhope by siding with the mayor and the less than 5% support for Fly Creek Apartments; she sold her soul. Councilmen Mueller and Boone both pledged to serve only one term, now it appears they like Kant’s bed and are going to run again. They both have experienced serious health issues in their terms on the council and vote 100% the way the mayor tells them. Mr. Ford is also having health issues, best to him, he may not run again. Mueller and Boone need to go and take Diana with them. Jack Burrell stood firm and is the only council person willing to oppose the Mayor in favor of his constituents.

Mayor Kant’s 2016 contributions for re election are quite telling over 50% of the individuals do not live in Fairhope and a couple of PAC’s donations are all but anonymous. That’s a sign of a good ole boy network. The Ripp Report will cover this in detail in the coming months.

The qualifying period is July 5th to 19th, election day is August 23rd, PLEASE help recruit candidates for city council and lets come together to get rid of the mayor. Fairhope deserves better.

Have a safe Memorial Day holiday and remember the men and women who have served this country giving us the privilege of voting and being free to express ourselves.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Francis Paul Ripp

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