SELF INCRIMINATION
Fairhope you have two choices. Believe in Mayor Wilson and her ideas on infrastructure and growth or follow a city council who has demonstrated no leadership, has adopted the theme of no action, is in denial of facts, and refuses to adapt to changing demographics, or change period.
FACT: Fairhope is the fastest growing city in Alabama. FACT: Fairhope Schools did not rank in the top 25. FACT: The first two facts are a direct result of the population explosion, unbridled development and greed. Fact: Ignore the above and schools will decline so will the quality of life, commute times will be longer, and property values will decline. FACT: Fairhope infrastructure sewer, electric and water all are in dire need of repairs, after years of neglect, and assets like the Pool and Athletic Center, Nix center, Quail Creek golf course clubhouse and library all need major repairs. FACT: The Council has hindered any progress in addressing major issues and their lack of leadership and reluctance for change will only exacerbate the problems. They harp against change while the whole county is changing daily. If they continue to ignore the obvious and support Mr Boone and Mr Burrell’s campaign to oust the Mayor, at any expense, the Fairhope that once was, will be no more.
Jack Burrell, come fly with me, cannot help himself from self incrimination. The airport scandal is still pending and focused on Mr Burrell’s action as city council president, airport authority liaison to the city of Fairhope as well as being spokesman for the airport authority bid committee, of two, all at the same time. He has yet to explain any of his actions, however he supported the airport authority hiring an attorney firm, that represented Mr Ray Hick application for an ethics opinion, to investigate the Ripp Report or me personally. He has the interest of the airport authority first and has failed to represent the best interests of Fairhope.
Mr Burrell now is complaining about the mayor hiring an attorney to represent herself against the council and the obstruction put forth by the council that has prevented the mayor from doing her job.
Now you would think Mr Burrell would keep his head down, but you,
Jack’s flying high these days and doubling down on his attack against the Mayor, problem is that his latest move incriminates him even further and makes the council look complicit.
The mayor’s attorney wrote a “confidential” letter to the Fairhope City Council outlining complaints the mayor wanted addressed. What does Jack do? He leaks it to the press. He now realizes his mistake and is developing a spin story which I am sure will blame someone else. That someone else HAS to be on the council so take your pick Beavis or Butthead. I am picking Beavis.
Fairhope loves holes and now Jack is digging one for himself and at the same time dragging the council with him,
The mayor posted this comment on June 11th, Mayor Karin Wilson of Fairhope, Alabama June 11 at 7:30pm.
I am posting this statement to provide the citizens of Fairhope an accurate account of the events of the past few weeks.
As you know, I have pledged to bring you openness & transparency, implement ways to protect the way we grow, bring fiscal responsibility and make decisions that are in the best interest of the city. In my first several months in office, I have been reviewing the performance of City Departments and City employees. As Mayor, this is my job. I want Fairhope to be the most efficiently run city in the State of Alabama. I want our taxpayers’ money carefully guarded. I want all our employees to enjoy their public service for our city, but they should perform their job functions at a high level for our citizens and the City. Where changes need to be made in City government, I am making them. However, as you may know, I have met much resistance. Personnel Claims There are two claims against me and the City and we may receive one more. The cases include falsehoods, exaggerations and are legally without merit. I have instructed the attorneys representing the City to fight these baseless claims. I will not agree to pay one dime of tax-payer money (or money from the City’s insurance company) to anyone for this purpose. To do so would only encourage more of the same in the future. Protecting the City in Future Claims Recent implications of misuse of monitoring “spying” is groundless. The mayor has the right to protect the city and citizens’ tax dollars from the misuse of city property and disruption from the day to day efficiency of running the City. All cities and most businesses have this in place. What goes on in an employee’s personal life after work is their business, nonetheless, what happens during working hours in the city is my business as conduct and job performance based on what is in the best interest of the City is my job. I do not monitor any of this myself, but it is one of the responsibilities of the IT department. The following is from our policy book which every employee receives a copy of before they’re hired: “Employees have no personal right of privacy with respect to use of the City’s email system or internet access. The City may review, audit and download e-mail messages that employees send and/or receive and may review employees’ use of the internet.” Since becoming mayor there have been a number of stories containing innuendos using secret sources that seem to show more interest in creating conflict than substance about the changes necessary to move Fairhope forward. Openness in Fairhope Government I campaigned on openness and transparency in the City of Fairhope. I fully intend to keep those promises. Whenever I can argue that our City records and our City Council meetings remain open and public, I will do so. The Agenda for Monday night’s City Council Meeting contains an entry for an Executive Session, which is a meeting closed to the public. In my opinion, such closed meetings should be extremely rare. The Agenda lists the reasons given for the need for an executive session: (a) to discuss litigation, and (b) to discuss the lease of the marina. As far as I know the only litigation to be discussed are personnel claims that may or may not result in a lawsuit. Neither are in litigation. Historically, the city does not go into executive session over claims and I have already instructed the attorneys not to settle as part of the day-to-day operation of the city. I am not aware of any valid reason to conduct an executive session for the marina property lease. The executive session law requires most Council meetings to be open to the public, but there are exceptions. One of the exceptions is to discuss the sale or lease of City-owned property. While the real property exception to the executive session law may apply to the marina lease at some point, it does not apply to matters to be discussed Monday. When I posted the Marina Blog weeks ago with my recommendation based on a great deal of research, I also had the post forwarded all council. As in most correspondence with council, I did not receive a response. Personal One last request - If you see my Granny, Betty Joe Wolff, please give her a hug and ask her not to stress over all the things I’m going through right now. She is 90 years old and one of the reason I care so deeply about our great City. I signed up for this job and will manage just fine. Nevertheless, I do hate that some of my family members should have to deal with unnecessary stress. In closing, I want you to know that I will continue to keep Fairhope citizens informed, remind you to attend council meetings (we have one tomorrow - Monday), ask you to remain engaged and let your voice be heard. My door is always open.
The Gulf Coast News on June 12th published portions of the “confidential” letter, without naming their source or printing the whole letter.
It should be noted that those who have been fired or brought lawsuits against the city, hail this as transparency. The local AM radio station has also adopted the same view and commends GCN for transparency of a “confidential” letter between attorney and client to council. Oddly enough all of these “concerned” citizens are friends and support the overthrow of the first, legally elected, Mayor of Fairhope. They will all fade away with egg on their face or lock jaw from having both feet in their mouth’s.
The mayor’s letter is transparent, the published, GCN article, supports the claims outlined by the mayor’s attorney. These people are not smart and now are facing going to court raising their right hand and testifying. Please ask Jack when you see him if he leaked the letter, the more he denies it the deeper the hole, also ask why he supports disgruntled employees over the best interest of the community? Be sure to ask him why he would be willing to settle frivolous lawsuits against the city?
