SHOVEL READY

January 16, 2019

Here we go again, a lot of hot air and no results. Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, BCEDA, sounds important doesn’t it? The CEO Lee Lawson sure can blow smoke when it comes to the mega site or when he is recruited by politicians that want a “third party” to back up one of their schemes.

The Ripp Report was present when Mr. Lawson was asked by the Fairhope City Council to render support for the Fairhope Airport and K-1 School. The interesting thing is the general public get 3 minutes to speak, Mr Lawson was allowed all the time he needed, or till he ran out of breath. On both occasions their was more BS than fact. It was a political show to bolster failing elected officials.

Mr. Lawson should consider writing fiction, especially when it comes to the mega-site.

https://www.lagniappemobile.com/news/local/booming-baldwin-continues-to-lead-state-economically/article_5c3e85dc-38df-58f3-b3e6-596e84dc7ef1.html

“Lawson hopes 2019 will be the year for that “mega” deal for the county’s Mega Site on Interstate 65 near Bay Minette. The site, Lawson said, was a finalist for the Toyota-Mazda complex, which went to Limestone County near Huntsville, and has been in the conversation for several other large projects”.

“We are truly an alliance in Baldwin County, being funded and supported by our county government, 14 municipalities, 5 Chambers of Commerce, 8 Industrial Development Boards, and over 100 privately owned businesses. We have 17 voting members on our board of directors, of which each of our 5 Chambers of Commerce appoints three members in staggering terms. Additionally, our board consists of two ex-officio members, which are a rotating Mayor and County Commissioner each year.”

Baldwin County is out of control when it comes to growth however BCEDA, along with it’s members appear to be in high gear when it comes to growth.

Warm weather and inexpensive housing has brought thousands to Baldwin county with many thousands following. We can expect that our quality of life will be degraded, traffic will become a nightmare and schools will not be able to be built fast enough to keep up with demand.

BCEDA has the support of the developers, Most of the business or development coming to Baldwin County has not one damn thing to do with BCEDA.

The Ripp Report does hope a buyer for the Mega-Site comes along, however each year, we hear, “this is the year.” When it does sell, let’s hope it actually brings in some of the lost revenue and does not become a subsidized sale that yields little, except to the purchaser.

The Mega Site purchase, 34 million plus lost interest and lost opportunity, probably represents closer to 50 million today. Baldwin County infrastructure has suffered and the late Baldwin County Commission, along with the School Board passed a 1% tax, without a public vote, to make up some much needed infrastructure money. We took money from the schools for needed county infrastructure while ignoring school infrastructure. How smart was that? Thank the Tax man Chris Elliott.