YOU WIN SOME YOU LOSE SOME
When the Ripp Report first saw the effort of Fresh Start Fairhope and how they had successfully filed a petition with 800 names, for a change of government, the Fairhope City Council came to mind immediately. I could not figure out what the hell was going on.
It did not take the council long to figure out they had walked into a political bear trap. Fresh Start and the council thought, without legal research, that the council was not in charge and could select at large or districts.
Next thing we know fresh start and the council are at odds because they have no decision to make. The law clearly outlines the guidelines, if indeed a municipality does vote for a change of government.
This fallout caused a flood of false and misleading information starting with fresh start and brought to a boil by the council. Remember the present “at large” council are Catalyst, they have yet to deliver a budget. It has been a council of indecision and obstruction.
The Catalyst council then instructed the city attorney to do what ever was possible to cancel the Oct. special election. True to Baldwin politics and elections and a good push from the good ole boys and Catalyst, they did just that.
This dirty trick was intentional and the council knew the odds of the referendum vote being held during the general election had a history of failing. In the interim the council and Catalyst spread fear and misinformation to the voters. I commend them they did a great job. Fresh Start had spent thousands on the first proposed election date and was tapped out by time the general election, Nov.6th arrived.
Fairhope missed a golden opportunity to move forward, instead, the majority elected to not change the government and continue to operate in such a way that has proven to be unsuccessful.
The seven precincts were all crowded, however the Baptist Church on Fairhope Av. was a traffic hazard and the one voting booth caused long waits. The civic center had lines that waited for up to two hours. Many people left without voting.
This little misadventure does prove a couple of things, first that the Fairhope “at large Catalyst council” is alive and well. Most of the council’s support came from the same core group that believes in the Can’t doctrine.
The State Representative House District 92 race between Joe Faust and Danielle Mashburn-Myrick also played an important Part. Joe Faust had never really been challenged and the Fairhope Council teamed up with the Can’t core group. Councilman Kevin Boone, his son Scott is at the controls of Catalyst, teamed up with Joe Faust and shook the locals out the door.
The yes vote did not wait in the line or wake up on election day.
Catalyst and the good ole boys can be beat, their core group is literally dying off while thousands move here each year.
In the 2016 election Mayor Kant received 3066 votes. In this special election the NO vote was 3887.
Now take into consideration that there were NO votes, that were cast out of confusion, and many voters that just cannot accept change, even though things are changing daily. The turnout was 38% or 6649 total votes. The total for 2016 was 6589.
What this should tell you is that Catalyst, or let’s say the no vote, or the Can’t vote, has a core group of approximately 3500. That is their ceiling, they are not growing their base with new residents and slowly but surely they will be overwhelm by new voters in just a few years.
Another thing it should prove to ya is that the good ole boys can rally the troops, you need to vote no matter how long you got to stand in that line.
In 2020 Fairhope will have another general election and the 3500 core group will not be as strong.
One major event could topple the whole Catalyst movement and finally prove to Fairhope citizens just how corrupt the system is: