One year ago The Ripp Report had a couple of people contributing time to its publication. A few people would also step forward with information. Today we are very pleased to say that about 8 to 10 people are directly involved and every week we get unsolicited information in various forms from citizens. The Ripp Report is based on documents that are requested through freedom of information or obtained from the public domain.
The good ole boy network in Baldwin County is connected by LLC’s. One LLC may cover another LLC that covers another LLC, making it almost impossible to determine who owns what. Elected officials, such as city council members and county commissioners hide their business and personal connections to these LLC’S. By doing this, they are able to vote and promote their own interests without being discovered. Or so they thought.
Well folks if you were watching football this last Monday night and have no idea what is going on with the Fairhope City Council, that same night, let me fill you in because a couple of councilmen were hoping you were distracted.
I must preface this commentary by first repeating something that inspired The Ripp Report many years ago. The realization that Baldwin County was extremely corrupt and that of the 14 municipalities of Baldwin County, Fairhope was the center of the corruption and majority of corrupt “connected,” players.
FAIRHOPE “CITIZENS CITIZENS CITIZENS”
WAKE UP!
Mayor Wilson told Jack Burrell, Council President, Airport Authority Board member and liaison to the city, and who also sits on the committee to select bids for the Authority:
"I can promise you people … are concerned."
Wilson's said that the Airport Authority's debt represents 21 percent of Fairhope's overall borrowing.
In an effort to pay it down, as well as come up with a plan to market 258 acres that the Airport Authority purchased in 2007 for $8.
The Ripp Report closes out 2016 with congratulations to John Sharp Al.com.
Sparks fly in Fairhope: New mayor, council president dispute airport finances, personnel changes Mayor Karin Wilson and Council President Jack Burrell dispute the future of the city"s airport and hiring decisions. Read More and Lagniappe Jane Nicholes,
Fairhope Council President, Mayor clash over airport land deal Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson has failed in her attempt to gain control of much of H.
Fairhope City Council President, Fairhope Authority board member and Fairhope Authority Board Member who is on two man committee to review bids at the airport, Jack Burrell is double down. He insists that everything at the airport is perfectly legal and every one is as happy as larks.
The Ripp Report doubles down and calls. The scope of our ability to investigate the matter is now hindered by our lack of authority.
Last week we featured, YOU DON'T KNOW JACK, this week we peel back the onion a little more.
What we do know is that a lawyer paid a lawyer to write a letter to lawyers, Ethics Commission, for an advisory ethics opinion { no. 2016-04} that would allow a lawyer— who is also a member of the Fairhope Airport Board, to enter into a lease with the same airport authority, whose partner is the Municipal Judge for Fairhope.
I have followed four Fairhope city councils and one thing I can tell you is with each new council several things became abundantly clear. The new members of the council are usually influenced by longer serving members. However, the newer members are usually kept in the dark as to the backstory involving long-term issues concerning the city. Another observation was the utter lack of transparency and accountability. I give our previous Mayor full credit for using the aforementioned tactics.
