Fairhope City Council has decided to pay fired employees rather than going to court, so we the public never know the whole truth surrounding the firing in the first place. Remember it was the council who came to the defense of the those fired, they then assisted them in their efforts to sue the city. Ultimately, in executive session the same council votes to pay up. It’s only insurance money, but we pay the insurance.
The good ole boy tabloid, the Courier, with assistance from the editor Chucky Cheeze, have produced another spin article that they expect to end the allegations of wrong doing at the Fairhope Airport. WRONG First off Chucky keeps calling me a blogger and ignoring that The Ripp Report has been around for over ten years and is a non profit corporation, consumer watchdog organization. But what the hell if I call him Chucky Cheeze he can call me a blogger.
The Ripp Report recently changed it’s business status from a tax deductible non profit to a corporation. It is still a non profit, without any federal tax deductibility. This also allows the Ripp Report/Baldwin County Legal Eagle to become more engaged in the election process by sponsoring or contributing to specific candidates.
One thing you can say about the Alabama Ethics Commission is that they are shamelessly predictable.
To dismiss a complaint and not answer any questions nor offer any explanation as to the allegations, is a whitewash of facts.
Fairhope City Council is as dysfunctional as a square bowling ball. Led by Council President Jack Burrell who has been president for going on 7 years. The council has achieved little in the last year other than obstruct the Mayor’s office. It was more of the same at the last council meeting when it came to light that not one of the council has discussed any issues related to the budget in the last two weeks, with the Mayor, as they said they would.
Two area’s lacking in leadership in Fairhope are the City Council and Planning and Zoning. The City Council President for the last 5 years has been Jack Burrell. All the previous councils rotated the position of City Council President every 6 months or after a short term in order to give other council members a chance of leadership. In fact, and it is a fact, this council has accomplished absolutely nothing, except to obstruct the Mayor at every opportunity.
Fairhope should now begin to see the writing on the wall. The Fairhope City Council is voting as a unit and the council president, Jack Burrell, is calling the shots. One thing that is perfectly clear is that any recommendations from the mayor will be meet with stiff resistance, regardless of it’s merit.
The last city council meeting, Sept 11, left little doubt as to how far the council will go to oppose the mayor.
Fairhope is at a crossroads and if the community allows Council President Jack Burrell to ban people from speaking during the city council meetings, at public participation, then we have chosen the wrong road.
Mr Burrell has orchestrated a campaign of obstructing the office of the Mayor from day one. He is complicit with leaking documents and fueling the Courier’s continued assault on the Mayor. He has convince the rest of the council to be in lockstep with his every move.
In Fairhope, “come fly with me” Jack Burrell is facing ethics complaints as well as Fairhope Airport Authority board member Ray Hix, Fairhope Municipal Judge Snedeker’s partner. The airport authority authorized hiring an attorney to investigate those who filed the complaint. The city council has turned a blind eye to any facts or ethical violations refusing to conduct any internal investigation, despite compelling evidence of wrong doing. Instead the council members have issued false statements, “The ethics commission complaints against Airport board members have been ruled baseless.
Well folks, as they often say, “You can’t make this stuff up!”
Monday night’s city council meeting showed the true colors of council president “come fly with me” “Jack” Burrell. It was a tough night for Burrell and his faithful Bible study partner, and best friend forever, Senator Tripp Pittman.
Recently for the first time in many years Fairhope had a legitimate bid process for the emergency hurricane debris removal contract, which could bring millions of dollars to the recipient.
Jack, come fly with me, has more passengers. The Courier, editor “Chucky Cheese” is working hard for free flights. He has signed on with the pilot, "come fly with me” Jack to cover the most mundane of articles that amounts to cut and paste. The local AM station, it is hard to find, has also signed on to allow Jack all the time he needs to talk about anything but the airport.
