Fairhope’s, 6.2 million dollar waterfront park has been so watered down that it has become a renovation project. For over 18 months the Waterfront project moved through the bureaucracy of government. Hundreds of citizens participated in public meeting offering their suggestions. Then came the municipal elections and the political distortions about the overall plan. In as little as a few weeks, in the new administration, the entire plan went from something resilient and sustainable to short sighted maintenance.
I have been Missing In Action from social media since September 15th and it feels like a year. Right before the storm, I received news of my best friend’s grandson was killed on a motorcycle. Needless to say his daughter was as devastated as he was. While sitting there trying to comprehend the loss, I got a call from the father of a gentleman I was advocating for in a property dispute.
If you live in Baldwin County then you know that local news print is almost non existent. Citizens are at a disadvantage at knowing what the real truth is and politicians are fine with that.
Community engagement or public participation is probably 1 to 3% of the population. Fact is, most councils, Fairhope for one, would be fine with no community engagement or public participation.
If you would like to be a little more informed please check out Lagniappe.
Last night Spanish Fort played Fairhope in football. The stands were full, social distancing was all but impossible.
When one of the High School Principals was asked why most of those in attendance did not have masks? He explained that they tried to enforce the use of a mask, however once the people got seated they removed their masks.
Another event across town was underway, the Fairhope political forum hosted by the Common Sense Campaign.
Fairhope is closing in on another municipal election so get ready for CATALYST and the ill informed to try and convince voters that they know best.
The latest issue is the plan for the waterfront, pier and parks at the bay. The funding comes from the BP oil spill in 2010. The cycle for funding and approval took years and grants were very specific outlining the scope of work.
The last three years the waterfront project has been on the table.
Highway 98 and Parker Road is Fairhope’s Malfunction Junction, compliments of a Catalyst City Council. Fairhope’s City Council supported the developer, and the developer supported them. A good ole boy deal that will impact every citizen in Fairhope and everyone else that goes through that intersection.
This is a very dangerous intersection and accidents are common. Use extreme caution through this intersection. It is going to become more dangerous every month this year.
SKUNKED What started out to be a “Fresh Start for Fairhope” has turned into a political PAC raising money and preparing for the 2020 Fairhope Municipal elections. All their talk and advertising promotes a change of Government for Fairhope, this part of the equation most agree on. A Council Mayor form of government also has a green light. The sticking point is the City Council being At Large or Districts Here is where you got to be careful around skunk’s, they can take a good thing and make it smell.
It is easy to see that people with special interests, Catalyst connections, or are from the Tim Can’t Club, do not want to see any change in Fairhope Government. They represent about 30% of the City’s population. They know a change of Government will cut off their access to slate candidates and greatly reduce their ability to “control” Fairhope, not Govern but “control.” The current Fairhope City Council is an “at Large Catalyst council” that has the most dismal record of any Fairhope Council in 20 years, they cannot even deliver a budget on time.
What started out to be a “Fresh Start for Fairhope” has turned into a political PAC raising money and preparing for the 2020 Fairhope Municipal elections. All their talk and advertising promotes a change of Government for Fairhope, this part of the equation most agree on. A Council Mayor form of government also has a green light. The sticking point is the City Council being At Large or Districts
Here is where you got to be careful around skunk’s, they can take a good thing and make it smell.
