How do you clean up corruption? Legislatively, or simply vote them out. However one common denominator is the citizens themselves. When elections results show only 17% of the voters are exercising their right to vote, then it is a good indicator political corruption is flourishing.
CORRUPTION IS LEGAL IN AMERICA
Study: Congress literally doesn’ยยt care what you think
Study: Congress literally doesnรขยยt care what you think
I had no idea how bad things actually were until I saw one simple graph.
Many times people come up with the problem but no solutions, here is a solution:
https://act.represent.us/sign/the-solution/?source=homepage
These new anti-corruption efforts are sweeping the county on the state and municipal level. The 14 municipalities in Baldwin County as well as the county commission would go a long way with public trust and eliminating corruption with the adoption of such an anti-corruption act. The Ripp Report will promote this effort on a county and state level.
We Can Criminalize Corruption by Passing This Law.
We Can Criminalize Corruption by Passing This Law.
The American Anti-Corruption Act makes it illegal to purchase political influence, and puts power back in the hands of the people.
Incidents like the Fairhope Airport Authority scandal, soccer fields, lawsuits, fly creek apartments and the sewer plant contract would be much more transparent and hold elected officials accountable. Depending on the Alabama Ethics Commission has proven fruitless. Citizens need to start at the ground level and hold elected officials to our own municipal anti-corruption standards and vote out the bad apples.
Alabama Ethics Commission revelations go ‘Boom!’
Alabama Ethics Commission revelations go ‘Boom!’
โThey are more interested, he says, in providing legal cover to powerful politicians than carrying a torch for what is right. For what is ethical.โ
Source: www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017/08/alabama_ethics_commission_reve.html
Jack and the council are corrupt. Put em in jail
How about voting out a mayor who misappropriated thousands of dollars from a police department contract for her own personal agenda? That’s corruption. Why the double standard Ripp? Why? What’s in it for you?
Oh Bay Glazer how you shine. Lol!
If you are asking Ripp why the double standards, then you are agreeing with what he has blogged. So let’s hold anyone accountable for anything at all. Mayor, take a number. We have Jack Burrell in line first and then 3 Councilmen who (fact by the way) promised if they were to get elected? They would vote “NO” on the Fly Creek Apartment Project. Funny how no one has disagreed with the timeline of the Fairhope Airport Authority. Maybe this blog is correct? We can’t do anything about the corruption in Fairhope??? I would certainly hope that we can and will!
No, Anonymous, I am not agreeing with his blogging of these allegations. I’m just asking why he ONLY makes allegations against the council? Jack Burrell voted against the apartments, when it was time. The subsequent vote on extending their timeline was not for/or against the project, it just would have opened us up to a lawsuit if it was denied. But I have devoted more than enough time this fictional storytelling. Bye!
Robert Brown folds Burrells toilet paper in neat little squares yall. Too cute.
Get some rest please.
LOL…….you are talking about a couple of thousand dollars that were never even charged to the City against tens of millions that Kant and Burrell misappropriated/stole just recently……if we ever get an audit of the Kant years, we will all be disgusted even more so than we are today!
If you, Bay Gazer, actually live on the Bay, I would think that you would care that your view is full of raw sewage b/c of the decisions made by Kant and the previous / current Council. This leads me to believe that you probably don’t even live in Fairhope, much less close to the Bay. Paid comment or a Kant family member?
An audit of the Kant years will set Karin free. How much will this cost and whom do I write the check?
Georgia – I do in fact live in Fairhope, and am not paid nor am I related to Mr. Kant. Please show me your proof that Mr. Burrell misappropriated/stole millions of dollars? And the amount makes it ok? She only defrauded the hotel of $25K? Whats the big deal? She only used a few thousand of a police contract for her personal vendetta, what’s the big deal? Get an audit done. Prove your accusations. Then I’ll be quiet. But for this guy who professes to expose corruption to give the mayor a pass on all her misdeeds just begs the question “Why?”. Time to go sit at the end of my pier and finish my coffee.
You back Bay Glazer? I knew you were bluffing when you said “I have devoted enough of my time to this fictional story telling, Bye!” Must be pretty lonely to come back so soon. Can’t even keep your word while talking nonsense. Truth Teller, Jester, Bay Glazer.
Cowards from the past and present. Go finish your coffee at the end of your pier. What about your proof? Where is it? $25,000 should be easy to prove. Show me?? Thought so….
Have you not seen the photos of the Membership Directory posted all over social media? Member: Karin Wilson Spouse: Mike Lyons. Here’s an idea, ask one of them to DENY it. They bragged to all their friends that they were so smart and sneaky pulling off the scam…Heard it from their own lips myself years back. Have them produce a member card or bill that lists Kiefer Wilson or Kelley Lyons as a member. Oh, wait, they can’t. They were never members.
this was settled years ago
Mr. Ripp….please explain EXACTLY what you mean “this was settled years ago”. Did someone at Grand Hotel realize that Wilsons and Wolff’s were getting two memberships for the price of one?? Did Grand Hotel charge the parties for dues and fees that they beat Hotel out of??? WHAT ?? Was settled years ago?? Please explain your statement!
Bay Gazer. I would hate to think how many comments you would post if you weren’t tired of posting. Wow. Why don’t you prove something besides your incompetence.
Bay Gazer!!! Thanks for the info. I can finally get some sleep now that you have given all of us such wonderful and up to date info about the membership. You must be very proud of yourself.
Until the city begins to subsidize the Hotel as it does the airport, it’s none of our business what has transpired between the Mayor and the Hotel. Bay Gazer, keep your eye on the theft of funds from the utilities department and don’t worry yourself with other peoples’ personal problems. We need our Mayor and Council to get to work to fix our infrastructure.
No one said Burrell stole millions of dollars. He did indeed make many decisions involving millions of dollars, triangle, airport, sewer plant, the gift of wetlands and the soccer fields, over 50 million dollars! That was on his watch and millions got wasted or sub contracted to a select few. If you do not believe that then stop reading.What Burrell did at the Airport was illegal and he should be held accountable. As far as audit I agree and review the contractors and sub contractors as well as reviewing engineering costs.I have had several attorneys say that the issue related to searching computers, broke no laws or policy. So when I look at 50 million vs a he said she said they said situation, involving no money, then I do not see corruption. Many city’s have the same practices.
Bay Gazer, who gives two cents if you are quiet. No one has to prove anything to you while you are slinging crap everywhere. You do not even know any better that every comment you have posted is a reflection on just how pathetic you are. Don’t tell anyone on here to prove something to you and “then you’ll be quite”. Post away. Who cares what you think. Provide proof on your lip service why don’t you before you ask anyone to prove anything.
Bay Gazer must be kin to Burrell and that creep who made an ass out of himself knocking down Ripp at the council meeting. Jack Burrell’s puppet.
wrong
Can we also talk about the Baldwin County Commissioners who will not respond to citizens who voted them in & the fiasco at the roundabout on Gayfer Avenue & County Road 13 that started on June & was to be complete in 90 days which was September 8th. September 8th came & they were not probably less than 1/2 complete. The FACT of the matter is – they are NOT working. They have never worked a whole week & sometimes it is several weeks & they do NOTHING – how do they get by with this?? Who is overseeing this for the county?? Is is nsme Jason?? He is not doing his job either!! Heard they asked for an extension to November – are the Commissioners that stupid??? They need to be voted out of office too – this shows what they are doing in the best interest of the citizens of Baldwin County – they do not care. When is the next election??? If the County Commissioners have voted to extend them until November they are more than incompetent!! It does not take that long to do road work & a roundabout – the citiaens are not stupid. We need to protest & they need to be working 24/7 to complete this project
OK I get it. You want it done yesterday. Related to this is the fact that our growth has become a problem. At the last Council meeting they discussed impact fees and how we could charge 1% by state law. In 2007 they put a cap of $4184 on that so the McMansions don’t have to pay 1% since that number has stayed the same for 10 years.
A lot can be done to legally slow down some of this stuff. This is an example. BTW the impact fees for commercial buildings has also been too low. If we had a thoughtful state legislator they would get the 1% limit eliminated. The true impact cost in Montgomery is plenty lower than what it is in Fairhope. Another case of politicians failing to address an obvious problem. Let’s see if the City will raise the impact fees now that everyone knows
They could/should.
At this point in time it is terrible to try and think of a politician that looks to do the right thing. No matter what political position you look at. There is a lot more wrong than there is right. Some are even scared to say what’s on there mains because they don’t want to lose a vote or two. Tell like it is politicians. Within a few years, we will vote all of you out. Thanks Kay Ivey for distroying so many dreams of so many Alabamians by screwing up the education PACT program to start off with. All of you need to be replaced and you will be.
Meanwhile…the traffic gets worse and the Bay is a commode.
$6.2 million on a soccer field.
$12 million for a park in memory of the dyas family.
$13 million on the sewerage upgrade.
No accountability.
The people know nothing.
I would have been happy with “just” a 10 million $ in my name. That would save a quick 2 million $.
But hey, on the sewer money I don’t think the money was wasted it’s just that we need another 13 million to keep up. The little problem is they have waited too long to start and the big problem will be if they try to get by without doing all they need to do. The fact that they spent so much on Dyas and soccer before continuing the sewer fix, that’s a problem. We gotta borrow more money to fix this mess. All the bragging about paying down the debt last year didn’t mean a thing .
The City will need to issue bonds to come up with the required amount of money to fix the infrastructure. We must do something to stop the airport payments so that we can show enough City income (w/o corresponding debt) for our bonds to be rated highly enough to have a reasonable interest rate.
We don’t need yo subsidize the airport……we DO need a working sewer system. Someone else will purchase/lease the airport land. It is not as if the airport is going to go away. The taxpayers have simply been set up as stooges to pay for (in my opinion) kickbacks and favors going to the political ‘elite’.
Anonymous 1970 is totally correct and seems to have a healthy knowledge of the history of this debacle……please listen to him/her!
Right On