Sorry I did not get Freaky Friday published last week, It was a real freaky for me. I had a total reverse shoulder operation in Birmingham veteran hospital, my 13th shoulder operation since Vietnam, on Friday. The first three days of recovery are no fun and the drug fog does not allow you to think. I hope to recover fast enough that I may be able to give a special Christmas present to a well deserving recipient.
The City Council in Fairhope has accomplished very little in their first year, other than obstruct the Mayor. The latest obstruction has been going on for three months, the city budget. It clearly is the responsibility of the council to approve the budget. For three months the Mayor has extended an olive branch to the council in an effort to get an approved budget. The council members have been absent for meetings and spent very little effort to approve a budget. The council has offered lame excuses or asked mundane questions that have done little to resolving the issue.
Dec. 6th the City council had a special called meeting, again the Mayor explained to the council that the lack of an approved budget is affecting employees and city operations. The Mayor has proposed many ideas to the council that will save money in the long run, however the council has displayed an ultra conservative view of city finances focusing on expenses and ignoring any progressive view. The council is thinking within their term the Mayor and city staff are thinking 20 to 30 years ahead.
Fairhope budget battle continues
Fairhope budget battle continues
The city of Fairhope is already several months in to Fiscal Year 2018, but has yet to pass a budget – a point Mayor Karin Wilson continually mentioned during a special called Fairhope City Council …
Source: gulfcoastnewstoday.com/stories/fairhope-budget-battle-continues,56283
One item in the budget is the sacred cow of council president Burrell, Fairhope Airport. You can bet your bottom dollar “come fly with me “ Burrell will be sure to protect his crony friends at the airport above the best interests of the city. Burrell will not take any questions related to the airport and still hides behind the Alabama Non-Ethics Commission. Fairhope employees are also tiring of Mr Burrell’s micro managing employees and exercising authority he does not have as a council member nor that of council president. Mr Burrell has even gone so far as to silence the public by refusing to allow persons that disagree with him the ability to speak at public meetings
Burrell and the council have sided with fired employees, choosing to aid the disgruntled employees with litigation against the city. They then, as a council, will vote to approve any settlement. Most council members on the council should recuse themselves altogether as they know these employees personally. Instead they are going to set legal precedent for the next fired employee to do the same, with your tax dollars.
I bet Burrell and council will not bring that up during budget discussions.
NOW! YOU KNOW JACK
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…
The Fairhope City Budget is the responsibility of the City Council, the Mayor and the city employees and citizens are waiting for them to do their jobs.
Dec. 18th after 3 months, again the council will try to approve the city budget, it’s not the Mayor. Wake up Fairhope. Watch Jack.
It’s all deliberate, that’s clear. A perfectly-executed budget, as provided by Mayor Wilson, could have been examined and debated in a couple of weeks had they simply put their minds to doing it. But this Council always has SO MUCH MORE to attend to. If they find things they don’t agree with, rather than finding solutions or compromises they just push it to the bottom of the pile. And each time they do that, it’s a silent “FU, Mayor” as a little bonus to their egos. All five of those men are despicable for different reasons.
Jay R has a slit.
But Catalyst has a “plan” Paul. They actually think they can get these five crumbs reelected!!
Don’t underestimate Catalyst. If you do you do so at your own peril
How will catalyst rig tge election? Ripp has ended their little ruse.
They still own many local politicians in the county and its municipalities. Look at their election filing reports. Catalyst has bought and paid for too many of them.
So I drove out to the Professional Soccer Complex touted by city leaders as “the next big thing for Fairhope”. I noticed that there are now lights running every night and the grass is manicured. I see there are now concession and bathrooms. All that is now needed are soccer teams from across America. Those willing to fork out millions in tax dollars for Fairhope (according to A.T.). But wait, this will never happen. This is because our fields are not level and are not enough (need more fields to host a tourney). This is so sad and hilarious at the same time. Fairhope politicians are busy sniffing their own farts (male) while Foley passes them up and leaves them in the dust. Please post a link when Fairhope lands its first regional or national soccer tournament on those lousy fields it paid seven million for. You cannot fix stupid and fairhope has a seriously bad case of it.
I don’t know anything about this other than the fact that there are tournaments held there…….how can that happen if the fields don’t make the grade?
I don’t doubt anything that you say, but facts seems to be far and few between in Fairhope City Council Land!
What tourney has been held? The fields are NOT level!
Time to get serious about talking to these council “men” about their relections. Doesn’t look good for any of them. It will be interesting to see how and if they break from their master jack over the months leading to the election. Although it looks like they are still marching lockstep with the boy from MS.
Just wait. Watch their political consultants fix things for them
And now there’s this. https://www.facebook.com/fairhope.times/photos/a.389330017920246.1073741826.389329984586916/761023210750923/?type=3&theater
Ripp has surgery and the boyz play.
Jack is so desperate. And corrupt.
Fairhope screams ignorant and backward. No one pays attention.
Went to the pier yesterday with friends and family from out of town. I was shocked and dismayed at the waste and toilet paper on the shore. Where is this coming from?
It’s coming from the overburdened sewer plant that is being over worked because the politicians are letting all of the subdivisions overtake the county. Thank s is our fault because we elected politicians who work for the real estate people and not ALL the people.