DOG AND PONY SHOW

READ THE FOLLOW UP

Get ready Fairhope! The Catalyst Council has called a special meeting at a special time, that they hope is inconvenient for everyone. Today at 3:30, I have to agree that is an excellent time, where transparency and accountability will not be an issue, because only a few people will attend.

This Council has a history for “special” or “emergency” meetings. These meetings are usually used to torpedo the Mayor’s suggestions and implementing the Council’s goals for 2020. Be sure you review the video of the meeting, the council will not expect you to.

No one knows the council’s intent, no one is expect to, so today’s meeting will be news to everyone. Ask yourself what is such an emergency that it cannot be dealt with at a scheduled council meeting?

What is not news is the Mayor’s position:

Mayor Karin Wilson of Fairhope, Alabama

12 hrs ·

A special called meeting is scheduled tomorrow, MAY 10th, at 3:30pm to discuss the structure I proposed to council for the open Treasurer position. As I’ve stated in multiple work sessions, the City of Fairhope’s current organizational structure for the Finance Department has led to a siloed way of doing business.

We have an appointed Treasurer, an appointed Clerk and a Finance Director. While there needs to be checks and balances, having too many chiefs adds bureaucratic red tape. THIS IS THE REASON the treasury role, in virtually every municipality in the State, is either a function of a Finance Director or the Clerk.

The structure I am proposing is just that. Combining the Treasurer with the Finance Director (Director of Finance & Treasury) and filling the open position with a Manager/Supervisor of Treasury and Revenue.

We already have a Finance Director; one who has been with the City over 13 years and instrumental in helping us turn around a City WHICH HAD BEEN running at ~$6M deficit REQUIRING over half of utility’s profits to balance the budget to an almost self-sufficient state! Oh, and we did it without borrowing a dime and next month the City will be debt-free.

We consolidated the roles into one department in Oct 2018 in the absence of a Treasurer. In doing so, we separated duties to become more compliant, the turnaround time for procurement is more efficient, payment of bills on time has improved and the roles within the department have been managed.

We have a great opportunity to do better, become more productive and save YOU the taxpayer.

Please Join us BY WATCHING live stream or VIEWING recorded meeting.

The Ripp Report will update this post today after the “special” meeting.

Did you notice in the Mayor’s statement about the forecast that the city could be debt free in June 2019, next month? That is the Mayor and her staff’s accomplishment not the Council who has fought the present administration at every turn.

The Catalyst Council is fully responsible for the Apartments at Fly Creek, the Mayor opposed the project. When they open, Fairhope will feel the negative impact of a good ole boy deal supported by the Council.

The Mayor had a plan for education that was immediate and required no taxes. The Council plan is a self imposed 3 mil tax.

The Ripp Report favored the Mayor’s education plan, however we will not penalize our children’s education by adamantly opposing the 3 mil tax. You as citizens of the community should ask yourself why the council favored taxes when it was not necessary?