Fairhope entered the new year hoping there would be change and cooperation among the City Council and the Mayor. The City Council has wasted an entire year trying to obstruct the newly elected Mayor and her administration. They are now faced with the city council president being sued for preventing free speech.
SEE YA IN COURT JACK
PRESS RELEASE:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION December 29, 2017 CONTACT: Francis P. Ripp Local Political Activist, Consumer Advocate, & Blogger Files Federal Lawsuit Against Jackβ¦
This is no way to run a municipal government. The city council should be encouraging public participation from all itβs citizens. It certainly reflects a lack of leadership when the public is discouraged from participation.
Fairhope now has a new problem that also can be identified as a lack of leadership. The first city council meeting of the new year had two agenda items that were very important. First was the change of zoning for property on Greeno road.
Commercialization of North Greeno Road Continues
Commercialization of North Greeno Road Continues
Fairhope, Alabama: newspaper, information, government, events, arts, music, entertainment, travel.
Source: thefairhopetimes.blogspot.com/2018/01/commercialization-of-north-greeno-road.html?spref=fb
This particular piece of property, Green Nursery, is the oldest established business in Fairhope acting in a commercial capacity before Greeno Road was 4 lane. After one year of meetings finally the council voted for the obvious.
The Mayor was absent as her grandmother is in intensive care, our prayers are with her and her family.
Councilman Brown was absent and no excuse was offered for his absence. Mr Brown had been vocal about the rezoning, however the balance of the council voted for the change of zoning.
We have 5 councilmen for a reason, so there is no tie in the voting.
The next agenda item was the entertainment district downtown. For many years people on first fridays and special occasions, have wandered all over the downtown area, carrying alcohol drinks. The entertainment district would decriminalize the present illegal activity. The vote was split 2/2, councilmen Conyers and Burrell for and Boone and Robinson against, the entertainment district failed. The council should have held the item over rather than vote on it without the Mayorβs or Councilman Brown. The council also failed to address the current situation after they acknowledged publicly that they, as well as the police, are aware of the illegality. To further complicate things the council recently adopted a motion that a failed item could not be brought before the council for 60 days.
This is a far more complicated issue them some may think. Critics say there should be no drinking period and the entertainment district will turn into New Orleans. That is total BS, There has been no problem for many years, however it is illegal and the business are now being targeted by the ABC board.
The council should not have voted on this without a lot more public participation, a full council and the Mayor, oh wait only the council knew it was on the agenda and it happen to be on the night of the Alabama Bowl game! Hello.
This is a very poor decision that best be handled immediately by a council that has no leadership.
So you’re saying the council has a leadership problem?
The entertainment vote was the first time I recall Boone and Burrell voting differently. There will be some kickback on this one as a number of restaurants have been stung at $1000/pop.
The partiers are going to be unhappy if the present law is enforced properly. Mr Ripp is correct; this whole thing is way overblown. There are plenty of other things going down which need attention but this looks like a time eater. I do not drink and I have no problem with the partiers. You won’t see them sh!!faced throwing up at the corner. Wait and see how much energy will be wasted playing around with this issue. I can tell you if I owned a restaurant and got stung for $1000 I would not be happy. That $ is going to Montgomery and it’s just BS. That’s all I can say.
Well Jack is not lilly white when it comes to this issue. He has a past. We are not a drinking town.
I feel sorry for the bar/restaurant owners and employees b/c they are the ones that are being burned on this issue. During events such as parades, Art Walks, etc, most of the downtown merchants serve free beer and wine within their properties; those of us who don’t drink either beer or wine would love to be able to purchase a cocktail from a downtown merchant and congregate with our friends. Many people bring their own drinks from home. I have asked the bartenders at the Book Bar (Page & Pallettes bar) several times to let me buy a drink to take outside on the sidewalk and they have been adamant that a drink cannot leave their premises. I believe that this does a dis-service to our merchants, particularly if the Council rules that were proposed are enforced. To keep the tiny downtown area restricted to one hour prior and one hour post (with perhaps increased police patrol after) may solve the problem for everyone. Could the Council possibly approve it for a 3 month period with the caveat that it dies without another vote at the end of that time?
I am totally against the 24/7 Entertainment District and I am totally against taking it down to the Pier or parks. Just let those business owners downtown operate w/o having to hire guards at the doors to keep people from taking their drinks outside when the bartender is too busy to watch over every patron.
I hope that the Council will revisit the issue (with the strict controls) when Robert Brown is back….sad that they did not delay the vote when they knew that he was an up vote……..unless this is another Council puzzle.
Dead On
If you own a restaurant downtown then you knew what the rules were when you opened it. What is your problem? Explain to us what you think a Sting is.
All is fine in Fairhope. You overreact Ripp. We are the gem of the eastern shore.
The GERM of the Eastern Shore…raw sewage in the bay. No one talks about it. Like the corruption.
clovis you should go to the town hall at the library tonight to meet our new public services manager. hope he does not get us sued like he did Daphne on his way out.
You keep putting that thing in your mouth boy. Must taste pretty good.
Burrell purchased an attorney. Who is it and who is paying this criminal enabler?
We need a new city council. These guys all suck.
Time for Fairhope to look hard at itself. Introspectively. Crap in the bay. An obstructionist council. An unlevel soccer field for six million. A sewer plant needing a full overhaul after a full overhaul ($14 million). An airport sucking millions from taxpayers with nothing to show for it but two new vacay homes for J.B. Wake up Fairhope. Foley done passed us by.