Slippery Trip and the Fairhope Six
If you go to the Impressum button on my facebook page, “The Ripp Report,” you will read the following: “Corruption has no place in a civilized society.”
No matter your political or religious beliefs, political corruption destroys our democracy and our community. This particular political corruption needs to be revisited:
The April 2010, BP Oil Spill opened a Pandora’s Box of political corruption in Fairhope. Our local politicians did not see black, gooey oil that destroys our pristine beaches, sea life and water quality.
Instead, they saw greenbacks—lots of them. The oil spill created a feeding frenzy of greedy public “servants” and politically favored contractors, from our former governor to mayors in multiple coastal municipalities. A lack of ethics, conspiracy and religious hypocrisy all played a part in these crimes against an afflicted public badly in need of relief from one of the worst man-made disasters in American history.
Currently, federal and state law enforcement authorities and BP are unwinding exactly what happened, as well as who is responsible for the overall fraud. However, unfortunately these investigations take a long time…years.
A failed media operation, al.com (Mobile Press-Register), purposefully keeps us in the dark and the Alabama Ethics Commission continues to protect their republican bosses.
The 2010 BP Boom Contract Conspiracy
In May 2010, Mayor Timothy Kant and Senator Lee “Trip” Pittman, with the assistance of the Fairhope City Staff, conspired to deceive their constituents in their role of giving of the oil spill boom contract through the Fairhope Public Works Department.
At the time, Baldwin County staff informed Senator Pittman that an ethic complaint would be filed against Senator Pittman if he proceeded to seek the contract for his company, Pittman Tractor. The same day Senator Pittman submitted a replacement bid stating Oil Recovery of Mobile, Alabama, who then, with approval from Leigh Ann Ryals, Baldwin County Emergency Management Director, became the official contractor of record.
It is important to note that Trip’s able accomplice, Tim Kant, Mayor of Fairhope, never told the public or city council of these events.
Two weeks later Mayor Kant announced that Fairhope would bid out the contract, “To make it more legitimate.”
Strangely, Oil Recovery of Mobile, Alabama did not bid on the project. But, why should they have? They were, after all, already the official contractor of record!
Senator Pittman, a real “trip,” on approximately May 11, 2010, went to Bay Minette Emergency Management Director Leigh Ann Ryals and demanded all paperwork related to the boom contract that he had previously submitted be returned to him. Also, it is important to note that at the time, Pittman Tractor did not have the required general contractor’s license.
The good senator also visited the State Emergency Management Office in Clanton, Alabama, where thereafter, official contract documents went missing. Fortunately, unknown to Senator Pittman, Leigh Ann Ryals had previously filed the boom-related paperwork electronically.
On June 17, 2010, the boom contract was signed. It went to the low bidder—Pittman Tractor, for $625,575.00.
Prior to the contract signature date, on approximately June 12, 2010, Pittman Tractor was paid over $300,000 by the City of Fairhope toward the same unsigned contract.
The Baldwin County Commission and Fairhope City Council, never knew until after Fairhope’s contract with Senoter Pittman was signed and annouced in the newspaper, what Trip Pittman and Tim Kant had done.
Fast Forward to July, 2014…
Pittman Tractor holds the hefty and lucrative emergency debris removal contract due for renewal. Mayor Kant said that due to all the controversy involving the good senator that the 2012 contract would be re-bid.
Now you would think that the existing contractor, Pittman Tractor, who was notified to re-bid, would bid with updated figures. Four separate bids were submitted, with Senator Pittman being the highest bidder, at $1,999,537.50.
The Fairhope City Council, in a work session prior to the city council meeting, decided to throw out all four bids. They then decided to renew the option on Senator Pittman’s existing debris removal contract at approximately $1 million dollars, one million dollars less than his previous high bid.
So, Senator Pittman had a clear bidding advantage—he could bid $2 million being the high bidder, have it rejected, then use his previous 2012 bid to be the low bidder.
Now, our Mayor and council, and the city attorney insist, “it is all legal.”
This is the same group who settled the Triangle lawsuit for a total of $12 million, then called it a park. This is your money, Fairhope! Where is your park? Are you using, and do you have access to, this said “park?”
The Alabama Ethics Commission’s General Counsel, Mr. Hugh Evans, III, in part, quotes Alabama code: “The obvious qualifiers are that you cannot use your influence as a member of the senate to obtain special favor.”
When senator Pittman enters the Fairhope Council City Hall Chambers he is NOT Lee Pittman of Pittman Tractor! He is Senator Pittman; and this is a clear misuse of his influence that comes inherently with the title.
The Fairhope City Council of Jack Burrel, Diana Brewer, Mike Ford, Kevin Boone and Rich Mueller, caught none of this and is unquestionably the absolute worst of the last four city councils.
Not one of these people claiming to represent you questioned Tripp Pitman’s 2014 bid numbers, the ethics of senator Pittman or the overwhelming continued corruption of how this bid was handled/accepted by the city of Fairhope.
Instead they justified their decision by saying “it’s legal.” This is Tim Kant’s standard reaction to his every questioned, dirty move.
Much more to come, my friends, much more…stay tuned.
In the meantime, call and email your “representatives” on the council and let them know what you think about their attention to city business and use of taxpayer money.
You may also do so at: [email protected]
Francis Ripp
Semper Fi that the Alabama Attorney General and the Feds are doing their jobs!