Fairhope Mayor Says City Looks to a Successful Future New Rules For
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HEALTH: Fellowship-trained surgeon joins The Spine Institute, PAGE 23 Gulf Shores resident turns 101 PAGE 5 HS Basketball The Courier PAGE 13 INSIDE FEBRUARY 13, 2019 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Fairhope mayor says city looks to a successful future By ALLISON MARLOW dren with safety gear and let [email protected] them try their hand at playing detective and utility worker. When Fairhope Mayor Attendees clamored for free Karin Wilson presented her Conecuh sausage dogs and annual State of the City stylish lunch totes specially speech this year it was more made for the event. Mapp Family show and less tell. Wilson, who will be the first Foundation announces In front of her the civic to tell you she abhors public center floor was filled by resi- speaking, was succinct and challenge grant dents and city workers who swift in her delivery of a list The Mapp Family Foun- were interacting, laughing of recent successes for the dation announced a one- and learning. Department city. Her smile spoke volumes. to-one challenge grant heads answered questions. through which it will match City workers outfitted chil- SEE MAYOR, PAGE 2 PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHEN SAVAGE every dollar donated to the Fairhope/Point Clear Community Foundation up to $100,000. To learn more, A “Night 2 Shine’ for Baldwin County students Eastern Shore turn to Page 17. Chamber of Commerce Eastern Shore presents 2018 Chamber Leaders Annual Award Council tours Austal Last week, the Eastern Winners Shore Chamber of Com- FAIRHOPE — The merce’s Leaders Council Eastern Shore Cham- toured the Austal USA facil- ber of Commerce cel- ity in Mobile and learned ebrated its 95th Annual more about workforce Awards Ceremony at needs in the Alabama Gulf the Grand Hotel Golf Coast area. See their photos Resort and Spa Thurs- on Page 2. day, Feb. 7. 2018 Eastern Shore Annual Award Winners SUBMITTED PHOTOS » Small Business of the Year Students from across Baldwin County recently got to enjoy the annual “Night 2 Shine” prom for students - Soul Caffeine with special needs held at City Hope Church. See more photos on page 35. » Community Leader - Gregg Wood, JBT Power DEATHS PAGE 21 » Service Award - Mary Elaine Hardin Benfield Booth, iHeartMedia Armone R. DeLorge » Ambassador of the Year - Martha Davidson, Thomas Robert Carl Engel Hospital, Infirmary Health Stephen J. Hansen » Young Professional of the Lorraine Ellen Lyle Langham Year - Meghan Battles, Ban- Melvin H. Long corpSouth Robert McCoy Small Business of the Barbara R. Ozga Year – Soul Caffeine Keith Wayne Piece Robert B. Ryan Soul Caffeine opened Eva Simpson Watford in November 2015 with the vision of bringing good coffee to the com- munity with the hopes INDEX New rules for Spanish Fort Recycling Center of connecting people with each other in a BALDWIN LIVING, 5 By THE COURIER STAFF over the last few months with common place. Soul CLASSIFIED, 27 some residents dumping items Caffeine is the epitome HEALTH, 23 Last week, a new rules on the ground when the bins of how a small business sign was erected at the Span- were full or bringing in trash can contribute to the LEGALS, 29 ish Fort Recycling Center on that isn’t actually recyclable,” community, represent OPINION, 3 Ember Lane and city officials Mayor Mike McMillan said. core values and pro- said they would be monitoring “By posting these new rules, mote business. Soul OUT & ABOUT, 8 the area closely to make sure we’re telling people exactly Caffeine donates all tips PUZZLES, 4 those rules were followed. “We’ve had some issues SEE RECYCLING, PAGE 20 SUBMITTED PHOTOS SEE AWARD, PAGE 18 SPORTS, 13 TV LISTINGS, 9 Gulf WHAT Coast YOU IN Media STORE VOLUME 125 • ISSUE 29 IS NOW 1 SECTION • 36 PAGES ONLINE! • Freshest Quality All Departments • Hand Selected by Our Personal Shoppers • Delivery or FREE Same Day Curbside Pickup • Beer & Wine NOW Online! Order & Pay In Store! GREERS.COM/SHOP 2 • The Courier • February 13, 2019 • Gulf Coast Media Eastern Shore Chamber Leaders Council tours Austal SUBMITTED PHOTOS Last week, the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce’s Leaders Council toured the Austal USA facility in Mobile and learned more about workforce needs in the Alabama Gulf Coast area. MAYOR been questions of trans- growth you take care in November, 2016, there hiring experts to work three-year project, $1 parency, legal threats of every other concern: were already enough in-house, rather than million: to minimize CONTINUED FROM 1 and disagreements, property value, qual- building projects ap- pay increased contrac- sanitary sewer over- much of it splayed ity of life. All of these proved to last four years. tor fees, the city now flows and improve Two years after up- across local newspaper things are under the Her administration relies on only 5 percent overall water quality ending the small town’s front pages. umbrella of responsible halted all new project ap- of utility profits for daily of Mobile Bay politics and defeating “We have a lot of new growth.” provals until they could operational costs. This • Working water- four-term incumbent people in Fairhope. As a third genera- assess the situation. means the remainder front and greenspace Mayor Tim Kant with They see the flowers, tion Fairhope resident, “It wasn’t transparent; of the utility profits can restoration, three-year 53.4 percent of the vote, they see a happy town Wilson has watched the we were at the mercy of be used to improve and project, $6.2 million: after entering the cam- because it is and all of seaside artists’ retreat developers. For Fairhope update those utility op- primarily a bluff sta- paign just a month prior that is authentic, but, the march steadily from that is a tipping point,” erations. bilization project that to election day, Wilson reality is that the gov- hidden gem to retire- Wilson said. “It is a time “I was shocked by how integrates improve- said she finally finds ernment did not match ment mecca to one of the when the whole town much we were able to ments to the shoreline herself in the position that. The flowers dis- fastest growing areas of can change drastically improve that amount,” and bluffs. Includes a she campaigned for — tracted from the serious Alabama. and we absolutely lose she said. “We’re going green infrastructure moving forward. issues we were facing,” When she entered the everything.” to just continue to get and living shoreline “Being mayor is not she said. mayor’s race, Wilson Wilson said it took a better. Now the types strategies. running every depart- Wilson laments the said her goal was merely year to transform the of profit we’re making • Fairhope area ment. It’s making sure media coverage and says to alert voters to the planning commission can sustain the five year community-based there are experienced it has given the idyl- need for better planning and transition it from plan without borrowing comprehensive land department heads that lic town a public black among city leaders. a department that was money.” use plan, a two-year have what they need eye. Now, however, with “I wanted them to making decisions to During the state of project, $650,000: This and letting them do several new department know that there was no benefit developers to one the city address Wilson three-pronged ap- their job,” Wilson said. head hires, the city’s fi- plan for growth. The last that was looking to im- also unveiled the plan to proach combines the “There were already so nancial security in place comprehensive plan was prove the city as a whole. move the city forward city’s first ever land many people within the and innovative compre- in my opinion, a sheet of In addition to making using the Innovative use plan, a full com- city that were just hun- hensive planning strate- paper with no teeth. It city planning a collabor- Communities by Design prehensive plan and gry to implement plans gies underway she said was put together so you ative effort, Wilson said system to address storm recommendations to they felt were great for the future is bright. felt like you might be her administration took water, sanitary sewer integrate form-based their department.” “We’ve done a lot and part of the process but on the monumental task overflows and future code for the main thor- Wilson said she now as we implement you absolutely weren’t,” of untangling the city’s land-use planning. oughfare in Fairhope, “tipped the apple cart” what we have in the she said. “Nobody was finances. Previously 51 Among the plans she the Greeno Road Cor- in that election, and sub- works for every depart- addressing the fact percent of utility profits, announced were these ridor. sequently spent the first ment it takes time,” she that most of the area in roughly $5.37 million funded by the Secured • Fairhope sewer up- two years of her term said. “We just need to Fairhope is unzoned. We each year, were used to Restore Act: grade, a five-year proj- in a standoff of sorts make sure we don’t lose have to address it in a pay the city’s operating • Eastern Shore sani- ect, $10 million: reduce with the City Council sight of the big thing.” very big way,” she said. costs. tary sewer overflow discharges to Mobile that was ignited with That biggest atten- When she took office By cutting costs and prevention plan, Bay by reducing the the termination of two tion stealing priority is number and frequency longtime city employees.