How Does State Funding Affect Local Law Enforcement, Judicial Agencies?

Covering all of Baldwin County, AL every Friday. Zoobee’z indoor petting zoo PAGE 12 Basketball The Baldwin Times awards PAGE 18 MARCH 22, 2019 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Gas tax How does state funding affect local amendment law enforcement, judicial agencies? means more money for District Court Judge Michelle Thomason talks concerns for Baldwin County judiciary Baldwin By CLIFF MCCOLLUM and budget changes are run- County court system about from the state. County [email protected] ning rampant. the funding, or lack thereof, “There has been a crisis in But, when it comes to fund- received from the state and funding for the last several By CLIFF MCCOLLUM ing for key elements of Bald- what concerns they have years,” Thomason said. “It [email protected] Editor’s Note: This is the win County’s judicial and law moving into this new legisla- was in such a crisis a few third in a three-part series on enforcement systems, how do tive session. years ago when Justice Cobb With the state legis- funding issues for Baldwin our law enforcement and ju- —— was our Chief Justice that lature recently passing County’s law enforcement and dicial officials feel about the At a recent Baldwin County the courts had to shut down its first gas tax increase judicial agencies. funding? Young Republican’s meeting, part of the week because we since 1992, the break- In this three-part series, Baldwin County Presiding simply didn’t have the man- down of how that ad- With the state legislature The Baldwin Times talks to District Court Judge Michelle power.” ditional revenue will be now back in session, talks the sheriff’s office, district Thomason was blunt in talk- distributed across the about new revenue sources attorney’s office and Baldwin ing about judiciary funding SEE AGENCIES, PAGE 7 state has been a topic of concern, but a budget amendment added to the bill could actually be a boon for faster Box manufacturer to build new facility in Baldwin County growing counties like Baldwin. Submitted Baldwin County State Senator Chris Elliott Gulf Packaging, Inc., a cor- said he and other leg- rugated box manufacturer islators got their first based in North Baldwin look at the gas tax bill County, announced plans just before the special this morning to construct a session started, and new manufacturing facility that he was not pleased to support the company’s by how the distribution future growth and expansion percentages were going near Bay Minette. to be calculated. The new 85,000-square- “The distribution was foot facility will house the based on population company’s material han- solely using U.S. Cen- dling and manufacturing sus data in the original processes, and is expected to version,” Elliott said. create 16 new jobs and more “Since distribution was than $8 million in capital in- based on that decennial vestment to Baldwin County census, that put fast over the next three years. growing counties like “This new investment in us here in Baldwin in Gulf Packaging is due to the a bad position. We’re results of our dedicated Gulf growing with almost Packaging team that puts 4,500 new residents in the hard work, each day, SUBMITTED PHOTO every year, so that enabling us to be successful and full line manufacturer folks at Gulf Packaging and ance, said this is a testament would be a growth of as people and a company,” of corrugated shipping boxes their dedication to their cus- to Baldwin County’s contin- 45,000 over the ten years said Larry Taylor, president and supplies. Founded in tomers and employees, but ued support of its existing between each census. of Gulf Packaging, Inc. “We 1990, the company is a long- it is another example of the industry’s growth and ex- That wasn’t tenable to are very thankful for our time industrial employer of results that can be realized pansion. miss out on that rev- many loyal customers that Baldwin County, with 5 addi- from the pro-business atmo- Ranked by SmartAsset as enue.” trust us every day to be there tional locations in Alabama, sphere here in Bay Minette the No. 1 place in the state of Elliott said he looked at the appointed time with Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Baldwin County.” Alabama for incoming busi- at ways to try to ad- our boxes, and it is with and Louisiana. Gulf Pack- Gulf Packaging’s new fa- ness investment, Baldwin dress the issue from the great pride that we serve aging’s specialty in custom cility will be located adjacent County has seen consistent our employees, customers, design and quick product to their existing operations annual job growth, adding SEE GAS, PAGE 2 vendors, government, and delivery has helped the com- in the Bay Minette Industrial 11,600 net new jobs over the community. These are excit- pany ensure a reputation of Park. The updated facility last 5 years. ing times, and we appreciate dependability in service to will enable the company to “We want businesses to BALDWIN FAST FACTS our business and community their existing and prospec- increase its current manu- know that Baldwin County partners who have played tive customer base through- facturing capacity and mod- is prepared to help them suc- a role in this project and out the Southeastern U.S. ernize its equipment, with ceed, whether we are their The Baldwin County Sher- continue to work with us as "The City of Bay Minette the installation of new con- first home or their newest iff’s Office made 14,651 traf- we grow our company and is very excited about the ex- verting machinery designed home,” Baldwin County fic stops in 2018. prepare ourselves for the pansion of Gulf Packaging’s to increase productivity and Commission Chairman Skip future.” production facility in our product flow. Gruber said. “Gulf Packag- Source: Baldwin County Gulf Packaging, headquar- community,” Bay Minette Lee Lawson, president and ing is a Baldwin County- Sheriff’s Office tered in Bay Minette, AL, is Mayor Bob Wills said. “Not CEO of the Baldwin County an ISO 9001 certified supplier only is it a testament to the Economic Development Alli- SEE BOX, PAGE 3 Deaths Page 6 Gulf C. Winston Byrd Coast Frank Clemon Sr. Media VOLUME 128 • ISSUE 45 1 SECTION • 28 PAGES 2 • The Baldwin Times • March 22, 2019 • Gulf Coast Media GAS The Baldwin Times CONTINUED FROM 1 Senate, but found there 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546 were hurdles to making PHONE: (251) 943-2151 | FAX: (251) 943-3441 changes there. “The challenge was [email protected] that this bill was clearly Parks Rogers Tony Whitehead moving fast and the ability to amend it in Publisher Sports Editor the Senate was going to parks@gulfcoast tony@gulfcoast be problematic because media.com media.com leadership was trying to get it through with as Cliff McCollum Classified Advertising few amendments as pos- Managing Editor Whisper Edwards sible,” Elliott said. cliff@gulfcoastmedia. whisper@gulfcoast Elliott said he reached SUBMITTED PHOTOS com media.com out to other legislators According to the and other faster growing money on the new gas to see how the problem amended text of the counties. tax couldn’t be further Allison Marlow Legal Advertising could be addressed. bill, the distribution of “This is huge for us from the truth. Senior Features Editor April Wallace “Through conversa- county and municipal and for other fast grow- “We anticipate an ad- allisonm@gulfcoast legals@gulfcoast tions with Rep. Poole funds will be based on ing counties,” Elliott ditional $800,000 or so media.com media.com and Sen. Marsh, as well the “population of the said. “It means hundreds for the county and an as discussion with our state according to popu- of thousands of dollars additional $800,000 for To subscribe, make an address change or vacation delivery Baldwin County delega- lation projections from in additional revenue the municipalities over stop, you may call our office at (251) 943-2151, go online at tion leader Rep. Steve the U.S. Census Bureau for the county and mu- a five year period due to www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com and click on the “e-edition” link in McMillan in the House, Population and Housing nicipalities throughout this language change,” the black toolbar. Under “don’t have an id’ there is an option for we were able to get an Estimates Program or Baldwin County over Elliott said. “And, ini- how to become a subscriber. or email amber@gulfcoastmedia. amendment to the bill any special federal cen- the next several years. tially, with this period com. that would use popula- sus heretofore held in And, we’re making sure between now and the ©Gulf Coast Media 2019. No part of this newspaper may be tion projections to divide any County. Beginning that we’re looking at next census data avail- reproduced without the prior written consent of the group the gas tax revenue with the 2020 Census, the those population esti- able, we’re looking at publisher or associate publisher. Opinions of editorial or general columnists or those reflected in submitted letters rather than just the last ratio of the population of mates every five years another several hundred do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this census data,” Elliott each county to the total to ensure we’re send- thousands dollars com- newspaper. said. “Projections for the population of the state ing money to the faster ing in. This is very good The Baldwin Times (USPS 040-560) is published weekly, first year revenue split shall be updated every growing counties.” for Baldwin County and with its office located at 901 N.

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