Councilman, Mayor Argue in Daphne
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Ongoing and Upcoming Events, PAGE 3 Graham Creek Nature Events Crafts, workshops, and camps, oh my. Learn more inside. The Courier PAGE 6 INSIDE APRIL 26, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ County and Fairhope Councilman, mayor spar on road delays argue in Daphne Reimbursement costs cause months delay By CLIFF McCOLLUM Rudicell and Haygood brawl with words [email protected] By CLIFF McCOLLUM Rudicell said former Councilman After several months of waiting, several long- [email protected] Randy Fry was similarly threatened by awaited road projects may soon be finished Haygood at that time. along the Eastern Shore after a standoff has Words were traded during last week’s Rudicell said further unkindness ended between the city of Fairhope and the Bald- Daphne City Council meeting between from Haygood came after a recent com- win County Highway department. Down in the Delta Councilman Pat Rudicell and Mayor mittee meeting. Several conflicts involving Fairhope Utilities Dane Haygood following an email ex- “We had a vote this last week and in lines have caused snares on the completion of Spring market hosts a change that had angered Rudicell. committee meetings that were part of several road projects on the city’s outskirts that variety of vendors for During the council comments section my job,” Rudicell said. “I had an email have kept local residents angry. a variety of folks at the end of the meeting, Rudicell laid from the mayor about some of this and Larry Torbert, a county resident who lives off Page 4 out what he called a pattern of bad be- he called me petty. In my younger days, County Road 24, said it’s been a nuisance he and havior from Haygood. if I had been threatened in the park- his neighbors have had to deal with for some “The mayor approached me in the ing lot or like this, I don’t know what I time. parking lot after the primary during might have done.” “Basically, we’ve put up with some pretty budget season last year,” Rudicell said. Rudi cell said he was taken aback by rough repairs that have been made that aren’t “He said in no uncertain terms that if the mayor’s statements, as he felt he really repairs,” Torbert said. “They’re just I didn’t vote for the operations director was just exercising his rights as a coun- patchwork, and it’s frustrating there hasn’t been position he wanted that he would ac- cil member. more action taken to get these projects done tively call people to vote against me.” SEE COUNCILMAN, PAGE 2 SEE ROAD DELAYS, PAGE 2 Checkmate Daphne honors Mobile Bay celebrates Earth Day with critters and music Baysdie Chess team for their showing at state scholastic event Page 38 Movin’ on Up United Bank promotes fi ve employees for exemplary work Page 39 DEATHS PAGE 36 Paul A. Ashton Robert E. Buckelew Jr. Marion Josephine Rhodes DeSpain Joseph William DiOrio John F. Dulmage Frances Y. Gibson Cindy A. Marshall Millicent Lenora Scrushy McGee PHOTOS BY CLIFF MCCOLLUM JoAnn Brill Steiner Hundreds of residents, including some of the feathered, furry and scaled variety, came out to enjoy Earth Day on Mobile Bay at the Fairhope Pier on Saturday. In addition to the great music played throughout the day, people got to enjoy interactive booths with live animals and learned new ways they can help make the world a little bit greener. See EARTH DAY on Page 2. INDEX Gulf BALDWIN LIVING, 6-8 OUT & ABOUT, 16 Coast CLASSIFIED, 28-29 PUZZLES, 12 Media HEALTH, 14-15 SPORTS, 9-11 VOLUME 123 • ISSUE 39 LEGALS, 30-35 TV LISTINGS, 22-25 1 SECTION • 40 PAGES OPINION, 26-27 2• The Courier • April 26, 2017 • Gulf Coast Media Fairhope side of the equation seems to have been the expenses,” Peterson wrote. “Dan McCrory and I vis- ROAD DELAYS major holdup. ited the sites today to work on a strategy to get the- CONTINUED FROM 1 “Communication usually requires two-way com- ses lines adjusted as soon as possible. Please know it munication, and we were not getting a lot of commu- may take some time to accomplish all the work, but quickly.” nication until Commissioner Elliott started getting we will accomplish the higher priority sites first, if Several of the changes involved adding better involved with this with the city of Fairhope,” Dorsey that will help.” drainage improvements following the April 2014 rain said. Since that time, however, at least one firm slated event in Baldwin County. Those projects being held From the city’s perspective, Fairhope officials said to finish the jobs has pulled themselves out of the up by utility conflicts include the following: the holdup has been a questions as to whether or not contract. Ammons and Blackmon Construction - County Road 48, west of Bohemian Hall Road the city would be reimbursed for the costs of moving withdrew from one of the projects because they - County Road 46, East of 181 the lines. were unable to get a timetable nailed down as to - Section Street, south of Old Battles In an email dated March 24, Fairhope Operations when their workers would be able to complete the - County Road 34, west of Section Street Director Richard Peterson raised the issue with projects. - County Road 32, east of County Road 13 county staff. Dorsey said he is upset the county has had to - County Road 24, east of County Road 13 “I am not wanting to spend a lot of time rehash- waste time and money due to the lack of commu- - County Road 24, west of US Highway 98 ing conversations regarding reimbursable costs,” nication and said he hopes all of the municipali- - County Road 32, east of US Highway 181 Peterson wrote. “I think we do need to know if the ties across the county will work together with the County Commissioner Tucker Dorsey said he project costs for relocating these facilities will be county to prevent delays like this in the future. finds it maddening the projects have continued to be reimbursed or not. If so, I think we can proceed im- “This is just an indication of how the munici- held up. mediately. If not, I want to run the numbers through palities and the county have to work together in “it is beyond ridiculous that we are now three council to make sure they are aware of the potential all manners, including our utility departments, years beyond the incident and we are getting little change in the budget.” because this is having a broad impact across the assistance and cooperation from the city of Fairhope In an email dated March 27, Peterson wrote the entire Eastern Shore region,” Dorsey said. “We’re and their utilities department to do these projects city was ready to move forward after hearing from not able to complete these projects we need fin- to completion,” Dorsey said. “It not only affects the Acting County Engineer Joey Nunnally that the ex- ished. It reflects poorly on the hard-working folks in residents around Baldwin County, it affects the abil- penses would be reimbursed. our Baldwin County highway department and our ity to get around for the city of Fairhope.” “I wanted to let you know that Mr. Nunnally called subcontractors who are trying to get these projects Dorsey said a lack of communication from the last Friday to let me know these are reimbursable completed.” COUNCILMAN EARTH DAY CONTINUED FROM 1 CONTINUED FROM 1 “I guess getting called petty is strange when it was a policy issue I was addressing,” Rudicell said. “But when he does it to multiple people, that’s a pattern, and when he brags to department heads about doing it, that’s some form of deviant behavior.” For his part in the spat, Haygood said Rudicell’s recollections were a mischaracterization of what hap- pened. “To some degree what you’ve heard is true, but it was stated in a different manner,” Haygood said. “With the election, I couldn’t support candidates who didn’t do business the way we did in Daphne because we should always be looking for ways to improve the op- eration. I can’t support candidates who don’t support positive movement in the right direction.” As for the email, Haygood said the “petty” comment wasn’t the entire story. “The rest of the email you didn’t mention was fo- cusing our efforts on positive things,” Haygood said. “Sometimes, those who want to keep making moun- tains out of molehills don’t realize the efforts that are being made for the greater good.” Haygood likened the situation to a simple difference of opinions. “A lot of times there’s a difference of opinions on how we go about things, but that’s the beauty of this city,” Haygood said. “We can agree to disagree. But, at the end of the day, everyone respects each other’s views and we can continue to move the city forward.” The Courier 901 N. 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