Eastern Shore MPO Proposes New Bridge Plan
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OUTDOORS: First wild Eastern indigo snake found in Alabama in 60 years, PAGE 20 Reese’s Senior Bowl 2020 recap PAGE 12 More Senior Bowl pictures The Courier PAGE 4-5 INSIDE JANUARY 29, 2020 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Eastern Shore MPO proposes new bridge plan By GUY BUSBY of about $1.23 billion. The [email protected] price is 42 percent less than the price of more than $2 bil- DAPHNE — A new Inter- lion proposed for the original state 10 bridge project could project. relieve congestion crossing When state officials an- Mobile Bay at a cost low nounced in 2019 that the cost Daphne recognizes enough to not require tolls, of the earlier bridge would Search and Rescue local officials said. require a toll on both the The Eastern Shore Metro- bridge and existing Bayway, GUY BUSBY / STAFF PHOTO members politan Planning Organiza- the Eastern Shore MPO voted The Interstate 10 Bayway over Mobile Bay would be supplemented by City officials recognized tion voted Jan. 22 to approve to remove the item from its four additional lanes under a plan proposed by the Eastern Shore Met- volunteers with the Daphne a resolution endorsing a plan Transportation Improvement ropolitan Planning Organization. The plan calls for the existing Bayway Search and Rescue for dedi- to build an expressway across to remain in place while separate lanes are built and for no tolls to be cation that often includes the bay at an estimated cost SEE BRIDGE, PAGE 15 allowed on the highway. responding to calls for help even when it means leav- ing family members during major events. Read more on Fairhope Band members named best in the state Spanish page 15. Submitted Fort to vote Fairhope High School Band members Henry Otts and on mayor, Jon-Grayson Kerr have been selected to the Alabama All- council State Jazz Band. Both students earned top honors through pay raises a rigorous audition process, which consisted of a blinded By GUY BUSBY panel of judges listening to [email protected] a recording that was sent in in November. Otts, left, was SPANISH FORT — fourth in the Gold (highest) City Council members Spanish Fort getting dec- Band, and Kerr, right, was plan to vote Monday on orative lights on Hwy 31 first in the Gold Band mak- a proposal to increase New decorative street lights ing him the number one high their and the mayor’s will soon illuminate US 31 school jazz trombonist in Ala- pay in the upcoming through much of Spanish bama. The festival was held term. Fort following action by the this past weekend in Mont- Cities in Alabama gomery in conjunction with must set salaries before City Council. Turn to page the Alabama Music Educators elections are held for a 16 to find out more. Association Annual Confer- new term of office. Mu- ence, culminating in a concert nicipal elections will be Saturday morning. SUBMITTED PHOTO in August. During a work ses- sion Jan. 21, council DEATHS PAGE 19 members discussed whether to base the Ella Jane Davis Daphne plans increase on city cost of Betty Krob Givens living adjustments over Kenny Gurley recycling changes the last four years or to Janet Lynne Lemmons consider other factors. Judith Logsdon By GUY BUSBY The current mayor’s Dr. Robert Blees McKee [email protected] salary is $38,400 a year. Ronald Henry Muschel Council members re- Joyce Benford Smith DAPHNE — Changes in the ceive $12,000 a year, Daphne recycling program to David Conner, city at- reduce a deficit of more than torney, said. Applying $500,000 a year could include the same cost of liv- higher fees, reduced collec- ing increases given to tions days and fewer types Spanish Fort employ- INDEX of materials picked up at the ees over the last four curb, city officials said. years would increase BALDWIN LIVING, 3 The Daphne City Council the mayor’s salary to CLASSIFIED, 21 is working on changes to the $40,380 and council pay GUY BUSBY / STAFF PHOTO HEALTH, 9 recycling program to deal with to $12,625 a year. A Daphne recycling truck picks up material at the city’s drop-off loca- increasing costs and reduced While city employ- LEGALS, 25 tion before the facility was closed in 2019. The closing was one of sev- markets for recyclable mate- ees also received pay OPINION, 23 eral measures implemented or planned by Daphne to reduce the cost of recycling. SEE RECYCLING, PAGE 2 SEE RAISES, PAGE 2 PUZZLES, 24 SPORTS, 12 Gulf WHAT Coast YOU IN Media STORE VOLUME 126 • ISSUE 27 IS NOW 1 SECTION • 32 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 • January 29, 2020 • Gulf Coast Media RECYCLING He said the last load taken to the Escambia CONTINUED FROM 1 County Utility Author- ity for recycling cost rials. Even before the Daphne $71 a ton be- city’s recycling center tween disposal fees and was destroyed in a fire transportation costs. The in 2019, Daphne has been cost to dispose of the trying to find ways to material at the landfill deal with costs, Council is $29 a ton. Sasser said President Robin LeJeune Daphne has been recy- said at a public hearing cling 2,000 tons a year. on the issue on Jan. 21. Daphne takes in about He said cities across $1.6 million in revenue the country have not from recycling fees paid been able to find proces- by the 8,700 households sors to take recyclables served by the program. since China stopped buy- The projected cost is ing the materials in the about $2.175 million, last few years. With the leaving an annual defi- cost of disposing of re- cit of about $573,680. If cyclables rising, changes the capital improve- will have to be made in ment costs of replacing Daphne. trucks as they wear out GUY BUSBY / STAFF PHOTO “There are three is included, the deficit is Bins at the Daphne recycling center are filled with material. The city is considering limiting the types of recyclables items we are looking at more than $800,000, he accepted as a way to cut costs. to salvage our recycling said. program, a possible fee Some ways to cut increase, limited ser- costs include reduc- vices, possibly going to ing recycling collection every other week or so, from once a week to and then limiting what every other week. That items we’re going to re- could reduce the need cycle,” LeJeune said. for workers and cut the Mayor Dane Haygood wear on equipment. said city officials want Sasser said any workers to know what the public displaced by any cost- thinks about such solu- cutting measures would tions. not lose their jobs but “This has been an would be transferred to ongoing discussion and fill other vacancies in an education for each the city. one of us over the past Automated trucks, year,” Haygood said. “It similar to the vehicles really has boiled down to now used to collect gar- a number of strategies bage in Daphne, could and these can be imple- also cut staffing costs. mented independently Reducing the types of or any combination of materials accepted could those in order to try also cut costs. Recycling to address the rapidly cardboard, aluminum changing and deteriorat- and some, but not all, ing recycling market for plastics costs less be- us.” cause recyclers have a Sasser said. that you all are taking cycling is a big thing and officials stressed the Jeremy Sasser, market for those items. Another option is in- it so seriously, Carolyn they’re serious about it,” importance of education Daphne public works Other items are more ex- creasing recycling fees. Walthall said. “As a he said. “You can’t even to teach the public what director, said that since pensive, such as the type Daphne charges $15.60 citizen, I’m willing to get a grocery, plastic bag. should and should not be the fire, the city has of plastic in margarine a month for recyclable pay more. I think that’s You have to either bring placed in recycling con- continued to collect tubs. collections. A proposal important to have as a your own bag or put it tainers. recyclables at the curb. The city already by a private company line item in the budget in a box, why? Because “A lot of people didn’t Those items however, stopped recycling glass, to collect garbage and because I think that it’s not recyclable. We’re realize that if you have have been dumped at although many residents recyclable material in where our line items are not taking it that serious. paper that has oil on it, Baldwin County’s Mag- are still placing glass in Daphne in 2019 put that is where our interests It is a serious business. that makes that paper nolia Landfill. the curbside containers, cost at more than $23, are.” It’s not just because we unrecyclable,” John Sasser said. Freddie Johnson want to make money. Lake, a former City Most residents who said areas around the It’s never been about Council member, said. spoke at the public hear- country are continuing money. It’s always been “I didn’t know that pizza The Courier ing supported continuing recycling even at higher about the country – your boxes couldn’t be re- the recycling program. costs. children, your grandchil- cycled, and I bet a lot of 901 N.