High school Covering all of Baldwin County every week. basketball scores PAGE 16 Find out what’s coming up soon The Baldwin Times PAGE 15 JANUARY 20, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Commission takes heat for penny tax extension By CLIFF MCCOLLUM sales tax. Campomenosi said. “The con- more accountable with the clear message they were not [email protected] Lou Campomenosi, leader text of what I’m saying here is community. He said after CSC interested in reforming.” of the Common Sense Cam- that you all have enabled this members approached board Campomenosi said he was Local Common Sense Cam- paign, told commissioners he board of education, which you president Shannon Cauley disappointed in the commis- paign members showed up to was highly upset about the know as well as I do has had and members of the com- sion’s decision because it Tuesday morning’s Baldwin penny being mandated with- some leadership issues and munity task force about a takes away some of the moti- County Commission meeting out a vote. problems.” forensic audit for the school vation for the school board to to question the commission- “According to what I’ve Campomenosi said the system, they were shut down. have greater accountability, ers about their recent vote read and understand, there school board has still not “They refused to do it,” to extend the county’s penny will not be a vote on this,” made great strides in being Campomenosi said. “It sent a SEE PENNY TAX, PAGE 2 Program Era of Coastal honors Alabama King’s Community College begins legacy BAY MINETTE — After 13 months of preparation, the consoli- LOXLEY — Approximately dation efforts to combine Alabama 40 residents participated in a Southern Community College, march with several more at- Faulkner State Community College tending a program in Loxley and Jefferson Davis Community Monday, Jan. 16 to celebrate College have now come to fruition. the life and legacy of Dr. Mar- On Tuesday, Dec. 6, the Southern tin Luther King Jr. Association of Colleges and Schools The vision of Gloria Autry Commission On Colleges voted to and organized every year with approve the consolidation of the co-chair Ronnie McBride Jr., three institutions. Then, the Ala- this is the 12th straight year bama Community College System for the march and program in Board of Trustees unanimously Loxley. signed on the final line to move for- The march up Highway ward with the development of the 59, beginning at the Loxley new Coastal Alabama Community Church of God to the Loxley College in mid-December. Civic Center, commemorated On Jan. 11, the countless hours of the 1965 march from Selma planning and preparation from all to Montgomery that created employees is put into effect. National support for federal “Each of the colleges has been voting rights legislation. proudly serving their communi- The march was followed ties for more than 50 years,” Gary by a short program, featur- Branch, president of Coastal Ala- ing a solo by A.J. Fowler and bama Community College, said. keynote speaker Lawrence “This is not a new mission for our L. Battiste, assistant chief colleges; however, it is a new begin- with the Mobile Police De- ning for Coastal Alabama Commu- partment. The theme for this nity College.” year’s program was “Move Serving more than 10,000 stu- Forward.” dents, Coastal Alabama will provide Nationwide the Martin Lu- more than 100 programs of study ther King Jr. Day of Service is across 15 campuses and instruc- held on the third Monday of tional sites. The Bay Minette Cam- January to commemorate his pus serves as the regional main birthday on Jan. 15. JOHN UNDERWOOD / GCM STAFF PHOTOS campus for the new college. “We will serve communities from the Mississippi line to the Florida line,” President Branch said. Coastal Alabama Community Col- School board considers tax percentage changes lege was the result of a careful and By CLIFF MCCOLLUM percentage swap on the 1984 penny tax cerns I have seen and read from some deliberate decision to expand pro- [email protected] asked for by the county commission. of the citizens in Baldwin County,” gram offerings, student leadership Superintendent Eddie Tyler told the Tyler said. “Some have suggested this SEE COLLEGE, PAGE 6 In their first public meeting since the board he wanted to take them through was done in the darkness of night, passage of the penny tax extension, the the process of how the penny tax con- which was not the cause.” Baldwin County Board of Education tinuation occurred, an event he called Tyler said the amendment voted on BALDWIN FAST FACTS met Tuesday night in Silverhill to dis- the “most amazing gift he’d seen in back in 2012 that extended the 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. Day was cuss how that extension happened and years.” penny tax for 2018 did not actually first observed in 1986. whether the board would support the “I’m addressing the pervading con- SEE CHANGES, PAGE 25 Deaths Page 26 Gulf Bobby Glen Agerton Margie Marie Emmons Coast Dr. James Haywood Baker Mildred Emma Havel Engstrom Media David Worth Bowman V Dr. Roy Wilks Hammock VOLUME 126 • ISSUE 36 Mertis Teel Childress Harvey C. Porter III Janice Coley Dyal Barbara Gercile Sowell 1 SECTION • 28 PAGES Rev. Bernard Edward Dyess 2 • The Baldwin Times • January 20, 2017 • Gulf Coast Media communities and county PENNY TAX “There was plenty of opportunity for would be going downhill The Baldwin Times CONTINUED FROM 1 the public to attend and speak on this in so many ways.” in his view. Dorsey said he was in- 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546 “I get that you all are matter. And people still have the ability sistent that language be PHONE: (251) 943-2151 | FAX: (251) 943-3441 trying to five the board to come here and speak or reach out to us inserted into the penny tax continuation that the [email protected] of education some per- manence with funding,” and tell us how they feel.” money could not be used Campomenosi said. for bonding. Parks Rogers Tony Whitehead Chris Elliott, commission chairman “I wasn’t going for- Publisher Sports Editor “What you’ve done is en- able them to do a worse ward without that in (251) 947-7712 (251) 928-2321 burden back on your Dorsey said the school there,” Dorsey said. “I job because now no one shoulders,” Campo- funding issue has been parks@gulfcoast tony@gulfcoast can use this as a way to don’t think their debt menosi said. “They’re a countywide concern management has been media.com media.com force them to do what going to be coming back since he first took of- they need to do.” really good at all, and I Cliff McCollum Classified Advertising for more money from fice years ago and it was wanted to make sure it He said he would not you. It’s just a matter of time to do something Managing Editor Jessica Vaughn be surprised to see the couldn’t get worse.” time.” serious about it. Commission Chairman (251) 947-7712 jessica@gulfcoast school board come back Commissioner Tucker “While I’d like to see [email protected] media.com to the commission for Chris Elliott agreed with Dorsey responded that some changes within the Dorsey that the funding even more money in the he didn’t want to get into board, I wasn’t willing to Destiny Brown Legal Advertising near future. question was too large Gulf Coast Buzz Editor April Wallace a debate with Campo- leverage the operation of an issue to leave out- “You’ve taken them menosi, and that they of the system to beat (251) 943-2151 alegals@gulfcoast off the hook and put the standing much longer. agreed on some issues. the board members over “Putting that opera- destiny@gulfcoast media.com “By no means do I the head,” Dorsey said. TRENDING tion at risk by leaving media.com think the board of edu- “That penny tax signi- such a huge, unan- cation is doing a perfect fied such a significant swered question into the To subscribe, make an address change or vacation delivery 1. Robertsdale man killed in job,” Dorsey said. “I’ve number to the board of stop, you may call our office at (251) 517-1690, go online at www. crash off of I-65 next budget cycle would been critical and sup- education that to take have been a dangerous gulfcoastnewstoday.com and click on the “e-edition” link in the 2. Commissioner Chris black toolbar. Under “don’t have an id’ there is an option for how to portive at the same it away, you’d break the omission,” Elliott said. become a subscriber. or email [email protected]. Elliott talks DUI arrest, con- time.” school system and our Elliott said the way the ©Gulf Coast Media 2016. No part of this newspaper may be sequences with Republican penny tax was placed on reproduced without the prior written consent of the group publisher Women group Your GULF COAST MEDIA the commission’s agenda or associate publisher. Opinions of editorial or general columnists 3. City of Gulf Shores devel- Community keeps you in the local loop. was completely trans- or those reflected in submitted letters do not necessarily reflect the opment partner applies for parent and open, with editorial position of this newspaper. News Source. hotel to anchor proposed the public notice about The Baldwin Times (USPS 040-560) is published weekly, mix use beach Subscribe the agenda going out with its office located at 901 N.