COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Ongoing and Upcoming Events, PAGE 39 Blakely Park welcomes visitors with new trail The Courier PAGE 3 INSIDE FEBRUARY 22, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ March of the Mutts! Potential school split tops Daphne Social skills Young ladies and men practice what they’ve discussion been preached at ball. PAGE 4 By CLIFF McCOLLUM would be better to break [email protected] off and form your own system.” A potential split from Campbell did inform Baldwin County’s school the council they did not system was once again necessarily have to have on the table during last a vote of the public be- week’s Daphne City fore making the decision Council work session, whether to split. as city leaders listened Campbell walked the to the opinion of a local council through the pro- attorney who had helped cess of appointing their other systems navigate own school board and Bridge scores their splits. negotiating the city’s exit Mobile attorney Bob with the county system. This edition’s top Campbell spoke to the “It’s like a huge, hor- players from fi rst to council about his experi- rible divorce,” Campbell third place ences helping the cities said. “You’ve got one PAGE 37 of Saraland, Satsuma party that doesn’t want Mammals of the two and four-legged variety gathered in the streets of Fairhope Saturday and Chickasaw break afternoon for the beloved annual Mystic Mutts of Revelry Mardi Gras Parade. Sponsored the divorce, Baldwin by The Haven, the dog parade has quickly become a favorite event for residents across the away from the Mobile County. You’re talking Eastern Shore. For more photos from this event, visit gulfcoastnewstoday.com. County School System. about custody of the kids, Campbell said there facilities, money, parents was plenty of state law involved and sharing tax and history that sup- revenues. You’re talking ported the right of a city about the person who to split with a county doesn’t want the divorce system, but warned it saying you’re losing all of was not a process to be this. It’s contentious.” undertaken lightly. Councilman Doug “The first thing you Goodlin asked about resi- have to do is make a dents from outside of the Wetlands being commitment as a city city’s limits being able to preserved council because the city be included in the city’s council has control of system. Program offers relief this system,” Campbell Campbell said that was to local plant and said. “You must have a an issue to be addressed animal wildlife reason, not just a politi- early in the process. PAGE 38 cal notion. You don’t go “You’ll have some that through this process want to come to Daphne because of a political from another system notion. There must be an understanding that it PHOTOS BY CLIFF McCOLLUM SEE DAPHNE, PAGE 2 DEATHS PAGE 36 Pat Brackin Roman Lee Gray, Jr. Fairhope mayor raises issues with development plans Walter Lee Hanson, Jr. Amy Jeffries By CLIFF McCOLLUM which was a watershed of con- they sought to partner with the community to enjoy,” Jinright Faye M. Jones [email protected] cerned for the development and city by using some of the city’s said. Tex R. Kline the city. property to create some natural Jinright said the STC hoped to Doris May Thomas A proposed 12-lot subdivision “That gully has experienced looking water management fea- incorporate step pools into the Schneiders on property owned by Fairhope’s erosion and a lack of attention tures that would both enhance design and possibly recreate a Donald Eugene Single Tax Corporation (STC) over the years,” Jinright said. the area and help limit hazards wetlands situation there to help Shoemaker was the subject of some discus- “When the Single Tax brought there. mitigate some of the concerns Thomas M. Stallworth sion during last week’s Fairhope this to me, I thought there was “What we’re looking to do about putting too much strain on Haley Madison City Council work session. real potential to make it a nice is take in some of the natural the watershed. Thomson Trey Jinright, who is helping park, and they told me to run features that the city’s property Jinright said he and the STC the STC plan the development, with it.” has right now, which could be were simply looking for direc- told the council the property was The city owns the property an environmental liability, and tion from the council on how to close to the Tatumville Gully, next to the STC’s portion, and enhance it into a feature for the SEE MAYOR, PAGE 2 INDEX Gulf BALDWIN LIVING, 5-7 OPINION, 11-12 Coast CLASSIFIED, 25-26 PUZZLES, 35 Media HEALTH, 13-16 SPORTS, 11-12 VOLUME 123 • ISSUE 30 LEGALS, 27-34 TV LISTINGS, 21-24 1 SECTION • 40 PAGES 2• The Courier • February 22, 2017 • Gulf Coast Media DAPHNE Mayor Dane Haygood said Library’s 10th anniversary he was concerned over the Daphne CONTINUED FROM 1 potential divisiveness of this move. that can apply,” Campbell “I think there’s a lot of to host said. “That would mainly be information that need to be for the students that live in had, but I think we all want the current Daphne system. quality education and a Some other areas charge sense of community,” Hay- ‘Safe tuition for those out of city good said. “I think that can kids, some don’t.” happen within our current Councilman Joe Davis framework. No one has the Sitter’ said some residents of his crystal ball right now. This district, which includes the process is new to all of us Timbercreek subdivision, and something we’re going course were technically residents to have to continue to tread of Daphne, though their lightly on to see if it’s some- children attend Spanish Fort thing we want to pursue for feeder pattern schools. the city of Daphne.” SUBMITTED Campbell said those kids Councilman Robin would be brought into a new LeJeune said he thought The Daphne Library Daphne system if it were cre- moving forward with the will host a Babysitting ated. split could be the best option and CPR class on March “In the end, you go to the for Daphne’s children. 4. schools in the district that “We want make to make Safe Sitter is a na- you reside in,” Campbell the best choice for our chil- tional training program said. “I know that’s not what dren, but you have to also devoted to preparing you want to tell your con- look at what’s been happen- teens to be safe in watch- stituents, but it’s true.” ing,” LeJeune said. “There’s ing younger siblings or Council President Ron been failures with Baldwin babysitting. Scott said he wasn’t cer- County. Build Baldwin Now Tamara Dean, our library director, and Martin Lanaux, President of the Li- Lieutenant Adam tain the council absolutely - massive failure. Do we see brary’s Board of Trustees, congratulate one of the prize winners at the 10th Byrd with the Daphne wanted to head in the direc- that that’s going to be cor- Anniversary party. Margaret Conyers is the lucky winner of a collection of Ala- Fire Department will bama Camellia Award books. tion of a separate school rected? How many portables deliver the program. system yet. at Daphne East do we have Members of the Friends of the First aid, behavior man- “You mentioned it would to accept? It’s something we Fairhope Public Library worked agement techniques and take the will of the council have to do. Certain people hard to make the 10th Anniver- CPR instruction will be to make this happen,” Scott on the council that don’t sary a success. Pictured here highlighted. said. “My personal opinion have the will to do that, are Mary Streu, Margie Gewirtz, The program is de- is that we don’t have that but we try to work the best Randal Wright and Linda Roder. signed for teens 11 to 18 Friends helped with refresh- will, but I’m one of seven. A we can on what decision years of age. Registra- ments during the event and strong commitment would is going to be the best for tion is limited to eight their Bookstore was a station participants. For addi- be necessary to make this county. We’re just trying to for the library tour. happen, and I don’t know if make the best decision we tional information call we’re there yet.” can.” 251-621-2818. Ext. 211. across the street some time gray area of liability for to stabilize 10 acres of the it around the city,” Brown Three: We’re just going to MAYOR ago.” this, and I highly recom- watershed with this plan, said. put the land up for lease CONTINUED FROM 1 Wilson said she didn’t mend we consider that which is no small feat.” Wilson said she didn’t and let whoever comes and think the city should take because the taxpayers will Turner said if the city like the way the STC was leases the land subdivide it proceed forward with the on the liability for the por- end up paying for any dam- rejected the current plan, choosing to handle this situ- as they desire. They’d come project. tion of the project that age.” they would likely come ation. back to you for building Mayor Karin Wilson told would be on its lands. Single Tax Corporation back with a proposal that “You’re putting us in permit or subdivide them- the STC she had major con- “I think that Single Tax President Lee Turner said included 10 lots and a tra- a position that we would selves.” cerns about their proposal, should take over that wa- he wasn’t certain the STC ditional water retention have to approve that plan Wilson said she felt the especially for the potential tershed and not put the would go for that idea.