Invest
“Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not letselfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, itsriches or its romance.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
We have much to be thankful for as residents of one of the best cities in the country. Investing in and protecting our most valuable assets ensures that we keep it that way. When this is put on the backburner, it ends up costing taxpayers much more in the long run. The delayed facility maintenance, long-overdue infrastructure upgrades and deferred measures to protect our nonrenewable resources left the City in catch-up mode. Some of the most exciting news we want to share are the accomplishments achieved and plans in the works in each department.
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Invest in our City Employees
Last term our population increased 33% while the number of employees decreased! Investing in hiring employees in all departments to keep up with services our citizens expect was a big challenge. While doing this, I became aware of the inconsistent job descriptions and lack of competitive pay comparable to other neighboring municipalities.
I proposed investing in a comprehensive personnel study with Auburn University, to ensure employees are being paid competitively to ensure the City can hire and retain quality employees. The year-long process for updating all job descriptions and pay grades will be complete in September 2020.
We are self-insured and this expense continues to increase each year. To maintain this expense and continue offering City employees the most competitive benefits package, we must incentivize health and wellness. Establishing a policy requiring employees to complete a biometric screening at the Annual Employee Health and Wellness Fair is something many municipalities and counties do, and it pays off for everyone.
Quail Creek Golf Club
New enhancements to the Clubhouse have been a huge improved service for citizens and visitors. We will continue this effort as we have the funds for the interior. The greens are in the best condition they've ever been, and overall playability of the course is significantly improved because of investing in professional training and experience.
Replaced the entire roof of the clubhouse
Repainted the interior of the clubhouse
Started a new agronomy program resulting in improved greens
Repaired several drainage areas on the course
Started a better definition program between fairway and rough
Leased whole new fleet of golf carts to trade out every four years
Completely renovated the exterior of the clubhouse including all new windows
Built out the existing patio to achieve twice as much seating capacity for all the special events and tournaments held at the club
Bought new dining furniture for the patio
Created conversation areas for your relaxing pleasure after a round of golf
Completely replaced the tired old landscaping at the clubhouse
Fairhope Docks
The 30-year lease of the city’s marina property at the foot of Sea Cliff Drive expired October 14, 2017. Since the property was in deteriorating condition, I successfully influenced Council to take back the management of this important asset in the best interest of our citizens. We’ve improved the physical condition, its efficiency of operation and environmental stewardship.
It paid off in a short period of time. It was the right decision. Long-neglected maintenance and capital projects have been completed with more budgeted this year. The dredging of our waterway is finished, a new fuel dock has covered the operational expenses. Because of the recent closure of the fuel dock at the Grand, Fairhope Docks is already seeing an increase in fuel sales. The 2020 budget includes the purchase of dredging equipment to maintain our boat slips that will pay for itself after its first job.
Dry storage will be looked at in the next year to accommodate the high demand for boat owners.
K-1 Center
We’ve talked about it for over 10 years and finally purchased of the K-1 Center in 2019. Because of our new fiscal health, we were able to pay cash for most of the acquisition and there is only one payment left for the rest in 2021.
Because there are so many ideas about its future life. Multiple third parties were already planning with Council help and without you. I made certain the future desire of this important purchase remained with you – the taxpayers who purchased it. We started the initial steps through a citizen-engaged meeting and survey to obtain feedback on desired use and a mission statement.
Mission Statement: “The K-1 site will offer a safe, comfortable, attractive space for community fellowship encompassing education, conservation, entertainment, cultural growth and other concerns for the citizens of Fairhope.”
The next step is putting together the plan which will be included in the 2021 budget! It will need to be comprehensive in nature, public vision driven (incorporating what has already been communicated) integrated with public utilities and services and consider environmental sensitivities.
Library
The library runs as a component of the City with an appropriation. I proposed making the Library a department of the City to save in administrative costs, manage expenses and increase the funding for books and programs. This idea was met with great push back. In 2019 City funded $1,039,183 or 96.2% of the total operating which increases every year.
As we all know, the infrastructure improvements for the library have been put off for over 10 years. With every passing year, the problems got worse and the cost to fix it increased. This year, the project which cost over one million dollars was finally completed.
Fairhope Public Utilities
A plan is in place thatis two years into the five-year timeline and funded to fully upgrade our Sewer System, Water, Electric and Gas utilities! This is 50 years in the making and way past due! We could no longer afford to kick the can down the road.
Now that profits are being used for the right purpose, in 2022 most of the expensive upgrades should be completed. We MUST STAY THE COURSE and elect accountable leaders that understand this priority.
The total budget estimate is over $40M. Because I proposed the following RESTORE-funded projects, $11M of this total budget will go towards Sewer System rehabilitation and SSO Prevention Plan.
Fairhope Sewer Upgrade: $10 million Awarded
The implementation of this project will protect the water quality of Mobile Bay, an impaired body of water. The project will reduce the pollutant loading and improve discharges to Mobile Bay by reducing the number and frequency of sanitary sewer overflows that occur within the City of Fairhope’s public sewer system.
Eastern Shore Sanitary Sewer Overflow Prevention Plan: $1 million Awarded
The purpose of this project is to minimize or altogether eliminate sanitary sewer overflows on the Eastern Shore resulting from insufficient capacity, inflow, and infiltration from excess stormwater. In addition, the project aims to improve the overall water quality of Mobile Bay by protecting runoff to the Bay from sanitary sewers and sediment from stormwater erosion.
Health of Mobile Bay
Doing our part to improve the health of Mobile Bay has been a priority since 2016. City and Utilities Departments have worked together identifying projects to contribute to this goal. For detailed information about the last three-and-a-half years, click on FAQ from the front page of our website.
Sanitary Sewer Overflows have decreased this term and will continue to do so as sewer infrastructure upgrades are completed, and our goal is to eliminate SSOs through a $1M RESTORE-funded competitive engineering solution. Many understand the health of our bay is much broader than the City of Fairhope and the fix is complex and multifaceted. City Directors and I have met with State officials to discuss the need for a holistic approach to make meaningful impacts.
The City of Fairhope is doing its job; however, my concern was it will only be a drop in the bucket (pun intended!). Other municipalities and private citizens need financial help in addition to the need for shareable water quality data obtained over many years of research.
As a result of our outreach, I am proud to report the City’s role in the bipartisan legislation for amending the WATER QUALITY GRANT PROGRAM BILL drafted in November 2019 by Senators Doug Jones and Rick Scott. This legislation will require the support from the entire State to address the Mobile River Watershed, the second largest in the Country. (makes up 2/3 of the entire State of Alabama)
The drafted amendment includes establishing a competitive grant program like Innovative Communities by Design presented during last year’s State of the City (and below under Leadership for Responsible Growth)
Parks
This administration sought out a grant which was awarded to work with the National Park Service for help developing a comprehensive planning for connectivity and walkability. We must thoughtfully invest in enhancements for current parks and fund acquisition for additional parkland. With this in place, we will now incorporate this into the Comprehensive Land-use Plan starting summer 2020.
This administration has focused a great deal of time, planning with you, and investing in the parks you love. There has never been a time in Fairhope history where more is being accomplished.Young Street Community Park
This historic park was once used by South Fairhope residents and eventually became a part of the Boys & Girls Club. Local Rotary Clubs took over and now it’s known as Fairhope Rotary Youth Club. After much community engagement, citizens South of Fairhope felt as though the park became exclusive to the club and community use decreased considerably. It is time to give this area their park back! The comprehensive plan is in place and phase I is starting Summer 2020.
Volanta Park
The City is adding four more baseball diamonds to Volanta Park to keep up with capacity for up to ten more years.
South Park / Municipal Pier
The Fairhope waterfront evokes a sense of pride and nostalgia for many people along the Eastern Shore of Baldwin County. Over many years, personal relationships have formed with the place to create a deep history that residents and visitors hold dear.
Part of the $18M this administration secured from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be invested in enhancing community engagement at South Park, its shoreline, and the Municipal Pier. This green infrastructure project will include a South Beach Park bluff stabilization which will include a “Sunset Seating Gallery”, improvements to our Bayfront shoreline, upgrades to drainage infrastructure that will provide new opportunities for our community and visitors to engage with the Bay at our Municipal Pier, an area that is our unofficial “town center”.
The project includes upgrades to drainage infrastructure, storm-water management facilities, construction of shoreline structures (breakwaters, jetties, and groins) and upgrades to seawalls.
Among the goals stated in the proposal awarded, the project will also seek to:
Restore and protect natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region
Mitigate damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources
Implement a federally approved marine, coastal or comprehensive conservation management plan
Aid in workforce development and job creation
Promote tourism in the Gulf Coast region, including recreational fishing
It’s important to point out that all these very expensive capital improvement accomplishments over the last 3 years were accomplished without borrowing funds because of the significant improvement in our financial health.
To prevent expensive purchases and bring about vision to all the possibilities we have,
(note – the parkland on Twin Beech was to be paid out of impact fees over a 3-year period. The Volanta Park expansion would have to start end of 2020 to cash flow. However, it would still allow purchase of additional parkland close to town and solve the immediate ballpark capacity needs and not be touching capital funds)
Jan 2020 - Council approved the purchase of parcel less than 1000sf on the corner of Section and Fairhope Ave in partnership with FSTC for $525k (City's share $265k). Because Council President Burrell took over negotiations on his own without consulting with me, I made certain our City attorney knew about the buried gas tanks that needed mitigation. As a result, thankfully, we ordered a study. The preliminary findings just received beginning of June 2020 from the study:
“The City should carefully consider plans to purchase this property. The costs associated with the investigation and cleanup of this site cannot be estimated, because the full extent and maximum concentration of contaminants is not known. Nor can the time required for cleanup of the site be known, but a minimum of 12 – 24 months is reasonable based on GMC’s experience with similar projects.”
Mar 2020 – Met with all directors to postpone any expenditures unless critical due to Covid-19. The only projects moved forward were funded by grants, impact fees or RESTORE funds until we get a better idea of where we are after the pandemic.
5-25-20 7-month budget review. Because of the early intervention with budget cuts and postponements, this administration will exceed our projected operating budget goal. However, due to the unplanned purchase of parkland for $2.65M there will be a realized deficit.
