Fairhope, Alabama
TO ADDRESS SEWAGE ISSUES
During Wednesday's meeting at the Government Plaza in Mobile, the Alabama Recovery Council (click) heard from citizens supporting the city's requests for funding for projects to help reduce sewage spills into city waterways and Mobile Bay.
Based upon the recently-completed engineering study commissioned by the city by the GMC firm, the funds would be used to upgrade numerous lift stations and repair miles of leaking conveyance pipes in the short term -- and for planning for eventually building a new sewage treatment plant on the east side of town away from the bay, with effluent used on golf courses and farms in the longer term: Total cost was estimated around $40 million.
Fairhope Operations Director Richard Peterson reminded the Council the city has a half-mile of public beaches to protect -- and project proposals 396, 398, and 412 would help the city get sewer and other contaminants in runoff "out of the bay altogether."
Tony Pritchett, a member of the city's Environmental Advisory Committee, called the cost of dealing with such sewage issues "too much for any one city to bear" especially considering Fairhope's high rate of growth.
Restore council members will begin final evaluation of all projects submitted in November and should be ready to make final selections (by majority vote) early next year, according to their spokesperson.
City Community Affairs Director Botop, Operation Director Peterson and Planning Director Dyess also attended.
BONNER AND ELLIOT'S FIRST MEETING
Former U.S. Congressman Jo Bonner, seated to the mayor's left in the picture at the top of the page, and Chris Elliot attended their first meeting: Bonner was recently-appointed by governor Ivey as her representative and Elliot as the Baldwin County Commission's current chairman.
Bonner, who was actually in Congress at the time of the BP oil spill seven years ago, said the meeting was "exactly" what he had in mind when he voted for the RESTORE ACT in July of 2012 -- that set the whole process in motion: He conceded the process has been slow-moving though.
Bonner said proposals selected should be "legacy projects" with long-term impact: He will become the committee's chairman according to press reports -- click.
The 'Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States' Act (click) distributes over $6 billion of 'Clean Water Act' fines imposed on companies responsible for the 135 million gallon oil spill in 2010.
There are several buckets of funds (and other project proposals) to be distributed, this meeting concerned only some of them.
Members of the Council are (the governor appointed Bonner as her representative):
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| Mayor Wilson second from right. |
TO ADDRESS SEWAGE ISSUES
During Wednesday's meeting at the Government Plaza in Mobile, the Alabama Recovery Council (click) heard from citizens supporting the city's requests for funding for projects to help reduce sewage spills into city waterways and Mobile Bay.
Based upon the recently-completed engineering study commissioned by the city by the GMC firm, the funds would be used to upgrade numerous lift stations and repair miles of leaking conveyance pipes in the short term -- and for planning for eventually building a new sewage treatment plant on the east side of town away from the bay, with effluent used on golf courses and farms in the longer term: Total cost was estimated around $40 million.
Fairhope Operations Director Richard Peterson reminded the Council the city has a half-mile of public beaches to protect -- and project proposals 396, 398, and 412 would help the city get sewer and other contaminants in runoff "out of the bay altogether."
Tony Pritchett, a member of the city's Environmental Advisory Committee, called the cost of dealing with such sewage issues "too much for any one city to bear" especially considering Fairhope's high rate of growth.
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| Richard Peterson addressing Council |
Restore council members will begin final evaluation of all projects submitted in November and should be ready to make final selections (by majority vote) early next year, according to their spokesperson.
City Community Affairs Director Botop, Operation Director Peterson and Planning Director Dyess also attended.
 |
| City employees, second row middle |
BONNER AND ELLIOT'S FIRST MEETING
Former U.S. Congressman Jo Bonner, seated to the mayor's left in the picture at the top of the page, and Chris Elliot attended their first meeting: Bonner was recently-appointed by governor Ivey as her representative and Elliot as the Baldwin County Commission's current chairman.
Bonner, who was actually in Congress at the time of the BP oil spill seven years ago, said the meeting was "exactly" what he had in mind when he voted for the RESTORE ACT in July of 2012 -- that set the whole process in motion: He conceded the process has been slow-moving though.
Bonner said proposals selected should be "legacy projects" with long-term impact: He will become the committee's chairman according to press reports -- click.
The 'Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States' Act (click) distributes over $6 billion of 'Clean Water Act' fines imposed on companies responsible for the 135 million gallon oil spill in 2010.
There are several buckets of funds (and other project proposals) to be distributed, this meeting concerned only some of them.
Members of the Council are (the governor appointed Bonner as her representative):
- The Governor of Alabama (Kay Ivey), who shall also serve as Chairperson and preside over the meetings of the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council
- The Director of the Alabama State Port Authority (James K. Lyons), who shall also serve as Vice Chairperson and preside over the meetings of the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council in the absence of the Chairperson.
- The Chairman of the Baldwin County Commission (Chris Elliot).
- The President of the Mobile County Commission (Merceria Ludgood).
- The Mayor of the city of Bayou La Batre (Terry Downey).
- The Mayor of the town of Dauphin Island (Jeff Collier).
- The Mayor of the city of Fairhope (Karin Wilson).
- The Mayor of the city of Gulf Shores (Robert Craft).
- The Mayor of the city of Mobile (Sandy Stimpson).
- The Mayor of the city of Orange Beach (Tony Kennon).
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| Alabama Recovery Council meeting, Sept. 2017 |
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