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Community Shore Chamber of Commerce announces 2017/2018 Board of Directors: page35

City of Fairhope to hold community blood drive

The Courier

INSIDE

JUNE 21, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com |

Daphne kids enjoying summer reading program at library This year, the Daphne Public Library has expanded its summer reading program. For more, see page 4.

Swearingens establish endowed professorship at ULM Dr. Lawson and Mrs. Sharon Swearingen of Fairhope, Ala., have established an Endowed Professorship in Political Science at the University of Louisiana Monroe. For more, see page 33.

Fairhope’s Fourth of July Festival, fireworks display The City of Fairhope will host its annual Fourth of July Concert & Fireworks display again this year on Tuesday, July 4 in Henry George Park and the Fairhope Municipal Pier. For more, see page 33.

DEATHS

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Elizabeth Anne Odom Cargill Donald Barth Dowling Reva Jean Brown Fell Marjorie Garrick Adaline Stout Gennett Susan Ellen Kaylor Martha Jean Northcutt

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Eastern Shore Chamber honors outstanding service with annual awards The Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the winners of the 2017 Chamber Awards. The winners were announced Thursday night at the 93rd Annual Awards Dinner held at Oak Hollow Farm. Each of these award winners have dedicated

countless hours to serving the Eastern Shore Community and leading by example.

Ambassador of the Year: Sara Alter, The Brennity at Fairhope Sara Alter goes above and beyond in every facet

of Chamber involvement. She is not only present at Business After Hours and Morning Marketing meetings, but she volunteers on various committees within the Chamber. There isn’t a ribbon cutting she doesn’t attend and she always SEE AWARDS, PAGE

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SUBMITTED BY THE EASTERN SHORE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Fairhope’s Sherry Sullivan was awarded the prestigious Service Award during the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce’s recent annual awards dinner held at Oak Hollow Farm.

Fairhope mayor threatens legal action against council, city attorney City attorney, council respond to letter from mayor’s counsel By CLIFF McCOLLUM clif@gulfcoastmedia.com

An outside attorney retained by Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson has threatened legal action against the city council and City Attorney Marion “Tut” Wynne if a written settlement can not be reached regarding numerous allegations made by Wilson of unlawful intrusions into the mayor’s powers of running day-today operations of the city. The adequacy of city legal representation for the mayor of Fairhope is being called into question by Wilson in a letter sent late last week to Wynne and members of the city council. Gulf Coast Media has obtained a copy of the letter that Harry Satterwhite, of Satterwhite and Associates, sent on June 9 addressing a number of issues currently before the council and city, including items up for executive session at the June 12 meeting and grievances Wilson has with Wynne. The letter also threatens legal action against the council if they do not vote to raise the $2,500 maximum cap paid for with city funds for professional services under which Satterwhite was retained.

Claims there is no need for executive sessions Satterwhite takes issue with two different items slated for non-public executive session: discussing litigation against the city and the lease of the marina property. Satterwhite wrote that there was no need for secret discussions on either one of the issues. “With regard to the possible litigation concerning Sherry Sullivan, Jennifer Fidler and Pandora Heathcoe, these are all frivolous claims,” Satterwhite wrote. “As you know, Alabama is an ‘at-will employment’ state. As such, there is no valid claim for wrongful termination in this state. In addition, none of these claimants have presented a valid case against the Mayor or the City.” Sullivan has filed a claim with the city for wrongful termination and other grievances. Heathcoe has filed a claim with the city for $100,000 alleging she was assaulted by Wilson in December 2016. Fidler’s claim has yet to be filed with the city, though it is expected to come soon. Satterwhite wrote that as executive of the city, the mayor does not agree to pay any settlement

money. “The Mayor made this clear to you a few days after the City received the Heathcoe claim,” Satterwhite wrote. “If the plaintiffs intend to pursue these claims, the lawyers representing the City will have these cases dismissed by the judge, or the City will proceed to litigate the case and win at trial. Since no consideration should be given to paying settlements to plaintiffs who file frivolous claims, there is obviously nothing to consider in an executive session.” With regards to the marina property, Satterwhite said the mayor objected to an executive session being called for the issue and said she would not participate in a such a session. “No one has even attempted to explain to the Mayor why a secret meeting would be needed on this issue,” Satterwhite wrote. “While the real property exception to the executive session statute may apply to the marina lease at some point, it would not necessarily apply to the matters to be discussed by the council on Monday. Therefore, any executive session regarding the marina lease on Monday would not be necessary.” The council ultimately did go into executive session to discuss those issues and Wilson did participate in the session.

‘Usurpation of the Mayor’s power’ Satterwhite then goes on to accuse the council of attempting to lessen the mayor’s powers to run the city and accuses Wynne of aiding them in that task. “The Mayor’s power and authority to run the day-to-day operations of the City have been repeatedly and severely curtailed by the City Council since she took office,” Satterwhite wrote. “This is illegal under Alabama law. These overly aggressive actions by the council, supported by your office, have been directed at the Mayor even though she has made every effort to cooperate and work with you and the City Council.” Satterwhite wrote Wilson has many documented examples of the council’s “wrongful conduct” that was allegedly aided by Wynne’s office, with special emphasis placed on the city’s recent hiring freeze. Satterwhite wrote Wilson has complied a list of SEE MAYOR, PAGE

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Fairhope mayor answers some questions on tracking software installation Accuses bias in Courier reporting STAFF REPORT Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson addressed some issues involving key logger tracking software that was placed on seven city employees’ computers during last week’s Fairhope City Council meeting after questions were raised during the public comments portion of that meeting by Gulf Coast Media. Gulf Coast Media has previously reported the software was placed on the computers of Human Resources Director Pandora Heathcoe, City Clerk Lisa Hanks, City Treasurer Deborah Smith, Purchasing Department Buyer Randy Weaver, Water and Sewer Superintendent Dan McCrory, Gas Superintendent Robert Rohm and recently retired Electrical Superintendent Jimmy Cluster. According to confidential sources, the spyware was placed on the PCs by a member of Fairhope’s Information Technology Department at the instruction of Wilson and without notification to the seven employees. The spyware, SentryPC, allows a user to monitor and control what is done on computer upon which the software is installed. “Every activity your users perform on the computer and internet is recorded in real-time and in full detail for viewing - you will know exactly what they did and when they did SEE TRACKING, PAGE

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Gulf Coast Media

BALDWIN LIVING,5-7

OUT & ABOUT, 22

CLASSIFIED, 8-9

PUZZLES, 10

HEALTH, 18-22

SPORTS, 11-13

VOLUME 123 • ISSUE 47

LEGALS, 25-30

TV LISTINGS, 14-17

1 SECTION • 36 PAGES

OPINION, 31-32

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