0712 courier

Page 1

Daphne pain management doctor arrested in health care fraud cases, PAGE 35

Did you hear the one about the reporter turned joke writer?

The Courier

INSIDE

JULY 12, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com |

Daphne City Clerk Rebecca Hayes retires Over the last two weeks, the City of Daphne has celebrated the 17-year career of City Clerk Rebecca Hayes. For more, see page 32.

Fairhope Rotary names 2017 Scoggins Scholar The Rotary Club of Fairhope has selected Carly Ann Huguley as the recipient of its Thomas S. Scoggins Memorial Scholarship for 2017 For more, see page 3.

Spanish Fort Town Center will continue to host its new Pavilion Music Series from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. each Thursday evening through August 24. For more, see page 34.

DEATHS

PAGE 20

Anthony Mike Bartl Dr. Betty Reid Bostic J C Burnett John Stephen King Robert L. Luster Charles Edward Sixbury Audrey L. Smith Danielle Lea Smith Joseph Luther Winston

75¢

City of Fairhope presented ACE signage for gateways The Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) recently presented the City of Fairhope with signage for its gateways. The signage will highlight Fairhope as an ACE Town and will be placed at entrances to the City. The City of Fairhope successfully completed the ACE approach to economic and community development for cities with populations between 2,000 and 18,000 in 2015. Thirty-

five (35) Alabama cities, including the City of Fairhope, have been designated ACE Towns. “We commend the leadership and many stakeholders of the City of Fairhope for their dedication to ensuring long-term economic success for their community through the ACE process,” said Lisa Miller, past president of ACE and a current member of the ACE Board of Directors. ACE Partner or-

Lisa Miller, a member of the ACE Board of Directors, presents Mayor Karin Wilson, City of Fairhope, with the City’s ACE signage. ganizations include: Alabama Department of Commerce, Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Alabama Historical Commission, Alabama League of

Municipalities, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, AMEA, Alabama Power Company, Alabama Small Business DevelSEE SIGNAGE, PAGE

2

‘Were public funds used as a vendetta against these employees?’ Fairhope council president questions invoices, investigation into former city employees by mayor By CLIFF McCOLLUM cliff@gulfcoastmedia.com

Pavilion Music Series continues at Spanish Fort Town Center

PAGE 5

Fairhope City Council President Jack Burrell clarified details and raised more questions about a set of

invoices submitted to the city by IT company Elias Technologies during a radio interview on WABF 1480 AM on July 6. Two invoices from Elias Technologies to

the City of Fairhope were recently given to The Courier and appear to show work equipment used by former city employees Sherry Sullivan and Jennifer Fidler was

sent to be examined and searched by Elias, a IT forensics company, at the request of Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson. SEE INVOICES, PAGE

2

Daphne expands funding for school split study By CLIFF McCOLLUM cliff@gulfcoastmedia.com

The city of Daphne will move forward in its efforts to look at starting its own city school system, after the city council decided to move forward with funding a feasibility study after a divided vote on July 5. The council voted 5-2 to add $35,000 to the budget for the study, bringing the total up to $65,000 for the study

with the previous $30,000 the council had already budgeted. Councilmembers Tommie Conaway and Ron Scott were the nay votes for increasing the funding, and Conaway explained her vote later in the meeting. “About five years ago, I would have gone along with the feasibility study,” Conaway said. “Now, I see that they are doing a better job. We have a good school system that is

trying to work with us to make things even better. That’s my reason for voting nay.” Councilman Joe Davis, who admitted he was not originally a yes vote for the study, said he changed his mind because he wanted the people of Daphne to have the most information possible before a decision was made. “The reason I voted for the study is that the more information you have, the better deci-

sion you should be able to make,” Davis said. “The more information we can get, even though it costs some money, enables us to make the best decision short term and long term. We need all the facts we can get.” The city had received two bids to conduct the feasibility study and will now negotiate with those bidders and make the final decision at an upcoming council meeting.

INDE X

Fairhope city treasurer submits resignation IT technician also resigns By CLIFF McCOLLUM cliff@gulfcoastmedia.com

On Friday, June 30, Fairhope City Treasurer Deborah Smith submitted a letter of resignation to Fairhope City Council President Jack Burrell. “Please accept this letter as notice of resignation from my position within the City of Fairhope,” Smith wrote. “As discussed, I am willing to provide the City of Fairhope ninety days’ notice to allow the City time to find a replacement for my position. My last date of work will be on September 29, 2017.” Smith goes on to write she was pleased to have worked for the city. “It has been a pleasure working for the City of Fairhope and I have appreciated the opportunity to be of service to the City,” Smith wrote. During a radio interview July 6 with WABF 1480 AM, Burrell said he was thankful for Smith’s service to the city. “She has done an incredible job for the city,” Burrell said. “She’s someone who takes great pride in work.” When asked for Smith’s reasons for resigning, Burrell said she did cite some reasons to him privately, but he declined to elaborate on what was said. During the interview, Councilman Robert Brown said SEE RESIGNATION, PAGE

Gulf Coast Media

BALDWIN LIVING, 5-7

OUT & ABOUT, 24

CLASSIFIED, 8-9

PUZZLES, 10

HEALTH, 22-25

SPORTS, 13-15

VOLUME 123 • ISSUE 50

LEGALS, 26-30

TV LISTINGS, 16-19

1 SECTION • 36 PAGES

OPINION, 11-12

2


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.