An Orange Beach council meeting drew 2,000 livestream viewers and a packed City Hall before public comment devolved into accusations between the mayor, a council member’s husband and residents.
Tag: transparency
Coverage of transparency from South Alabama News, the local news source for Mobile, Baldwin and the surrounding counties of the Alabama Gulf Coast.
Baldwin County
Baldwin County Budget Earns National Recognition From Government Finance Officers Association
The Baldwin County Commission has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, clearing proficiency standards in all four categories and 14 mandatory criteria.
Local News
Anonymous Lawyer Launches Website to Cover Mobile Trials the Papers Miss
An unidentified attorney writing as ‘Publius’ announced a new website, alabamacourt.org, promising firsthand coverage and legal analysis of Mobile-area trials that newspapers no longer report.
Local News
Former Officer Ron Wallace Weighs a Run for Mobile Mayor
Ron Wallace, a former Mobile police officer, resigned from the force as he considered a campaign for mayor in the 2013 city elections, pointing to spending restraint, transparency and public safety.
Mobile
After the Sales Tax Vote, a Mobile Citizen Presses the City Council on Discipline
A Mobile resident wrote the City Council after its vote to raise the sales tax for 16 months, urging members to demand austerity, transparency and hard metrics from the Jones administration.
Baldwin County
Coastal Insurance Costs Take Center Stage at Spanish Fort Governor’s Forum
The Christian Coalition of Alabama and the Homeowners Hurricane Insurance Initiative invited every candidate for governor to Spanish Fort to answer for the cost of coverage on the coast.
Local News
Mobile’s 100 Best-Paid City Employees, Disclosed in the Middle of a Budget Fight
Documents produced during the city’s deficit crisis show 100 employees earning between $63,127 and $161,333. The public works director tops the list, ahead of the police and fire chiefs.
Local News
Gulf Coast Classic Organizers Aim for Iron Bowl Status as Council President Demands the Paperwork
Organizers of the Gulf Coast Classic predicted the game would one day rival the Iron Bowl. Council President Reggie Copeland wanted bank statements, canceled checks and an honest attendance count.
Local News
Gulf Coast Classic Organizers Postpone Promised Briefing on Game’s Finances
A promised press conference on the Gulf Coast Classic’s $188,000 deficit was called off, with organizers citing sensitive negotiations. The city put $275,000 into last fall’s game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Local News
Pipes Too Small, a $650,000 Overrun, and a Name City Hall Recognized
An engineering firm designed a Dauphin Street drainage project for 66-inch pipes when 72-inch pipes were needed. The error cost Mobile $650,000, and the firm’s principal had given to the mayor’s campaign.