Since our first report on the Trip Pittman/ Bob James Scandals, Trip Pittman has come back to say that the ethics charges against him are “a political grudge” or vendetta. Fairhope Mayor Tim Kant says accusations of the city’s involvement are “conspiracy theories.”

Whatever.  

This isn’t about political parties. No one in their right mind believes that Baldwin County will elect a Democrat to the state Senate any time soon.

To review:

• State Sen. Trip Pittman’s company Pittman Tractor Co. was awarded $639,000 by the city of Fairhope for oil spill response work. At the time, Pittman was in charge of dispersing the $15 million provided to Baldwin County by BP. Kant says Pittman “had an adverse reaction” when he was told the contract should be bid out instead of just being given to him.
• When Baldwin County EMA Director Leigh Anne Ryals called attention to this conflict of interest and Baldwin County legal counsel Scott Barnett decided the situation posed an ethics violation, Pittman came back with a second set of paperwork that listed Oil Recovery Co. Inc. (OCR) as the contractor instead of Pittman Tractor. But the city still paid Pittman for the work as contractor.
• Other local businessmen told the Press-Register they were shut out of the process: “I showed Trip Pittman our absorbent barrier boom. … Not only did he not forward this info to anyone weeks before any votes for boom were cast, but he never told me that he was in charge of the BP funds,” Silverhill’s Don White said.
• Ryals and other Baldwin department heads that questioned Pittman’s involvement, such as County Administrator Michael Thompson, have resigned or been demoted.
• Pittman has been pushing for an interchange at Baldwin County 13 and I-10 while he and Commissioner Bob James hold financial interest in property located near the proposed interchange.
• Bob James’ James Bros. Excavating Inc. was recently awarded a $1.1 million contract by Fairhope for disaster (i.e. hurricane) debris removal. The contract was previously held by Pittman Tractor Co.

Pittman and Kant have since given scattered and contradictory accounts as to why their actions in assigning the contract were legal.

But no explanation has been given to the apparent falsification of the contract in OCR’s name or the personnel changes.

In the meantime, we await word as to whether the claims will be investigated by our new, ethical state legislature.  In fact, Pittman has been named Chairman of the Finance and Taxation-Education Committee, which has responsibility for the state education budget. 

Whose idea was it to name a politician with pending ethics claims to be responsible for the part of state government most in need of cleaning up?  If the Republican want to be seen as more ethical than the Democrats, they should investigate the charges and – unless there is something we are all missing – ask Pittman to step down.

Pittman is claiming to have seen the light – now that he has been caught.  He told Lagniappe:

 “Certainly I didn’t understand public perception of how seriously some people take that you shouldn’t do business when you’re in office, and I understand that now.”

Duh.

The fact is – despite our past, we should expect South Alabama politicians not to enrich themselves at the public trough (what a concept).   If you do government work – then don’t run for office.  Period. Else we get these slimeballs in office (or a cartel of them).

Apparently Pittman met with the Press-Register editorial board and said he “wouldn’t do it again,” so all is supposed to be forgiven and forgotten. But it is too late for Pittman and James - they shouldn’t get away with it.  South Alabamans need to have zero tolerance for this BS.  There are other, decent people who can represent us.

Trip Pittman and Bob James just need to be voted out, period.  If not, we are asking for our politicans to keep trying to rip us off until they get caught and then they can just seek forgiveness. No more easy money for politicians – while those of us lucky enough to have a job are working our rears off to pay those taxes.

State Sen. Trip Pittman’s company Pittman Tractor Co. was awarded $639,000 by the city of Fairhope for oil spill response work. At the time, Pittman was in charge of disbursing the $15 million provided to Baldwin County by BP.

When Baldwin County EMA Director Leigh Anne Ryals called attention to this conflict of interest and Baldwin County legal counsel Scott Barnett decided the situation posed an ethics violation, Pittman came back with a second set of paperwork that listed Oil Recovery Co. Inc. as the contractor instead of Pittman Tractor. But the city still paid Pittman for the work.

Other local businessmen told the Press-Register they were shut out of the process: “I showed Trip Pittman our absorbent barrier boom. … Not only did he not forward this info to anyone weeks before any votes for boom were cast, but he never told me that he was in charge of the BP funds,” Silverhill’s Don White said.

Pittman told the Press-Register it was a “complex” situation.

Fairhope citizen Paul Ripp has filed complaints with the state’s Attorney General’s Office, Ethics Commission and others. The Constitution Party of Alabama has called for Pittman’s resignation.

Meanwhile, Ryals and other Baldwin department heads that questioned Pittman’s involvement, such as County Administrator Michael Thompson, have resigned or been demoted.

According to the Press-Register:

Baldwin County Commissioner Bob James — a business partner of Pittman (in Eastern Shore Materials Inc.) — said after taking office that he did not support continuing their contracts. He explained that he did not favor renewing Ryals’ contract because the “legislative delegation” had problems with her.

Reached this week, members of the local delegation to the Legislature said they had nothing bad to say about Ryals. Most praised her leadership.

James said Pittman was not the source of complaints, but rather those had come from “Seth Hammett’s office.” Hammett, D-Andalusia, is the most recent speaker of the state House of Representatives. Reached Thursday by e-mail, Hammett said, “I have never expressed any opinion — negative or positive — about Baldwin County’s EMA director.”

Perdido Beach also paid Pittman $98,000, while City Councilman William Kelley received more than $300,000 and Councilman Ronnie Resmondo almost $10,000.

Meanwhile, Pittman has been pushing for an interchange at Baldwin County 13 and I-10 at the expense of other road projects. “This is still a very important project for Baldwin County,” Pittman said, “and very important for the whole Eastern Shore.” According to the Press-Register, County and state records show Pittman and Commissioner Bob James hold financial interest in property located near the proposed interchange at Baldwin County 13.

Bob James’ James Bros. Excavating Inc. was also recently awarded a $1.1 million contract by Fairhope for disaster (i.e. hurricane) debris removal. The contract was previously held by Pittman Tractor Co. Both companies are located next to each other on Milton Jones Road in Daphne, with their joint-company Eastern Shore Materials Inc. behind.

Former Daphne Mayor Harry Brown has also questioned the no-bid contracts given by Renaissance LLC, which received a large municipal bond issue and is part owned by Pittman and Eastern Shore Materials (Pittman and James), and pointed out the political contributions involved.

Profiteering, falsified documents, retaliation. What is the new, ethical state legislature going to do about it? What about Baldwin County? Are its citizens going to tolerate it becoming a banana republic? This not only reflects poorly on the county, but reinforces the opinions of those in other parts of the country that coastal politicians are abusing BP and taxpayer money, thus depleting sympathy for the small business owners that really do deserve help.

Pittman and James

The City Council approved a noise ordinance Monday that will change the method for determining violations of a law that has gone through several revisions during recent months.

The law, which becomes effective Jan. 1, passed 4-1, with Councilman Mike Ford dissenting.

The issue has been a noisy one itself during the past year and the source of discord between some local citizens and a few local businesses that feature live amplified music or have patios and late hours.

“The main change is the use of a decibel meter and the levels measured,” said Council President Lonnie Mixon.

The prior law, which was adopted following complaints by citizens living near those businesses, required police officers to listen from the residence of the complainant and determine whether the business was in violation.

The new law sets maximum noise levels at 85 decibels during the day and 50 decibels after 10 p.m.

“Fifty percent think this ordinance goes too far and another 50 percent think it doesn’t go far enough,” said Councilman Rick Kingrea who sponsored the ordinance. “The one mutual agreement that they have is that 100 percent believe that if we don’t do what they want us to do it’s going to be the ruination of Fairhope. I have to tell you I don’t think that’s true.”

The new law was modeled after the ordinance in Mobile, which Kingrea said was used because it has withstood legal challenge.

Three residents spoke against the proposed law, seeking lower limits of 65 decibels during the day and 50 decibels after 10 p.m. which they said are used in Destin and Orange Beach and have not hurt businesses there.

Local attorney Sam Crosby, who represents Fly Creek Cafe, was not allowed to speak Monday because he had not followed council procedures by signing up by noon that day, the council president said.

In denying his request to speak, Mixon said the council has heard from Crosby in prior hearings on the ordinance and that they needed to follow their rules.

At the last hearing on the proposed law, two attorneys and an expert all spoke on behalf of Fly Creek Cafe.

Last week, Crosby endorsed some provisions of the ordinance that was adopted Monday.

“The proposed noise ordinance as amended has objective standards that are clearer and fairer to Fairhope businesses and citizens,” Crosby said. “It does not have the void-for-vagueness constitutional issues of the existing ordinance.”

Patricia Havard, one of the residents who lives near Fly Creek Cafe and spoke against the proposed law, provided summaries of several local noise ordinances to the council, in seeking lower decibel limits.

“I’m very disappointed,” she said after the council meeting. “The noise coming from the business is extremely disruptive.”

From Hoffman/Kittrell, MPR

In front of Wade Wellborn’s shop, Dr. Music, in downtown Fairhope, blues music played from a suitcase on a recent November morning.

For the last three years vintage suitcases and antique radios, with a new twist, have been the things keeping Wellborn’s business going.

“I take the guts out and put in speakers,” he said of the old radios. He adds a sub-woofer to make a pounding bass.

He opens up a suitcase to show how he builds a speaker into that big box, too.

“It sounds cool,” he said, explaining how the radios and suitcases become full-blast speakers for digital music players.

Such creativity has enabled him to redirect a music business that, with the collapse of CD sales in the iTunes era, needed revitalization. Keeping a small business alive, he said, has required the willingness “to improvise.”

“Everybody who was in the record business,” he said, “is doing something different.”

The average cost for a custom-made speaker is in the $200 – $300 range, though that varies, especially if a buyer wants an especially rare radio as the case.

Wellborn fixes up the colorful speakers for general purchase, but does a lot of custom work, too.

Prior to last Christmas, for example, he said he was contacted by Jimmy Buffett’s daughter, who wanted a special gift for her dad.

With the woman’s suggestion, Wellborn said, he created a suitcase speaker with pictures of surfers and other beach scenes on the front.

Wellborn said that he heard Buffett was delighted with the gift.

A Fairhope native, Wellborn, 43, said he had loved music from the time he was a boy.

“I’d go to a record store and get my mind blown,” he said.

Read the rest at the MPR

Dr. Music Website

A Mobile vs Eastern Shore Turf War? Really? Yeah, it is a slow news day but this just came to Mod Vowel’s attention with another columnist for this site shared a story about a conversation she had with an Eastern Shore singer/songwriter.

This preposterous notion of Eastern Shore artist not being welcome in Mobile has to stop. Granted, this is the first Mod Vowel ever heard of it but if it is true, if those cats are harboring some kind of “Mobile Hates The Eastern Shore” vibe, well then that is just ridiculous.

Mod Vowel took a moment to reflect on the situation and has figured it out by breaking it down.

Mobile seems to foster the original singer/songwriter/band. Mobile is not super-touristy.  The Eastern Shore is home to the biggest tourist attraction in Alabama : The Beaches.  When you have folks from all over coming to your bars/venues, you want to give them something they know, hence cover bands.  The cover bands don’t really fly in downtown Mobile unless you are playing Grand Central or The Blue Gill which is technically the Eastern Shore.

Mod Vowel doesn’t feel like this is anything anyone needs to get their panties in a wad about. Mobile Bay is home to a wide range of talented musicians and there is a spot for everyone. To that singer/songwriter that feels that Mobile doesn’t welcome him – grow a set, get a gig over here, play your originals and see what happens. If they don’t accept you it will be because they don’t like your music, not because you are from the Eastern Shore.

Trichia Niemeyer has owned The Fly Creek Cafe for the last two years and says live music gives her business a boost.

Since opening in November 2008, Niemeyer said she’s dealt with numerous noise complaints and three criminal indictments. She said Fairhope’s new noise ordinance will only make it worse.

“I should be able to go out on my deck, in my yard, have my friends over and not have to hear that loud trashy music,” said Fairhope resident Clay Havard.

All sides will get a chance to voice their opinions today. The council work session will begin at 4:45 p.m. and a vote will follow.

Read the full story here

Thousands of motorcycles will gather from throughout the USA for a “Ride To Give the Children Hope” at the 9th Annual Angel Ride at Oak Hollow Farm located on more than 300 acres in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama. The Rileigh & Raylee Angel Ride Foundation assists hundreds of children and their families with special medical needs. Over 10,000 will attend the two-day event filled with music, auctions, drawings, food, beer and wine tents. Bike vendors, from leather and chrome to custom bike builders will line the expo area at Oak Hollow. Register your ride for the bike show on Saturday and don’t forget to get your name in the raffle drawings for tons of prizes including gift cards, apparel and weekend getaways at luxury resorts.

Saturday gates open at 9:00 am and the music begins at 10:00 with live musical acts alternating on three different stages. The silent auction will be open from 9:00 till 7:30 pm and the admission is free. Many items will be available including golf packages, trips, artwork, jewelry and much more. Lots of family and children activities throughout the day.

Then a roar will fill the air Saturday as the motorcycles ride the scenic roads of Baldwin County and along Mobile Bay making new friends and getting the chance to visit old ones from past rides. The Riders return ready to party, and we intend to do just that starting with music from, The Travis Murray Band, The Leavin Brothers and local favorites. We top off the evening with award winning country music star Blake Shelton performing such great songs as “Some Beach” and his monster hit “Hillbilly Bone.”

Downtown’s annual fall celebrations of birds, art, fitness and music are set to take place all at once this weekend, together forming a single event organizers have dubbed “Fall into Fairhope.” Kate Mercer/Press-Register…

Read More at MP-R

Scott Boyer plays his song “Please Be with Me”

(Recorded by Duane Allman and later Eric Clapton on 461 Ocean Boulevard)

at the L.A. Songwriter’s Festival 2010 in Fairhope

with Hank Becker and Lisa Mills

Video by Bob Emes

Excerpted from Gary Saunders’ DixieDining.com:

We stumbled upon this new wonder on the way to the Fairhope Wal-Mart located near the intersection of Routes 104 and 181.  We learned upon arrival that Joe’s has only been open about 3 days.

Joe, an older gentleman originally from Ohio, makes all the ice cream using his mother’s own recipe. He hired a very friendly Alabama lady (a former manager at the Fairhope Burger King) to run the day to day operation.

My two boys got a small chocolate cone, while I called for a small vanilla cone. Asking for a small cone turned out to be a mistake for me — I needed more. So without an ounce of guilt, I got back in line and ordered a small chocolate cone. Strictly for the blog write-up, I explained. The kind lady simply grinned, took my $2 (cash only here), and rendered another scoop of that homemade heaven on a cone.

I really hope they make a go of it here. The ice cream is really fine. No oils, no guar gum, no nasty aftertaste. Just good, fresh, wholesome All-American homemade ice cream like you remember from picnics and family reunions of days gone by. So if you’re living in the Baldwin County area or just passing through on your way to the Gulf Coast, please stop in and order up a double scoop on a freshly made waffle cone. Or perhaps one of Joe’s highly touted shakes or sundaes. But eat fast, friends. It’s hot as the dickens down here and homemade ice cream has a way of melting quickly. It’s a race against the clock, but a race you can’t help but win!