County View

By Jeff Poor

It’s good to see our county commission has pushed itself back to the forefront in local government. Last month, I gave thanks for Mobile County School Board member Hazel Fournier giving me something to write. Apparently, the good Lord has heard my thanks and rewarded me by throwing out a few more bones to gnaw.

Once again, courthouse site decision delayed

Our omnipotent county commission tabled a vote to retain Stainback Public/Private Real Estate to study the prospects of what should become of the property on Government at Royal until next month, but not without just cause.

Mobile Mayor Sam Jones has decided to participate in this seemingly important decision. Jones, who served on the Mobile County Commission for four terms from 1987 until 2005 finally, was part of the original decision to make the property, along with Commissioner Mike Dean, a Mardi Gras-themed park.

The question is, what took the mayor so long to open a dialogue with our commissioners? Jones raised some important points that could have swayed a lot of the anti-park sentiment early on.

“It happens to be across the street from the most important historical building in downtown Mobile,” Jones said, referring to the old city hall building.

Jones understandably wants to keep it consistent with the theme of the rest of that part of Mobile, but hasn’t actively participated in offering the public an alternative to the idea of upscale condominiums that have been suggested by Mobile County Commissioners Stephen Nodine and Juan Chastang until recently.

“We’re going to give him the opportunity,” Dean said. “The ball’s in Juan’s court. He needs to reach out and be accessible.”

Jones sent a letter to the commission Dec. 20 requesting architectural documents prepared by the firms of Goodwyn Mills & Cawood and Holmes & Holmes that were developed when Jones was a commissioner. Upon receiving those documents, Jones said he would then schedule a meeting to formally discuss a presentation regarding the property on the city’s behalf. Jones emphasized he is indeed pushing forward for high-end development in downtown Mobile.

“Mixed use could be real difficult,” Jones said. “I think this could be done in a different location. We have other projects waiting in the wings.”

The projects Jones is referring to could be located on St. Francis, St. Louis and Dauphin Streets. He also said the Water Street Landing condominium deal on the old CSX property on the riverfront is still alive.

Racetrack hysteria

Commissioners Nodine and Chastang thought Commissioner Dean committed a faux pas last month when he suggested the county commission should allot $5 million in Pay As You Go money for infrastructure as an incentive to lure the $600-million motorsports and entertainment complex to the Saraland/Prichard area.

Dean’s effort proved unnecessary because the investment group headed by former Mobile Mayor Mike Dow, Gulf Coast Entertainment, LLC, chose the Mobile County site, yet Dean still seems excited about the prospects.

Dean said another large condominium development is going to be put in his district. “This month has been good for the county,” Dean said.

Nodine has been critical of any county involvement with the project. The subject of any incentives has been an obvious point of contention between the two.

“The Pay As You Go program is for roads, not economic development,” Nodine said.

Nodine said Dow’s group wanted the county to build the infrastructure – roads, utilities, etc. – prior to the group building the complex. That would have proven to be a terrible mistake if the financial backing for the racetrack had fallen through. Nodine believes other economic development projects the county is involved with are different because they are proven entities – like Austal and EADS.

Whether or not Dean will be thrown under the proverbial bus again by his colleagues remains to be seen, but you have to admire his enthusiasm for the project. Still, it is difficult to not be skeptical, especially when this proposed complex isn’t getting an as equally as warm reception from Chastang, the commissioner in whose district the proposed project would be located.

Dr. Ben George versus the commission

Dr. Ben George, a Saraland veterinarian and former state representative candidate, has announced his lawsuit to have the limited self-governance or home rule referendum that passed last June only to be thrown out, will be heard by Circuit Judge Joseph “Rusty” Johnston Jan. 2. George, the plaintiff, has hired local attorney Jim Zeigler to represent him.

George alleges the initiative was put on the ballot at the behest of the Alabama County Commission Association, a lobbying group that wants to strengthen the role of the county commission in local Alabama governments. He feels this measure will infringe on the rights of the people in the unincorporated parts of Mobile County.

George has been especially critical of Commissioner Stephen Nodine and suggests he was involved in some shenanigans that included the Mobile Press-Register editorial board.

“Nodine called an emergency meeting with the Press-Register editorial board and the Press-Register has since shut it out,” George added.

George later expressed his opinion of Nodine in a phone conversation.

“Nodine’s a carpetbagger,” George quipped. “He doesn’t know what it means to be a Republican. He is from New Jersey by the way of Florida.”

Local attorney Mark Erwin, speaking on the county’s behalf, doesn’t think George’s complaints about the rhetoric of the referendum are warranted.

“The cases on similar issues show that the language used was sufficient to apprise the voters on the subject of the referendum,” Erwin said.

Erwin stressed he isn’t trying to pick a fight with George, however he pointed out the legislation had been published prior to the vote and that sample ballots were provided so voters could familiarize themselves with referendum.

“It was only after the primary this was challenged,” Erwin added.

Contact Jeff Poor at jeffreypoor@yahoo.com.

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