County View

By Jeff Poor

Other than the few stale Moon Pies lying around my apartment, only the memory of the latest round of Mardi Gras revelry exists at the Poor household. I love Mardi Gras as much as the next guy, but this got me thinking – Mobile puts a lot of emphasis, perhaps too much, in its Mardi Gras activities.

When there’s talk of flaming Moon Pies off the RSA Tower and this whole notion of a Mardi Gras-themed park, where are we going to draw the line? Next thing you know, will there be an effort to get Chattanooga Bakery, the manufacturer of Moon Pies, to locate at Brookley Field if all other efforts for economic development fall through?

For a holiday that lasts three weeks in a 52-week year, it sure seems as though Mobile hypes its Mardi Gras heritage up a little too much, but come February 2008, I’m sure I’ll be amongst masses downtown all over again, too.

Glover thwarts airport annexation

Alabama Sen. Rusty Glover, R-Semmes, has said he would block any efforts for legislation to be introduced in Montgomery that would give the city of Mobile the authority to annex the Mobile Regional Airport as presented by the city. Glover and the other senators of the Mobile delegation would have to lend their approval for the city to proceed forward with their annexation plans as they stand now.

The city makes the case annexation would give the city a chance a to offer better police and fire protection for the airport and in the long run enhance economic development for the airport.

However, if the city expands its boundaries, it will also extend the authority of the city of Mobile Planning Commission two miles beyond the city limits. That, combined with the prevailing anti-annexation sentiments of the people of west Mobile, has been cause enough to infuriate enough residents to stall this latest attempt by the city to go west.

The discussion of the Semmes’ potential incorporation has inspired the newest movement. There’s anxiety that should Semmes incorporate, they might include annexation of the Mobile Airport. City officials insist it is solely an attempt to improve fire and police protection for the airport and that would enhance prospects for economic development.

“If the Mobile Airport Authority needed fire suppression and other things, the county would help fulfill what they need,” Mobile County Commissioner Stephen Nodine said. As a former city councilman and a county commissioner, I can tell you the [Mobile] police department is severely understaffed. The city has also lost paramedics to private enterprise.”

The Mobile Regional Airport is under the jurisdiction of Mobile Fire and Police protection. It is also under the jurisdiction of three other volunteer fire departments, according to Nodine.

Glover could put a compromise forth in the upcoming legislative session that would give the city the authority to annex the airport, but restrict the Mobile Planning Commission’s jurisdiction and require accountability from the city for the revenues taken in to finance the police and fire protection provided within the new jurisdiction. Skeptics believe the city would take in these new revenues, but not offer the equivalent amount of services.

KC-30 Refueling Aircraft prospects

The changed political environment inside the Washington Beltway has dampened some of the enthusiasm of the possibility of the Northrop-Grumman and EADS/Airbus partnership locating the KC-30 manufacturing facility at Brookley Field.

The Alabama Congressional Delegation of Rep. Jo Bonner and Sens. Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby have not yet been completely successful in having the bidding language in the contract specifications changed so that WTO obstacles are overcome, and thus making Mobile the frontrunner for the massive economic development project.

According to Nodine, there’s word out of Washington there’s the possibility of a split contract, but he was unable to elaborate how this could alter the landscape of the project.

“With or without the KC-30, the relationships we have established could prove fruitful,” Nodine said. “I’m very optimistic Northrop-Grumman will continue to drive on. I think in the competition, we all knew when we started this, we would have a chance to win and we would have a chance to lose.”

Love him or hate him, Nodine has been the area’s biggest cheerleader throughout this ordeal, making trips to Europe and courting the influential 2008 presidential candidate John McCain when he made his trip to Mobile last fall to address the issues surrounding this project.

“If we were to fail, I think there are other things Northrop-Grumman, Airbus and EADS would like to do in Mobile County,” Nodine said. “It will be disappointing should we not get it, don’t get me wrong.”

Stainback it is

The Mobile County Commission voted earlier this month to proceed forward with plans to give Stainback Public/Private Real Estate the go ahead to begin assembling schematic drawings for the former Mobile County Courthouse property on Royal Street, between Church and Government Streets.

Stainback, a Texas-based contractor, is a company that specializes in the development of projects when both elements of the private and public sector are involved, according to the company’s Web site.

Mobile County Commissioner Juan Chastang has set aside some of his district’s own bond money for the rendering and the move was supported by both Nodine and Mobile County Commissioner Mike Dean.

The project has faced stiff opposition from those who want to see the property used for a Mardi Gras-themed park, an idea originally agreed upon when Mayor Sam Jones was on the Mobile County Commission.

The county is still being scrutinized for wanting to make the property a mixed-use development that could potentially include retail, parking, condominiums and a park.

Contact Jeff Poor at jeffreypoor@yahoo.com.

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