Prichard mayor claims Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council failed to consider his city
The Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council — tasked with distributing funds earned from the civil penalties paid by companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill — made recommendations last week to fund more than 40 improvement projects to the region. Totaling $315 million (which includes $118 million for projects in Baldwin County and $161 for projects in Mobile County), the projects are mostly economic or environmental in nature. But not everyone who hoped to get funding for a project got it. Prichard Mayor Jimmie Gardner voiced his dismay over his city being left out of the funding projects during a news conference on Monday. “I understand that the City of Mobile is the hub of this area,” Gardner said during the news conference. “I support that, but if we don’t start funding these other cities who may not have the budget that a city like Mobile may have, you’re just a part of a problem in allowing these cities to deteriorate. Help them do better.” Prichard had hoped money to receive funds for drainage and sewer infrastructure improvements on West Turner Road and Lovejoy Loop. “As in most of our counties in Alabama, the infrastructure underneath the ground is poor. The city of Prichard has very old pipes which causes for the flooding. The BP restore act money was for drainage to be corrected on West Turner Road and Lovejoy Loop,” the city Tweeted. As in most of our counties in Alabama, the infrastructure underneath the ground is poor. The city of Prichard has very old pipes which causes for the flooding. The BP restore act money was for drainage to be corrected on West Turner Road and Lovejoy Loop. https://t.co/oqhdEBJiXx — The City of Prichard (@PrichardPride) March 10, 2018 Gardner also criticized the fact his Mobile-County city was not represented on the 10-member council — which includes Baldwin County Commissioner Frank Burt, Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier, Bayou La Batre Mayor Terry Downey, Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft, Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon, Fairhope Mayor Karin Wilson, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Mobile County Commission President Merceria Ludgood, Alabama State Port Authority Executive Director Jimmy Lyons and former U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner, who is serving as a liaison to Gov. Kay Ivey — that selected the projects. “We got to look at a better way to make sure that everyone has a fair opportunity, beyond someone else suggesting ‘my project is better than your project,’” Gardner added. He is now asking its residents to make use of the public comment period to request funding for Prichard. “Everyone please remember there is a 45-day public comment period. The city of Prichard and a couple of other municipalities did not receive any BP Restore funds. I believe there was a slight disparity in the allocation of the funds + heaviness towards Baldwin and mobile counties,” Tweeted the city person Gardner’s request. Everyone please remember there is a 45-day public comment period. The city of Prichard and a couple of other municipalities did not receive any BP Restore funds. I believe there was a slight disparity in the allocation of the funds + heaviness towards Baldwin and mobile counties. https://t.co/YssnWdjyw1 — The City of Prichard (@PrichardPride) March 10, 2018
$315 million to fund projects in Mobile and Baldwin counties
A $315 million from the RESTORE Act and the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council will help fund projects in southwestern areas of the state. Fifty projects will be given funding for infrastructure, environmental restoration and economic development, AL.com reported. The biggest include $56 million for five major road expansion projects in Baldwin County, $28 million for a new facility at the Port of Mobile, $27 million for projects affecting Dauphin Island’s Aloe Bay and $21 million to redevelop the docks in Bayou La Batre. Funds will also help improve water-sewer systems and eliminate sewage overflows. The money comes from penalties paid by companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The RESTORE Act established a trust fund to hold much of that money aside for “programs, projects, and activities that restore and protect the environment and economy of the Gulf Coast region.” Eliska Morgan, the council’s executive director, said more than 400 projects were submitted by various organizations and government entities. Some that didn’t make the cut will be considered in the future. “There are some really great ones,” Morgan said. “We’ve been working toward this end for some time.” Mobile County had more requests, totaling nearly twice the money as Baldwin County requests. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
