12/26/09:
Bienville flooded by Gulf overwash, west of St. Stephens
Click
the arrow to view some of the flooding on Bienville yesterday- just
west of St. Stephens. Video footage courtesy of Mr. Marion Laney.
After
watching this, you might be inclined to ask what the Mayor and Town
Council are doing about this . . . . The answer, unfortunately, is
"nothing". There is no emergency plan, there is no request for funding,
there isn't even an effort to put the sand cleared from roads back on
the shoreline. There is a "study" underway . . . but there is not
interim plan to do anything to save the west end.
So, we have
formed a "West-end Task-force" to address the situation. There IS a way
to fix this situation, and to keep the West End viable until a
shoreline stabilization and renourishment plan happen . . . . but we
need your help. Please watch the video, and then send us an email to let us know you want to help.
12/10/10:
A month after Tropical Storm Ida, the Town is still hoping for a "Disaster" declaration . . . . at what cost?
As you'll recall, the storm known as Ida passed through here on 11/9. The Town crews did a great job of clearing the roads and piling up the sand. Unfortunately, that sand is disappearing, when it could be protecting the 47 homes that are now touching the water.
Why have we not put the sand back where it could be protecting these homes? Well, in short, because the Mayor and two members of the Town Council decided not to.
The Mayor will likely tell you that they are waiting for FEMA to declare us a "disaster" but we need to protect our resources in the meantime . . . He will also tell you that Dr. Scott Douglass doesn't support the idea, but Dr. Douglass is not an elected official, and has not been present at a Town Council meeting to discuss the matter.
Are we just to stand by and watch this happen? Of course not! Make your voice heard . . . . contact us to learn how to help: (251)-455-1159
No Plan, No Help from Town Hall
As you may or may not be aware, the storms of the past month have destroyed another 30 feet of beach or more; right now, there are 47 houses in the water on the West End; this does not include those lots that were under water since Katrina.
If you haven’t been down there in the past month, the difference is truly shocking. From what we can determine, we have lost over 100 feet of south shoreline in the past three years. This is truly a crisis. As such, we have begun referring to the area not as the “West End” but as the “Crisis Area”.
So, the logical question is, “What is the Town doing about this”?
Two Council members (Steve Denmark and Clinton Collier) tried to pass a very common-sense measure, which would have allowed the Town to use Town equipment to push the wash-over sand back where it came from (routine practice in Gulf Shores). Unfortunately, members Lisa, Mary and Jeff Collier would not support this measure (Sherry did not attend).
The other measure proposed also would have asked the Alabama Attorney General to decide if North side homeowners (who wanted sand removed) could give it to their south-side neighbors who need it. This measure, supported by Clinton and Steve was also stonewalled by Lisa, Mary, and Mayor Collier.
Mayor Collier’s reasoning for not taking action? He had “spoken with Dr. Douglass, who doesn’t like the idea of putting the sand back on the beach” and so voted to do nothing.
While (Dr.) Scott Douglass knows a lot about beaches, he is not an elected official. He is not part of the Town Public Works department, and he was not present at the meeting to discuss the matter with affected homeowners.
And, so, with this convenient excuse, the Mayor and the Town Council are doing absolutely nothing at this point to save the West End Crisis Area.
If you think the Town should obtain a waiver from Municipal Code 94, allowing the Town to put sand back on the shoreline, please call and/or email your Mayor and Council Members and let them know they need to support a waiver from Municipal Code 94.
To send an email to the Town Council and Mayor Jeff Collier, click here
Town Council and Mayor's phone numbers
12/08/09:
47 Houses are currently in danger of being lost.
That's right . . . 47 houses had a "wet piling" today, according to our unofficial but seemingly accurate count. Those houses are worth, by our most conservative guess, around $25 Million. Those houses also likely provide about $300,000 of the Town's budget, in the form of Lodging Tax, Sales, Tax and Ad Valorem (property) taxes. These numbers don't even count the houses/lots that are in the water from Katrina.
The Mayor has admitted that the Town has no Plan for the West End, no Money designated for the West End, and noting currently in the pipeline for the West End.
Folks, we need you to be at the Town meeting on 12/14. The future of our Island may well depend on it. Please email us or call (800) 771-1480 for info.
12/04/09:
Some thoughts on the "Crisis Area" on the west end
Those of us with properties in the "critical area" are realizing that we don't have 4 or 5 years to wait for yet another study, and to raise the $30- $40 million it will take for an engineered beach. IN the meantime, our beach houses, and the property under them, will be lost forever.
The current Mayor and previous Town Council have wasted 4 or 5 valuable years . . . . We have to move quickly, right now, in order to save what is left, or there will be no "west end" to study and engineer.
Some of the "common knowledge" regarding grants, funding, permitting, etc that has been circulating as "fact" for a number of years are not necessarily true. Many of these "barriers" to solving west end problems have never been explored with any intensity; as soon as there was any resistance, they completely backed off. There have been many missed opportunities to mitigate the damage over the past five years, while meanwhile, other communities have been taking care of their endangered coastline.
Did you know, for example, that Gulf Shores routinely puts the sand that is displaced by storms right back on the private property it came from? That's right- the sand piled up south of Bienville could have been put back under our houses, where it came from. It's a simple waiver to obtain, but one the Town Council and the Mayor just voted the other night not to pursue.
Did you also know that, over the past five years, we have not asked for any money to take emergency action to minimize the damage to the West End, until a beach renourishment project can be obtained (such as an offshore jetty to break up wave action, dredging sand to build our own berm, or putting a hardened sea wall, or groin at some point? Yes, that's true as well.
12/03/09: A visit today from Frazier Payne, on behalf of Congressman Jo Bonner's office; Town officials conspicuously absent.
Frazier Payne, a Field Representative from Congressman Bonner's office, came to the Island today to meet with Dauphin Island folks and hear our concerns. Congressman Bonner, you will recall, has requested a $1.5 million FY 2010 federal appropriation for Dauphin Island to fund a beach re-nourishment engineering feasibility study. Congressman Bonner also serves on the Appropriations Committee.
Unfortunately, the Mayor did not appear at the meeting. Neither did any of the Town Council representatives. Thankfully, two DIPOA members were present (Glenn Coffee and Capt. Jack Gaines) and a few concerned property owners (Nancy Meyer and Lisa Jones).
These folks asked Mr. Payne to accompany them to the West End Critical Area, where he was shocked to see the profound loss of land that has occurred this year.
12/02/09: Very disturbing Town Council Meeting:
During the Agenda meeting on Monday, and the Council Meeting on Tuesday night, some rather disturbing developments were revealed:
1) The Council will not authorize placing the sand moved during tropical storm Ida back where it came from, even though a whole new tier of houses is now encroached upon by the Gulf.
2) The Council voted to renew the contract of lobbyist Rod Grimm, who is paid $125,000. per year, but has produced only one small grant for $400K.
3) The Council voted to not renew the Contract of ERIS (Liberty) for an equal amount, although they have brought in nearly $4 million dollars during the same time period.
Even more disturbing is the fact that the one grant brought in by Mr. Grimm will be given to a contractor (WRSCompass) without going through the competitive bid process, although they have not done this type of work before. Why not put it out for bid? Ask the Mayor.
When pressed by a local resident as to why such a large contract would not be put out out for competitive bidding, the Mayor stated that he was told by NOAA that competitive bidding "wasn't required", which would seem to contradict both published law, and common sense.
4) After the Agenda Meeting, the Mayor, when pressed by a resident to answer questions regarding the critical situation on the West end, revealed that there is currently no plan to save the West End, that there is no monies, no studies and no projects currently in the works to save the West End.
Folks, the West End is disappearing rapidly, and there is nothing really being done about it, except trying to raise money for another "study". There will not be anything left to study in another year or two. The time has come for action; is the Mayor and Council up to the task? It sure doesn't look like it to me.
11/30/09:
Hartman & DIPOA v. Army Corp of Engineers suit settled.
The Judge has decided to accept the settlement, as per the second amendment to the Agreement.
In other news, Bill Harper has resigned as POA President. Bruce Jones has assumed the position of DIPOA President, VP is now Jay Minus. Welcome to the new DIPOA President.
Read Bruce's letter to the POA membership.
9/02/09:
Are you part of the class-action lawsuit settlement? You might be . . . . without knowing it.
There are 1700 property owners who had opted-in in 2006 to be Class Members of the Corps of Engineers Lawsuit. Click here to see if your name is listed.
In addition, there are 238 property owners who may be unaware they are part of this Class Action Settlement, because they had purchased a property whose previous Owner had already opted "in".
The "Fairness Hearing" is scheduled for Sept. 15, 2009
As
a reminder, the Fairness Hearing is scheduled for September 15, 2009,
starting at 1:00 p.m. The hearing will be held at the United States
District Courthouse, 113 Saint Joseph Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602.
Please attend, if at all possible, especially if you objected to the Proposed Second Addendum.
8/14/09: DIPOA Meeting goes into double-overtime
There were many issues addressed during a meeting that ran for more than 3 hours in length, including some rather spirited opinions. Many Owners have concerns regarding the terms of the proposed Settlement, and we will post a more detailed summary in the upcoming days, but the most important items are summarized below:
The attorney representing the approximately 1,700 Property Owners who are participating in the Class-Action lawsuit against the Army Corp of Engineers made a presentation explaining the history of the lawsuit, and the Settlement Agreement reached between the parties last week.
- The Settlement Agreement has been signed by the three parties involved; Mr. Hartman, who brought the suit, the POA, on behalf of the Owners represented in the "Class Action" (basically, owners who opted to join the suit, back in 2006) and the US Government, on behalf of the Corp of Engineers.
- The Settlement does not become effective until approved by a Judge, and the Judge will not approve the proposed Settlement until after a "Fairness Hearing" is held on September 15, 2009, in order to let those of us who are affected by this Settlement to have our say on the matter. The Judge could decide to approve the settlement or reject the settlement. Likewise, any of the three parties who signed the Settlement Agreement could decide to reject the Agreement at that point, too.
- Notices were to be mailed out to all Owners today, notifying them of the terms of the proposed settlement, along with a form to mark "Yes" or "No" to indicate whether the Owner agrees with the settlement, or not, and also a form to fill out if the Owner wishes to address the Court during the hearing to be held on September 15, 2009
Responding to concerns voiced by Property Owners, the attorney distributed a document showing a change in the placement of a sentence regarding 5th Amendment property rights. See the settlement document change handout.
These
concerns revolve around a portion of the agreement that requires
Dauphin Island Property Owners to agree not to sue the US Government or
the State of Alabama for land lost due to dredging/dumping practices in
the past, and in the future.
We are in the process of gathering more information about what this really means, and will report back with more information.
Other items addressed during the meeting:
- DIPOA Email List
- DIPOA Website
- DIPOA Scholarship Fund
- DIPOA Boat Launch under consideration
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .more later . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8/13/09 DIPOA Meeting tonight, 6 pm at the Clubhouse
8/12/09 Town Hall Meeting- Location Changed In anticipation of a good turnout, the Town Hall meeting with Congressman Jo Bonner will now be held at the Catholic Church, on August 17, from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
8/11/09: Questions arise about the proposed settlement with the Corp of Engineers
It is very important that Dauphin Island Owners learn how the details of the proposed settlement affects you personally and the property you own.
After
a conversation with Richard Davis, attorney, who represented the POA in
the lawsuit, it was confirmed that, that as an individual owner, you
will be giving up all rights- past, present and future, to sue the Corps of Engineers, The United States, and the State of Alabama against all liabilities including the loss of our property due to future beach erosion caused by the Corps of Engineers.
Based the settlement, we will be giving up our rights, under the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, for taking property without compensation under the Just Compensation Clause. In essence, every property owner on Dauphin Island will be giving up their property rights for a total of $1.5 million, or about $1,000 or less per Owner.
The DIPOA has posted a link to this agreement here:
Settlement with the Corp
8/5/09: Reminder . . . . meet with Congressman Bonner!
Congressman Jo Bonner Town Hall Meeting: Congressman Jo Bonner is scheduled to hold a Town Hall meeting on Monday, August 17 from 1:30 to 2:30 in the Council Chambers.
We need to enough people in attendance so that Congressman Bonner
understands the urgency and critical nature of our concern about the
restoration of our beaches. This will be the first time, and
possibly the last, that you will have an opportunity to talk directly
with Congressman Bonner about the issues of greatest concern to you
regarding Dauphin Island and South Mobile County.
WE NEED A HEAVY TURN OUT. PLEASE JOIN US!
A settlement has been reached in the lawsuit against the Army Corp of Engineers
The DIPOA has posted a link to this agreement here:
Settlement with the Corp
The gist of it appears to be a one-time $1.5 million dollar payout to the DIPOA and a pledge to dump dredged sand where it will do the least harm, or the most good. More on this after we have had a chance to analyze it more thoroughly.
In the next two weeks, you will have an opportunity to help in the effort to save the west end of our Island . . . . and all it will cost is a few stamps!
Here's what you need to know:
1) The Corp of Engineer's Report for the restoration of the barrier islands that make up the Mississippi Sound has entered the Public Comment Period. As you may be aware- they plan to spend up to a half-billion dollars to restore uninhabited islands just west of Dauphin Island, but ignores Dauphin Island completely, even though much of the sand for this project will come from Alabama!
2) Congressman Jo Bonner is scheduled to hold a Town Hall meeting for August 17
from 1:30 to 2:30 in the Council Chambers. This may be our only
opportunity to make Congressman Bonner aware that the West End is at a
critical moment in time, and encourage him to use his position to help
us save the west end of Dauphin Island.
Details are below- thank you for your support!
1. Corps of Engineer’s Final Report Public Comment period: The Corps of Engineers has completed its final report for the MsCIP Comprehensive Barrier Island Restoration Plan and it is now under a 30-day public review. Comments are to be submitted by 29 July to the Corps’ Washington Office.This public comment period offers us an important opportunity to provide our comments about the exclusion of Dauphin Island directly to the Corps’ Washington office. Many of you have taken the time to write letters to our congressional representatives asking for Dauphin Island to be included in the Barrier Island Restoration Plan and you should be commended for your effort.
Why is this important?
The original Congressional language that authorized the MsCIP restricted the study area to coastal Mississippi. Since Dauphin Island is an integral component of the Mississippi Sound barrier island chain and is the source of sand for the down-drift Mississippi islands, when the Corps made the decision to prepare the Comprehensive Barrier Island Restoration Plan, the study authority should have been amended to include Dauphin Island in the Plan. This would have allowed a truly “comprehensive” approach to restoration of the barrier islands. Thus, the study authority language is defective and the resulting restoration plan is incomplete.
The full report can be viewed: http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/pa/MsCIP/. See pages 59 - 66 Chapter 6: Multi-Agency Mississippi Barrier Island Restoration Recommendation Appendix H concerning General Introduction, Background, Impacts and Long Term Restoration Action
Individually, we have an opportunity to provide our comments to the Corps that Dauphin Island should be included in the Mississippi Coastal Barrier Island Improvements project.
Please be sure to make a written "comment" encouraging them to include Dauphin Island in this project:
Headquarters, U.S Army Corps of Engineers
ATTN: CECW-P (IP)
7701Telegraph Road
Alexandria, VA22315-3860
Would you like a "head start" on your letter to the Corp? Just click the link below for a letter you can modify and send in.
Send a Letter to the Corp of Engineers
I would suggest copies of your letter be sent to Congressman Bonner and Senator Shelby (addresses are provided).
2. Congressman Jo Bonner Town Hall Meeting: Congressman Jo Bonner is scheduled to hold a Town Hall meeting on August 17 from 1:30 to 2:30 in the Council Chambers.
We need to enough people in attendance so that Congressman Bonner
understands the urgency and critical nature of our concern about the
restoration of our beaches. This will be the first time, and
possibly the last, that you will have an opportunity to talk directly
with Congressman Bonner about the issues of greatest concern to you
regarding Dauphin Island and South Mobile County.
WE NEED A HEAVY TURN OUT. PLEASE PUT THAT DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR.
. . . . . . . . . . .6/24: Help could be on the way . . . . if we act now!
Folks, decisions are being made right now in Washington, DC that could help save our Island from disappearing, but we need your help to make it happen . . .
Last Thursday, Congress voted to fund the Mississippi Barrier Island Restoration Plan, in effect appropriating $439 million to restore the barrier islands that make up the Mississippi Sound.
Though Dauphin Island is considered to be one of the main barrier islands in that chain of barrier islands, no money has been allocated for Dauphin Island!
It is crucial that we contact our elected Representatives now and request their support to ensure Dauphin Island is included in this project!
We are providing the addresses and links to all of the Alabama Representatives below, in addition to a sample letter that we hope you will personalize and send in promptly!
For those properties owners who do not live in Alabama, a link has been provided for you concerning all congressional and senate representatives for all states.
You can go to this link for information about your specific Congressman, Congresswoman or Senator:
http://directory.usayfoundation.org/
If
you would like to read more about this, you can go to the following
link to see the full text of an article about the approval for the
billion defense appropriation and the money that has been approved for
the Barrier Island Restoration:
Update: 6/23/09
The next Town Council "Agenda Meeting" is scheduled for Monday, July 6 and the regular Town Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 7, 2009.
Glen Coffee will discuss two topics, as part of his regular update to the Council, that are important to POA property owners. He would like to see as many property owners to attend the meetings, especially West End Property Owners since they have so much at stake. The agenda meeting is important because that is when the real discussions on issues take place.
The two topics Glen will address are:
- Actions that can be taken to place further pressure on Congressman Bonner and Senator Shelby, including setting up a future forum requesting attendance of Congressman Jo Bonner and possibly others.
- Request that the Town reconsider its relationship with its Washington lobbyist who has been retained to help get a beach restoration project in view of last week's Congressional vote to provided $439,000,000 to restore Mississippi's barrier islands, and "$0" for Alabama's lone barrier island. The lobbyist did not inform the Town that the legislation was pending.
Update: 6/21/09
Our best bet for beach restoration . . . . . Mississippi Barrier Island Restoration passes vote in Congress.
Update: 5/24/09
High surf, south wind combine to cause flooding on Bienville Blvd. Road is passable to the West End.
Did anyone else take any photos of the high water problems experienced in this
weekend's storm that affected the West End homes and road? DIPOA Rep. Glen Coffee would
like to include some recent photos of this problem in a PowerPoint presentation
he is developing for a Corps of Engineer’s meeting in June and for our future
meetings with our Congressional representatives. They can be sent to him by clicking here: email DIPOA Rep Glen
Coffee.
Update: Town meeting held last night to discuss the proposed Bienville berm
Click here to read about it
Just Arriving?
Thanks
for joining us here. The purpose of this site is to ensure that Dauphin
Island Property Owners can stay informed about important developments
on the Island . . . and to work together to ensure the protection and
survival of our Island.
Two recent developments have made obvious the need for Owners to stay informed; the most important is a proposal by Alabama Emergency Management Authority to put a berm alongside the south right-of-way of Bienville Blvd . . . . without north-south vehicle crossovers, effectively "walling-off" the homes on the south side of Bienville.
While
the idea of trying to protect Bienville Blvd from washovers is
important, "walling off" 169 properties south of the road is not. There
has been discussion about a single-lane gravel road to run along the
berm, but that would not support utilities, fire rescue, or garbage
trucks. The resulting slow decline of the West End would be inevitable,
and might expose the Town to numerous lawsuits.
There will be a Public meeting on May 13, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. to discuss this proposal. You can read the Mayors' letter about this by clicking here: Read the Mayor's letter
When
we first reported this development on our site on April 27th, there was
no communication forthcoming from the Town or POA on the subject. Your
inquiries to our elected Officials have helped bring this very
important matter "into the open".
Unfortunately, not all Owners
are aware that this is being contemplated, so please, make sure
everyone you know is aware of this upcoming meeting.
Update 5/09/09:
DIPOA Election results are in . . .
Our newest representatives are:
Glen Coffee
Jack Gaines
Jay Minus
Important Reminder-
There
is a grass-roots effort underway to get Dauphin Island added to an
effort to restore the Islands that form the Mississippi Sound.
Please read Glen Coffee's excellent letter. The Governor has added his support to this effort, and we need your help to get our Congressman "on board".
Update: 5/05/09:
Notes from Town Council Agenda meeting
Click here to read them.
Update: 5/04/09:
The Calendar on the Town's Website now shows the very important meeting concerning FEMA's proposed Bienville Levee.
The meeting will be on Wednesday, May 13th, at 6:00 pm at St. Edmonds by the Sea Parish Hall to discuss issues/options/alternatives pertaining to the ongoing West End berm appeals process.
Update: 5/01/09:
The Mobile Press-Register is now running the story, with an interview with Mayor Collier. Here's a Link to the article
What no one has mentioned, though, is why we didn't get the real berm that was engineered and approved by FEMA last year . . . . It had a "shelf" area that extended into the Gulf, then had the berm itself, and then a sloping drop-off into the water that was designed to absorb wave energy.
Compare their drawing with what we actually got last year.
Here's a link:
The 2007 Berm, as designed (but not what we got!).
Update: 4/30/09
The Town has confirmed what we have reported here. It's as ugly as we thought. The good news is that because of your inquiries, this issue is being talked about publicly.
Here is a link to view the Mayor's West Beach Update
Update: 4/28/09
One Town Council member has suggested that there be a gravel road running east-west along the south side of the proposed levee.
Update: 4/27/09
Goodbye, West End?
There are plans in the works right now to "wall off" everything south of Bienville, and not have any roads maintained to any property south of Bienville.
Unbelievable? You bet, but it's true. We have verified this through conversations with the Mayor, and some members of Town Council. They plan to vote this month on a plan to construct a levee or berm on or near Bienville Blvd. There would NOT be a way for Owners to access their properties south of Bienville . . . . No Trash pickup, no fire rescue, nothing. Unbelievable, but true.
One member of the Town Council has suggested running a single-lane gravel road along the south side of the levee
See it HERE
We'll be posting more information soon on how you can get involved to save our Island. Please sign up for our email list if you haven't already.
We've invited the Mayor to post some information here, but he has declined to do so.
There will then be a Public Meeting on 5/13, but will they have already made up their minds? Will the Town Council have voted on it? Let's all be at the Town Council meeting to be sure.
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Flooding on Bienville Blvd. due to high surf and south winds
Today, parts of Bienville were completely covered by a foot or more of water. Strangely enough, many west-end side streets were dry, yet Bienville itself was flooded.
Update: 4/20/09
The survival of our Island is being discussed right now, and we need to help. Please read this informative letter, written by Mr. Glen Coffee:
Dear Neighbors,
I don't know how much you know about the Corps' Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program Study (MsCIP) and the Comprehensive Barrier Island Restoration Plan so permit me to explain.
To summarize, the MsCIP Study was authorized by Congress to restore conditions in the three coastal Mississippi Counties that were adversely impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The Comprehensive Barrier Island Restoration Plan is a product of the MsCIP Study and directs repairs of erosion damage to the chain of barrier islands that form Mississippi Sound. As you know, Dauphin Island is the lead island in the chain and all of the sand that feeds the chain of islands originates from Dauphin Island, which in turns gets the sand from the Fort Morgan peninsula. However, Dauphin Island is not presently included in the barrier island restoration plan. If we can get Dauphin Island added to this effort, the engineering studies that would be performed offer a lot of promise in helping address the Island's coastal erosion problems at no cost to the Town. The attached letter that the Town sent to Gov Riley asking him to intervene on our behalff sums up the issues and explains why Dauphin Island needs to be added to the Comprehensive Barrier Island Restoration Plan.
Also attached are the letters that Gov Riley sent in turn to Alabama's Congressional delegation conveying his support to have Mobile County and Dauphin Island added to the MsCIP. The next step needed is for our Congressional representatives to take the necessary action to have Mobile County and Dauphin Island added to the MsCIP.
We have successfully developed a wide support base that is expanding everyday and involves more interest off the Island than on it. We have political interests, academic institutions, environmental organizations, commercial interests, and regular citizens like you and I getting behind this effort. We plan to eventually meet with Congressman Bonner and Senators Session and Shelby to show them the strong support base behind this need.
We are also trying to get the residents on Dauphin Island and the absentee owners of property on our Island to send letters to our Congressional interests. Attached is the letter we have drafted requesting our immediate Congressional delegation to take action to have Dauphin Island included in the Comprehensive Barrier Island Restoration Plan.
While Gov. Riley's letter is a major step forward, our Congressional representatives now need to act. We as constituents need to show them our support for this effort by sending letters telling them how important it is to include Dauphin Island in the Comprehensive Barrier Island Restoration Plan. To make it easy for our folks to send letters, the proposed letter includes the addresses of Congressman Bonner and Senators Sessions and Shelby. The letter could also be sent to other Alabama members to Congress. Property owners living in other States may wish to write their Congressman as well. For property owners living in Mississippi, Congressman Gene Taylor is a key person. It would be helpful for each property owner to "tweak" the letter to convey their personal thoughts, etc. so that it does not look like a form letter.
Our goal is to flood our Congressman's offices with letters on this matter. Please take the time to take the appropriate action. I'm sending you this message with the hope that you will pass this informaton along to anyone who may help in these efforts. Please send me an electronic copy of the letters you mail so we can include them in a "briefing package" that we will use to handcarry these guys in the near future in a meeting(s) with them. It would be great to have a thick book of letters that were sent to them on this matter.
This started out as a "grass roots" effort. I have been surprised at how it has taken off in much less than 2 months. Thanks.
Glen Coffee
Project Manager/Biologist
Discovery Services, LLC
407 Diard Circle
Dauphin Island, AL 36528
251/861-7475
251/861-7475 fax
251/599-6925 cell
Please join this effort by sending letters to our elected representatives. Click here to get started and feel free to modify them to make them more personal.
Archives
Update: 4/7/09
Notes from Town Council meeting:
The
signage has arrived for parking on the west end. Both public parking
signs and No parking signs. The public areas are going to be heavily
patrolled. Tickets will be issued if illegally parked. The illegally
parked cars will not be given a warning sticker. There is only going to
be 9 parking spots on Raphael Semmes.
No
Repairs planned for bike path on the west end. This was funded by
either FEMA or the state. There will be improvements to the bike path
on the east end of the island.
3 New highway billboards are going up in Mobile, Birmingham and Montgomery. This is to promote the islands tourism.
Fourth
of July Fireworks- discussion took place as to where to have the
fireworks. 2 possible sites are the public beach area or on the new
west end beach. If approved on the west end, there are 220 parking
spots for guests and also 2 city shuttles to transport people from the
public beach area to the west end. The town would have to close traffic
going westbound, just after the fireworks, to get people off the west
end. They are also considering having a band or something for people to
do after the fireworks, to alleviate traffic congestion.
We now have 2 new public buses on the island. These buses will service the entire island on a daily schedule.
There
are 8 properties on the island that have been deemed, a hazard. These
houses were damaged in Katrina. The city has decided to give notice
that these houses will need to be brought up to code. The time line of
the notice was not determined but will between 30 to 90 days. The city
has been patient and has tried to help with the federal process but
there has been no forward progress in 4 years.
The equipment
that is needed to maintain the side of the roads has been broken down.
This is now repaired and we should start seeing an improvement to the
grass / weeds on the roadside.
Mayor Collier requests Dauphin Island be added to the $1 Billion coastal rebuilding program
As
many of you are no doubt aware, The Federal Government has authorized
the Corp of Engineers to perform more than a billion dollars in coastal
work, including $477 million to rebuild the unpopulated barrier islands
of Horn, Ship and Petit Bois to fight erosion.
Unbelievably, Dauphin Island was not to be included in this program!
The
Mayor is asking for Governor Riley's help in getting Congress to
authorize the inclusion of Dauphin Island into this project. Here is a
link to an article in today's Mobile Press Register about it.
Hopefully, this plan will gain traction. We have offered to help in any way possible to make this happen.
Well done, Mr. Mayor!
-------------
Projects Manager- Joyce Allen jallen@townofdauphinisland.org Phone:
251-861-5525
Dauphin Island POA:
Mayor
Hon. Jeff Collier
jcollier@townofdauphinisland.org
(251) 861-5525
Place 1
Hon. Steve Denmark
sdenmark@townofdauphinisland.org
Place 2
Hon. Mary Thompson
mthompson@townofdauphinisland.org
Place 3
Hon. Lisa Hansen
lhansen@townofdauphinisland.org
Place 4
Hon. Sherry Carney
scarney@townofdauphinisland.org
Place 5
Hon. Clinton Collier
ccollier@townofdauphinisland.org
1.
BILL HARPER , PRESIDENT
1302
Chaumont Ave.
Dauphin Island, Alabama, 36528
Home 251 861 2642
Cell
251 244 7656
whharper@centurytel.net2.
TOM BRENNAN, VICE
PRESIDENT
703 Huitres Street
Dauphin Island, AL 36528
Home 251 861
7254
thepelicaneye@centurytel.net
3.
Philip Fuselier –
Secretary
1113 Jena St.
New Orleans, LA 70115
Home
504-895-7363
Cell 504-450-9116
pntnola@aol.com 4.
BRUCE THOMPSON,
TREASURER
309 Quivera Street
Dauphin Island, Alabama 36528
Home 251
861 5747
Cell 251 259 7253
bruthomp61@aol.com
5.
David Connolly
P.O. Box
1058
Dauphin Island, AL 36528
Home 251 861 3054
Cell 251 609
4559
pelicnpb@verizon.net6.
Pam McDermott
PO
Box 635
Dauphin Island, AL 36528
251-861-2250 (H)
251-753-7490
(C)
pampilot1@centurytel.net
7.
Jim Druhan
3667 Claridge Rd.
N.
Mobile, AL 36608
251-861-7324 (DI)
251-344-5092 (H)
251-422-6696
(C)
jdru56@aol.com8.
BRUCE JONES
PO Box
43525
Birmingham, Alabama 35243
Home 205 305
9122
jone93@bellsouth.net
9.
ROBIN LINN
237 Seapointe
Loop
Dauphin Island, Alabama 36528
Home 251 861 3193
Cell 251 533
3578
robin@acpinfo.com
Thank you for your interest and dedication to preserving the Dauphin Island community!