A non-political, professional City Manager would decrease operating expenses by increasing efficiency and improving productivity. With a new form of government, the mayor sits as a voting member of council - not as an elected political executive.  I believe that a political executive, having control over staff, is a fundamental flaw in proper and efficient local

government management.

I brought my financial background, which includes 25 years of managing people and 20 years running a business, to improve fiscal stability and implement planning for our unprecedented growth.  In two short years, I turned around a city running at a $6MM deficit to a nearly self-sufficient state. The ship has been righted because I have empowered directors to do their jobs,

gave them the tools they needed to accomplish it, and hired experienced, non-political professionals.

A political mayor uses daily operations to achieve political "wins", which is what creates the politicization of city staff and operations and fosters unequal treatment depending on whether or not you are an "important" citizen. 

However, when non-political professionals are in charge, things like maintaining private roads, running free sewer lines for new development, and allowing developers to install substandard sewer infrastructure (which leaves citizens footing the bill) no longer happens!

Having two professional civil engineers on staff has saved the city $800k in engineering costs alone in two years. Much of the savings in these departments cannot be quantified, but it certainly shows up in the year-end financials.

Politicians will boast about paying off debt when it has actually been at the expense of putting off critical infrastructure. This administration has managed the budget, personnel, and planning our infrastructure with a collaborative, comprehensive approach. This needs to continue. As the

fastest growing city in the State, we must do better. Let’s vote to get politics out of day-to-day business which has been an issue for almost twenty years.

With the mayor as a voting member of the council and NOT a political executive over city operations, this conflict, which has been at the very heart of Fairhope issues (as it has been in other municipalities) is removed.

If the vote is successful, another savings will be that a future mayor can no longer draw two salaries (one for mayor and one for superintendent of utilities). I did not take the $60k superintendent pay and instead put this toward hiring a much-needed utility manager with 28 years’ experience. Let’s not allow good decisions like this to be reversed.

Do not believe the rumors. Strategic investment in experienced professionals pays off. The last two years is proof!

This fundamental change will require ALL city elected leaders to work together to formulate a vision and strategic direction which a professional city manager is charged with carrying out. No more bickering with the mayor or council. The entire council, mayor included, will rise or fall based on their vision and direction for the city. No blame games - just absolute accountability to ALL citizens.

Voting yes is not about me nor the current council. It’s about our FUTURE.

Let’s not go backward...let’s CONTINUE to move forward. Vote YES for Fairhope on Nov 6th.

Mayor Karin Wilson

Fairhope