Issues/Priorities

1. Our small town is being lost to over development.

2. City projects are not being effectively managed and fiscal responsibility is lacking or being ignored.

3. Environmental impacts from the Baldwin County Sewer System Fort Morgan treatment center and other environmental concerns.

4. The makeup of the City Council has been the same for over 12 years. It is time for new talent and experiences to be infused into the council.

5. Sand in my Boots (former Hangout Festival)

6. Ensuring Citizens are heard and their questions and concerns are addressed.

My stance on the challenges the city faces:

1)  My biggest issue is we seem to be losing our small town as more and more subdivisions are being built taxing our infrastructure. If we don't act soon, we will have to change the city slogan to big town small beach. A comprehensive study should be conducted immediately looking at how future growth will impact our infrastructure and how much growth it can handle. In the last four years, I have noticed traffic has significantly increased so much that an additional south bound lane was added to Highway 59, however this has not corrected the problem.  On Fort Morgan Road the new & planned subdivisions have already resulted in increased traffic.  Will the schools be able to handle the increased number of students? Can our utility systems handle the increased demand?  To discourage new subdivisions the city should look into higher impact fee to developers that would be used to upgrade the infrastructure for any new approved subdivisions. Another avenue could be to change the zoning requirements for subdivisions requiring larger lots sizes and more green spaces which would reduce the overall number of houses that could be built.

2) The city has had several project failures that have cost the taxpayers a considerable amount of money to be wasted using old outdated procurement methods.

The new judicial center was designed and when it went to bid the construction cost exceeded the amount of funds available. So, the city decided to scrap the new construction project and chose to renovate an existing building which required additional design funding.  I was unable to find out how much was paid for the original design, but for a $20,000,000 construction budget the design fees were most likely about $2,000,000.  At GSA, we had clauses in our design contracts that would have required the design firm (at their cost) to redesign the project to bring it into budget.  In addition to the additional design costs, we also lose buying power from the delays due to inflation.

The new pedestrian bridge was designed over budget as well and required several redesigns until it was finally brought into budget and awarded. Also, the detour route through Meyer Park, which I understand will remain the route to Canal Road when the bridge is complete, is not the best long-term solution. The city should rework the site plan and look at purchasing property on the corner of canal and Hwy 180 and using this land to create a direct connection between Canal Road and Hwy 180.

Before embarking on any major capital projects, the city needs to look into alternative project delivery methods such as design build. Design build is a project delivery method where an entity puts their program of requirements and budget to the marketplace and solicits from a single entity that provide both design and construction under one contract. This approach streamlines the process, fostering collaboration between designers and builders from the outset leading to increased efficiency, cost savings, and faster project completion. When I asked a city project manager about using design build, I was told they were not allowed to use design build in Alabama. After looking into this further HB 90 and HB 91 were signed into law on May 13, 2025, and May 21, 2025, by the Governor. Both pieces of legislation have the potential to spur the development of more design-build projects at the county and municipal levels in Alabama. 

The collapse of the athletic training facility at the new Gulf Shores High School in January has still not been shared with the public, and the recent immigration raid questions the ability of team to successfully managing the project.

And finally, I think a wasteful use of taxpayer funds was the construction of the traffic circle on Regency Road.  I assume it was intended to help with access to the golf course; however, I have used this road daily for the past 4 years and hardly ever see anyone that exits the circle for the Golf Course!

Needed future projects:

In speaking with a few residences who live on West Beach Blvd they have expressed a concern with the poor lighting and pedestrian visibility at night. This is a pretty serious issue, as low light can increase the risk of accidents, especially when people are crossing the road unpredictably.  

I have also heard stormwater management is an issue in some locations in the City.

3) Baldwin County Sewer Service (BCSS) is currently in a legal dispute with the city of Gulf Shores, primarily concerning the Fort Morgan wastewater treatment plant. The core of the conflict revolves around BCSS's attempts to expand the plant and its operations, which Gulf Shores and others have contested due to concerns about capacity, environmental impact, and zoning regulations. The plant is being operated beyond its permitted capacity which raises concerns if the waste water is being properly treated before being released into the aquifers that feed Oyster Bay and Little Lagoon. An unpermitted sludge pond was constructed resulting in odor complaints from nearby residents. Gulf Shores need to continue their actions to move this issue to resolutions as quickly as possible.

4) The Mayor and City Council have been in place for too long without any significant changes.  I believe term limits are healthy and promotes fresh prospective. Long serving members while valued for their experience can become complacent, non-transparent and resistant to changes.  Term limits help guard against this and encourages a continuous focus on improvement.

5) Sand in My Boots Festival and the loss of our beaches for over 3 weeks. I do understand the festival brings revenue to the city. With that said, I do think if the contract is renewed the city needs to negotiate harder and require the following:

- Shorten the amount of time the beach and streets are closed. This may require more crews and longer hours by the promoter.

In addition to a cash payment to the city, the promoter should be required to make some sort of contribution to the city, so the residents can see a tangible benefit to the community from the festival.  For example, the developer could purchase the tract of land adjacent to Mo's landing and create a family friendly facility that contains a playground, picnic pavilions, a kayak launch, fishing pier, dog park, etc.  The improvements could be accomplished in phases over the term of the contract. 

- While there are other public beaches for the Residence to use the parking at those beaches are limited. During the festival when our beaches are closed an arrangement with Gulf State Park should be implemented that allows those with Gulf Shores re-entry stickers to park free of charge.

6) Proposal for Improved Citizen Feedback Follow-Up at City Council Meetings

Over the course of attending numerous city council meetings and work sessions, I’ve noticed a recurring issue: when citizens bring up concerns, questions, or complaints, the response from the council is often a polite "thank you" or a promise that "we will look into it." However, there is typically no visible follow-up at subsequent meetings. This creates frustration and discouragement among residents who want to engage but don’t feel heard.

6) I propose that every public question, concern, or complaint presented during a city council meeting or work session be documented and formally addressed at the following meeting. This can be accomplished by:

1. Maintaining a Public Log – A simple tracking system listing each concern, who raised it, and a brief description.

2. Providing Status Updates – A standing agenda item called “Citizen Follow-Up” where council provides brief updates on each item from the prior meeting.

3. Setting Realistic Timelines – If an issue cannot be resolved by the next meeting, an estimated timeline or next step should still be shared.

4. Publishing Results – Include this follow-up list and updates in the publicly posted meeting minutes or on the city website.

Benefits:

• Increases transparency and builds trust with residents.

• Demonstrates the council’s commitment to accountability.

• Encourages more civic participation when citizens see their input matters.

• Helps council members track outstanding issues more efficiently.

I believe this small but significant change can greatly improve communication between the city and its residents.

I would be interested in hearing any issues, concerns or suggested improvements to our city. Please e-mail me at MarinaccioPlace4@gmail.com or call me at 251-210-2025.