Single Tax Colony Meeting for September

     September 10th's meeting started as usual at 6:30pm in the Fairhope Single Tax Colony Library. During the member and lessee portion, one lessee stood and affirmed his preference for land value taxation and questioned why his membership application was denied without a reason given and asked for support from everyone in achieving membership. Pres. Turner continued the meeting without comment at which point an audience spoke and asked for a response which Turner denied. 
     The audience member continued and noted he, along with all other nonmembers, was asked to leave the previous meeting after member/lessee concerns and that he thought this was inappropriate. He stated he had taken the advertised class for membership and in one of the course materials given, Fairhope 1894-1954, on page 96 read: 

"Be it resolved further, that public notice is hereby given that the regular meetings of the council are open to the public, and at such meetings all reasonable suggestions and requests from anyone interested in the public administration of Fairhope will be welcomed and considered by the council."                                   (Minutes, January 18, 1904)

      Director Carol Saltz and Trustee George Gilmore said the creation of the City of Fairhope in 1908 changed this policy. The audience member asked where in writing it changed at which point Pres. Turner said he would be happy to have lunch with the participant the next day to talk about these issues. The audience member said he couldn't understand the resistance to the meetings being public considering how much land is involved and how much the City is involved to which Turner replied, "It's a business, a meeting by members of the business". Pres. Turner then asked Trustee Gilmore to research when the "open to the public" policy changed and all nonmembers then left the meeting.