After decades of offering the Baldwin County Fair, the Baldwin County Cattle and Fair Association faces eminent domain proceedings by the City of Robertsdale.
The City is attempting to take 40 acres of land from the Association, where the fair has been held.
Robertsdale mayor Charles Murphy previously told 1819 News the City wants to develop the property for public use. He said the City and the Association were in negotiations and he believed those would end with an agreement.
However, Birmingham attorney Bill Baxley, who is representing the Association, told 1819 News there is no way the mayor believes negotiations are taking place.
“We are not in negotiations,” Baxley confirmed. “They've written us a letter and I wrote them back and told them there wasn't nothing to negotiate. It's not for sale at any price.”
“There's nothing at all to negotiate with them, nothing,” Baxley said. “I wrote them a letter and told them we are not selling any of our property. We're not doing it. We don't think legally they've got a right to acquire it by eminent domain, but if they do, we're going to fight it all the way.”
Baxley said the move is government overreach at its finest.
“My hunch is they want to try to put the Cattle and Fair Association out of business and put on a fair themselves and take over our property,” he said. “There are absolutely no ifs, ands or buts, there’s an overreach.”
“And they don’t know anything about putting on a fair,” he added. “It's not something you can just wake up and get out of bed and do. You've got to know the business. You've got to know the people that are in it.”
Baxley said his clients have over 70 years of experience in the fair business.
The Baldwin County Fair and Cattle Association has also filed a lawsuit against Robertsdale for “unjust enrichment.”
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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