by Rashad Snell

The Baldwin County Commission has told Gov. Robert Bentley that he must remove a new wall just constructed as part of the re-building of the so-called “Governor’s Mansion at the Beach.”

The commission says the wall blocks public access to the beach and intrudes on county right-of-way.

The governor last year diverted $1.8 million from an early partial settlement of the BP oil spill to refurbish the mansion.

State Auditor Jim Zeigler, a strong critic of the mansion project, says the improper wall is “just an example of the mistakes that happen when the Bentley administration is not accountable to anyone.”

“The governor rammed this project through with no notice to the public. It was a done deal before the public or the Baldwin County officials knew anything about it.”

“The rush was so the governor and his guests could use the mansion this summer season. A rush job was done because the governor lost his personal beach properties in his divorce last year.”

“The governor ordered that the refurbishment be finished by the end of May so that he and his guests could use it,” Zeigler said.

“This was a bad use of money available to the state when state parks are closed and needs of Baldwin County residents that were affected by the BP oil spill have not been met.”