GULF SHORES, Ala. – It’s official. Gulf Shores

will no longer publish legal notices in The Islander.

The City Council passed an ordinance Jan. 23

to halt the publication in the newspaper after it was tabled

several times for more study and reworking. The city contends there

is no newspaper published in the city, so the requirement regarding

public notices under state law does not apply.

Smaller ads about posted legals will still be

ran in the newspaper directing interested citizens to the city’s

website or to several public places around town where they will be

posted.

“We are going to continue to run ads to direct

people to where they can get the information and notify them that

things are coming about,” Council Steve Jones said. “We will not

have to publish the entire ordinance.”

Sites where notices will be placed are City

Hall, the Adult Activity Center, The Bodenhamer Recreation Center,

Thomas B. Norton Library and on the city’s website.

By current law, any town with a population of

more than 2,000 based on the 1950 census and also has a newspaper

published within its boundaries is legally obligated to post the

information. They are commonly refered to as “legals” and some must

be posted publicly several times before they can be acted on by

city leaders.

It was tabled twice for further discussion,

first in December when Publisher Bill Atkinson of Gulf Coast

Newspapers questioned the ordinance’s legality. Further study by

City Attorney Donald Stewart convinced the council it had the legal

right to halt the publication.

In the Jan. 17 council meeting, Councilman

Jason Dyken questioned if the advertisements should stop cold

turkey or should the city run smaller ads referring to the public

postings.

“I’m personally a little concerned that it

would be kind of a drastic shift without kind of a slow course to

not publishing at all,” Dyken said.

After another reworking, the city will now

publish an ad in the Islander every two weeks stating: The City of

Gulf Shores Ordinance Publication Policy has been revised. Copies

of proposed and/or adopted Ordinances, including Zoning  Ordinance

Amendments, are now posted on the bulletin boards at City Hall, the

Adult Activity Center, Bodenhamer Recreation Center, Library and at

www.gulfshoresal.gov.

In other action, the council OK’d a franchise

to The Steward Group to provide shuttle bus service in the city of

Gulf Shores. According to Jones, Realtor Jim Steward is in charge

of the company.

“He doesn’t have a storefront down here and if

you’re going to be operating on the rights of way you get a

franchise,” Jones said.

Jones also said the focus of the business will

be shuttling visitors from condominiums to restaurants in the

area.