ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - As a candidate for Place One of the Orange Beach City Council, Iris Ethridge believes the best is yet to come.

“Many facts of tourism have laid the foundation for financial planning,”Ethridge said. “For decades our city our city depended on the summer season, but thankfully this is no longer true. Our winter guests provide income from November to March, a time of little income in previous years.

“During Mardi Gras we have drive-in revelers who join winter guests and residents. A safe environment is appealing to families with small children. Just before spring we have our Orange Beach Festival of Arts with thousands coming to participate. About March 21 the Spanish mackerel make their spring run and charter fishing gets going.”

Ethridge points out that ball parks are busy with local teams and visitors during spring and summer and that the city has become a sports destination with soccer, baseball and softball tournaments with hundreds of teams participating.

She also says the city hosts the SEC women’s soccer tournament and that sail camps are very popular moving from a program 10 years ago with borrowed boats to having its own center behind the library.

“Our residents and visitors have become acutely aware of the fragile nature of our environment and ecosystems,” she said. “Bird watching has become a favorite recreational activity. On an annual basis more money is spent on bird watching than golf.

“The Backcountry Trail provides a venue for viewing the birds and other wildlife. Many choose to make this trip on a bicycle. Dozens of volunteers help the turtles by protecting their nests and helping the young turtles find their way to the Gulf.”

Ethridge believes the best for Orange Beach is yet to come and she has a plan to see better things for Orange Beach.

“The first step is to share my ideas with the mayor and other councilmembers,” she said. “Each of us comes from a different background and can contribute based on our experiences. The second step would be to inventory the ongoing positive activities and list potential activities.

Ethridge believes the city can become a Christmas holiday destination.

“We have taken some steps, but let’s go all out,” she said. “We now have an event center with unlimited potential. With time and exceptional planning the center can bring cultural events, entertainment and community activities.

“We need to expand our family-oriented activities. For years our excellent restaurants have made Orange Beach a culinary destination.”

Potential problem areas, Ethridge says, include transportation issues, boat launching needs, a middle school for Orange Beach, accessible health care and an organized pool of volunteers. She says the population of retirees in the city is ready and willing to contribute.

Ethridge also points out the popularity of beach weddings in the area and the room for growth there.

“For 30 years I was an educator in Mobile,” she said. “During that time our family visited this area and bought property in the early 1980s. We became full-time residents in 1991 and I have been here to observe for more than three decades of change. In 1992 I became the owner of a small business, Crosstie Charters. For 10 years our business grew and became very successful. In 2002 my first mate, Bill, passed away and life on the Crosstie was never the same.

Ethridge served on the City Council from 1996-2004 and says the city received a recreation center, Adult Activity Center, Tennis Center, Aquatics Center, Justice Center, Library, jail, Sportsplex, Medical Arts Building, Orange Beach Art Center, Waterfront park, Kids Park, purchased the land for Fire Station 2, provided for Orange Beach Elementary School and the Sea, Sand and Stars Museum.

“It was a joy to provide those amenities for our community,” she said. Municipal government is unique and I wanted to learn more. I was the first Orange Beach councilmember to become an advanced certified municipal official.

“To continue my involvement in education, I volunteered on the chamber of commerce education and scholarship committees. I initiated teacher appreciation day in 1994 and that evolved into education appreciation day in 1996.”

Ethridge said she also served as the first president of the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Educational Foundation. And she said she has served as secretary or secretary/treasurer of the Orange Beach Fishing Association. She joined the group in 1990 and in 2009 was recognized as a life member.

In February of 2010 the Chamber of Commerce presented the Distinguished Service award to Ethridge for volunteer activities there.

“As a former educator I understand the school situation,” Ethridge said. “We must provide the best education possible for our children. As a former business owner I understand your good times and your struggles. The thrill of being a successful small business owner is indescribable.

“My many years of volunteering in many aspects of a great community have taught me the value of helping our fellow man. The two terms that I served on the City Council were times of change and accomplishments. We learn from every life experience and I want to serve as the councilmember in Place 1.”