[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6256036,"mediaKeyId","3159727-df54ac047154e8a4d7e00d7ff0e7862e","parentId",3159727,"title","Gas department raises concern over 17.5% inspection overrun, proposes customer credits to expand service","audioSeconds",161,"startMs",1893395,"endMs",2055020,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3159727-df54ac047154e8a4d7e00d7ff0e7862e&start=1893&end=2055","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3159727-df54ac047154e8a4d7e00d7ff0e7862e/thumbnail_1893395.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6256036/Fairhope-City/Baldwin-County/Alabama/Gas-department-raises-concern-over-175-inspection-overrun-proposes-customer-credits-to-expand-service","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6256036-dc9bada3fa2ad2cce46892ab8d342448/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206852&Signature=RuhjJBgy1s4G1flL1GPV5SetORL9XRieq4q1fLu0BFSXJHqPz9sXqeMaXKTnNI4Ttk91GSOUol8Hream4v10xIn9ZSGY3Hi7noe71cmox2LOR~xZJl5B4IQPU~l3Lmk0QVX0V1JChMInG~Upl2BZCnrieIz-WUT6C9CuWHb3UnHWNeV2-zqRSMCxXADo06E7Id6RhZNO0gafOfyfysFWG68ImAQ9xgvCBuMpaSls~AiPvOtAqqRx-AWof0dviNog~D52jQ~v2ZH55UZQ0nnf9hs~RLn0PkBIXbGfzmE5qjRnrbxYFDn1t1kR7CcVoRf~~-apWhdBO~uwnH9sdGwc4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fairhope City, AL","date","2025-04-30T20:30:18.44Z","article","Wes, representing Fairhope's gas department, told the work session that two agenda items (12 and 13) were being removed so the council could consider them later after more investigation. Item 13 involved a $175,832 invoice that Wes said represented approximately a 17.5 percent increase over the original contract price; department staff said the overrun was driven by inspection fees tied to extended project timelines, not construction costs.

Wes asked the council to consider tabling the payment and to let staff investigate. \"Everything that happens in the gas department is my fault,\" he said, adding that the department had reviewed invoices to confirm billed work was completed. An unnamed councilmember pressed the point: \"That seems like a lot,\" referring to the 17.5 percent increase. Council members agreed to remove the two items from the agenda and requested further investigation before authorizing payment.

Wes explained the contract structure to the council: the contract included a \"not to exceed\" provision and an escalator clause, but the escalator in the contract would only allow modest increases (the department referenced a 3 percent cap in portions of the contract). Council members said they would weigh whether to pay the overage and whether to continue using the contractor; one said the council should consider whether it wants to hire the vendor again.

The gas department also presented a proposal to make its service more competitive in areas where investor-owned utilities and neighboring municipal systems offer incentives. Staff described a potential customer credit system tied to appliances: a $100 credit for a major, year-round appliance (examples cited included water heaters, stoves, furnaces) and $50 for smaller or seasonal installations. Wesley (Wes) and staff discussed verification procedures and recommended final-inspection verification before any credit is applied to an account. \"We only offer this in an area that's competitive,\" Wes said, noting the program would be designed to be equitable for homeowners and the city.

Council members and staff discussed implementation challenges: credits versus rebates, how to verify that appliances are actually installed (rough-in inspections can be gamed; final inspection and evidence were recommended), and how credits would apply in subdivisions where developers, not owners, might initially control connections. Staff noted meter-deposit and service-fee arrangements in the existing ordinance (currently a $300 service fee and $100 meter deposit) and preferred front-end credits applied to accounts over post-hoc rebates for administrative simplicity.

Other gas-department updates included installation of a new odorizer at the gate station as a safety improvement and notice of a federal audit of the department scheduled for May 14--15. Staff said the odorizer is installed and operational and that the department is prepared for the federal audit.

Action taken: council members agreed by consensus to strike agenda items 12 and 13 from the current agenda and directed staff to investigate the invoice overrun and return with findings before any payment is approved.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Fairhope City Council Work Session April 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Fairhope's gas department asked the council to remove two agenda items after a contractor invoice showed about $175,832 in inspection overages (a 17.5% increase over the original price). Department staff also proposed a customer-credit program to attract new customers and discussed recent safety and audit updates.","taxTitle","Fairhope City, Baldwin County, Alabama","taxId",51162,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6256041,"Auditors give Fairhope an unmodified opinion; city assets and restricted funds rise, single-audit flags airport reporting timing",877,772290,1650185,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3159727-df54ac047154e8a4d7e00d7ff0e7862e&start=772&end=1650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3159727-df54ac047154e8a4d7e00d7ff0e7862e/thumbnail_772290.jpg","/articles/6256041/Fairhope-City/Baldwin-County/Alabama/Auditors-give-Fairhope-an-unmodified-opinion-city-assets-and-restricted-funds-rise-single-audit-flags-airport-reporting-timing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6256041-31935b565667ff0cca23e1e0df7d5b79/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206852&Signature=G4DarPlPWRWuui2E5Rv8bXenj8xHC7VnjBRt3MILXDshTG-40Uyp0TiLw60EJXrTFA8vyFjIdYBAae7yxD1OWmiK-wB9G82uBVhvDY790~VXYVHQiuRTdERrA9m~MreKBF8-eYcvRf4PQYDRl0YfR~kTNC92Oibd0P1ZvwZFEyVrigLIgj02EMRDpy98wNSul476C4fxLgd3trlzkiOAQ3H~qCV66jGL5VbbBbtXeXEab2o0t6zQKxxTdUlIXQQh4T90H1Y8SbbS~Vfjqfs14KUAOMKikJtNvbZDrkjpuyLBdci9IiAv37wAxcJRtQ3q~wPVaCbHx-ZlkvS-rMGQoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lee Parks, the engagement member for the auditing firm, told the Fairhope City Council work session that the city's independent auditors issued an unmodified opinion on the 2024 financial statements dated March 12, 2025.

Parks presented high-level figures: total citywide assets of about $355.3 million (up roughly 15 percent year over year), liabilities of about $77.2 million (up about 34.6 percent), and net position of about $278 million (up about 11.4 percent). Total cash was reported at $88.1 million, which Parks said resulted in part from unspent bond proceeds tied to 2024 water and sewer warrants.

On revenues and expenditures, Parks said total property taxes were about $10.1 million (up roughly $1.5 million), sales taxes were $15.3 million (up about $520,000) and intergovernmental revenue rose to $9.5 million, largely because of federal funds tied to the Gulf Coast oil-spill response. Parks said business-type activity additions included roughly $14 million for water and sewer improvements.

The presentation included the single-audit (Uniform Guidance) results. Parks said the city spent about $10.2 million in federal funds in 2024; roughly $6.4 million was associated with Gulf Coast oil-spill programs and about $2 million with the ALDOT Airport Improvement Project. The single-audit reports received unmodified opinions, but Parks identified one significant deficiency: certain reports for an airport-improvement grant were not filed on time. He emphasized that the finding related to reporting timeliness and was largely tied to a third party that prepared and submitted the reports; Parks said management has corrected the deficiency.

Parks also noted that no material weaknesses were reported for 2024 and that the auditors' peer review (dated Jan. 4, 2023) showed no significant weaknesses in the firm's control processes.

Council members asked technical questions about depreciation schedules and capital-asset lives for sewer improvements; Parks said those lives vary by asset type and confirmed a 50-year life for the sewer improvements referenced in discussion.

This was an informational presentation of the audit and single-audit results; no council vote or action on the audit report was recorded during the work session.","Auditors reported an unmodified opinion on the city's 2024 financial statements, citing increases in assets and cash driven by unspent 2024 bond proceeds and federal grants; the single-audit noted one significant deficiency tied to late reporting for an airport improvement grant handled by a third party.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6256045,"Fairhope West principal credits 3-mil funding, attendance push for rise to 96 on state report card",368,5040,373080,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3159727-df54ac047154e8a4d7e00d7ff0e7862e&start=5&end=373","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3159727-df54ac047154e8a4d7e00d7ff0e7862e/thumbnail_5040.jpg","/articles/6256045/Fairhope-City/Baldwin-County/Alabama/Fairhope-West-principal-credits-3-mil-funding-attendance-push-for-rise-to-96-on-state-report-card","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6256045-c32e4e2e875267c2a3c490d926056839/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206852&Signature=Gt8t5d7PvzwzM8Iib~XoA6Jw8HoxYGNNki8rl8xZsx2--syRe2OWfHKl7K09DQAxjMhCYsOBo8GXB5ZVdeAIenl0Z5s2QbgjPS~EZknhQD5B1ZfJ6rqF-PSzdHUX4H2xed6CgpePL3YoBF2kriq54lvo~ZVUcxUd3hYCWYKVeifvj8XCwclsqmVGNVbxWE3CyPdVVN3rcmkaIPp62dIA1MOSzQ6DeAOel2cLsVH7T2YRRhf4-RcMLefkn47Jc~Kb0VJDuKa9ZfAa1~01Nd9Apog-mOBm20rmwdkmimGjOwEyzPtzUm-9UQw~97NgQOS2LudTXdJcyBF1ik3K0jBybw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Principal Jenny Bridal of Fairhope West Elementary School told the Fairhope City Council work session that the school used local 3-mill funding to expand services, and that a focus on attendance helped raise the school's state report-card score to 96.

Bridal said Fairhope West serves about 975 students in pre-K through sixth grade and that 3-mil revenue freed up foundational units so coaches could return to classroom teaching. \"Fairhope West is definitely, a special, special place,\" Bridal said. She also credited a social worker funded by the millage, naming Christy Faulkner as the school's social worker.

Why it matters: Bridal told the council that attendance is a scored metric on the state report card and that reducing chronic absenteeism was a deliberate priority. She said chronic absenteeism dropped from about 12.5--12.7 percent last year to 5.7 percent after outreach and incentive programs for families.

Bridal gave specific classroom and outcome details. She said fourth grade was the largest class at about 23 students; first grade classes were about 15--17 students and the average class size generally runs \"probably 17 to 21.\" Bridal said the school is a Title I campus. She also reported an increase in perfect-attendance recognition: \"Right now, I think how Miss Sydney, how many? 52 ' students who have perfect attendance, who haven't missed a day. Up from 10 last year,\" Bridal said.

During a short Q&A, an unnamed councilmember asked about class size and whether the 3-mil allowed hiring additional teachers; Bridal said it allowed the school to stop using foundational staffing units for coaches and instead place those units back in classrooms. The councilmember also asked about performance metrics; Bridal said the school improved from a 95 to a 96 on the state report card and reiterated that attendance was a major driver.

No formal action was taken; the presentation was informational only. The council did not vote on school spending during the work session.

Bridal closed by thanking the council for the local funding and the opportunity to serve the Fairhope schools.","Principal Jenny Bridal told the Fairhope City Council work session that 3-mill funds pay for intervention teachers, coaches and a social worker at Fairhope West Elementary, and that efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism helped lift the school's state report card score to 96.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Gas department raises concern over 17.5% inspection overrun, proposes customer credits to expand service

Auditors give Fairhope an unmodified opinion; city assets and restricted funds rise, single-audit flags airport reporting timing

Fairhope West principal credits 3-mil funding, attendance push for rise to 96 on state report card