[{"_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",6506349,"mediaKeyId","5753656-0b7c526bd9bca719ad9d14b1e019f264","parentId",5753656,"title","Fairhope council approves ordinances, grant plans and several contracts; appoints board members","audioSeconds",242,"startMs",5594455,"endMs",5837060,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5753656-0b7c526bd9bca719ad9d14b1e019f264&start=5594&end=5837","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5753656-0b7c526bd9bca719ad9d14b1e019f264/thumbnail_5594455.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6506349/Fairhope-City/Baldwin-County/Alabama/Fairhope-council-approves-ordinances-grant-plans-and-several-contracts-appoints-board-members","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6506349-bf77f715d2fb9852ac6830fcdbf122b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448334&Signature=dGhNs48QFXhOcaScq~DktOqZS3kpDWDj3olERcPq8x2aRtq8dA0KdSZrsdklRBrni~yYlbbDDHNMEA7UrixYLucNzRH9sUDKTS28fC8-Z7RskVFfdGLDhw66nLeXn5EGOi42H46Uy9wUZmB~wWTL6JyVDPYpqLlfhopVwYotUeZ-NMFF0iJ0IcJ0YjBEhNCDAMN~ifljbbufLozzn84O0-VCUJ8X4RaCsQuSCWZwD2CkJVcPb4bgpFlCr2Pa3C6rF3rNOzIzAn4rcOGgywLloM~mXfnrLodIkWHWQcuFZ2UZyUIHFGryfRGS1iA9ZrcieeGs-RUZW5TVhsqoIc1NvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fairhope City, AL","date","2025-09-09T00:00:00Z","article","The Fairhope City Council on Sept. 8 took a series of votes on ordinances, resolutions and procurement actions discussed previously in work sessions.

Votes at a glance

- Flying Creek Nature Preserve rules (final adoption): approved. Council adopted the rules governing use of the preserve; the adopted text added the same animal‑waste language included in other park ordinances.

- Ordinance replacing camping-in-parks rules (final adoption): approved. Council voted to repeal the prior camping ordinance and adopt the replacement language considered at earlier meetings.

- Rebuild Alabama transportation plan (resolution): approved. The council adopted a transportation plan that identifies qualifying roads for the city’s allocation under the Rebuild Alabama Act (the city’s annual allocation was discussed as about $190,000 for resurfacing and maintenance).

- Disaster debris monitoring services (contract award): approved. The council awarded the on‑call disaster debris monitoring contract to Tetra Tech Incorporated; activation and final costs will apply only if the service is used following an event.

- Working waterfront change order (resolution): approved. Council approved change order No. 1 for the working waterfront and green‑space project with Roland Construction to substitute an ADA‑compliant switchback ramp in place of the originally proposed funicular and multiple bluff stairs; the change order carries no net cost difference.

- Custom picnic tables and benches for Flying Creek (procurement): approved. Council authorized procurement of custom picnic tables and benches from Scardamalia Builders LLC (artist/builder) for a cost not to exceed $19,500; the purchase will be prepaid by a donation from the Martin Family Foundation.

- Community Park swings (procurement): approved. Council awarded a contract to Bliss Products and Services for swings with shade canopies at Community Park, not to exceed $50,216.20.

- Winter flowers procurement (resolution): approved. Council authorized purchase of winter pansies and other seasonal plantings from Billy Harris & Associates for $14,504.54 plus shipping, to be funded in the FY2026 landscape budget.

- Reject all bids for emergency on‑call contractor services (water/wastewater): approved. Council rejected all bids for the annual emergency on‑call contract and directed staff to rebid the contract.

- Actuating valves (labor and materials): approved. Council approved RFQ award for labor and materials for installation of actuating valves at city wells; staff noted a not‑to‑exceed project amount for budgetary control.

- Water/wastewater operator training (contract): approved. Council authorized a contract with Kevin Collier for operator training not to exceed $10,000.

- Uniforms annual contract (procurement): approved. Council awarded an annual contract to Van Horn Miller Enterprises (Deep South Apparel) for employee uniform shirts, not to exceed $100,000 annually.

- Inmate telephone services change order (no cost): approved. Council approved change order No. 2 to the inmate‑telephone contract to follow an FCC waiver order; the change carries no cost difference.

- Utility accounts charge‑offs (FY2020): approved. Council approved writing off uncollectible utility accounts in the amount of $166,297.78 as part of annual housekeeping.

- Eastern Shore Repertory Theater request (Henry George Park): approved. Council granted a request to use Henry George Park for a staged production and associated setup and use of city barricades and assistance for setup/removal.

- Board and commission appointments: approved. Council reappointed and appointed members to the Board of Adjustments and Appeals and to the Industrial Development Board; several appointments were noted as needing a future review to stagger terms consistently across committees.

Meeting context and next steps

Most of the items voted on the council agenda were reviewed at length in prior work sessions earlier the same day or in prior weeks. Several procurements were funded in the FY2026 budget lines presented in the earlier work session. Where contract activations or implementation require further staff action—such as grant compliance, procurement delivery or utility bids—staff will return with contract documents and scheduling details or rebid materials as needed.

Ending: Council recessed to an executive session after public participation and then returned to adjourn; there were no further public votes after the executive session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Fairhope City Council Work Session and Meeting September 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Sept. 8 meeting the Fairhope City Council adopted park and camping rules, approved a transportation plan for Rebuild Alabama funds, awarded multiple contracts and made several committee appointments. Multiple items were discussed in earlier work sessions before council votes.","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},6506352,"Fairhope staff outline permit fee changes and new erosion-control fines during code update discussion",420,2861605,3282295,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5753656-0b7c526bd9bca719ad9d14b1e019f264&start=2861&end=3282","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5753656-0b7c526bd9bca719ad9d14b1e019f264/thumbnail_2861605.jpg","/articles/6506352/Fairhope-City/Baldwin-County/Alabama/Fairhope-staff-outline-permit-fee-changes-and-new-erosion-control-fines-during-code-update-discussion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6506352-5a95498e4f306f8c3b861560955f451a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448334&Signature=EzAFkBHwVRHdnmm8PLnJ8z98SsHds4o1dE1dE~YRWdOuigImpzWbNwbKTCKsQclDDMua2060QliPU4aECwqd6aE5l7s1PD9SKA84cMLHpW-UXVqB7MsCDbSDmwmwxZr8Yj-h1uH91zXll9SXvPYvV5UrX8v9I~eMJymnrPR-arsSH~J65kEJ~mveGcnPpLSpNN33BT4ZrnRTM8bYdh1ioeZrveOIxUqWRyaJ8HXQxxlTc83sGbI-feIIlQlMF0q7m6gh3y7oWS2Dm-qIZnlUC79vtjtBiFhxaoL0f7x26qXuz-D~jNrzN~MV-DfWvQ-rnX4LlJFH9mHqWQbNS23xIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A city staff member identified in the meeting as Eric reviewed proposed changes to Fairhope’s construction fee schedule and related enforcement tools during the Sept. 8 work session.

Eric said the draft ordinance adds a new plan submittal fee to capture staff time for re‑reviews when a builder substantially changes a previously approved plan after a permit is issued. “The only thing that’s changing in this are the ones that are marked in red,” Eric said, referring to the draft fee schedule distributed to council.

Key fee changes described by staff include:
- A residential plan re‑submittal fee of $100 for substantial redesigns after an initial permit approval.
- A commercial plan re‑review fee of $250 for comparable commercial submittal changes.
- An administrative historic‑preservation review fee of $100 for residential properties (applied in addition to the standard residential demolition fee of $25) and $150 total for commercial historic‑preservation/demolition reviews.
- A $50 fee for tree‑removal permits, introduced because staff is performing field checks on many removals.

Eric also described new, explicit fee lines for marine work (bulkheads, boat lifts, pile driving, breakwaters and similar items) that had previously been lumped under “other.”

Enforcement: erosion‑and‑sediment control

The draft ordinance also adds administrative reinspection fees for land‑disturbance and erosion‑and‑sediment‑control (ESC) violations. Eric said the city’s current enforcement path—issuing municipal summonses and proceeding through court—can be slow. The proposed administrative fines would allow earlier, city‑level penalties and are structured as escalating reinspection fees when corrective work is not completed:

- Residential reinspection fees: $100 (second inspection), $200 (third), $300 (fourth).
- Commercial reinspection fees: $300 (second), $400 (third), $500 (fourth).

Eric said administrative fines are intended as a deterrent, not an immediate punitive measure: “We’re not going to go out there and just start throwing fines out. But if it’s warranted, then we want the ability to do that through our own authority,” he said.

Officials and staff discussed practical questions about enforcement thresholds and remedies. Council members and staff noted the city can still issue stop‑work orders and pursue judicial remedies in serious cases; Eric said pulling a contractor’s license or rights to operate requires a high burden of proof and legal consultation.

Why it matters: the changes aim to recoup staff review time, create clearer pricing for marine work, and give the city faster, administrative options to address recurring ESC breaches — a recurring complaint in recent months, Eric said.

Next steps: the proposal is being drafted for council consideration and will be brought back for formal adoption. Staff said they will continue to calibrate fee amounts and enforcement language with legal counsel and the building department.","City staff described proposed additions to the construction fee schedule — new plan re‑submittal fees, historic-preservation review and a $50 tree‑removal fee — and added administrative reinspect fines tied to erosion‑and‑sediment-control (ESC) enforcement for residential and commercial sites.",{"_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},6506356,"Fairhope reviews FY2026 capital equipment, highlights police, fire and infrastructure projects",2765,5520,2771440,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5753656-0b7c526bd9bca719ad9d14b1e019f264&start=5&end=2771","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5753656-0b7c526bd9bca719ad9d14b1e019f264/thumbnail_5520.jpg","/articles/6506356/Fairhope-City/Baldwin-County/Alabama/Fairhope-reviews-FY2026-capital-equipment-highlights-police-fire-and-infrastructure-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6506356-9f7c176f5321f3f107c41d8d684a5c8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448334&Signature=KrBeEAhFb7reVt3rAp-8hwZ9PcnLqLZB2~Bv2Vff3XYYbPVsX~76xCYnv7kHvI0H0pwlq3uZot-Nj-9l4YX-xL3wcYJmOl0SDPigyoLsUu-slEh0UpKGL03liJFNqTQ4DLBlVYIgzg3Hxq6ofR9egLP4pC0aKDJ4BX18iHiD94Ofuv7en0~0QEp6g6JwTnHFezkhk-vMWh-yEbDSBxZes6Od89iH1DxtiUzpDZqDEQbhSHO2stG8BEdLSOAfFs4eshLczK~oPXO6pzrKAunDH8W5F-gpbjE7D-tN3JoC5t40vw9zDE4UJfTQ2rPEGkrAruE9NuLNT6~2g5ltvBAO9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kim Creech, a city staff member, presented a review of the FY2026 General Fund and utilities capital equipment and improvements budget at the Fairhope City Council work session on Sept. 8.

Creech told the council the capital equipment budget shows “an increase of 24.5%.” She said some of that increase reflects rollovers: equipment ordered but not yet delivered. “We still have a few more meetings to go through. Just a quick overview, on general fund and their supporting departments,” Creech said.

The review listed department-level purchases and planned rollovers. Among equipment items Creech identified were a $20,000 sensor for the planning department’s new drone, $150,000 in IT network upgrades and an $11,000 camera server; a $34,000 vehicle for human resources; and a police equipment package listed at roughly $620,000, including $140,000 tied to moving the dispatch area and vehicle replacements with associated radars, cameras and radios. Creech also identified roughly $31,000 for handheld police radios.

On the fire side, staff described multi-year budgeting for large apparatus. Creech said the ladder truck already has a purchase order in place from 2022 and its equipment price is listed as $1,600,000; a new engine priced at about $1,000,000 will be budgeted in thirds across three years. A previously ordered engine, listed at $775,000, is expected to arrive in 2026.

Other department items identified included a $160,000 shuttle bus for the next-center program (partially grant-funded), roughly $224,000 in recreation equipment (mowers, skid steer, fitness equipment and a small ice machine for stadium use), $516,000 in sanitation items including two knuckle-boom trucks and a previously approved garbage truck, and multiple vehicles and specialized equipment for streets and landscaping.

Creech said the capital projects fund includes both rollovers and new projects and noted large figures for infrastructure work. “Almost 19,000,000 out of the 21,400,000.0 rollover grama money,” she said while discussing the difficulty of getting grant-funded projects into the ground quickly.

Council members pressed staff on several items. Councilmember (surname) asked whether equipment from retired vehicles was reused; staff said the city surpluses older equipment and typically replaces entire vehicle equipment packages because of newer technology. A councilmember requested more detail on the police vehicle equipment package, saying, “I’d like to see particulars on that,” and staff agreed to provide further breakdowns.

Councilmembers also asked about the scope and funding of recreation and park improvements, the status of marina dredging and seawall work, sidewalk and drainage projects, and renovation rollovers for facilities such as the civic center and museum. Creech said some items are funded by impact fees, grant sources or rollovers and others are newly proposed.

Why it matters: the capital budget spells out short- and multi-year investments in public safety, facilities and infrastructure. Several items—especially the ladder truck and the working capital projects—represent multi-year purchases or grant-dependent projects that will affect future operating and capital planning.

Council next steps: Creech said staff will continue meetings on the utilities budget and will bring additional detail on several line items to follow-up work sessions. She and councilmembers agreed to return to outstanding utilities items in a future meeting.

Ending: The review was informational; council did not take a formal vote on the General Fund capital plan during the work session. Staff said many projects are rollovers and that budgeting and procurement timing will determine when purchases are finalized and when orders are issued to lock in prices.","City staff briefed the council on a 24.5% rise in proposed FY2026 capital equipment spending and walked through department-level purchases and rollovers, including major fire apparatus, police vehicle upgrades and a large capital projects fund with many carryover items.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fairhope council approves ordinances, grant plans and several contracts; appoints board members

Fairhope staff outline permit fee changes and new erosion-control fines during code update discussion

Fairhope reviews FY2026 capital equipment, highlights police, fire and infrastructure projects