Spanish Fort council adopts multiple maintenance, recreational and procurement resolutions; introduces $2 million financing for fire pumper

At a regular meeting, the Spanish Fort City Council adopted multiple resolutions covering youth league funding, drainage repairs, sidewalk construction, equipment procurement and appointments to local improvement-district boards. The council also introduced an ordinance to authorize issuing a $2 million general obligation warrant to fund a fire pumper and two parcels of real property adjacent to Spirit Park.

Among the adopted items, the council voted to authorize a $20,000 spring payment to the Spanish Fort Sports Association for league play (Resolution 1484-2025), to declare a 2022 Ford Explorer as surplus following a total-loss accident and to accept an $18,532.50 contract with Sunset Contracting Inc. for drainage repairs on Marcella Avenue. The council also authorized purchasing pipe from Alabama Pipe and Supply for $8,751.75 for the same drainage work; awarded the Spanish Fort Estates sidewalk phase 1 bid to Grant Nichols Construction Inc. (base bid $135,607.70); and approved accepting Thistledown Loop and Brambleshield Drive in Churchill Phase 5 for city maintenance, contingent on a developer maintenance bond discussed at $516,321.

“United Bank would be responsible for participating in this financing arrangement at an interest rate of 3.85% for a term of 10 years,” Ms. Conner said when introducing an ordinance that would authorize issuing $2,000,000 in general obligation warrants. Ms. Conner told the council the monthly principal-and-interest payments under the proposed 10-year term would have no prepayment penalty and that the proceeds are intended to purchase a fire pumper and two pieces of real property adjacent to Spirit Park. The ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing on April 7.

The council also heard an introduction from Mr. Connor and the fire chief about two fire-related items that will appear at the next meeting: a proposed agreement with Vital Exam LLC to provide firefighter physical examinations (base physical exam listed at $625) and a proposed purchase from Sunbelt LLC for an E-1 custom pumper quoted at $919,531 (not including some equipment). Council members discussed the currency of the Sunbelt quote from September 2024; staff said the vendor confirmed the pricing remains valid and that lead time is about 105 days for construction.

Appointments and administrative votes included appointing Brad Bass to two cooperative-improvement-district boards (Highway 181 and Highway 98 public facilities) for four-year terms beginning March 18, 2025. All roll-call votes recorded on adopted resolutions in this meeting were recorded as yes by the members present; the clerk conducted roll calls for each adopted resolution and the motion records are on file with the city clerk’s office.

Why it matters: The council’s approvals commit city funds and contracts for public infrastructure (sidewalks, drainage) and youth services, and the introduced $2 million financing would create a debt obligation to fund a major public-safety vehicle and real property purchases if the ordinance is adopted after the scheduled public hearing.