Fairhope council approves road, seawall and other city contracts and transfers totaling several hundred thousand dollars

The Fairhope City Council on June 9 approved multiple routine infrastructure and administrative measures, including road repair and seawall work, acceptance of a new subdivision for public maintenance and budget transfers to cover contract awards.

Key approvals included:

• Acceptance for public maintenance of public improvements in Harvest Green East Phase 2, subject to a performance bond, and authorization for Mayor Sherry Sullivan to execute a maintenance and guarantee agreement with Harvest Green East 2022 LLC.

• Award of the citywide road repair, resurfacing and striping project to HCL Contracting LLC with a bid not to exceed $533,114.43, and authorization for the city treasurer to transfer $33,114.43 from the Rebuild Alabama gas tax fund to the FY25 capital projects fund to cover the project.

• Selection of professional engineering services for construction engineering and inspection for the FY23 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) sidewalks project on Blue Island Avenue and Fairwood Boulevard to Veil Schafer; the mayor was authorized to negotiate a not-to-exceed fee for council approval.

• Award of a request for quotes to Stewart Marine and Construction for replacement of a wooden seawall at North Beach at a cost not to exceed $35,000; the project was noted as below formal bid thresholds and a treasurer transfer from Parks capital improvement funds was authorized.

• Approval of change order No. 2 for Alonzo Human Resource Services to supply temporary custodial and landscaping employees, increasing the not-to-exceed amount to $145,000. Council authorized transfers of $20,000 from streets salaries to streets temp labor and $50,000 from landscape salaries to landscape temp labor. The item was described in the agenda as exempt pursuant to the Code of Alabama.

• Authorization for the mayor to select, negotiate and execute a contract with a professional consulting service to conduct a demographic study, with a not-to-exceed amount of $20,000.

• Declaration of certain city property as surplus and authorization for the mayor and treasurer to dispose of the property via GovDeals.

• Authorization for the mayor to submit a Community Development Grant letter to Energy Southeast requesting a total of $30,000 (breakdown in the agenda: $5,000 for a mural, $20,000 for an entrepreneurial development center and $5,000 to be determined).

• Naming the Fairhope Municipal Fountain and Rose Garden the Timothy M. Cant Fountain and Rose Garden “in recognition of his 40-plus years of dedication,” per the resolution adopted by the council.

Council members commented on recent local preservation and redevelopment efforts. Councilman Martin praised the K1 Center groundbreaking and the city’s work to salvage and renovate historic structures. Several items passed by voice vote; the transcript records motions, seconds and that the motions carried but does not provide roll-call vote tallies in each case.

These approvals authorize the mayor to complete negotiations or execute contracts where indicated; most items included funding transfers and specified not-to-exceed amounts. The council did not discuss any of these contracts at length at the meeting, and the actions were presented as routine business.