Fairhope council approves series of contracts, grant applications and budget transfers

The Fairhope City Council on May 27 approved a package of contracts, bid awards, grant-submission authorizations and limited budget transfers covering infrastructure repairs, staffing and two airport grant applications.

Council members authorized amendments to professional services and construction agreements, awarded multiple equipment and construction contracts, approved temporary staffing and medical‑examination contracts for fire personnel, and signed off on letters of support for local nonprofit and broadband grant applicants.

The measures move routine capital repairs and grant-seeking forward. Several items included funding details or contingencies: the council increased a Watershed architectural/engineering contract for a nature‑center rehabilitation; approved a bid of $1,137,855 for 12 natural‑gas bypass pumps with an expected outside funding source to cover 75 percent of the project; and approved airport grant applications that will leave the Fairhope Airport Authority with a small local share of larger federally or state‑funded projects.

“We did get my attention,” Mayor Sullivan said before the council approved Amendment No. 2 to the Watershed contract, explaining that the scope changed and additional work required payment to the consultant. The amendment increases the original contract total to $57,390 and was approved by motion.

On a separate equipment procurement, the council approved award of bid No. 25-24 to Hydra Services for bypass pumps for a not-to-exceed price of $1,137,855. Mayor Sullivan and others said timing influenced the award: the successful bidder could deliver in about 12 weeks while the apparent low bidder proposed 30–34 weeks, a factor the council cited as justification for selecting the faster vendor.

Council President Burrell moved an amendment tied to that item authorizing the treasurer to transfer $38,921 from fund 004020 to 595-0110 (lift station upgrades) to pay for bypass pump work.

The council also approved an aid‑to‑construction reimbursement agreement allowing the Gas Department to accept up to $64,804 to cover utility relocation costs for the Haven at Fairhope development near the County Road 32/Highway 181 intersection.

Other contract approvals included: - A $50,000 transfer to hire temporary workers through Genesis Industrial Staffing to supplement sanitation crews and operate hoppers; council materials cite an exemption under the Code of Alabama for the procurement. - Authorization for Vital Exam LLC to perform NFPA‑standard compliant physical examinations and testing for Fairhope volunteer firefighters; the resolution cites the Code of Alabama exemption and references NFPA medical/fitness standards. - Award of an asphalt services contract for the South Summit Street outfall drainage repair and improvement project with a base bid of $299,883.40 plus a 20 percent contingency; the mayor noted the contingency but the council approved the total not‑to‑exceed amount and a treasurer transfer to the capital projects fund to cover it. - Approval to contract Shepherd Services for labor and materials to install two motors and recondition two library chiller pumps at a not‑to‑exceed cost of $8,414.72.

On airport matters the council authorized submission of two grant applications: one for runway strengthening under the FY2025 Airport Improvement Program and a second for infrastructure improvements at H.L. “Sunny” Callahan Airport. Mayor Sullivan said the airport authority would bear a small local share (she cited 2.5 percent of a $6.9 million project in the meeting) for the runway work; another airport grant listed a project cost of $624,003.23 with ALDOT covering 75 percent and the airport authority 25 percent.

The council also authorized the mayor to write letters of support for two community initiatives: a Baldwin County Trail Blazers request to establish a Kids in Parks track trail at Flying Creek Nature Preserve and a letter supporting Light Fiber LLC’s subaward application through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) BEAD-related program.

Council members asked clarifying questions during debate. One councilor said repeatedly exceeding not‑to‑exceed amounts concerns them; another explained the choice of a higher-priced but faster bidder because the low bidder’s delivery timeline would have been 30–34 weeks compared with 12 weeks for the selected vendor. The council voted on each item; motions were seconded and carried by voice vote.

Taken together, the actions authorize immediate procurement and grant-seeking steps while leaving some projects dependent on external approvals and funding sources.

The council will administer the contracts through normal procurement and accounting channels; several items noted exemptions under the Code of Alabama and cited external grant match or reimbursement terms.