Fairhope City Council approves engineering contracts, grants, sewer work and event permits

Fairhope City Council approved a series of ordinances and resolutions on Monday that fund design work on two transportation and park projects, advance sewer system repairs, authorize equipment purchases and clear permits for seasonal events.

The council voted unanimously to select Mott MacDonald Alabama LLC for design services for intersection improvements at U.S. 98 and Valena Avenue under an A‑TRIP 2 grant and to select Thompson Engineering for landscape architectural services for Flying Creek Nature Preserve Phase 2. The council also approved a $100,000 budget transfer from the general fund to the city’s capital projects fund to cover signage and furnishings needed to open Flying Creek’s first phase this summer.

In utilities business the council authorized a not‑to‑exceed award for sewer manhole rehabilitation work (base bids and annual contract pricing) and approved three related items: a repair contract for Well No. 2, the selection of Dukes Root Control for an inflow‑and‑infiltration study, and the purchase of two police pickup trucks (one from budget, one from grant funds). The council also approved submitting a $200,000 Homeland Security grant request for vehicle mitigation barriers and additional metal crowd‑control barricades for major events.

Other approvals included: an amendment to a lease and a one‑year sublease allowing Mobile Bay Makers Market to operate on property leased by…