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 Hope Community (ordinance and resolution), final adoption of an annexation ordinance for Casa Azul (rezoned to the city’s B‑1 district upon annexation), site‑plan approval for an orthodontics/medical building at the northeast corner of the Highway 181/104 intersection, a number of electric utility material purchases for the 46 kV transmission project, and routine personnel and software renewals.

Votes at a glance (item – short description – outcome): - Item 5 – Final adoption: Annexation (Casa Azul), property at 18348 Reno Road – Approved - Item 6 – Franchise ordinance (Coca‑Cola vending/concessions bid) – Held for later consideration - Item 7 – Ordinance: amend Hope Community lease to permit subleases with council consent – Adopted - Item 8 – Resolution: approve Mobile Bay Makers Market sublease with Hope Community (through 12/31/2025) – Approved - Item 9 – Site plan approval: Harvey & Thomas Orthodontist, NE corner Hwy 181 & 104 (Lot 9) – Approved - Item 10 – Resolution: select Mott MacDonald for US‑98/Valena A‑TRIP 2 engineering (not‑to‑exceed fee to be negotiated) – Approved - Item 11 – Resolution: select Thompson Engineering for Flying Creek Nature Preserve Phase 2 landscape architectural services (grant funding ~ $1.2M) – Approved - Item 12 – Resolution: transfer $100,000 from general fund to capital projects fund for Flying Creek signage/furnishings – Approved - Item 13 – Resolution: authorize up to $40,000 contract (80% MPO/20% city) for traffic engineering at Twin Beach/Founders – Approved - Item 15 – Authorize submittal of 2024 Municipal Water Pollution Prevention Program report to ADEM – Approved - Item 16 – Award bid: sewer manhole rehabilitation (B.L.D. Services) — base bids + annual contract; total not‑to‑exceed $499,068 – Approved - Item 17 – Contract: repair services for Well No. 2 pump (Morrow Water Technologies), not‑to‑exceed $41,739.47 – Approved - Item 18 – Resolution: select Dukes for inflow/infiltration study (I&I) — not‑to‑exceed fee to be negotiated – Approved - Items 19–20 – Material/switch awards for 46 kV transmission line project (concrete poles and transmission switches) – Approved - Item 21 – Grant application: AL Law Enforcement Agency Homeland Security Grant (vehicle mitigation barriers and 250 metal barricades), $200,000, no match – Authorized to submit - Item 22 – Award: two Chevy Silverado PPVs to Hardy Chevrolet (one budgeted, one grant‑funded) – Approved - Item 23 – Payroll reallocation: fund two summer criminal justice interns using funds from one part‑time officer position (10 weeks, ~$4,050 per intern) – Approved - Item 24 – Personnel reclassification: utilities public relations coordinator reclassified from exempt to non‑exempt (no pay‑grade change) – Approved - Item 25 – CivicPlus annual renewal (municipal website/portal software), $14,469.48 – Approved - Items 26–28 – Event/street closure (Fairhope Rotary steak cook‑off), temporary noise waiver for private wedding at Fairhope Inn, and special retail license (Lowry Holdings/Sally, 406 Pine Ave) – Approved - Item 29 – Appointment: Cal Cooper to the Pedestrian & Bicycle Committee (3‑year term) – Confirmed

What the votes mean: several projects advance to design and contract negotiation (US‑98/Valena A‑TRIP 2; Flying Creek Phase 2; Twin Beach traffic study). The sewer and I&I contracts create a multi‑year effort to reduce infiltration into the wastewater system and will use the city’s annual rehabilitation appropriation. The Makers Market approval is a short‑term, council‑controlled sublease that must return for renewal after the one‑year term.

Council decisions were unanimous on the recorded items; where a mover/second was not named in the transcript, minutes record a motion and second and roll‑call “aye” votes. No item passed with a recorded “no” vote during the meeting.

Context and next steps: several items (engineering scope and fees, I&I contract ceiling, and specific bid packages) will return for final negotiated not‑to‑exceed amounts and contract execution. Flying Creek signage and furnishings are expected to be addressed before the planned park opening in June or July 2025; the Makers Market sublease expires Dec. 31, 2025 and will return to council for renewal or revision.