Opelika council approves pickleball court contract, Meraki camera purchase and land deal; hears flooding complaints

Opelika’s City Council on April 15 approved a series of contracts, resolutions and ordinances including a $300,000 contract for Pickleball Courts Facility No. 3 and a $184,287.43 purchase of security cameras for parks and recreation, and voted to acquire land for the Thomason Drive extension. The council also heard public comments about flooding and siltation at Jackson Lake.

The most consequential votes came in the council’s consent and resolutions sections. Lily Finley, a city staff member who presented the bid results, said the bid opening had been mailed to nine vendors and three bids were received. “Recommend the contract we award to Lower Brothers on their low bid, meeting specifications in the amount of $300,000,” Finley told the council. The council moved and seconded the motion and the award was approved by roll call.

Joey Motley, the city administrator, reported building permit activity for March and said construction continues to drive local valuation. "We had 31 new single-family homes driving this report again at $8,803,640 with a total of $15,058,644 for the month," Motley said, reporting a year-to-date total of $110,339,086.

In separate action the council authorized the information technology department to buy 20 Cisco Meraki cameras with related hardware and software for the parks and recreation department from…