Opelika council approves contracts, appropriations and rezones 12.61 acres for 19 homes

The Opelika City Council on Jan. 23 approved a series of resolutions and one ordinance to fund equipment and software purchases, authorize contract change orders for park and storm projects, and rezone 12.61 acres on Lake Condé Road for a 19‑lot residential development.

Council members voted to authorize purchases and contracts that include hardware and camera systems for Floral Park, cybersecurity recovery services, traffic‑monitoring software, a loader for the environmental services department, and multiple construction change orders tied to park and drainage projects. The council also approved routine administrative items including two refunds, termination of a lease with the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, the retirement and transfer of a police service dog to its handler, several small special appropriations from a ward reserve fund and two appointments to local boards.

The ordinance on second reading rezoned a 12.61‑acre parcel in the 900 block of Lake Condé Road from R‑3 (low‑density residential) to a planned unit development to be added to the Hidden Lakes subdivision and divided into 19 single‑family home lots. The Planning Commission had recommended the rezoning, and the council approved it on second reading.

Key contract and purchase approvals included: a $34,056.50 quotation from Adopt A Solve Incorporated for electronic control hardware related to Floral Park cameras and a separate $67,341.30 purchase from CDW Government LLC for Cisco Meraki Wi‑Fi–enabled cameras for Floral Park; a one‑year Rubik Cloud Vault cyber recovery and support agreement from CDW Government LLC at $88,944.80; a three‑year Urban SDK traffic monitoring subscription from Vertosoft LLC for $89,258.31; and a 2025 CollectStar loader purchase from GPS Marketing LLC at $121,506. Council members also approved change order number 1 for the GW Carver roof project (additional $19,929.20) and change order number 1 for Floral Park renovations that increases that contract by $178,422.50. The North Seventh Street storm drainage contract with SDAC Incorporated was increased by $87,100 under its approved change order, resulting in a new contract amount the council recorded at $962,062.83.

Administrative and community items approved included: the termination of the lease between the city and the Opelika Chamber of Commerce for the Whitfield Searcy House (effective Jan. 31, 2025); a refund of $530.54 to a local business for occupational license fees paid in error and a $1,363.04 refund to Mike Hillier for occupational license fees paid in error; the retirement and transfer of police service dog Killo to handler Grant Grove; and special appropriations of $3,000 each from the Ward 4 Reserve Fund to Greater Peace Community Development Corporation, the J.W. Darden Foundation, the Lee County Youth Development Center and Exodus Ranch, and a $2,500 appropriation to the Sound Wall Initiative for the songwriters festival.

Council members also approved routine travel expense reports for two IT staff members (Jeremy McCoy and Tim Cooper), authorized disposal of a municipal Tahoe as surplus property, and approved downtown street closures for March 27, 2025. The council appointed Morgan Vickers to the Opelika Redevelopment Authority and Davis Pemberton to the Lee‑Russell Council of Governments MPO citizen advisory committee.

Mayor (unnamed) thanked the Opelika Police Department, Fire Department and other city crews for their response to a recent snowstorm, saying the police answered "3,416 calls" over three days. City Administrator Joey Motley reported building‑permit activity for December and said, "So things, things are not slowing down in Opelika. Everything is — all indicators are very strong." Joey Motley also reported totals the council received in its packet for the month and year‑to‑date building‑permit valuation.

Votes at a glance

- Alcohol license for Casa Maria's Bar and Grill (restaurant retail liquor, wine and beer on premises): approved (roll call: 5 ayes). - Downtown street closures — March 27, 2025 (local Arkansas outage estimate event): approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 1 — travel expense reports for Jeremy McCoy and Tim Cooper (Information Technology): approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 2 — surplus disposal authorization for a 2002/2007 Tahoe (record lists as 02/17 Tahoe): approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 3 — Adopt A Solve Inc. quotation for Floral Park electronic control hardware, $34,056.50: approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 4 — CDW Government LLC quotation for Cisco Meraki cameras for Floral Park, $67,341.30: approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 5 — CDW Government LLC Rubik Cloud Vault cyber recovery and support, 1 year, $88,944.80: approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 6 — Vertosoft LLC Urban SDK traffic‑monitoring software, 3 years, $89,258.31: approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 7 — Environmental Services loader (2025 CollectStar) from GPS Marketing LLC, $121,506: approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 8 — Change order #1, GW Carver roof project, +$19,929.20; new contract $223,929.20: approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 9 — Change order #1, Floral Park renovations (parking lot upgrades), +$178,422.50; new contract $7,410,422.50: approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 10 — Change order #1, North Seventh Street storm drainage (add two conflict boxes), +$87,100; new contract $962,062.83: approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 11 — Termination of lease with the Opelika Chamber of Commerce for the Whitfield Searcy House (effective Jan. 31, 2025): approved (recorded as 3 ayes, 1 abstain; one member not voting). - Resolution 12 — Retirement and transfer of police service dog Killo to handler Grant Grove: approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 13 — Refund to local management, $530.54 (occupational license fees paid in error): approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 14 — Refund to Mike Hillier, $1,363.04 (occupational license fees paid in error): approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 15 — Special appropriation $3,000 to Greater Peace Community Development Corporation (Ward 4 Reserve Fund): approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 16 — Special appropriation $3,000 to J.W. Darden Foundation (Ward 4 Reserve Fund): approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 17 — Special appropriation $3,000 to Lee County Youth Development Center (Ward 4 Reserve Fund): approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 18 — Special appropriation $3,000 to Exodus Ranch (Ward 4 Reserve Fund): approved (5 ayes). - Resolution 19 — Special appropriation $2,500 to Sound Wall Initiative (songwriters festival): approved (5 ayes). - Ordinance 1 (second reading) — Rezoning of 12.61 acres in the 900 block of Lake Condé Road from R‑3 to planned unit development (to become 19 single‑family lots as part of Hidden Lakes): approved on second reading (5 ayes). - Appointments: Morgan Vickers to the Opelika Redevelopment Authority (term to expire Feb. [date not specified]): approved (5 ayes). Davis Pemberton to the Lee‑Russell COG MPO citizen advisory committee (term to expire Feb. [date not specified]): approved (5 ayes).

Context and next steps

Most approvals were routine and carried without discussion; exceptions included a brief verification of Mike Hillier's residency before approving his refund and one abstention recorded on the lease‑termination vote. The ordinance rezoning the Lake Condé Road parcel was presented to the council with the Planning Commission's recommendation and approved on second reading, clearing the way for the planned unit development to proceed through required permitting and any subsequent administrative steps. The council scheduled recognition of Lisa Ditchcock at its first February meeting and heard mayoral and staff remarks praising public safety and city crews for their response to a recent snow event.

(Amounts and contract totals were stated on the record during the meeting; where the record repeated vote roll calls, the council generally voted unanimously.)