Columbiana council approves engineering contract for new city hall; advances utility and street items

Columbiana City Council on Oct. 21 authorized the city manager to contract with House and Bayard Inc. for engineering services on a proposed new city hall and police department and approved several other infrastructure measures, all by roll call vote.

The council passed Ordinance No. 25-0-3308 (second reading), authorizing a contract with House and Bayard Inc. to provide engineering and surveying services for design and renovation work on a new city hall administration building and police department. The vote on the second reading was unanimous.

The council also moved to set a public hearing for Dec. 2, 2025, at 7:15 p.m. on a planning commission recommendation to rezone a property from C-4 to R-2 PUD; the motion was approved by roll call. Councilmembers took the first reading of Ordinance No. 25-3310, authorizing the city manager to contract with GPD Group for engineering services for three 69 kV circuit breakers and associated line-relay replacement; that first-reading motion passed on a roll call. The council took first reading of Ordinance No. 25-0-3311 to accept streets, curbs and storm drains on Homestead Drive in Firestone Farms Plat 4; that motion also passed on a roll call.

Why it matters: The House and Bayard contract advances planning on a major municipal capital project that will affect city operations and police facilities. The circuit-breaker project covers electric-system reliability work; the street-acceptance ordinance transfers maintenance responsibility for newly completed public improvements to the city. The rezoning public hearing will give residents and stakeholders a formal opportunity to comment before the council considers final legislation.

Details of council actions and votes

- Ordinance No. 25-0-3308 (second reading): “An ordinance authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with House and Bayard Inc., civil engineers and surveyors, for the purpose of providing engineering services for the building design and building renovations for a new city hall administration building and police department for the city of Columbiana.” Motion and second recorded; roll-call votes recorded as Yes by Souder, Detilio, Liston, Graham, Banner and Cato. Outcome: approved.

- Motion to set public hearing: “Set a public hearing for 12/02/2025 at 07:15 PM regarding the C-4 to R-2 PUD zone change recommendation from the planning commission.” Motion and second recorded; roll-call votes recorded as Yes by Petilio (recorded in roll), Liston, Graham, Banner, Cato and Souder. Outcome: approved. Planning staff reported the planning commission recommended the change and packets were provided to council.

- Ordinance No. 25-3310 (first reading): “An ordinance authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with GPD Group for the purpose of providing engineering services for the 3 69 kV circuit breakers and associated line relay replacement project.” Motion and second recorded; roll-call votes recorded as Yes by Liston, Graham, Banner, Cato, Souder and Totilio. Outcome: first reading passed; further readings expected as required by ordinance procedure.

- Ordinance No. 25-0-3311 (first reading): “An ordinance accepting streets, curbs, and storm drains on Homestead Drive located in Firestone Farms Plat 4.” Council discussed that the short section had been recently paved and work on catch basins completed and that the area had not previously been formally dedicated. Motion and second recorded; roll-call votes recorded as Yes by Culver? (record lists Tammy Culveral), Graham, Banner, Cato, Souder, Totilio and Whiston (recorded as present). Outcome: first reading passed.

Council procedure and next steps

All four ordinance items on the agenda were introduced or acted on by roll call. The House and Bayard contract passed on second reading and is effective per council action. The GPD Group contract and the Homestead Drive acceptance were taken on first reading; additional readings or hearings will be scheduled as required by council rules and by state law (if applicable). The rezoning matter will return after a public hearing scheduled for Dec. 2, 2025, at 7:15 p.m.

Votes at a glance are based on the roll-call statements recorded in the meeting transcript; the meeting did not identify individual motion makers on the record for these items.

Closing note: Council also received the city manager’s routine report covering grant submissions, utility work, deliveries of 500 tons of road salt, records-retention action, and other operational items.