Opelika council adopts FY2026 budget and approves multiple contracts, equipment purchases

The Opelika City Council on Sept. 16 approved the city's annual budget for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2026, and adopted a series of resolutions to fund infrastructure repairs, equipment purchases and programmatic appropriations.

Resolution 8, the annual budget for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2026, was approved. The council packet lists projected general fund revenues of $90,403,973 and projected expenditures of $90,528,284. Council members voted to adopt the budget during the regular meeting roll call.

Other approved items included a contract for emergency repairs in the Northeast Industrial Park awarded to Webb Utilities and Construction LLC at an estimated cost of $603,457.50; purchases for the Fire Department of a 2026 Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab pickup for $49,836.95 and a 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe for $67,762.40 from McSweeney Auto Group; and a $262,090.99 purchase of playground equipment for West Ridge Park from GameTime.

The council approved a co-location license agreement with Core Scientific Incorporated (formerly Albix) described in the packet as a three-year agreement with a one-time charge of $3,886.20 and monthly payments described in the agenda materials as totaling $97,200 (as stated in the meeting materials).

Insurance and employee benefits actions included authorization of an annual excess-loss insurance contract with Granular Insurance Company, a package of the city's liability insurance policies with an aggregate premium listed at $1,262,154.40, vision care insurance from Mutual of Omaha, and term life and accidental death insurance from Mutual of Omaha.

The council also approved a three-year, $300,000 appropriation from the opioid settlement fund ($100,000 per year) to Integra Community Mental Health to expand its residential unit at 1807 Corporate Drive from 12 to 16 beds to serve patients with co-occurring opioid use disorder; a special appropriation of $3,000,000 to Southern Union State Community College for a residence hall at the Opelika campus; and a mix of smaller appropriations, including $3,000 to the Parks and Recreation Department for the annual health fair and $12.50 to defray National Night Out expenses. The council authorized transferring council discretionary fund balances to the next fiscal year.

On zoning and ordinances, the council took up a rezoning ordinance for 304.5 acres on Ridge Road to a planned unit development intended to create approximately 624 single-family home lots (Ordinance No. 1). The transcript of the provided excerpt shows the ordinance on second reading and a roll call was requested, but a vote result is not included in the supplied excerpt (see note below). The council adopted Ordinance No. 2, an excise tax on consumable vapor products at a rate of $0.10 per milliliter within the city limits. Ordinance No. 3, a first reading to revise electric-service rates and to formalize transfers from the electric enterprise fund to the general fund, was introduced; the ordinance changes the residential customer charge from $21.50 to $23.50 while lowering the energy rate so the packet states the two components should offset for the average customer.

In general business the council approved a downtown street closure for the National Night Out event on Oct. 7, 2025.

The mayor and council advanced routine procedural and personnel items, including the appointment of Tom Penton to the Opelika Planning Commission (term through Feb. 15, 2026).

Votes at a glance (items recorded in meeting packet and reflected in the council roll calls in the provided transcript excerpt): - Resolution 8 — FY2026 annual budget (projected revenues $90,403,973; expenditures $90,528,284): approved by roll call as presented. - Resolution (emergency sewer repairs) — Webb Utilities and Construction LLC contract, $603,457.50: approved. - Fire Department vehicle purchases — Silverado $49,836.95; Tahoe $67,762.40: approved. - Parks playground equipment — GameTime, $262,090.99: approved. - Co-location license — Core Scientific Incorporated: approved (one-time $3,886.20; monthly payments described as collective $97,200 in materials). - Insurance package — aggregate premium $1,262,154.40: approved. - Integra Community Mental Health program contract — $300,000 over three years from opioid settlement fund to expand residential beds: approved. - Southern Union State Community College special appropriation — $3,000,000: approved. - Ordinance No. 2 — excise tax on consumable vapor products (10 cents per milliliter): adopted on second reading. - Ordinance No. 3 — electric rate structure changes: introduced on first reading; no final vote recorded in the excerpt.

Note on transcript coverage: several agenda items show motions and roll-call prompts in the provided excerpt, and the excerpt contains roll-call "Aye" entries for many items. For Ordinance No. 1 (rezoning on Ridge Road) the meeting text in the provided excerpt shows the ordinance on second reading and a request to call the roll, but the excerpt does not include a recorded roll-call result. The article avoids asserting a final vote outcome for that item because the vote text is not present in the provided transcript excerpt.

The council adjourned after public comment and other business.