Council approves canvass, property donations and multiple routine resolutions; runoff set in mayoral race

The Enterprise City Council on Sept. 2 certified the results of the Aug. 26 municipal election, accepted two parcels of park property from the Industrial Development Board and approved a series of routine resolutions and administrative items, including an airport pre-application and authorization to seek bids for an Enterprise Rescue Life Flight hangar.

The council adopted canvass resolutions that certified results for mayor and council districts and directed a runoff for mayor between Bill Baker and William E. Cooper to be held Sept. 23, 2025. The body also approved the acceptance of roughly 11 acres from the Industrial Development Board into city ownership and authorized the mayor to execute annual agreements and applications for senior nutrition/transportation and airport funding.

The canvass matters matter because they finalize local elections and trigger a runoff when no candidate receives a majority; the property donation transfers ownership of park parcels to the city; the airport and nutrition items allow the city to pursue state funding and to seek construction bids. These actions set short-term administrative steps (e.g., advertising bids, recording deeds) and preserve the city's options for follow-up work such as construction contracting and grant negotiation.

Officials approved the following key items by unanimous voice votes unless noted.

• Canvass of 2025 municipal election and runoff call: The council adopted a resolution canvassing votes for mayor and directed a runoff election between Bill Baker and William E. Cooper for Sept. 23, 2025, after no candidate won a majority. Reported grand totals: Bill Baker 1,170; William E. Cooper 1,920; Richard Moore 33; Lister H. Reeves Jr. 822.

• Canvass and certificates for council seats: The council certified results and authorized issuance of certificates of election for Casey Mack (District 2), Scottie Johnson (District 4) and Todd Walls (District 5) for terms beginning the first Monday in November 2025.

• Acceptance of donated real property: By resolution the council accepted deeds for roughly 11 acres used by parks and recreation (Donaldson Park/Warren Field tennis/baseball parcels) from the Industrial Development Board and authorized the mayor to record the deeds with the Coffee County probate office.

• Airport funding application and hangar bidding: The council approved a resolution authorizing a pre-application to the Alabama Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2026 airport improvements and separately approved a request to seek bids for construction of the Enterprise Rescue Life Flight hangar. The hangar project has a $500,000 state grant already awarded; the city and Enterprise Rescue/PHI previously agreed that costs above the grant would be addressed between the partners.

• Senior nutrition/transportation agreement: The council authorized the mayor to execute an annual agreement with the Southern Alabama Regional Council on Aging (SARCOA) to administer nutrition and transportation programs under the Older Americans Act for the Enterprise Senior Center.

• Other routine approvals: The council approved a consent agenda including accounts payable and contract billings (notably contract invoices to Barge Design Solutions that include payments related to the airport hangar and other projects).

The council also made an immediate appointment to fill a vacancy in District 5 (see separate action below) and accepted several planning and zoning ordinances (see separate article on rezoning and annexation). Several items adopted are preliminary actions that require subsequent administrative or engineering steps (for example, recording deeds, issuing bid advertisements, or reviewing construction drawings and stormwater calculations).