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Opelika council approves contracts, resolutions and rezoning items in largely unanimous session
Summary
At its Aug. 19 meeting, the Opelika City Council approved a set of bids, service contracts, multi-year maintenance agreements, change orders, right-of-way acquisitions, opioid-settlement opt-ins, several rezoning ordinances (first- and second-reading), and board appointments; most items passed unanimously.
The Opelika City Council on Aug. 19 approved multiple agenda items by roll call, including contract awards, maintenance agreements and a series of resolutions and first- and second-reading ordinances. Many items were approved unanimously; a travel-expense resolution recorded one abstention.
Key contracts and bids: The council awarded the LED streetlight contract to Grisco Utility Supply (bid opening 07/07/2025; mailed to five vendors, three responses). The council also awarded a custodial-services contract for the Parks and Recreation Department to Top Notch Cleaning, the low bidder; the custodial contract was presented as $10,005 per month for the first three years and $21 per hour for additional services not included in the bid.
Maintenance and change orders: Resolution No. 3 approved a five-year service agreement with Motorola Solutions Inc. for maintenance of the city's 800-megahertz communications system at a five-year cost to the city of $657,496.54. Resolution No. 4 approved Change Order No. 1 to a professional services agreement with BSI Engineering and Surveying Inc. for the Sportsplex Parkway Extension project; staff said the city needs a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers individual permit for affected wetlands, increasing the contract by $62,000 to a new total of $724,300.
Opioid settlements: The council voted to "opt in" to the nationwide Purdue Pharma bankruptcy settlement (Resolution No. 11) and to opt in to secondary opioid manufacturer settlement agreements coordinated by the Alabama attorney general (Resolution No. 12). Staff reported the secondary settlements will result in approximately $11.7 million being paid to the state and local entities collectively; the city must elect to opt in by Sept. 15, 2025. The council voted to opt in on both items by roll call (all "aye").
Other resolutions and ordinances: Among other actions, the council approved travel-expense reports (one abstention recorded), declared three 2015 Chevrolet Tahoes surplus municipal property for disposal, approved a mutual aid agreement with the Lee County Sheriff's Office and Southern Union State Community College, named the Player Experience Pavilion at the Sportsplex Pickleball Court for Samuel S. Bailey Jr., approved recount procedures for the 2025 municipal election, and approved multiple right-of-way acquisition agreements and appointments to the Opelika Industrial Development Authority.
Land use and zoning items: On second reading the council approved a lease of the railroad depot at 1032 South Railroad Avenue to Envision Opelika Foundation Inc. for use of three pre-K classrooms. On first reading the council introduced ordinances that, if adopted, would rezone: 211 acres south of Columbus Parkway and east of I-85 to a planned unit development (proposed 541 single-family lots); 174.2 acres on South Unirole Road to a planned unit development (proposed 401 single-family lots); and 39.64 acres in the historic Mill Village to a planned mixed-use planned unit development. The council also introduced an annexation ordinance for 32.6 acres at 2270 Old Columbus Road (owners listed as Rebecca Walton Young and Ollene Walton Price) and introduced a rights-of-way use (franchise) agreement with Unifiber Gulfco LLC with a franchise fee equal to 5% of the company's gross receipts.
Appointments: The council appointed (by roll call) Veil Spidner (name also transcribed as "Spiegner" in meeting audio) to the Opelika Industrial Development Authority (term to expire 03/08/2026), April Mullins (term to expire 08/19/2029) and Todd Shackett (term to expire 08/19/2029) to the same authority.
Vote patterns: Most items were approved unanimously by roll call. The travel-expense resolution recorded a 4-aye, 1-abstain vote (the transcript shows one abstention). No items on the agenda failed during the session.
What to watch next: Several first-reading rezoning ordinances will return to the council for second reading and final vote at future meetings; staff flagged wetlands permitting for the Sportsplex Parkway Extension as requiring a Corps of Engineers permit that raised the BSI contract change order.
