Hoover OKs $3.675 million budget amendment to restore power and lighting at Hoover East Sports Park

Hoover City Council heard a presentation on funding and construction plans to restore and upgrade electrical service at Hoover East Sports Park and authorized moving forward with agreements to place main transformers and related utility easements.

City finance staff said the council will fund the work with a $3,675,000 budget amendment from the city's capital projects fund, using available unallocated fund balance, and that the park board must first approve an agreement with Alabama Power before funds are expended. Robert Yeager said the amendment "puts in place the funds to do that project" and that the amount will come from the capital projects fund.

Council and project staff described the scope: installation of main transformers, electrical engineering design, power service for concessions, batting cages and maintenance buildings; conversion of field lighting to low-voltage LED; added corner lighting for smaller-team play; cast lighting to illuminate the playground and batting-cage areas and a flagpole; safety backlighting for egress areas; high-bay lighting for the batting cage; energizing two scoreboards (one currently unenergized); 90 days of post-installation maintenance; and a $350,000 contingency to cover potential conduit replacement.

Miss Wyatt said Alabama Power requires prepayment for the transformer work and that the council's authorization is needed because prepayment is atypical for the city. Staff noted that a purchase order already exists from an earlier $500,000 authorization and that the utility easement item gives Alabama Power permission to place equipment where needed.

Project staff estimated the new schedule at about six months and said initial cost estimates of $5'$6 million had been reduced; one council member observed the team had "been able to shave about a million and a half dollars" from earlier estimates. Staff also credited coordination with the park board and Alabama Power for trimming costs.

Council members asked about timing, contingency and stakeholder input; Hunter Brittwell, representing the park board, was cited as having participated in the stakeholder outreach. Staff said the contingency is intended to cover potential conduit replacement discovered during work and that the budget amendment will allow procurement and construction once the park board and Alabama Power agreements are finalized.

No formal vote or roll-call record was included in the provided transcript for the budget amendment or utility agreements.