Bay Minette council adopts FY2022-23 budget, approves rezoning first reading; pharmacy carve-out passes 5–1

The City Council of the City of Bay Minette met Sept. 6, 2022, at City Hall and approved its fiscal year 2022–23 budget and a slate of resolutions and motions, concluding the meeting after a public comment in which a resident raised concerns about a recent death involving the police department.

Mayor Robert A. Wills called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. and roll call showed Mayor Wills and Councilmembers Pete Sellers, Mike Phillips, Matt Franklin, William Taylor and Shannon Clemmons present. After invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, the council approved the consent agenda, including minutes from the Aug. 15 meeting.

The council voted to approve payables for the Sept. 6 payroll and bills totaling $862,810.28. In a separate action, the council adopted Resolution 0922-01, the FY2022–23 city budget; Councilmember Mike Phillips moved the budget and Councilmember Shannon Clemmons seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

During a public hearing on Case No. Z-22006, a rezoning request from Thompson Commercial Properties, LLC to change property along D' Olive Street from R-2 (single-family) to B-2 (general business), no members of the public spoke. Councilmember Mike Phillips moved and Councilmember Matt Franklin seconded approval of Ordinance 1009 on first reading; the motion carried unanimously.

The council approved several other resolutions by unanimous vote, including Resolution 0922-02 adopting a 2022 compensation study and salary schedule; Resolution 0922-03, an independent contractor agreement for recreation; Resolution 0922-04, disposal of Police Department property; Resolution 0922-05 and Resolution 0922-06, waivers of the John F. Rhodes Civic Center rental fee for North Baldwin Foundation events in April 2023 and January 2023, respectively; Resolution 0922-07, an agreement with the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission (SARPC); Resolution 0922-09, acceptance of an Assistance to Firefighters Grant through FEMA for the Bay Minette Fire Department; and Resolution 0922-10 regarding Thompson Reuters.

On Resolution 0922-08, which approves a pharmacy carve-out to MedOne RX, the council approved the measure with five votes in favor and one dissenting vote. Mayor Wills and Councilmembers Sellers, Franklin, Taylor and Clemmons voted aye; Councilmember Mike Phillips voted nay.

During the council’s public comment period, Joshua Brown addressed the council "on behalf of members of the community," expressing concern about the death of Otis French Jr. and presenting questions about operations of the Police Department. The transcript records Brown’s concerns but does not record a substantive response from council or staff in this meeting.

Councilmember Mike Phillips moved to adjourn; Councilmember Matt Franklin seconded and the meeting was adjourned.

Votes at a glance: Ordinance 1009 (Z-22006) — first reading approved unanimously; Resolution 0922-01 (FY2022–23 budget) — adopted unanimously; Resolution 0922-02 (compensation study) — adopted unanimously; Resolution 0922-03 (recreation contractor) — approved unanimously; Resolution 0922-04 (police property disposal) — approved unanimously; Resolution 0922-05 (Rhodes Civic Center waiver April 28, 2023) — approved unanimously; Resolution 0922-06 (Rhodes Civic Center waiver Jan. 24, 2023) — approved unanimously; Resolution 0922-07 (SARPC agreement) — approved unanimously; Resolution 0922-08 (pharmacy carve-out to MedOne RX) — approved 5–1 (Phillips opposed); Resolution 0922-09 (FEMA AFG grant) — accepted unanimously; Resolution 0922-10 (Thompson Reuters) — approved unanimously.

The council did not record further debate or staff response to the public comment in the available meeting minutes. The meeting minutes were attested and signed by Mayor Robert A. "Bob" Wills and City Clerk Rita Diedtrich.