Bay Minette council approves franchise fee deal, cedes megasite permitting to Baldwin County

The Bay Minette City Council on Aug. 1, 2022, approved a franchise fee payment agreement with North Baldwin Utilities, agreed to allow the Baldwin County Commission to handle permitting for the South Alabama Megasite, and authorized a project agreement involving Novelis Corporation and local partners, during a regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall.

The actions, taken by unanimous votes of the five members present, move several administrative and economic-development items forward while the council also approved $268,454.00 in payables and a slate of routine resolutions, including participation in two national opioid settlements.

Mayor Robert A. Wills called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. and the council completed a roll call with Councilmembers Pete Sellers, Mike Phillips, Matt Franklin and Shannon Clemmons present; Councilmember William Taylor was absent. The council approved the consent agenda, including the minutes of the July 18, 2022 meeting, on a motion by Councilmember Pete Sellers and a second from Councilmember Matt Franklin.

Councilmember Mike Phillips moved to approve payables totaling $268,454.00; Councilmember Shannon Clemmons seconded and the motion carried unanimously. The minutes record the payment authorization but do not break down individual invoices or departmental charges.

On land-use matters, the council voted to table the second reading of Ordinance 1007 (Case No. Z-22003), a request to rezone the Peavy property from B-1 (Local Business) to R-4 (High Density Multi-Family Residential). Councilmember Shannon Clemmons moved to table the ordinance, Councilmember Pete Sellers seconded, and the motion passed with unanimous consent.

The council took immediate consideration of Ordinance 1010, described in the minutes as "Establishing a Franchise Fee Payment Agreement between the City of Bay Minette and North Baldwin Utilities." Councilmember Matt Franklin moved to approve immediate consideration and then moved to adopt Ordinance 1010; Councilmember Shannon Clemmons seconded both motions and the ordinance was adopted unanimously.

On economic-development items, the council approved Resolution 0822-02, agreeing to allow the Baldwin County Commission to handle all permitting for the South Alabama Megasite and surrendering city jurisdiction of the megasite to the county. Councilmember Mike Phillips moved to approve the resolution; Councilmember Matt Franklin seconded and the vote was unanimous. The council also approved Resolution 0822-03, consenting under Section 40-9B et seq., Code of Alabama (1975), to allow the county to grant certain sales and use tax abatements related to the project.

Relatedly, the council approved Resolution 0822-04 addressing Amendment Nos. 750 and/or 772 to the Alabama Constitution and authorized a project agreement among Baldwin County, the City of Bay Minette, North Baldwin Utilities, the Baldwin Economic Development Alliance, Inc., and Novelis Corporation. Councilmember Mike Phillips moved to approve the resolution; Councilmember Matt Franklin seconded and the motion carried unanimously. The minutes list the parties and reference the constitutional amendments but do not include the text of the project agreement or financial terms.

The council approved additional routine items by unanimous votes: Resolution 0822-01 (purchase of a used terrain cut rough mower from Beard Equipment), two rental-fee waivers for the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce for upcoming Veterans Day events (resolutions 0722-07 and 0722-08), and Resolution 0822-07 (a bid award related to the Justice Center). The minutes record motions, seconders and unanimous consent for each action but provide no further procurement or bid-award details.

The council also voted to join the State of Alabama and other local governments as participants in the Janssen and McKesson opioid settlements by approving Resolutions 0822-05 and 0822-06; Councilmember Matt Franklin moved the Janssen resolution and Councilmember Pete Sellers moved the McKesson resolution, each seconded and approved unanimously.

During the council/citizens comments portion, Joshua Brown presented an update on the Douglasville Basketball Program; the minutes do not include the substance of his remarks. Councilmember Shannon Clemmons moved to adjourn the meeting; Councilmember Matt Franklin seconded and the motion carried unanimously.

The council is scheduled to consider the second reading of Ordinance 1007 at a future meeting per the motion to table; no additional dates or specifics were recorded in the minutes.