Dothan City Commission approves entertainment-district sign exemption, backs workforce MOU and a $250,000 Byrne grant

The Dothan City Commission on April 21 approved an ordinance that exempts properties inside the city’s designated entertainment district from a signed-advertising requirement and voted to approve a slate of partnership agreements and appropriations intended to support workforce development, public safety and city services.

“We have a rather full and fun and great day of proclamations and recognitions this morning,” Mayor Mark Slabaugh said at the start of the meeting, which combined ceremonial recognitions with routine business and several staff-recommended agreements.

The commission voted to give immediate consideration to and adopt Ordinance 2026-96, which amends Chapter 6 of the City of Dothan code of ordinances to exempt properties located within the entertainment district from the signed-advertising requirement and to update exemption language. Commissioners approved the ordinance on a voice vote with no roll-call tally recorded in the transcript.

In addition to the ordinance, the commission approved Resolution 2026-97, a memorandum of understanding with the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and Tuskegee University to assist with the CARVER (career advancement, research vision and…