Bay Minette council approves stormwater zoning changes, lodging-tax language and mid-year budget revision

The Bay Minette City Council met May 4, 2026, at City Hall and unanimously approved several measures, including a first reading of zoning amendments for stormwater and erosion control and consideration of revised lodging-tax language, while adopting a mid-year budget revision.

The council opened a public hearing on Ordinance 1067, amendments to Article 12 on stormwater management and erosion control under Code of Alabama Section 11-52-1 through 11-52-85. Mayor Joshua O. Brown said the hearing was opened; with no public comment, Councilmember Mike Phillips moved to approve Ordinance 1067 on first reading. Councilmember Chris Norman seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

The council then moved to consider Ordinance 1068, which would repeal and replace Ordinance 1064 and amend Chapter 6 (Business Licenses, Taxes and Regulations), Article VIII (Lodging and Accommodations Tax), Sections 6-151 through 6-170. Mayor Pro Tempore Pete Sellers moved that the ordinance be considered by unanimous consent; Councilmember Tyrone Thompson seconded and the motion carried. The minutes record a subsequent motion to approve the ordinance and a unanimous vote. The meeting minutes contain a typographical error in the recorded motion text that references Ordinance 1067; the surrounding context and the recorded unanimous vote indicate the council approved Ordinance 1068 on consideration.

Councilmembers also approved Resolution 0426-09, granting a 700 Specialty Retailer of Consumable HEMP Products license to Bay Minette Liquor Wine Cigar at 712 D'Olive Street; Resolution 0526-01 to accept and memorialize certain grant awards received during Fiscal Year 2025–2026 (grant details not specified in the minutes); and Resolution 0526-02 to adopt the FY 2025–2026 mid-year budget revision. Earlier in the meeting the council voted to approve revised accounts payable for May 4, 2026, in the amount of $559,547.14.

All recorded motions in the minutes carried unanimously. Specific vote tallies by name were not recorded in the text provided; motions were moved and seconded by council members as follows: minutes approved (moved by Mayor Pro Tempore Pete Sellers, seconded by Councilmember Mike Phillips); accounts payable approved (moved by Councilmember Mike Phillips, seconded by Councilmember Tyrone Thompson); Ordinance 1067 first reading (moved by Councilmember Mike Phillips, seconded by Councilmember Chris Norman); Ordinance 1068 considered and approved (moved for consideration by Mayor Pro Tempore Pete Sellers, seconded by Councilmember Tyrone Thompson; approval motion recorded but contains a typographical reference to Ordinance 1067 in the minutes); Resolution 0426-09 (moved by Councilmember Tyrone Thompson, seconded by Councilmember Mike Phillips); Resolution 0526-01 (moved by Councilmember Chris Norman, seconded by Councilmember Mike Phillips); Resolution 0526-02 (moved by Councilmember Mike Phillips, seconded by Councilmember Tyrone Thompson).

The meeting also included ceremonial proclamations recognizing May 2026 as Lupus Awareness Month and designating National Safe Boating Week (May 16–22, 2026). The Safe Boating Week proclamation was presented to a U.S. Coast Guard Flotilla commander listed in the minutes; the minutes use two different surnames in separate lines for that guest, creating an internal inconsistency in the record.

The council adjourned after concluding the agenda. The minutes do not record further deliberation on the grants listed under Resolution 0526-01 or additional details about changes to the lodging-tax language beyond the ordinance caption. The mayor announced a mayoral appointment to the Douglasville School of Arts and Recreation (Candace Crook-Orr, term expiring March 1, 2029); the minutes do not record a vote on that appointment.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes (April 20, 2026): moved by Pete Sellers; seconded by Mike Phillips; outcome: unanimous approval. - Accounts payable (Revised AP, May 4, 2026): $559,547.14; moved by Mike Phillips; seconded by Tyrone Thompson; outcome: unanimous approval. - Ordinance 1067 (stormwater/erosion control) — first reading: moved by Mike Phillips; seconded by Chris Norman; outcome: unanimous approval on first reading. - Ordinance 1068 (lodging and accommodations tax) — considered by unanimous consent and approved: motion text in the minutes contains a typographical reference to Ordinance 1067; outcome: unanimous approval as recorded. - Resolution 0426-09 (700 hemp retailer license to Bay Minette Liquor Wine Cigar): moved by Tyrone Thompson; seconded by Mike Phillips; outcome: unanimous approval. - Resolution 0526-01 (accept/memorialize grant awards): moved by Chris Norman; seconded by Mike Phillips; outcome: unanimous approval. Grant amounts/sources not specified in minutes. - Resolution 0526-02 (FY 2025–2026 mid-year budget revision): moved by Mike Phillips; seconded by Tyrone Thompson; outcome: unanimous approval.

What’s next: The minutes do not indicate additional public hearings or future meeting dates beyond the standard schedule; follow-up items would include any staff reports or implementing action required to enact ordinance changes and to record grant details for Resolution 0526-01.