Foley, Ala. – (OBA) – At its April 8 meeting, the Foley City Council will consider a proposal from GeoCon Engineering & Materials Testing to provide inspections and construction material testing for the city’s new library. The council will meet April 8 at 4 p.m. in a joint regular/work session in council chambers at city hall.

“The testing and inspections will be conducted on an on-call basis and the total anticipated costs should not exceed $50,000,” a memo on the meeting agenda states.

The total cost of the project for the 40,000-square-foot library is just under $20 million and is about twice the size of the current library next to city hall on Laurel Avenue.

A groundbreaking ceremony was on January 30 at the future library site, located at 230 E. Orange Ave. in Foley, next to the Foley Dog Park.

During the joint regular/work session, the council will:

• Conduct a public hearing on a rezoning request from Elbert and Bernice Hare to change from single-family residential to planned unit development. It is located east of South Juniper Street and north of East Michigan Avenue. Plans submitted with the agenda show a six-lot subdivision on the 2.2 acres.
• Conduct a public hearing and introduction on miscellaneous amendments to Foley’s zoning ordinance, including those regulating poultry and waterfowl, businesses where the owner lives onsite or joint occupancy.
• Conduct a public hearing and have a second reading to consider an amendment to the ordinance on single-member voting districts in the city.
• Vote on a proclamation to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington during the Revolutionary War.
• Hear a request from Community Development to vote for traffic-calming measures on Park Avenue, including bids for construction. The street runs from South Pine Street south of the YMCA and west to South Hickory Street. The estimated cost for the project is $200,000.
• Receive a report from Leisure Services on activities in the department in fiscal year 2024.
• Have a second reading of an ordinance to establish the polling place for the upcoming municipal election.
• Consider a liquor license for the new Publix being built in the southwest corner of the intersection of the Foley Beach Express and County Road 20.
• Consider a liquor license for Towne Tap located at OWA.
• Discuss accepting a $500 donation for the library to buy digital titles.
• Discuss using a Site Evaluation Economic Development Strategy (SEEDS) grant to pay Goodwyn, Mills, Caywood $71,345 to evaluate a parcel the city is considering buying for use as an industrial park.
• Consider a resolution to declare Sgt. Eric Holland’s badge and service weapon as surplus.
• Discuss buying a ride-on floor vacuum sweep for the event center for $12,856.
• Discuss extending a cooperative service agreement with the USDA for beaver management for $3,000.
• Consider having a Safe Haven Baby Box installed at fire station No. 1 for $16,601.
• Discuss amending the pay classification plans for the police and street departments.
• Consider awarding the bid for North Hickory Street resurfacing and other improvements to McElhenney Construction for $411,882. Sawgrass Consulting will provide construction engineering and inspection for the project.
• Discuss a request from the Parks and Recreation Department to buy two Ford pickup trucks for $94,000.
• Consider approving an application for the FY2025 legislative event grant.
• Set a date for a public hearing on adopting an amendment to the city’s zoning ordinance.
• Discuss waiving fees for using Max Griffin/Foley Kids Park for the Kiwanis Club’s international kids day service project on June 8.
• Discuss purchasing a Ford F-150 crew cab four-wheel-drive pickup for the Public Safety Department for $60,985.
• Consider approving the electricity costs for streetlights in Carnoustie Gardens.
• Consider waiving the fees to use Heritage Park and John B. Foley Park for the 53rd annual Art in the Park on May 9-11.
• Discuss accepting several unnamed and undeveloped rights of way from Baldwin County located east of the Foley Beach Express and south of Pastoral Lane.
• Discuss spending $17,000 for phase one of the Andrew James Wetland Reserve capital project, including an osprey platform, bird houses and wetland mats and plants and one year of maintenance.
• Consider reappointing Alton McCullough to the Museum Archive Board and Kathryn LeDrew to the Foley Historic Commission Board.
• Consider buying a matrix key system for the police department for $10,809. 
• Discuss approving a one-time payment supporting the Foley High School’s public safety and forensics program for travel expenses to Florida State’s Panama City campus for a seminar.
• Discuss buying property for downtown parking.