Foley, Ala. – (OBA) – The city of Foley awarded bids in December worth $4.5 million in December for various projects around the city. A safe room for first responders to use during hurricanes was the biggest-ticket item. Others, including street work, lighting for a city park, and furniture for the new library.

On Jan. 20, the city council will meet in a joint regular/work session at 4 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall. The council usually meets on Mondays, but this meeting has been moved to Tuesday for the Martin Luther King holiday.

Among the bids let in December are:

• A $3.7 million bid from Roy Lewis Construction for the city’s first responder hurricane safe room
• A $562,223 bid for the Miflin Road access management plan to L&K Construction
• A 102,300 bid to Bill Smith Electric for the installation of LED lights at Aaronville Park
• A $72,277 bid to Gulf Construction for a pavilion at the Graham Creek Nature Preserve
• A $104,335 for the Pilgram Street paving project to Harwell & Company
• A bid for library furniture was let to OEC, but the memo didn’t say how much it was for

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

• Recognizing January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
• Authorizing $16 million for goods and services in December.
•  Hear a report on tax collections in December, including $3 million in sales taxes or just slightly below collections in 2024 and $100,000 short of budget projections. The city collected $121,786 in lodging taxes in December, or $7,000 less than in 2024 and $15,000 below budget projections.
• Hear a report from Community Development showing 12 permits for single-family homes were issued, along with two permits for new commercial construction in December. These buildings are valued at $29 million, with $20 million allocated to commercial and $7.6 million to single-family homes.
• Receive a report from the police department showing 232 inmates were processed through the city jail in December. There were 27 arrests for controlled substances, 18 for simple assault and domestic violence, 13 for possession of drug paraphernalia, 10 misdemeanor marijuana arrests, and 10 for shoplifting. Officers were called out 2,483 times in December.
• Selling land for Cox Pools to build two buildings in the Foley Industrial Park, worth $2.3 million and containing 45-55 employees. The purchase price will be $50,000 per acre, but the agenda didn’t state how many acres or the total purchase price of the land.
• Having a second reading of an ordinance to amend the fee schedule for building permits in the city.
• A second reading of an ordinance to require a permit to perform work in public rights-of-way in Foley.
• Having a second reading on amending the ordinance related to speed limits and traffic controls in the Quail Landing subdivision.
• Accepting public rights-of-way in the Lafayette Place for infrastructure and maintenance.
• Have a second reading on an ordinance selling land owned by the city to USS Innovations at $37,000 per acre for approximately 18 acres.
• Issuing a special events retail liquor license for the Mudbugs and Margaritas Festival on April 5 in Heritage Park from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• A resolution approving a February retirement award. No further details were given.
• Approving the installation of five new street lights on South Pecan Street between Lay Lane and Michigan Avenue for $4,300.
• Installing eight new street lights on Cater Lee Way for $20,000.
• Approving an increase in the Street Department’s road crew operational budget by $40,000 for equipment rental, maintenance, and repairs
• Accepting a GOMESA, or Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, of $1.5 million for adding land to the Nature Parks Department. According to the agenda, this will help as part of a possible $13.6 million project to buy the land. The final purchase price has not been negotiated.
• Setting a public hearing to amend an ordinance on impact fees for developers.
• A resolution requesting the temporary closure of certain streets and alleys for the installation of mural crosswalks.
• Setting public hearings for nuisance weeds and junk in front of Crownwalk subdivision, the common area of Parkside subdivision, at 1608 S. Oak Street, and 635 E. Gate Circle. The council can vote to clear the properties.
• Waiving the fees for use of Heritage Park for Elisha Sayers with the Redemption Church Outreach for a drug awareness event in the park on May 16.
• Hiring Sawgrass Consulting for professional services for the design and development of a butterfly garden building at Graham Creek Nature Preserve at an estimated cost of $73,060.
• Waiving fees for the use of Heritage Park and Pavilion on March 12-14 for the annual BBQ & Blues Cook-off fundraiser.
• Appointing Jerome Roper to the Housing Authority Board.
• Accepting real property in the Hadley Village subdivision. No further details were provided in the agenda.
• Increasing the budget by $19,000 for expenses related to adding three K9s in Foley in 2026.
• Hiring Goodwyn Mills and Cawood to help with permit applications from the Army Corps of Engineers related to the James Road extension project for $81,478.
• Approving several purchases for the Street Department road and construction crew, including several tractors.
• Allowing a one-day members-only pop-up local arts and crafts show. No further details were provided in the agenda.
• Accepting a $500,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs for an economic development project. No further details were provided in the agenda.
• Waiving fees for Pine Street Park to Micah Wright and the Foley United Methodist Church to hand out beverages at the city’s Mardi Gras parade.
• A resolution to approve declaring some police department vehicles as surplus. No further details were provided in the agenda.