Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – At a its joint work/regular session on Dec. 5, Gulf Shores will discuss paying $480,000 to Make Forestry Corp. for site work on National Fish and Wildlife Foundation-funded wetlands acquired by the on the Oyster Bay Nature Preserve and the Wenzel Wetland Preserve. The council will meet at 4 p.m. at city hall.

The first two meetings of December will be joint work/regular sessions to avoid meeting on the week of Christmas.

“This work shall include site preparation and land clearing, including the establishment of firebreaks, buffers, mulching, and mowing, as described in the Fire Management Plan,” the council agenda reads.

There are nine burn areas on the Oyster Bay parcel and two on the Wenzel parcel. Gulf Shores asked for bids on the work on Oct. 25 and when they were opened Mako Forestry had the lowest conforming bid.

The money will be 100 percent reimbursed by NFWF, the agenda says.

During the work session, the council will also discuss:

• An assembly permit for the Gulf Shores Kiwanis Club’s Jan. 1 Polar Bear Dip at Gulf Place. It’s a free event but donations will be taken for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

• An assembly for the Zydeco and Crawfish in the Waterfront Village District on April 21-22. For this year, the Waterway Village Merchants Association got a $30,000 grant from the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Sports and Events Commission and on Friday, April 21, a ticketed concert event is planned with the proceeds benefiting the merchant’s group. The council will also hear a request for a 5K run associated with the festival starting at 8 a.m. April 22 on 24^th Avenue near Tacky Jacks.

• A conditional use permit for a five-year operational plan to close a 62- acre landfill in Gulf Shores, have the site graded and develop an improved drainage plan. The Gulf Shores Planning Commission gave the permit a unanimous 9-0 favorable recommendation to the council. The property is located at 100 Landward Way on the west side of State Route 59 behind the Cactus Cantina restaurant.

• Approving a resolution to approve the construction and operation of a corporate hangar at Gulf Shores International Airport for Gulf Shores Power Sports. The 11,500-square-foot building will be built on a 27,878-foot lot at the airport. The lease of the property to Gulf Shores Power Sports will net the airport authority about $7,800 a year.

• Approving a second lease agreement between the airport authority and Megalop Holdings for building and operating a corporate hangar. Megalop will lease a 14,375-foot lot to build a 4,400-square-foot building. The lease will give the airport authority revenue of about $4,000 a year.

• Rescheduling some of the council meetings in 2023 to accommodate New Year’s, Martin Luther King, Labor Day and Christmas holidays.

• Appointing John Eslick to finish out Marlene Johnt’s term on the Beautification Board through Sept. 1, 2023.

• Authorizing contracts to Christie Strategy Group for state lobbying services for $12,000 a quarter plus expenses and the second to Van Scoyoc Associates for federal legislative lobbying services for $5,500 a month plus expenses.

• A resolution to allow Baldwin County Revenue Department access to the city’s Citizenserve software system to collect building permitting data for appraisal and tax purposes.

• Renewing franchises for 14 taxi companies operating in the city.

• An ordinance to change to raise the price of an all-day parking pass to $15 at seven city beach access points. The cost for four-hour parking will remain $5 but the all-day pass will go up from the previous $10. The city has 442 paid parking spaces in the program, 90 in the free residents-only lot at East Gulf Place and the city is considering adding 108 new paid spaces at West Fifth Street, West 10^th Street and West 13^th Street.