Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – Gulf Shores has in the budget for 2023 to spend $500,000 on a new patrol boat for the police department and a tow vehicle. If a grant application for a FEMA Port Security Grant is successful the city might get 75 percent of it paid with federal funds.

The council will discuss authorizing city staff to turn in an application for the boat in the 4 p.m. council work session on May 1 at city hall.

“The FEMA Port Security Grant Program provides funding to port authorities, facility operators, and state, local, and territorial agencies for activities associated

with implementing Area Maritime Security Plans (AMSP), facility security plans, and other port-wide risk management efforts,” Grants and Environmental Coordinator Dan Bond said.

See related story: Homeland Security grant will pay for Orange Beach’s new police boat



Bond cited the number of waterways in the area including the beachfront, Little Lagoon, the Intracoastal Waterway, Lake Shelby in Gulf State Park, the Bon Secour River and part of Mobile Bay.

“The City’s location along the ICW between the Port of Mobile and the Port of Pensacola, along with increased development and boating access on the ICW, have created the need for GSPD to establish a Marine Patrol Division with the capability to respond, in coordination with federal and state agencies, to incidents along the ICW and adjacent waterbodies,” Bond’s memo states.

Currently the police department’s fleet of one response boat and one personal watercraft and are nearing the end of their service life.

The new vessel will greatly enhance GSPD’s capability to fulfill the mission of prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery as part of the National Preparedness and Resilience Objectives set forth in the Mobile Port-Wide Risk Management Plan and the Baldwin County Mitigation Plan,” Bond’s memo stated.

The city would have to apply a 25 percent match or $125,000. The deadline to apply for the 2023 Port Security Grant Program is May 18.

During the meeting, the council also:

• Hear a presentation from Tara McMeans about the Entrepreneur Program

• Impacting Communities local chambers are partnering with to start in local schools. According to a letter from McMeans, the program is an “interactive and educational business program that will teach students the fundamentals of starting a business.”

• Discuss awarding the 2023 street resurfacing bid to Weaver & Sons who had the lowest bid at $730,073. The roads scheduled for resurfacing are:

• Treasure Oaks Road

• Treasure Court

• Millwood Drive

• Prestwick Avenue

• Prestwick Circle

• Cove Avenue

• East 16th Avenue (from Hwy 59 to East First Street)

• West Canal Drive (from Hwy 59 bridge to West Second Street)

• Discuss budget amendment two to show an increase of $169,070 dollars to reflect more revenue from Baldwin EMC license fees. Other increases were to pay for the resurfacing of the Bodenhamer Recreation Center pool, adding $298,000 for additional parking/increased fees, reduce transfer from General Fund $162,000 and add $136,000 expense for three additional beach life guards.

• Consider approving a franchise agreement with Brightspeed of Southern
• Alabama and Brightspeed Broadband with the city receiving 5 percent of the monthly service fee paid by subscribers.

• Discuss approving $80,000 for contracts for the 2024 Winter Entertainment Series. The city sold $89,145 worth of tickets to the 2023 series and after expenses had $17,668 left over.