Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – During the installation of the new artificial turf at the football/soccer stadium, contractor Rolin Construction realized it would have to move some electrical lines under the field powering the stadium’s lights.

On Jan. 2 at a joint regular/work session, the city council OK’d a change order of $41,113 to pay for the work on the $1.2 million project.

During the regular session, they also:

• OK’d expense vouchers for December totaling $2.6 million.
• Declared January 2024 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
• Awarded annual bids for goods and services including for chlorine, concrete, lime, masonry work, salt, sand and topsoil, sludge removal and disposal and sod.
• Authorized a grant agreement with the Alabama State Council on the Arts for $6,600 for the Expect Excellence program’s production of “The Wizard of Oz.”
• Authorized an amendment to a development agreement between the city and The Wharf.
• Approved Deputy Coastal Resources Director Nicole Woerner as the city’s representative to engage FEMA and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency for the hazard mitigation grant program. 
• Authorized a FEMA grant award of $142,870 to Don and Penny Williams of 5390 Hickory Lane to elevate their residence after damage from Hurricane Sally in 2020.
• OK’d Pandion Ridge’s request to amend its planned unit development to include a mobile home for the manager of the RV park and his family to live in.

During the work session, the council discussed:

•  Entering into an agreement with Cobbs, Allen & Hall for consulting on insurance and HR issues. The agreement is for two years and will expire on Dec. 31, 2025.
• Declaring 10 body cameras and mounts as surplus and donating them to the city of Elberta.
• A resolution establishing fees for the Orange Beach Golf Center.
• Awarding the bid for turf maintenance at the Sportsplex. Bids are scheduled to be opened on Jan. 11.
• Accepting proposals for a glamping concessionaire. Proposals are due by Jan. 11.
• Buying three vehicles for the Coastal Resources for a total of $161,465 from Stevens Ford Lincoln. Those include a 2024 F-150 super crew four-by-four for $47,161, a 2024 F-350 super crew four-by-by-four for $52,319 and a 2024 F-350 diesel super crew four-by-four for $61,985.
• An ordinance raising the income level to qualify for exemption from garbage and sewer fees from $25,000 to $27,500.
• Amending an ordinance on the “Calculation and collection of impact fees; exceptions.” The city was sued by homeowners Destin and Kim Williams first in August of 2019 and the city had it moved to federal court in January of 2020. It was eventually settled by an order from Judge Scott Taylor in Baldwin County court in June of 2022.
• An ordinance amendment deferring sewer fees in excess of $10,000 because “the payment of sewer fees in excess of $10,000 prior to receipt of a building permit creates a hardship requiring early loan advances for builders.”