Orange Beach considering buying land near school campus
John Mullen • November 12, 2022
Four lots are west of the middle/high school campus
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Orange Beach will discuss buying four lots on Sweetwater Drive for $2.2 million for possible future use by the Orange Beach Board of Education.
The lots are located directly west of the Orange Beach Middle/High campus just across Sweetwater Drive and south of the Alabama Beverage Control Board’s warehouse. If passed the resolution would authorize Mayor Tony Kennon to negotiate for the purchase of the lots.
Baldwin County tax records show the lots are owned by Romar Beach Mini Warehouses which has a Silverhill address.
During the regular session, the council will discuss:
- Appointing Amoreena Brewton, Jesse Hollingsworth as members and Carl Bradley to fill the remaining term of John Simonson on the Employees’ Leave Bank Committee. Simonson and Nick Bryant will serve as alternates. Permanent members are City Administrator Ken Grimes, Finance Director Ford Handley and Human Resources Director Vicki Pishna.
- A resolution approving the fiscal year 2023 Budget for the city including the transfer of special revenue funds to the general fund for special revenue fund projects.
- A resolution accepting Webster Lane, Surrey Lane, and the sanitary sewer system located in the Shore Acres Subdivision as publicly owned for maintenance by the city.
- A resolution authorizing a contract with Thompson Engineering for redesign of baseball field dugouts at the Sportsplex. The agenda didn’t list a price for the work.
- A resolution authorizing the purchase of Stop Loss Insurance for the in FY2023.
- A resolution approving the hiring of Copeland, Franco, Screws & Gill, P.A., to assist in the representation of the City in certain potential legal claims.
- A resolution authorizing a software license agreement with Motorola for an evidence library and uniform crime reporting for the Police Department in the amount of $48,665.
- A resolution authorizing a contract with ArchiveSocial, Inc., for social media record keeping.
- A resolution authorizing an additional one-time payment to city employees for future services. Full-time employees will get $1,000 and full-time employees who started after Nov. 16, 2021 will receive $500. Each part-time or temporary employee under hire on Oct. 29 will receive $250.
- A resolution to host the annual Christmas Tree Lighting event on Nov. 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Wharf for the benefit of the citizens and visitors of the city of Orange Beach.
- A resolution authorizing a contract with GeoCon Engineering & Materials Testing to provide a preliminary soil study for a proposed fuel station located by the wastewater treatment plant in an amount not to exceed $3,145.
- A zoning ordinance amendment for Top Tier Water Sports for a building and docks for a dolphin cruise and watercraft rental business on Cotton Bayou north of Cotton’s Restaurant.
- A zoning ordinance amendment for Pandion Ridge RV Park to build an onsite water park.
During the work session, the council will discuss:
- A resolution awarding the bid for Cross Lane dune walkover post-Hurricane Sally repairs.
- A resolution authorizing a contract with Sawgrass Consulting to provide land surveying services for the subdivision of the Coastal Resources Office Property on Walker Avenue in an amount not to exceed $3,500.
- A resolution authorizing the execution of a covenant of purpose, use and ownership with the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council for the Expansion of the Orange Beach Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Program.
- A resolution renewing the lease agreement with the Bear Point Civic Association for property located at the end of Mississippi Avenue.
- A resolution to provide commitment to develop the Orange Beach stormwater master plan and ensure payment of the city share of funding as awarded by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources through the RESTORE Act Water Quality Program.
- A resolution establishing fees for equipment rental at the City of Orange Beach Wind and Water Learning Center for rentals of the watercraft housed there. There have been requests for the 23 kayaks, eight Sunfish and nine Optimist sailboats.
- A resolution authorizing execution of a performance contract with Anne B. Gajda for golf instruction services.
- Setting a public hearing date for zoning ordinance changes proposed by city staff. The suggested date was Dec. 12.
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