Orange Beach Council To Vote On Police Chief And Safety Purchases

John Mullen • February 3, 2026

The council will decide on police and fire department upgrades, vehicle purchases, and new lifesaving technology during its joint regular and work sessions.

Orange Beach City Hall

Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Orange Beach’s council will have several items on public safety to consider in an upcoming meeting. Among those is the appointment of a permanent police chief. Others include life-saving equipment and vehicles.

 

The council will meet in a joint regular/work session on Feb. 3 in council chambers at City Hall.

 

David Trent Johnson is on the agenda to become the police chief after serving as interim since the retirement of Steve Brown in September. The police department also seeks to purchase four vehicles for $180,800, including two 2026 Ram 1500 crew cab trucks at $44,985 each and two 2026 Ram 2500 four-wheel-drive pickups at $45,415 each.

 

Also, the police department needs to purchase ammunition for $31,844 to cover all training and duty needs for 2026.

 

The fire department plans to replace a 1993 brush truck with a 2026 Ford F-350 SuperCab 4x4 pickup for $65,010. A brush skid will be purchased and attached to the pickup bed.

 

Also, the fire department is seeking to buy two cardiac monitors/defibrillators for $122,904 and two LUCAS chest compression systems for $41,537.

 

All of these public safety items are on the regular meeting agenda, and other items will be discussed at the work session and voted on later. This includes buying three UTVs for the fire department, and bids will be opened on Feb. 5 to determine the cost. The fire department is also looking to buy a flashover simulator, also per the Feb. 5 bid opening.

 

The fire department has another item on the work session agenda to buy a Ford F150 SuperCrew four-by-four pickup for $58,999.

 

During the regular session, the council will discuss:

 

Authorizing payment of goods and services from Jan. 15 to Feb. 4 for $3.2 million.

Declaring Feb. 28 as Arbor Day in Orange Beach. See related story: Coastal communities prepare for Arbor Day with annual tree giveaways

Approval of a special retail liquor license for Perdido Hotel Partners for Perdido Beach Resort.

Purchasing three Kubota utility vehicles for the Sportsplex for $48,886, or $16,295 each.

Authorizing the surplus and trade-in of 24 golf carts for the Golf Center and buying 28 golf carts for $150,544.

Authorizing a $69,883 contract with Thompson Engineering to design additional work needed for the Canal Road multi-use trail connectivity projects. It will cover additional construction inspection and administrative services.

Declaring some items owned by the city as surplus and authorizing their disposal. Items include 18 court benches, office furniture, and miscellaneous hardware supplies.

A resolution for a contract with RaptorMed.com for medical records software for the Orange Beach Wildlife Center.

A contract with Motorola Services for maintenance and support of equipment for the police department.

An amendment to an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for nuisance wildlife control services and upping the fee to $12,000 for the term through Jan. 1, 2027.

Authorizing a contract with Lose Tennessee for professional design services for the Orange Beach Aquatic Center’s renovation project for $781,000.

A contract with Sally Wyrick for water aerobics instruction at the Aquatic Center.

Authorizing an agreement with Kone for elevator maintenance at the Coastal Resources office.

A sponsorship request from The Wharf for an Independence Day celebration. The city is considering a $25,000 appropriation.

 

During the work session, the council will discuss:

 

Awarding annual bids for dumpster and roll-off container waste services.

Appointing a member to the Orange Beach Board of Education. Those applying include Timothy Bowling, Taylor Brown, Leanne Collins, Tina D’Aversa, Sue Dale, Neeli Faulkner, Kendall Hoffman, Stephen Lewis, Ryan Long, Annette Mitchell, Carrie Morris, Angela Mott, Jason Neel, Drew Parker, Clay Tindal, Ashley Wade, and Mallory Wilkins.

Amending the rental agreement and fee schedule for the Senior Center. There are different fees for Monday through Thursday nights, Friday nights, Saturdays, and Sundays. There is also a separate fee for residents and nonresidents, with the latter about twice as much as residents pay.

Authorizing the purchase of diffuser sleeves from Parkson Corp., for the Utilities Department, for $37,896.

Buying a Ford F150 SuperCrew pickup for the Sportsplex for $48,724.

An ordinance to update the Board of Zoning Adjustment appeals process.


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