HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-27-2023 City Council Work Session MinutesST A TE OF ALABAMA
COUN TY OF BALDWIN
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The City Council m et in a Work Session
at 4:30 p.m., Fairhope Municipal Comp lex Council Chamber,
161 orth Section Street, Fairhope, A labama 36532,
on Monda y, 27 November 2023.
Present were Council Presid ent Jay R obin so n , Councilmembers: Jack Burrell ,
Corey Martin, Jimmy Co nyers, and Kevi n B oo ne , Mayor Sherry Sullivan, City
Attorney Marcus E. McDowell , and City Clerk Lisa A. Hanks.
Counci l Presid ent Robin so n ca ll ed th e m eeting to order at 4 :30 p .m .
The following topi cs were di scu ssed :
• Th e first it em on the Agenda was th e Di sc uss ion of the H ermit 's House by Sonny
Brewer. He commented thi s was Henry Stuart's hou se loca ted in Tol stoy Park. Mr.
Brewer told the City Council a bo ut hi s book titled "The Poet of Tolstoy Park." He
said thousand have v is it ed th e h ouse that is on Ken Niemeyer 's property . Mr. Brewer
asked Mr. Niemeyer to g ive him th e house provided h e wo uld move it and keep it.
He as ked the C it y Co un cil to con sid er saving this hou se; and to "keep round hou se
aro und ." Mr. Brewer stated th e hou se is listed on the Nationa l Registry of Hi storic
places. Councilmem ber Burre ll sa id he cou ld name a co upl e of places that this house
could be mo ve d to: Triang le Property and Kno ll P ark. Coun ci lm em ber Boo ne
sugges ted removing one tree behind th e Museum of Hi story and put the house there .
Mayor Sherry Sullivan as ked th e City Counci l if they wo uld find a spot for th e house.
The consensus of the City Co uncil was they would find a spot for the house ; and
Sonny Brewer wo uld seek funds to have it moved .
• Co un ci lm emb er Burrell gave a bri ef update on th e Recreati on B oa rd and th e
Fairhope Airport Au th orit y.
• Fi re Chi ef Chris E lli s addressed th e City Council regarding Agenda Items No . 9 and
o. 1 0 ; and answered any questions if needed. Councilmember Burrell sa id he spo k e
to Chief E lli s and Tim Bung. H e sa id th e Gov Dea ls and Municibid had the same it em
se llin g for $2,000.00 to 5,000 .00. Councilmember Burre ll announ ced on D ecem b er
13, 2023 at Fairhope Brewi ng Co mp any, the City Council wi ll be Bartenders of
Christm as from 5:00 p .m . to 7:00 p .m . Al l tips w ill go to the Fairhope Vo lunteer Fire
Departm ent.
• Hum an R eso urces Direc tor Hannah Noonan a ddressed th e City Counc il and gave a
departmenta l update , i .e.; Job posting , re viewing and updating h andbook, bi-weekly
o ri entation s, etc. An d in th e safety wo rld since 2022 , we have reduced claims cost by
$29 1,000.00 which is a 12.5% re du ction. Ms. Noonan exp la in ed Agenda Item No.
15; an d answered any qu estio n s if needed.
• Ga s Superintendent Wes B oye tt addressed the C it y Co un ci l and commended hi s
department for their work wi th the Federal an d State Audits with no fin din gs. He
exp lai n ed Agenda It em o. 2 1; and answered any questions if needed . Mr. B oyett
said the work would begin Decemb er 4, 2023 o n White Avenu e and then Sea C li ff.
Mond ay, 27 No ve mb er 2 023
Page -2 -
• C it y Engin eer Ri chard John so n addressed the C it y Co un c il and mentio ne d Barnh a rt
Ri gg in g and Cra ne fo r poss ibl y m ov in g the Tolstoy hou se ; and woul d get p ro p osa ls
for sam e . Mr. Johnson gave upd a tes on the fo ll ow in g proj ec ts: Gaston P laza, Arts
All ey , T rac k an d Field a t Fo und e rs, R esurfac ing o f Cart P ath , NW Corne r o f Stadium
R est roo m s, Tenni s and Pi c kl e ba ll Co urt Expan s ion , an d R ep av ing of Section St reet.
He ex pl ain ed Agen da Items No . 16 and No. 18 ; an d an swered any qu es ti on s if
nee ded . He announ ced Age nd a It em No . 17 has bee n pull ed.
• Water and Wa stewa ter Sup erintend ent D ary l M ore fi e ld a ddressed t he C ity Co un c il
regardin g Agenda Item s No. 11 , No . 12, and No . 13 ; and answered any ques ti on s if
need ed . M ayor Sulli va n sa id Kre b s looke d at other bid s fro m Muni c ip a liti es fo r
co mp e tit ive like ite m s ; an d th ere co uld b e a p oss ib le C ha nge Order re du c in g th e
am o un t by $600 ,000.00 to $7 00 ,00 0 .00
• IT Direc tor Jeff M ontgo m ery addressed th e C ity Co un c il reg ardin g Agend a Ite m No.
20 ; an d answe red an y questio n s if nee de d .
• Po li ce C hi ef Step hani e H o llin ghea d addresse d th e C ity Co un c il regard in g Agend a
It em s No . 7 a nd No. 8 ; a nd an swe red any qu es ti on s if need ed . Mayor Su ll ivan
ex pl a in ed issue s with o bta ining P oli ce vehic les . Co uncil mem ber Burrell sa id th a t
m ost e -mail s for bids are proba bl y b e ing ignored .
• C ity Treas urer Kim Creech addressed th e C ity Co un c il regardi ng Agend a Item No.
14 ; a nd an swered an y qu es ti on s if needed .
• E lectri c Sup erinte nd e nt B e n P att er son addressed th e C it y Co un c il regardin g the
Und ergro und Magno li a P roject ; and EV Ch argers a t Pl antation P ointe . H e ex pl a in ed
Age nd a Item No . 19 ; and answered any qu est ion s if needed .
• M ayor Sh erry Sulli va n addressed th e C ity Coun c il regardin g Agen da Ite ms No . 22
and No. 23 ; and answered an y qu es ti ons if nee ded .
• Pl annin g Director Hunter Simm on s a ddresse d th e C ity Co un c il regard ing Agend a
Ite m s No. 5 an d o. 6; and an swered any tion s if need ed.
Th er e bein g no further bu sin ess to c
was dul y adj ourn ed at 5:38 p.m .
~~~L
ity C lerk
Co rey Martin , Co un c il Pres id e nt