Foley, Ala. – (OBA) – When the Foley Public Works Department moved into its new office in 1991, it was accommodating for the staff members working there. But more than 30 years later, it’s bursting at the seams.

“It was more or less designed for about 25 people,” Public Works Director Darrell Russell said. “We didn’t have a very big fleet so we had a small shop. Now, my roster says 77 people under my umbrella so it’s time to move and expand for the future.”

That fleet, just part of what Public Works is responsible for in city operations, has grown exponentially in the intervening years as Foley’s population, along with the county’s, has exploded as well.

“We didn’t keep good records in ’91 so can’t give you a number then,” Russell said. “I know we now have about 400 pieces of equipment today. That means police cars, firetrucks, garbage trucks, backhoes, track hoes.”

A new Public Works campus is in the works for at the intersection of East Section Avenue and North Poplar Street on about 13 acres and it will address growth in two ways.

“Instead of moving again we’ll expand on property,” Russell said. “The buildings are designed to add on because we don’t know how quick we’re going to grow. That’s why the buildings are shaped that way because we’re planning for expansion.”

The main Public Works offices will face the intersection of East Section Avenue and North Poplar Street and house administrative staffs of Public Works as well as Engineering. The Street and Sanitation building will be south of that building and face North Poplar. East of those two buildings, the fuel station will be on the north part of the parcel fronting East Section Street with two equipment sheds and the mechanical shop south of it.

“Everything involving the Public Works Director including the commercial and residential sanitation, the street department, the mechanics shop,” Russell said. “We’re going to add, which is not under my umbrella, the engineering department. They will split a building with my administrative staff.”

Another expansion will be in the fuel station to serve the great volume of city vehicles.

“It will be a big addition on fuel storage,” Russell said. “Currently, our gas storage capacity is 10,000 gallons of gas, 10,000 gallons of diesel. We will double that capacity to 20,000 each.”

Target date for construction to begin is June with a completion date sometime in 2024.