Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – Gulf Shores awarded a bid for $3.6 million to McElhenney Construction for the second phase of improvements in the Beach Walking District.

“This is awarding of the contract for Phase Two of the Beach Walking District,” former City Engineer Mark Acremen said at a recent city council meeting. “This phase will be an extension of East First Avenue between East Second Street and East Third Street and also will include improvements to East Third Street as well.

We are recommending awarding this contract to McElhenney Construction who was the contractor of record for phase one.”

Included in this contract will be some work to complete phase one that crews couldn’t finish due to conflicts with utilities.

“Part of the project also will be going back and completing the sidewalks that we were unable to finish in phase one due to a conflict with overhead power,” Acreman said. “Baldwin EMC is scheduled to begin that relocation of that overhead power in phase one after Labor Day. So, we’ll be able once they relocated that overhead power, we’ll also be able to go back and interconnect the sidewalks in a few driveways we were not able to finish.”

The $3.6 million comes in a little over budget and Acreman said the shortfall will be covered in the 2024 budget. Acreman is leaving the city for another job after 18 years in Gulf Shores.

During the regular session on Aug. 14, the council:

• Approved a public assembly permit for the Bloody Mary 5K run Sept. 2 with the start-finish line in front of Acme Oyster House with the run starting at 7 a.m.

• Approved liquor license applications for the Craft Farms Golf Club and Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club. The two were recently sold by Honours Golf to South Carolina-based Scratch Golf.

• Agreed to a contract extension with Symbol Health Solutions for onsite medical clinic services and wellness programs for city employees, spouses and dependents. The per-patient payment for a visit will rise from $82.95 to $89. The program cost the city $474,571 in 2022.

• Authorized staff to seek a Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation program grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for planning, design and environmental assessments for the East Gulf Shores Community Resilience Improvement Project. The $3.6 million would provide for preliminary engineering as well and is part of an overall $45.6 million for all the components in the improvement plan including shoring up eroding banks along the Intracoastal Waterway.

• Accepted a grant administered by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in a RESTORE Act grant for $690,708 for two culverts underneath Waterway West Boulevard. The new culverts would improve the connection between a wetland and Oyster Bay and are part of the city’s marsh restoration in the area.

• Entered a contract with Direct Communications to “strengthen the perception of Gulf Shores” and its offerings of education, public safety and quality of life as well as promote the city’s “beyond the beach” efforts. The company will also be charged with expanding marketing coverage given to three high-profile events, Hangout Music Fest, NCAA Women’s Sand Volleyball Championship and the National Shrimp Festival. Direct will receive $5,500 a month to provide these services.

• Authorized spending $313,518 to replace 70 aging tasers currently being used by the police department.

• Renewed a lease with the Gulf Shores School Board for the Cultural Center Auditorium on Oak Road West. The school system began leasing the building in March of 2022 at no cost other than janitorial services and cleaning equipment. The new agreement is still at no cost but the school board will now be responsible for the electric bill. The city will continue to provide building maintenance, water and sewer service.

• OK’d awarding a bid to Asphalt Services for $1.2 million for the city of Gulf Shores to extend Oak Road East north to Coastal Gateway Boulevard on the western edge of a parcel the city is planning to improve over the next several years.

• Agreed to pay John G. Walton Construction $425,000 to extend the alleyway west of Walmart all the way to Fort Morgan Road. The entire alleyway from East 15th Avenue to Fort Morgan Road will be resurfaced. The purpose is to “provide an alternate means of access to the businesses and provide both patrons and delivery vehicles access to” Fort Morgan Road.

• OK’d a request from Sunset Taxi to operate a taxi franchise in the city. The company is based in Delta, Colorado and wants to branch out to Gulf Shores under the name Sunset Taxi.