Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – During a June 3 council work session, Gulf Shores will consider applying for a FEMA Port Security Grant to be a new fire boat for the purchase of a 29-foot fire boat with a final cost of about $704,000.

The council will meet at 4 p.m. in council chambers at city hall.

A memo to the council from the fire department’s Chief of Staff Melvin Shepard said the department could pare down the price by making some changes in the specs for the new boat.

“Really well-equipped/upgraded and similar to what you see on the website will be around $615,000 to $635,000 currently depending on seating, FLIR (forward-looking infrared) and electronics choices could come down to around $585,000 amount still fully turn-key,” Shepard said.

Other standard equipment will be twin motors of either 450 hp or 600 hp apiece and a water cannon capable of pumping 500 gallons a minute.

Orange Beach used the same grant program to purchase a 38-foot fire boat in 2019 at just under $1 million and a police boat in 2023 for $432,000.

Also, during the work session, the council will discuss:

• Authorizing a contract with Dream4 for $102,150 for city employee leadership training from June of 2024 until February of 2025.
• Approving an amendment of $28,700 to the agreement with Jade Consulting for the design of the Windmill Ridge Road and West Fourth Street revitalizing project for $290,000. This will pay for the design of a 10-foot multi-use path along West First Avenue from West Fourth Street to West Sixth Street.
• Declaring certain items owned by the city as surplus and approving their sale on govdeals.com. Included in this lot are two 2014 Tahoes and one 2013 Tahoe formerly used as police vehicles.