Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – During the last session of the year, the Orange Beach City Council will consider several bids for new equipment and infrastructure projects totaling about $1 million in the coming year.

The council will meet in a joint regular/work session at 5 p.m. on Dec. 17 in council chambers at city hall.

The largest of these contracts will go for $477,500 to purchase lighting for baseball fields number one and nine-12 at the Sportsplex from Musco Sports Lighting.

Others include:

• Awarding the bid for a sidewalk on the north side of Canal Road from Oak Street to William Silvers Parkway to PL Russell for $386,898.
• Awarding a bid for three solar-powered trailers from Rural Power Systems for $86,997.
• Awarding a bid for a Ford F350 Lariat four-wheel-drive truck for the police department from Hardy Family Ford for $78,260.
• Awarding the bid for two personal watercraft and trailers for the fire department to Chaves Brothers Management for $49,398.

The council will also take up the purchase of several pickups and other equipment during the work session, but those won’t come up for a vote until a future meeting. Those include:

• Purchasing a mower for the Golf Center from Deere and Company for $49,949.
• Buying a Ford F350 Super Crew four-wheel-drive pickup with dual rear wheels for $65,124 for Public Works from Stivers Ford Lincoln.
• Purchasing a Kubota excavator from Parish Tractor for $126,708 for Public Works.
• Buying a Kubota front-mount mower from Parish Tractor Company for $110,254 for Public Works.
• Buying three F150 Super Crew pickups with four-wheel drive and a Ford F350 Super Crew pickup with four-wheel drive and dual wheels on the rear from Stivers Ford Lincoln for the fire department.

During the regular session, the council will:

• Approve expenditures for goods and services from Dec. 5-18 for $542,218.
• Consider a resolution to approve a contract with EnCompass360 for grant writing services to apply to FEMA for a grant for a hurricane safe room for first responders for $115,000 but the city paid $30,000 for the same service in March of 2021 of the then total of $60,000. With the change in location of the safe room the price went up to $115,000 with a balance now of $85,000. The contract calls for the city to pay half now and the final $42,500 when FEMA approves the project.
• Also, take up a resolution to award EnCompass to provide services for requests for proposals for a contractor to build the safe room.
• Consider a liquor license for Legacy Spirits 3 at The Wharf.
• Consider a special liquor license for more than 30 days for Sun Outdoors RV park on Canal Road near the intersection of the Foley Beach Express. The license is for the clubhouse, office and pool.
• Discuss appropriating $75,000 to the Gulf Shores Airport Authority to help with marketing at the Gulf Shores International Airport. Orange Beach began the support in March of 2017 and each year it was initially $35,000. It was raised this year noting the “expansions of services” including a terminal slated to open this spring.
• Consider signing a contract with the Baldwin County Economic Alliance with a donation of $12,500 to be used in part to “provide and administer economic development services benefitting the city.”
• Discuss renewing a contract with Socialize Your Bizness for 2025 to provide “social media consulting and marketing services.
• Consider a contract with Van Scoyoc Associates for lobbying services on federal issues for the city for 2025.
• Discuss a contract with Bob Riley and Associates for lobbying services for the city on state issues.
• Consider authorizing a contract with former city employee Chris Litton to provide services in audio production, firearms training and youth shooting sports, disaster recovery management and veterans programs management.
• Discuss updating the list of volunteer firefighters and reserve police officers covered under workers’ compensation insurance.
• Consider appropriating $3,000 to the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber to support the annual Electronic Recycling and Paper Shred Event on Jan. 11 from 8 a.m.-noon at the state park Saltwater Pavilion.
• Discuss executing a second amendment to a grant award with the National Audubon Society to be used on beach-nesting bird habitat. For 2025, the amount will be $111,000 to cover the coordinator's salary and work on the habitats. This will be fully reimbursed, according to an item on the agenda.
• Consider an amendment to the agreement with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for the Coastal Alabama Sea Turtle Triage Restoration Project. Bids for the new Restore-funded project came in $450,000 over budget and the city is seeking an additional award to cover the costs.
• Discuss a resolution to extend the Orange Beach Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Program project an additional six months to get animal rehabilitation areas completed. It is a $1 million project funded with Restore Act money and administered by ADCNR.
• Consider authorizing a contract with Callie Perez to provide bracelet-making classes at the senior center.
• Discuss purchasing 12 cardiac monitors and defibrillators for the fire department from ZOLL Medical Corp. for $652,164.
• Consider authorizing a contract for retainers for outside legal help for the city in 2025. This includes hiring Spencer E. Davis Jr. as the city prosecutor for municipal court for $4,600 a month, Paul Woodall for real estate and financial services and David Canupp for sign ordinance, employment law and other services as needed.
• Discuss executing a franchise agreement with Brightspeed of Southern Alabama to use city right of ways for a telecommunications system.
•  Consider executing a contract with Southern Rapid Healthcare for medical services in the city “for its employees, covered spouses, and dependents enrolled in the city’s health plan.” The council will discuss a similar contract with South Baldwin Medical Group also.
• Consider appointing Brianne Dichiara and Kristin Wong to the city’s Employee Leave Bank Committee for two-year terms. Other members include City Administrator Ford Handley, Human Resources Director Vicki Pishna, both permanent members, and Chandler Dick and Joe Brown whose terms will end on Dec. 31, 2025.
• Discuss purchasing a lifeguard towner from Bausch Enterprises for $88,810.
• Consider A contract with VITALExam “for comprehensive medical exams for Orange Beach Fire Department personnel.” The 90 exams will include fit-for-duty and cancer screenings for 90 personnel for $59,850.
• Discuss declaring city property as surplus, including 18 vehicles, several lawnmowers, jet skis and various and sundry items and equipment. To see the list, click here and scroll to page 218.
• Consider awarding a bid for pest control for city facilities to Knox Pest Control carrying a three-year term.
• Discuss authorizing a contract with Severance Security Services for training to law enforcement and the public “in the areas of self-defense as well as identification and deterrence of suspected criminal activities specifically in the area of human trafficking.”
• Have a first reading to amend an ordinance to remove the adoption of Appendix M of the 2021 International Fire Code.

During the work session, the council will discuss:

• Entering and entry permit and license agreement with the Nature Conservancy for restoration work on Robinson and Walker islands.
• Setting policies, procedures and fees for the new Orange Beach Shooting Facility located at 23111 Russian Road.
• An agreement with Coastal Wave Diagnostics for cardiovascular screenings for city employees.
• Authorizing an agreement with the county to use voting machines and personnel for municipal elections.
• Authorizing a contract with GeoCon Engineering and Materials Testing for “geotechnical analysis and construction materials testing services.” The council will also discuss a contract with GeoCon for inspections and construction material testing for $7,500.
• Purchasing a video surveillance system for the skeet and trap range from Security Technologies for $23,546.
• Authorizing a contract for law enforcement services “upon request” with Baldwin County for 2025.
• Executing a contract with McCollough Architecture for design services for a lifeguard building for $52,800.
• Setting a public hearing for a setback variance request by Vince Burchfield in Terry Cove for a new home that backs up to a wilderness area. The suggested date is Jan. 7
• Setting a public hearing for a zone change by DR Horton to rezone 27.8 acres behind Posh Furniture, west of the Island Church and behind Brett Robinson laundry. The request is to change the Lost Bay planned unit development from a multi-family development with 82 units into a townhome subdivision with 82 lots. The suggested date was Jan. 21.
• Give a reminder of the public hearing for a change to the Turquoise Place planned unit development to add a six-unit condominium with a clubhouse and rooftop pool deck amenities directly west of the Turquoise Place towers.