City amends RESTORE grants to address transportation & sewer projects

City amends RESTORE grants to address transportation & sewer projects
By John Mullen
Orange Beach discussed amending three RESTORE Act awards to further help with projects already underway in the city and involves adding about $3 million to help with those projects. The Orange Beach City Council will meet in a joint regular-work session on Sept. 20.
The most awarded to a single project is adding a little more than $2 million for the widening of Canal Road to three lanes from State Route 161 to Wilson Boulevard including a roundabout in between the library and arts center.
The new sewer force main project from south of the Intracoastal Waterway will receive an additional $749,267 raising the award amount to just more than $6 million.
Finally, the project for the expansion of the Orange Beach Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Program on near Powerline Road and abutting the state park will receive an additional $250,000 to help with the build out of the interior of the building and create outdoor enclosures.
Another of the main topics of discussion will be paying Sawgrass Consulting $227,600 for the design of Powerline Road west of the new fire Station No. 3 and another to Sawgrass for $203,800 to design multi-purpose fields on 15 undeveloped acres at the Sportsplex.
During regular session, council discussed:
• Rescheduling the Oct. 4 regular and work sessions due to a conflicting event.
• Set a meeting of the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Board of Adjustment with a suggested date of Oct. 4 at 3:45.
• Approval of a liquor license application for 8 Reale at The Wharf.
• Declaring four vehicles as surplus and unneeded and donating two of those two the Orange Beach Board of Education and two to the city of Creola.
• A contract with J.F. Morris Performance for direction of the Expect Excellence Theater’s showing of “The Little Mermaid.”
• A resolution authorizing beach renourishment on beaches in the city.
• A resolution to award a bid for the Medical Arts Building renovation to Finishing Solutions for about $549,612.
• A resolution for a contract with Thompson Engineering for the redesign of the softball field dugouts for $3,500.
• Two resolutions for Freedom Fest weekend Sept. 30-Oct. 2 including one authorizing the city to sponsor the event and the second a performance agreement with McLean Motor Sports Productions for the Bama Coast Cruisin event that same weekend.
• The mutual termination of three agreements between the city and the Baldwin County School Board.
During work session, council discussed:
• A resolution authorizing the execution of a no-cost extension to the fixed price research agreement with Auburn University through Sept. 15, 2027. Construction is set to begin soon on the facility on Terry Cove near Sportsman Marina.
• A resolution awarding the bid for installation of turf on the softball field.
• A resolution awarding the bid for holiday decorations.
• Setting a public hearing date on a proposed change in the planned unit development for Cotton Bayou Cottages. The suggested date was Oct. 18.
• Setting a public hearing date for a proposed change in the PUD for Saltwater Cottages. The suggested date was Oct. 18.
• Setting a public hearing date for a modification to the Turquoise Place PUD to allow for a buffer screening. The suggested date was Oct. 18.
• Setting a public hearing Oct. 4 for a proposal from The Wharf to add a Culver’s restaurant at the east entrance to the complex near the new Tom Thumb.