SPANISH FORT, Ala. — The Spanish Fort City Council voted Thursday in favor of borrowing $4 million, which will be allotted for the high school’s master plan and completion of what is now called Spirit Park. However, council members voted against taking out a $1.5 million loan that would go toward completing the high school’s football stadium.

The two separate motions were voted on in a special-called meeting on Nov. 8. Council members voted in favor of the $4 million dollar loan from Alabama Municipal Funding. Three million dollars will be allotted to the high school’s master plan and $1 million will go toward the completion of what is now called Spirit Park.

The second motion was to secure an AMF loan for $1.52 million for completion of the high school’s athletic facilities and would allow the Baldwin County Board of Education to “piggy back” the city of Spanish Fort for the loan. Mayor Joe Bonner and Councilman Joe Thomas voted against the second loan, while Councilwoman Wanda Finch abstained.

Bonner said Thursday he was “scared of going up to our debt limit”, while Finch abstained because she said she had not heard from her constituents on the matter. Finch is the District 1 representative.

“The school board needs to come up with their own portion,” Finch said.

Currently, the city provides taxes to the school board and the rest of the county, Finch said. She questioned why the city should bear the burden and suggested the county kick in.

Councilwoman Mary Brabner said basing decisions on future income was risky and inquired whether the contractor would be willing to take monthly installment payments from the school board.

City Attorney David Conner said he felt like the school board would honor its debt.

“It’s all about timing,” he said, adding that he believed the school board would not default.

However, Councilman Mike McMillan said that the school board led him to believe that bids came in higher than expected.

“We have the $3 million and something needs to be built,” Bonner said.

Currently, the high school football team has been playing its home games at other high schools. McMillan said something needed to be figured out soon because construction could take up to nine months, cutting close to next year’s football schedule.

City officials said that the second motion can be brought up at the next city council meeting to be reconsidered by the prevailing side or a brand new motion can be made. Baldwin County Board of Education official Tracy Roberts attended a portion of the meeting, but did not comment during the meeting.

The next meeting will be held Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Prodisee Center.