SPANISH FORT, Ala. — The City Council postponed until June 21 consideration of a revised ordinance concerning work conducted by utility companies in rights-of-way.

The decision was made by Mayor Joe Bonner because District 3 Councilman Joe Thomas was not present at Monday’s regular meeting due to illness, and the extension also gives council members time to consider proposed changes to the revamped ordinance  after area utilities objected to some of the proposed changes.

Most notably, an alternative draft version of the ordinance changes the amount of time contractors must guarantee work — from 24 months to 12 months — and allows for drawings filed with the city to be deemed non-public, preventing potential homeland security and trade secret issues from arising.

Council members continue to debate the necessity of requiring engineered drawings to be required at the outset of projects seeking permitting.

District 1 Councilman Dennis Dismuke has argued repeatedly that the drawings ensure utility companies provide “engineered solutions” to which the city can hold them accountable should problems arise after a project has been completed.

Several council members object to the requirement, however, after learning in a public hearing that utility representatives intend to pass along the costs associated with said drawings to customers.

“I am not willing to make our utilities incur more costs that are going to be passed on to our residents. I’m not willing to vote for something that’s going to raise prices for our constituents,” said District 2 Councilman Mike McMillan.

District 4 Councilman Tom Sawyer also questioned in the absence of an engineering staff how the city would determine whether or not the standards set are effective.

“How do we determine a Cadillac from a Volkswagen. How do we set those benchmarks and what is it worth?” Sawyer asked during the work session prior to Monday’s meeting.

Dismuke contends, however, that the city is at a crucial stage in its growth and such steps should be taken to ensure infrastructure issues are not encountered years after sitting council members are out of office.

“Is it perfect? No. Is it better than what we’re getting? Absolutely,” Dismuke said.

In other business the council:

The next regular meeting of the council will begin with a 5 p.m. work session in the conference room at City Hall on June 21, followed immediately by the regular meeting at 6 p.m. at the Gathering Place in the Prodisee Center.