DAPHNE, Ala. — The Daphne City Council meeting on Monday included residents of Lake Forest and TimberCreek who wanted to ensure the council approved roadwork in their communities that has long been in planning stages.

The proposed roadwork for Lake Forest encompasses 1.42 miles from the entrance on Highway 90, up Bay View Drive and includes work on Ridgewood Drive and the Lawson Road entrance. A turning lane will be added on County Road 13 at the Lawson Road entrance. The proposed roadwork will include resurfacing, base repair, curbing and gutter installation.

Council members told the crowd the city should do what it requires other developers to do when making improvements to the city.

“I agree that we need to upgrade our roads, where appropriate, for curb and gutters to meet our city standards and I think that is what we are doing today and that is why we committed to the Complete Streets program,” Council President Cathy Barnette said.

We require builders and developers who come into the city and develop subdivisions to curb and gutter, so when the city comes back to redo a street should we not adhere to our own standards for other neighborhoods,” council member August Palumbo said.

Council member John Lake said considering the contributions Lake Forest has made to the city, the city can spend a few extra dollars to put curbs and gutters in the streets.

Engineers estimated the cost of the Lake Forest project to be $2.9 million, but the bid awarded to Hosea O. Weaver for $2,568,818. The total cost of the project is $3,050,818 and includes $240,000 for engineering costs and $240,000 for construction observation and testing costs.

Proposed roadwork for TimberCreek will include resurfacing and asphalt overlay with limited base repair, according to the resolution. The council announced at the meeting that roadwork should also include gutters and curbs.

The bid for TimberCreek road improvements has not been awarded, but estimated engineering costs for the project are $76,000. Bids received range from $278,072 to $392,387.

Funding for the Lake Forest project will come from various sources, including $500,000 from the fiscal year 2011 budget, $1,000,000 withdrawn from a hotly debated I-10 service road project and the remaining $1,308,818 will come from a transfer from the capital reserve fund.

Council member Ron Scott said he was uncertain where funding will come from for the rest of the road projects the city has planned.

“It has been a long time coming; we have worked hard for it. The mayor brought up some good points last week asking where we are going to get the dollars to continue the paving projects because we are roughly paving some 2.5 miles of a total six miles of road with Ridgewood and Bay View. Quite frankly, we don’t have any real answers. We have committed to half a million dollars a year for paving projects but there are a lot of streets around the city that also need help,” said Scott.

Barnette contended the Lake Forest road project will benefit the D’Olive watershed as well.

“The Lake Forest watershed is within the D’Olive watershed,” she said. “One of the recommendations was to improve our drainage systems with curb and gutter, which would actually help minimize some of our sediment pollution to our waterways. Although it is a road project we are getting some benefits for our watershed as well.”

Most of the public comment at the council meeting Monday touched on the road projects.

Council member Bailey Yelding said he is in favor of the road projects, but that repaving, curbing and guttering all the streets in Daphne that need it is not realistic.

“I realize the number of streets we have in Daphne that are not curbed and guttered so if we put in $3 million for two miles of curb and gutter will anybody in this building be here when we finish curb and guttering Daphne? No way,” Yelding said.

Also Monday, the council:

• Discussed suspending the rules to consider the appropriation of funds for five police vehicles. When the suspension of rules came to a vote, there were only five votes in favor of suspending the rules so the resolution to appropriate funds for the vehicles will be voted on at the next council meeting on April 4.
• The estimated cost of the five new police vehicles in $190,000.
• Voted 7-0 to approve a sales tax holiday for Aug. 5-7. The city has participated in the statewide sales tax holiday for several years.
• Voted 7-0 to award a bid for a concession soft-drink contract to Coca-Cola Consolidated, pending legal approval. Coca Cola was the only company to submit a bid. The provider will provide soft-drink services to W.O. Lott Park, May Day Park, Centennial Park and the Al Trione Sports Complex. The company will also provide four baseball scoreboards, two football scoreboards, two soccer scoreboards, four baseball scoreboards and banners for registration and special events.
• Voted 7-0 to award a bid for a used wheel loader with interchangeable attachments. The bid will be awarded to Caterpillar Financial Services Corp. for $50,388.
• Voted 7-0 to accept a bid for a 28-cubic-yard-high compaction automated refuse collection truck. The bid will be awarded to Gulf Coast Truck and Equipment for $216,070.
• Voted 7-0 to approve a parade permit for Christ the King’s Respect for Life Committee’s Annual Pilgrimage on April 9.
• Voted 7-0 to approve a parade permit for Prodisee Pantry for a 5K and 1 mile fun run on October 29.
• Voted 7-0 to approve a parade permit for Daphne East Elementary for its 1 mile fun run on April 1.
• Voted 7-0 to approve prepaid travel for Adrienne Jones, community development director to attend the Annual Planners and Zoning Administrators Conference in Madison, Ala., April 26-27. Jones will receive $70 to offset travel costs to the conference. 
• Approved 7-0 a motion from the Daphne Downtown Redevelopment Authority to build a monument and plaque in recognition of Fran Neumann. Neumann was the designer and sculptor of the fountain and statue of Daphne in front of City Hall. The plaque will also honor others who contributed to the project. The Olde Towne Daphne Fountain/Park Inc., will fund the plaque. The plaque will be placed between the statue and the clock in front of City Hall.
• The council also approved the wording “In appreciation for the many hours donated by the Daphne Downtown Redevelopment Authority, and the many kind contributions of the citizens of Daphne for the statue ‘Daphne’ and the fountain designed and sculpted by local artist Fran Neumann erected in 2008,” which will go on the plaque.
• Approved 7-0 a recommendation from the Board of Zoning and Adjustments to reappoint Frank Lamb to another term on the board. Lamb’s new term will expire in March of 2014.
• Held a first reading for an ordinance to appropriate funds to hire a temporary-services custodian. The position will cost the city $11,500. The custodial staff typically comprises two full-time employees and inmates to assist.
• Richard Johnson, Public Works director, said one employee has been on extended medical leave and inmates were no longer available at a finance committee meeting earlier this month.
• Held a first reading for an ordinance to appropriate funds to hire a deputy finance director. The appropriation will be $27,260 for this fiscal year with a yearly cost of $65,423.
• Held a first reading for an ordinance to approve hiring freeze exemptions for a grounds public service worker and a mechanic technician. The estimated annual cost for the grounds public service worker position is $31,130. The estimated annual cost for the mechanic technician is $39,133.

The council met in executive session to discuss pending litigation with the city attorney after adjourning the council meeting.

The next council meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. April 4 at City Hall on Main Street.