SPANISH FORT, Ala. — The low bidder to receive the city’s disaster debris removal contract has asked for an hour of the City Council’s time to field any questions about its operations.

As a result, the council has slated its informal Aug. 1 work session to begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Gathering Place in the Prodisee Center to accommodate any crowd overflow interested in hearing Unified Recovery Group LLC’s presentation.

 Mayor Joe Bonner said law enforcement personnel will be invited to attend as well as members of the Spanish Fort Fire-Rescue and the public works department.

In addition, Bonner said Foley-based Unified will be training public works employees in the coming weeks on “all of the new (Federal Emergency Management Agency) rules and regulations” as the city enters the thick of hurricane season.

Bonner delivered a first-reading only of the resolution that would award Unified the bid, meaning the item could be considered for adoption during the Aug. 1 meeting. If approved, the one-year contract carries two one-year renewal options.

Bonner also announced Monday that the first council work session and meeting of September has been rescheduled for Thursday Sept. 1 to accommodate the Labor Day holiday.

In other business the council:

• Received an update from District 5 Councilwoman Mary Brabner citing “huge progress” toward the redesign of the city’s official website. Specifically, Brabner said photos that illustrate the “people, places and things” that define the city are needed from the community to boost the site’s visual appeal and function as a one-stop shop for all things Spanish Fort.
• Reminded the public that an Aug. 1 public hearing has been set to consider an ordinance authorizing the request that would rezone the roughly 18-acre parcel at the northwest corner of Spanish Fort Boulevard and Blakeley Way from R-1, or residential, to B-2, or local business. The site is slated to house the city’s proposed community center and municipal complex, but the council must grant the rezoning request before the Planning Commission can move forward with consideration of the $6 million project’s site and land-use plans.
• Delivered a first reading of an ordinance that would grant Birmingham-based Advanced Disposal Services clearance to continue providing the city’s collection and disposal services for residential refuse as well as recyclable materials collection and recycling services. District 1 Councilman Dennis Dismuke said his only concern with the company to date has been the reported excessive leakage of hydraulic fluid from the company’s trucks, and Bonner said, “It has been addressed, and it’s going to be fixed.”
• Delivered a first reading of a resolution authorizing RDS/Alatax Inc. to handle the collection of the city’s sales, use, rental and other taxes deemed applicable.