ROBERTSDALE, Alabama --- Municipalities in Central Baldwin County will join others from across the state for a sales tax holiday for severe weather preparedness.

The Robertsdale City Council voted at its regular meeting on Monday to approve Ordinance No. 006-12 to approve the sales tax holiday, which is set to begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 6 and run through midnight Sunday, July 8. Both the Silverhill and Loxley town councils voted at previous meetings to approve the tax holiday.

During a series of meetings on severe weather preparedness hosted by the Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency and Baldwin County United, held last week in Baldwin County, officials used a large portion of the meetings to introduce the tax-free weekend.

Act No. 2012-256 was passed by the Alabama Legislature declaring a sales tax holiday for emergency supplies, held this year on the first full weekend in July and will be held subsequently the last full weekend of February.

The Baldwin County Commission, along with most of the municipalities in Baldwin County, have also adopted the sales tax holiday.

Covered items include the sale of the following items for $60 or less per item:

• Any package of AAA-cell, AA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt or 9-volt batteries, excluding coin batteries and automobile and boat batteries.
• Any cellular phone battery or cellular phone charger.
• Any portable self-powered or battery-powered radio, two-way radio, weatherband radio, or NOAA weather radio.
• Any portable self-powered light source, including battery-powered flashlights, lanterns or emergency glow sticks.
• Any tarpaulin, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths or other flexible waterproof sheeting.
• Any ground anchor system, such as bungee cords, rope or tie-down kit.
• Any duct tape.
• Any plywood, window film or other materials specifically designed to protect window openings.
• Any non-electric can opener.
• Any artificial ice, blue ice, ice packs or reusable ice.
• Any self-contained first aid kit.
• Any fire extinguisher, smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector.
• Any gas or diesel fuel tank or container.
• Portable generators and power cords used to provide light or communications or preserve food in the event of a power outage selling for $1,000 or less per item.

In other business Monday, the council approved a resolution to join the Baldwin County Water District Association at a cost of $474.60 per year.

City Engineer Greg Smith told council members on Monday that the organization is made up of water distributors from throughout Baldwin County as a way to pinpoint and manage water resources and the impacts of various factors such as usage and groundwater runoff on those resources.

The majority of the participants in the organization come from south of Interstate 10, Smith said.

Also on Monday the council:

• Voted to allow Robertsdale High School Athletic Director Brian Campbell to use the digital sign located on the north side of the city to promote the school’s varsity football games.
• Voted to waive the $500 rental fee for use of the PZK Civic Center for a fundraiser Sept. 22 for Under His Wings.
• Tabled making changes to the city’s building and construction codes saying that the county was continuing to make changes to bring its codes in compliance with the 2012 International Building Codes and the city wanted a final plan from the county before taking further action.
• Set compensation for the absentee elections manager for the city’s upcoming municipal elections at a sum of $50 per day for each day absentee elections services are performed.