By John Underwood / john@gulfcoastmedia.com
LOXLEY, Alabama — The Loxley Town Council voted at its regular monthly meeting Monday, March 8 to extend its franchise agreement between the town and North Baldwin Utilities.
According to the agreement, the town council and North Baldwin Utilities agree to amend the franchise agreement, which was enacted in 2014 to provide a non-exclusive franchise to NBU to operate in a defined service area.
The amendment would extend the service area to include property along U.S. 31 including the future home of Stonebridge Elementary School and areas known as the Loxley Triangle, which intersects Alabama 59 and U.S. 31 north of Interstate 10 near Stapleton.
In January, the council voted to annex just over 20 acres, which is part of the Pembrook Subdivision and includes about 60 lots.
Loxley Triangle LLC, listed as the property’s owners, petitioned the town for annexation in October, but the petition was tabled after issues arose over providing utilities to the property.
As part of the agreement, the town is partnering with North Baldwin Utilities, based out of Bay Minette, to provide utilities to the property.
Under the agreement, the town will provide garbage pickup service, police and fire protection to the property.
In other business March 8, the council:
- Donated $500 to the Robertsdale High School boys’ soccer team.
- Tabled a donation request from Central Christian School.
- Donated $500 to Robertsdale Dental Care for its annual Dentists With A Heart program which will be held April 30.
- Selected Jeff Knight as a voting delegate to the Annual Convention of the Alabama League of Municipalities which will be held May 12-15 in Huntsville. Katherine Breeden was selected as the first alternate delegate with Mayor Richard Teal as the second alternate.
- Approved two invoices for work completed on the Waste Water Treatment Plante outfall upgrades totaling $61,438.88.
- Approved changes to the schedule for the Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation with Blackmon Insurance Company for 2021.
- Approved the purchase of a desk and chair for the public relations office for a total cost of $979.98 plus tax.
- Approved the purchase of chairs for Municipal Court at a total cost of $279.97 plus tax.
- Approved the purchase of two trucks for the Parks and Recreation Department at a total cost of $51,252.04.
- Entered into an agreement with the state of Alabama for a Transportation Alternatives Program Project to construct a sidewalk on Magnolia Street from just south of U.S. 90 to West Relham Drive. The program would include $227,920 in Federal TAP Funds with a 20 percent match from the town ($56,980) for a total project cost of $284,900.
- Approved the purchase of three trucks for the Utilities Department at a total cost of $81,955.64.
- Approved a quote for water tank inspections from Chapman Technical Services at a cost of $3,000 each for the town’s four water towers, a total cost of $12,000.
- Approved a professional services agreement with Skipper Consulting Inc. to conduct a traffic signal warrant evaluation at the intersection of County Road 64 and County Road 49 at a cost of $4,500.
- Approved an agreement with S’QUAD Consulting Associates to conduct a risk and resilience assessment and prepare and Emergency Response Plan at a total cost of $6,000. According to the agreement the work is required to comply with America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) enacted in 2018 and is required of all community water systems serving populations greater than 3,300.
- Authorized the sale of three surplus pickup trucks for the Utilities Department.
- Set a special called meeting on March 22 and moved the council’s regularly scheduled monthly work session, originally set for March 29, to March 22 in order to hold a public hearing.
- Teal asked to meet with council members to discuss a plan for reopening the town’s Civic Center for public activities following the announcement by Gov. Kay Ivey that the state’s mask mandate and meeting restrictions would end April 9.
- Adjourned into executive session with attorney Shawn Alves to discuss contract negotiations.
