SPANISH FORT, Ala.—Mayor Joe Bonner Monday asked to suspend the rules on a vote for the City Council to authorize entering agreement for Bellsouth Telecommunications Inc. to do business as AT&T Alabama.

Councilman Dennis Dismuke was absent Monday and Bonner said he would like all council members to be present.

The ordinance was up for a public hearing Monday, but no one spoke.

AT&T Alabama is in the process of upgrading its existing telecommunications network, which will allow Internet protocol-enabled broadcasts of video, data and voice services.

If Bonner enters into an agreement, the service will allow for the city to request its own public educational television station, which could be used to broadcast City Council meetings.

In other news:

The city will pay Clemmons $950 per month for services. The fire inspector won’t work as many hours as before because the need isn’t there, Bonner said.

The city had paid $1,500 per month for fire-inspection services, which Bonner signed into agreement at the Oct. 20 meeting.

The terms of the agreement will be valid from Feb. 1 to Jan. 31, 2010.

The agreement can be terminated by either party within 30 days notice, according to city documents.

The fire inspector’s role with the city is review fire alarms, sprinklers and fire suppression plans for all commercial buildings and see that all fire codes are in compliance.

The expected cost of the project is $96,300, but the council approved $14,000 more for additional improvements such as putting lines down and covering up ditches and adding curbs.

Multi-family developments—which had filed applications for rezoning or site plan approval before Sept. 24, 2007—are exempt from the moratorium, which will expire Sept. 24, 2009.

The next council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 2 at The Gathering Place, at the intersection of highways 98 and 31, in the Prodisee Center.