ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The Robertsdale City Council approved a pair of resolutions at its meeting June 20 for grants that would provide improvements within the city.

First, the council approved an agreement for a Transportation Alternatives Project (TAP) grant for sidewalks along Krchak Lane and Palmer Street.

The city has been awarded a $450,000 grant for the project, which would include a 10 percent match from the city, bringing the total amount of the grant to $495,000, said city engineer Greg Smith.

Likewise, the city is seeking a $450,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for 2016. Funds would be made available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

According to the grant proposal, the grant would provide funds for sewer rehabilitation and drainage improvements along areas of Nebraska Street and Pennsylvania Street beginning just east of Highway 59 (Milwaukee Street) to Palmer Street, including small portions of St. Paul Street and Palmer Street.

The improvements include replacing nearly 7,000 linear feet of sewer lining, drainage ditch improvements and pipe installation.

The grant also comes with a 10 percent match, bringing the total project to $495,000.

The council also approved a four-factor analysis for limited English proficiency, a requirement of the CDBG grant, stating that if anyone in the grant area was not proficient in English then a translation of the proposal would need to be provided for them in their own language. The city would be responsible for providing a translator at any public hearings.

The last grant the city received, Smith said, was in 2013 and that project was finished about a year ago.

Mayor Charles Murphy said during the last four years, the city has secured more than $5.7 million in grants for improvements. The City of Foley has received the most grant money, he said, about $16 million.

“I believe we are the highest based on our population,” he said. “It has taken a lot of work and I want to commend everyone involved in their efforts to get this done.”

The largest grant project, $1.9 million, was the extension of Wilters Street to the Baldwin Beach Express. Other projects included replacing the bridge over College Avenue, $600,000, and intersection improvements at County Road 48 North in preparation for the construction of Walmart, $400,000.

During that time, the city has also taken on $2.8 million in cash projects.

In other business, the city is gearing up for the upcoming municipal election, appointing city clerk Shannon Hill to perform election duties that would normally be assigned to the mayor, but by law the mayor cannot serve in those capacities if the mayor is on the ballot.

The council also voted to set compensation for the absentee elections manager and approved an ordinance to establish vote counting devices for elections.

Qualifying for municipal elections begins in July. Elections will be in August.

In other business, the council:

• Approved the use of Garrett Park for a benefit Jeep show Nov. 6 by the Gulf Coast Jeep Club. Jeep Club representative Chad Thomas said the show would benefit the Robertsdale High School baseball team and the local youth league.
• Approved an ABC license for Fiesta Mexican Restaurant on Highway 59.
• Authorized the purchase of a dump truck from the state bid list.
• Announced that the city’s annual fireworks display would be Monday, July 4 at Garrett Park beginning at 9 p.m.

The next council meeting has been moved from Monday, July 4 to Tuesday, July 5 because of the holiday, with a work session beginning at 5 and regular meeting at 6 p.m.