ROBERTSDALE, Ala. – The Robertsdale City Council tabled action at its meeting Monday on a proposed contract with Revenue Discovery Systems.

The organization, formerly known as Ala-Tax, works with municipal and county governments to help collect business license fees and sales taxes, said representative Yolanda Watkins at Monday’s meeting.

“According to the research that we have done, the majority of your local businesses have a business license,” she said. “The problem is with businesses which come in from outside the jurisdiction, do their business and go back out without ever applying for a business license.”

Since 2004, RDS has serviced 265 municipal and county governments, Watkins said, bringing in $18 million in “escaped revenue.” In Baldwin County, RDS has worked with Bay Minette, Loxley, Elberta, Magnolia Springs and Silverhill, she said, with additional revenues ranging from $10,000 to $90,000.

RDS works with seven cities the size of Robertsdale, a population range of 4,000 to 5,000, Watkins said, bringing in an average of $65,000 in extra revenue.

“If we don’t bring in any revenue, there is no charge,” she said. Whatever fees that are brought in are split 50/50 between the company and the municipality.

“Typically we offer a three-year contract,” she said, “but we’re willing to let you try us out on a one-year trial basis.”

The council voted unanimously to table the matter after concerns were expressed by council members and the city’s revenue officer, Freddie Thomas, at Monday’s meeting. The matter will be brought up at the council’s workshop meeting Sept. 6.

In other business Monday, the council voted to allow the city’s parks department to proceed with tearing down the archway at the Pennsylvania Street entrance to Garrett Park.

Parks and Recreation Director Scott Gilbert told council members Monday that there were concerns over the integrity of the structure.

“This is first and foremost a safety issue,” said Mayor Charles Murphy. “We just need to go ahead and take the structure down and there are plans in the works to rebuild the structure at a later time.”

A motion was made to proceed with tearing down the structure, salvaging the plaques that surround it and as much of the archway as possible with possible plans to replace or repair the structure at a later date.

The council also voted at Monday’s meeting to:

• Accept the donation of a detention pond at Twin Oaks Shopping Center.

• Accept road and detention pond maintenance at Nanafield Subdivision in Robertsdale.

• Surplus a New Holland tractor and belly mower for sale from the city’s Utilities Department with possibly replacing the mower at a later date.