ROBERTSDALE, Alabama --- On the eve of the Presidential election, the Robertsdale City Council held a swearing in ceremony, welcoming one new Council member at its meeting Monday night.

Ruthie Campbell was sworn in as the newest member of the Robertsdale City Council, topping Aubrey Grant Jr. in a runoff for Place 3 Oct. 23.

Mayor Charles Murphy and Council members Joe Kitchens and Brent Kendrick prevailed in the Sept. 11 elections to retain their council seats, while incumbents Sue Cooper and Paul Hollingsworth were elected unopposed.

Following the swearing in by Judge Ken Raines at Monday’s meeting, Council members voted unanimously to appoint city officials for the coming term including:

• Voted to reappoint Shannon Ellison as city clerk.

• Voted to reappoint Brad Kendrick as chief of police.

• Voted to reappoint Ken Raines as city attorney and city prosecutor.

• Voted to reappoint Julian “Buddy” Brackin as the city’s municipal court judge.

The Council voted unanimously to make appointments for Council selections, including:

• Voted to reappoint Joe Kitchens as mayor pro-tem.

• Voted to appoint Kitchens as the City Council representative and David Kilcrease as the city employee representative to the city’s Planning Commission.

• Voted to appoint Sue Cooper to the city’s Library Board.

• Voted to appoint Cooper and Ruthie Campbell to the city’s Park & Street Tree Committee.

• Voted to appoint Brent Kendrick to the city’s Industrial Board.

The Council voted unanimously to retain PNC Bank as the city’s financial depositor for checking accounts. All Council members were present at Monday’s meeting.

In other business Monday, the Council voted to adopt Resolution 021-12 reclassifying Wilters Street as a major collector with plans to extend the roadway an additional half-mile eastward from Buck Road to the Baldwin Beach Express.

The action is part of the city’s application for an Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (ATRIP) grant that was proposed by Gov. Robert Bently earlier this year.

Over the next year, the program plans to dole out $200 million to $300 million in grants designed to improve cities’ infrastructure.

The first phase of the program was completed in the spring, Murphy said, and while the city did not receive any funding from the first phase, it hopes to cash in on grants in the second phase to complete a pair of projects.

The Council voted to proceed with a pair of projects for the second phase of the grant at its meeting Oct. 1.

The first project proposed by the city is for drainage improvements along South Frances Street and Rochelle Loop, located off of U.S. Highway 90, also known as Old Spanish Trail, east of Highway 59. Estimated cost of the project is $400,000, Murphy said.

The second project is a road construction project, which will include the paving of Wilters Street and County Road 83, connecting the two parallel streets to the Baldwin Beach Express. Total cost of the project is estimated at $1.2 million.

Hollingsworth also commended Chief Financial Officer Ann Simpson at Monday’s meeting for her work in applying for the Quality of Life Award application administered by the Alabama League of Municipalities.

According to information presented at the Council’s Oct. 1 meeting, the League of Municipalities recognizes one winning entry and one honorable mention in three population categories, under 5,000; 5001-12,000 and 12,001 and over.

The program recognizes “successful, innovative projects that improve the quality of life for citizens; share those projects with other municipalities and demonstrate the value of cities and towns.”

The three winning entries will be recognized at the League’s 2013 Annual Convention in Montgomery, will be featured in a video shown at the Convention, will be recognized with a plaque, spotlighted on the League’s Website, www.alalm.org, and be featured in the Alabama Municipal Journal.

Simpson said Monday the city’s application was submitted in time for the Nov. 2 deadline.

The Council also voted unanimously Monday to approve travel expenses for Seth Thomley to attend the Animal Control Training Academy in Hoover Nov. 6-9 at a cost of $120.

A reception was held following Monday’s meeting for all city employees and their families.