GULF SHORES, Ala. - The second annual SEC BeachFest is likely to be moved up a week earlier than first requested by Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism in November.

The Gulf Shores City Council will take up that request as well as decide whether to accept a bid for construction of the new concession stand at Sims Park at its regular meeting Monday. Also before the council will be a bid to buy a pair of personal watercraft for the beach patrol and decisions on what to do with some money left over from the 2012 budget.

Preliminary proposals on these items were discussed at a work session on Feb. 18.

Beth Gendler, vice president of marketing for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, came before the council in November to request the weekend before Labor Day for the 2013 BeachFest. After some research, Gendler said the group is moving the request to the prior weekend or Aug. 16-18.

Gendler Initially asked for Aug. 23-25 for the BeachFest, but conflicts with school events prompted the request for the change. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism has been a corporate sponsor of the SEC for about two years.

“We thought that by moving it back a week it gives us an opportunity to get kids who aren’t in school yet and not conflicting with that first Friday night jamboree football game and hopefully see the attendance increase because of that,” she said. “We have decided not to have any head coaches at this year’s event. The fan interaction was with the legendary coaches and players, so we decided to expand the number of legendary coaches and players for that reason.”

The threat of Hurricane Isaac hung over last year’s event, but it was still a success and attracted about 10,000 fans, officials said.

“The room nights that we could account for were about 1,300 which based on all of our accounts was about a $500,000 direct visitor spending impact including their additional spending while they were here,” Gendler told the council in November.

Mayor Robert Craft said in November the city was looking forward to playing host to the event again.

“It was a good event,” Mayor Robert Craft said. “Unfortunately there weren’t many people there to see it. As with any first-time event you struggle to get the number of people that you’d like to have. I thought it was well presented.”

Public Works Director Mark Acreman said he will recommend on Monday that the council accept a bid from Asphalt Services, Inc., for just more than $337,000 to construct the Sims Park concession stand. The original bid was about $313,000, but a few additional items added up to the final amount.

“These added alternates include creating a little picnic area out front as well as replacing the proposed shingles with a metal roof which is more in keeping with the surrounding facilities,” Acreman said. “Although it is a little bit more money I think it will add to the overall concept and attractiveness of the facility especially as we start seeing more and more large-scale events at our Sportsplex and with the spill over we’ll utilize Sims Park as well.”

Director of Recreation and Cultural Affairs Grant Brown will recommend a bid for a pair of waverunners for the beach patrol totaling more than $19,000 to a Montgomery dealership. A North Carolina company had a lower bid, but it didn’t meet all the specifications.

Brown said the waverunners will be paid for with impact fees from recreation budget.

According to Finance Director Cindy King, the budget amendment to the general fund will add remaining 2012 borrowed funds for vehicle and equipment purchases.

Those include more than $175,000 for police vehicles and more than $347,000 for software for the police department and more than $57,000 for recreation equipment rental.

According to King’s memo to the council, budgeted bond issue proceeds increased by almost $1.2 million and those funds have been designated for the 20^th Street extension ($272,000), drainage improvements ($300,000) and the County Road 4 widening project ($617,000).

BP funds of about $1.4 million will be used for a pickup truck ($25,000) and beach barricades ($45,000) for the recreation department. The money will also fund two four-by four trucks ($45,000), a street sweeper ($150,000), a beach cleaner and tractor ($150,000) and an excavator ($258,000) for the public works department.

The police department will receive $230,000 from the BP money for upgrades for its patrol boat and department software.

A $500,000 BP grant will fund new parking and pathways in the Waterway Overlay District.

King also said the Finance Department added two new employees, Carla Estill the new receptionist and Brad Beldon is the new IT officer.