City of Fairhope City Council Meeting October 12th, 2026

The City of Fairhope City Council held a work session and regular meeting on October 12, 2026. The council approved a $2.5 million GOMESA grant for Phase 3 of Flying Creek Nature Preserve, covering trails, a playground, and other park improvements. It also approved a $30.575 million, 20-year water and sewer warrant to refinance prior short-term financing. Procurement awards included wastewater treatment plant aeration equipment from Jim House and Associates, not to exceed $319,895; K-1 Center landscaping and irrigation from Lindsay Landscaping, not to exceed $59,380.60; and an annual citywide tree-removal contract with Looks Great Services, capped at $75,000. The council also approved annual water-meter purchases from Core & Main, capped at $600,000; gas-meter transmitters from Core & Main for $116,802 plus freight; and a $20,000 retainer for financial-advisory services from PFM. It approved annual water-treatment chemical procurements, including $400,000 from Albert and Blakeney for a sole-source corrosion inhibitor, $100,000 for chemicals from Hawkins, and $50,000 for lime slurry from Burnett Lime. Staff said they would seek additional quotes for the Hawkins chemicals.

Other spending and vendor-related actions included authorizing the sale of surplus city property and scrap meters, and changing the recreational-event fee for food trucks and other outside vendors from 12.5% of sales to a flat $50 per day; vendors will continue to participate by invitation through the leagues. The council authorized three temporary part-time police dispatchers while full-time vacancies are filled. Staff also discussed a proposed 2.75% credit-card convenience fee for utility payments, which could save the city about $330,000 annually while retaining free ACH and electronic-check options; no approval vote on that proposal was recorded in the transcript.