Baldwin County Commission Work Session - May 7, 2024

The Baldwin County Commission held a pre-meeting work session on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, commencing at 8:37 AM and adjourning at 9:30 AM. Commissioners present were District 1 – James E. Ball, District 2 – Matthew P. McKenzie, and District 3 – Billie Jo Underwood. District 4 – Commissioner Charles F. Gruber was absent. The session focused on reviewing and setting the consent agenda for the regular meeting scheduled for 10:00 AM, with discussions on budget items, personnel matters, and the costs of county-sponsored events.

Consent Calendar

• Administration Items (CA1–CA11): Noted a replacement item for CA1 due to revised staff recommendation reflecting two tax abatement entities under one project. Set for consent.
• Archives and History (CC1–CC3): Three items placed on consent.
• Budget/Purchasing (CE1–CE10): Included 10 items; noted a replacement item for CE9 (mid-year new requests). Discussion led to the removal of two pay raises for Probate Office employees from CE9 (see Discussion Items). The item CE7 included a $25,000 request for the Florida Alabama Transportation Planning Organization and a $100,000 allocation for the Magnolia River property acquisition (reduced from the original $287,000 request from the City of Foley). Set for consent with CE9 to be voted separately minus the two raises.
• Communications/Information Systems (CH): Sale of surplus equipment – consent.
• Elected Officials (CJ1–CJ3): Consent.
• Grants (CN1): Consent.
• Highway (CO1–CO6): Consent, noting a replacement attachment for CO1.
• Juvenile Detention (CP1): Consent.
• Personnel (CR1–CR10): Consent, with CR9 linked to Probate personnel changes (the two removed raises).

Discussion Items

• Budget and Purchasing – CE7 and CE9:
  • Florida Alabama Transportation Planning Organization (TPO): Commissioner Ball questioned the $25,000 contribution, initially confusing it with the NEP. County Engineer Frank Lundy clarified the TPO funds projects in the Lillian area (e.g., CR 99 improvements, signal at 99/US 98). The commission did not object to the continued funding.
  • Magnolia River Project: Commissioner Ball sought clarification on the reduced amount (from $287,000 to $100,000). Mr. Rendleman explained the $100,000 would assist the City of Foley in property acquisition for debris removal; once the county owns the property, crews can perform cleanup. Commissioner McKenzie supported the revised plan as a better investment.
  • Probation Office Building (Fairhope Courthouse): Commissioner Ball raised concerns about a $200,000 request for mold/asbestos remediation at the Adult Probation Office building. The item had already been pulled from the agenda to explore other options (e.g., finding alternative space for the state entity). The commission agreed to revisit later.
• Personnel – Pay Raises for Spanish-Speaking Probate Employees: Two items in CE9 proposed raises for Probate employees who provide translation for Spanish-speaking customers. Commissioners expressed conflicting views: some supported the need due to daily language barriers, while others worried about creating a “ripple effect” across county departments (e.g., Sheriff’s deputies, Revenue). Commissioner McKenzie argued such skills should be required in job descriptions, not incentivized separately. Commissioner Ball noted the County’s obligation to serve the public. It was decided to pull both items from CE9 and coordinate with all elected officials to develop a uniform policy. A suggestion was made to post signs requiring customers to bring interpreters, similar to practices at other agencies. The two raises were removed from the consent agenda.
• Archives and History Event Costs – Felisha Anderson Presentation:
  • Ms. Anderson reported that new cost-accounting revealed FY2024 events exceeded budgets largely due to labor costs. She proposed several changes for FY2025:
    • Removal Day: Postpone due to courthouse renovation.
    • Haunted Trail Ride: Discontinue for this year due to labor intensity and venue constraints.
    • Christmas at Bicentennial Park: Scale back from five weeks to a shorter period, consider converting the extravaganza to a daytime event with vendor fees, and charge $10 per car (4,000 cars attended last year).
    • Bluegrass Festival: Charge a fee ($15 per person) to offset costs, as 85% of attendees were from out of town and expected to pay.
  • Commissioners discussed indirect costs, general fund impact, and the need for sponsorships or partnerships (e.g., South Alabama Tractor Club, EMC community program). Commissioner Underwood expressed concern about the total event spending and its effect on employee benefits. Commissioner McKenzie emphasized the importance of being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. The commission asked Ms. Anderson to continue benchmarking and bring detailed proposals for the FY2025 budget.

Senior Staff Reports

• Jessica Mayo, Transportation Planner / Safe Routes to School Coordinator: Reported on the May 1, 2024 Walk to School event. Participation grew from three schools in the first year to nine schools this year, with approximately 890 students, 260 parents, and 60 staff members. New school Spaminat Elementary had 150 students and 50+ parents. Commissioners praised the effort and noted the importance of staff and community involvement.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Set: The consent agenda was approved with noted replacements (CA1, CO1) and the removal of two Probate employee raises from CE9. CE9 will be voted on separately at the regular meeting, minus those two items.
• Probate Raises Deferred: The two pay raises for Spanish-speaking Probate employees were removed for further study and coordination with other elected officials. A uniform policy will be explored.
• Event Cost Discussions to Continue: The commission directed Archives staff to bring formal proposals for fee structures and event scaling to future meetings, with the goal of reducing county subsidy through sponsorships and charging users.
• Adjournment: The work session adjourned at 9:30 AM, preceding the regular meeting at 10:00 AM.