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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Baldwin County Commission Regular Meeting - August 6, 2024

County Commission — Tuesday, August 6, 2024

BodyBaldwin County, Alabama

SessionCounty Commission

DateTuesday, August 6, 2024

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 35:22

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:05

Good morning and welcome to the Bowen County Commission work session.

0:09

This is the Tuesday, August 6th, 2024 work session.

0:14

I have asked Pastor Joe Aldretti to lead us in the invocation.

0:18

And then Commissioner Gruber is going to lead us in the pledge.

0:21

Thank you.

0:21

You're welcome.

0:22

Let's pray.

0:23

Father God, we thank you so much for your grace and your mercy upon our lives, Lord God.

0:29

Our families, God.

0:30

Father, we thank you for the great salvation that we have in Jesus, Lord.

0:34

Father, I thank you for the county commissioners, God, and the work that they do.

0:37

And Lord, I pray you give them wisdom and discernment today, Lord God, for all the things, Lord, that they're going to approve today, God, for our county.

0:46

And we thank you, God, so much.

0:48

The place where we live, Lord.

0:50

Just continue to bless our county and our state and our country, God.

0:54

And we ask these things in Jesus' name.

0:56

Amen.

0:57

Amen.

0:58

Please join us for the pledge.

1:05

And to the Republic for which it stands.

1:08

One nation under God.

1:11

Indivisible.

1:12

Liberty and justice for all.

1:14

Thank you very much.

1:28

Normally the first item on our uh work session agenda would be to review the items and setting of the consent agenda, but we have a special request again, Pastor Aldredi.

1:38

Um has to I think get to the airport or something like that, you know, either a plane or a train or an automobile to catch.

1:45

So would you come on up and I'll let you address this?

1:49

Sure.

1:49

I would just I wanted to come personally to thank uh the county commission for um believing in what we're doing with the Dream Center, working with kids in Baldwin County, school district and juvenile probation for uh awarding us the uh tobacco tax and that is gonna help this program out a tremendous uh and the work is going great, by the way.

2:12

So thank y'all.

2:13

Thank you.

2:14

Thank you.

2:14

Thank you.

2:14

Thank you.

2:15

Thanks for being here.

2:16

Bye-bye.

2:17

Thanks, Joe.

2:20

Now we will work on the consent agenda.

2:25

We have um the administration items, which we have quite a few.

2:34

Um I think there's some specifics we need to discuss about item CA1.

2:40

Uh we need to uh point or name Violetta, is that right?

2:50

And then so we need to go ahead and insert that so that when we put this on consent that that's in there, and also the uh ability for her to hire assistants.

3:05

Yes, it's yes, the as we've experienced in the last presidential election.

3:09

There was a need for uh a lot of help, uh a lot of interest, a lot of people voted in it.

3:16

We expect the same thing in this presidential election, so they're gonna need some assistance.

3:19

She's gonna need some assistance uh handling the absolute ballots.

3:23

And we also set the place to be at the Bowen County legislative delegation office here in Bayonet.

3:30

Same place that it was uh at the primary for the primary because circuit clerk is uh is not going to do that.

3:36

It's in her office, so that was where we had it last time, and as far as we know it it worked out okay.

3:41

So is that meet everyone's approval?

3:44

So what is it?

3:45

It says to discuss two additional assistance.

3:47

What does that mean?

3:48

She only had one in the primary.

3:50

Uh do we know who the other one's gonna be?

3:53

I don't know yet.

3:55

She has one person that is committed.

3:58

She's looking for that.

3:59

So what I'm saying is if we go ahead and name her, she has the power to pick the other one.

4:05

We would bring the contacts to the next question.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████54%

Waste Management██████████12%

Parks and Recreation████████10%

Personnel Matters████5%

Master Planning████5%

Community Engagement███4%

Pending Litigation███4%

Engineering And Infrastructure███3%

Public Engagement███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Baldwin County Commission Regular Meeting - August 6, 2024

On August 6, 2024, the Baldwin County Commission held a pre-meeting work session at 8:30 AM and a regular meeting at 10:00 AM at the Baldwin County Administration Building in Bay Minette, Alabama. The commission addressed a consent agenda containing over 40 items, conducted a public hearing, and approved several resolutions and agreements. Key discussion topics included memorial benches at Bicentennial Park, amendments to cemetery boundaries, and the update of the county's Solid Waste Management Plan.

Consent Calendar

Approved unanimously (4-0) with the following modifications:
- CA8 – Propst Family Cemetery: Approved boundary line amendment with grandfathering of existing burial plots that do not meet current setback requirements.
- CA9 – Walters Cemetery: Approved establishment of a private cemetery; Commissioner Underwood noted a policy requiring a commissioner site visit will be revisited at the next meeting.
- CO7 – Ray Gardner Lane License: Removed from consent for a separate vote (see Other Staff Recommendations).
- CS1 – Planning and Zoning Commission: Added resignation of Danny Bolton alongside Mike McKenzie; both accepted with thanks.
All other consent items approved, including: absentee election duties for the November 5, 2024 General Election (Violetta Smith as manager, up to three assistants); alcohol license transfers/issuances; road agreements with cities of Loxley and Fairhope; ARPA fund allocations (e.g., $3,780.15 for staff administrative costs, $1,035.77 for Board of Education HVAC bid publication); personnel changes; and equipment auction approval for September 24-26, 2024.

Public Comments & Testimony

Regular meeting: No individuals signed up or spoke during the public comments period.
Work session: A presentation was made by Kelly Stewart (representing Claudia Campbell, Chairperson of America 250 for Fort Mims DAR) and Donald Potter (President of General Galvez Chapter SAR) requesting permission to install a granite memorial bench at Bicentennial Park's Veterans Memorial in honor of the nation's 250th birthday (July 4, 2026). Chair Underwood stated the bench's placement would be incorporated into the park's master plan, potentially delaying a dedication ceremony. No vote was taken.

Discussion Items

Absentee Election Duties (CA1): Due to expected high turnout, the commission authorized up to three assistants to the Absentee Election Manager; contracts for the additional assistants will be brought to the August 20, 2024 meeting for approval. Absentee voting will be held at the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation Office in Bay Minette.
Cemetery Policy (CA9): Commissioner Underwood expressed discomfort with the current policy requiring a commissioner site visit for private cemetery petitions, calling it unnecessary. County Attorney Brad Hicks confirmed no state law mandates it; staff will bring a policy modification to the August 20 meeting to remove that requirement.
Solid Waste Management Plan (CL1): Terri Graham, CEO of the Solid Waste Disposal Authority, presented the timeline for the 2024-2034 Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan. Key dates: public comment period December 13, 2024 – January 12, 2025; public hearing January 21, 2025; final approval early February 2025. She also noted the Landfill Gas Recovery Plant is expected to open in early 2025 and the Materials Recovery Facility by end of November 2024. The plan will include all 14 municipalities unless they opt out.
Executive Session: At 8:56 AM, the commission voted unanimously (4-0) to adjourn the work session into executive session to discuss personnel matters and pending litigation. The work session did not reconvene.

Key Outcomes

Consent Agenda: Motion passed 4-0 with noted modifications.
Public Hearing (EN1): Adopted Resolution #2024-147 approving the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Citizen Participation Plan. No public speakers. Vote 4-0.
Other Staff Recommendation – CO7: Approved License Agreement #24022 permitting R and P Development, LLC to install 40 feet of 54-inch reinforced concrete pipe across unmaintained right-of-way on Ray Gardner Lane in Foley. Installation deadline: January 31, 2025. Motion passed 3-0-1 (Commissioner Underwood abstained citing a potential conflict of interest).
Addendum – GA1: Adopted Resolution #2024-151, a supplemental resolution authorizing the issuance of up to $37,500,000 in General Obligation Economic Development Warrants, Series 2024, for Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District 1. Vote 4-0.
Meeting Adjournment: The regular meeting adjourned at 10:09 AM.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning and welcome to the Bowen County Commission work session. This is the Tuesday, August 6th, 2024 work session. I have asked Pastor Joe Aldretti to lead us in the invocation. And then Commissioner Gruber is going to lead us in the pledge. Thank you. You're welcome. Let's pray. Father God, we thank you so much for your grace and your mercy upon our lives, Lord God. Our families, God. Father, we thank you for the great salvation that we have in Jesus, Lord. Father, I thank you for the county commissioners, God, and the work that they do. And Lord, I pray you give them wisdom and discernment today, Lord God, for all the things, Lord, that they're going to approve today, God, for our county. And we thank you, God, so much. The place where we live, Lord. Just continue to bless our county and our state and our country, God. And we ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Please join us for the pledge. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Indivisible. Liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. Normally the first item on our uh work session agenda would be to review the items and setting of the consent agenda, but we have a special request again, Pastor Aldredi. Um has to I think get to the airport or something like that, you know, either a plane or a train or an automobile to catch. So would you come on up and I'll let you address this? Sure. I would just I wanted to come personally to thank uh the county commission for um believing in what we're doing with the Dream Center, working with kids in Baldwin County, school district and juvenile probation for uh awarding us the uh tobacco tax and that is gonna help this program out a tremendous uh and the work is going great, by the way. So thank y'all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for being here. Bye-bye. Thanks, Joe. Now we will work on the consent agenda. We have um the administration items, which we have quite a few. Um I think there's some specifics we need to discuss about item CA1. Uh we need to uh point or name Violetta, is that right? And then so we need to go ahead and insert that so that when we put this on consent that that's in there, and also the uh ability for her to hire assistants. Yes, it's yes, the as we've experienced in the last presidential election. There was a need for uh a lot of help, uh a lot of interest, a lot of people voted in it. We expect the same thing in this presidential election, so they're gonna need some assistance. She's gonna need some assistance uh handling the absolute ballots. And we also set the place to be at the Bowen County legislative delegation office here in Bayonet. Same place that it was uh at the primary for the primary because circuit clerk is uh is not going to do that. It's in her office, so that was where we had it last time, and as far as we know it it worked out okay. So is that meet everyone's approval?

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