Baldwin County Commission Meeting – December 3, 2024

The Baldwin County Commission met on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, for a pre-meeting work session at 9:00 AM and a regular meeting at 10:00 AM in the Baldwin County Administration Building, Bay Minette, Alabama. All four commissioners (James E. Ball, Matthew P. McKenzie, Billie Jo Underwood, and Charles F. Gruber) were present. The work session included a project update from Novelis and an executive session. The regular meeting adopted the previous meeting’s minutes, approved a consent agenda (with one item pulled), and transacted routine business.

Consent Calendar

• Annual Review and Approval of County Take Home Vehicle List – December 2024: Approved list of 234 employees driving county-owned vehicles home.
• Fort Morgan 6th Annual Mardi Gras Parade: Approved route for Sunday, March 2, 2025, beginning at 1:00 PM.
• Perdido Bay Water, Sewer and Fire Protection District - Board Reappointment: Reappointed Mr. Darrell Crase for a four-year term (January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2029).
• BRATS FY2025 Section 5307/5339 Application: Authorized filing and purchase of four 30-passenger and ten 12-passenger buses at a total county cost of $212,863 (total federal/state funding $1,915,765).
• BRATS FY2026 Section 5311 Rural Grant Application: Adopted Resolution #2025-049 committing up to $1,458,435 as local match and Resolution #2025-047 authorizing filing.
• Competitive Bid #WG25-03 – Sheriff’s Office Vehicles: Awarded to Hardy Chevrolet Buick GMC for 32 Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD Police Vehicles at $51,068 each (total $1,634,176).
• Scenic 98 Bridge Replacement – Engineering Contract: Approved contract with Volkert, Inc. for $395,297.
• Traffic Light Installation at CR-65 and CR-12 South: Awarded bid to James Bros. Excavating, Inc. for $1,231,007 (90 working days).
• Resolution #2025-044 – Budget Amendment and Bid #WG25-02: Amended FY2025 budget and awarded purchase of three 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD vehicles at $58,829 each (total $176,487).
• Resolution #2025-046 – Budget Amendment– Reallocate Funds: Adopted.
• Resolution #2025-048 – Budget Amendment – Establish Capital Asset for Donated Land: Adopted (City of Foley land donation in 2021).
• Resolution #2025-053 – Budget Amendment – Allocation of Unassigned Reserve Fund Balance: Adopted.
• Sheriff’s Office – Lexipol Master Service Agreement Extension: Approved annual extension for Law Enforcement Policy Manual & Daily Training Bulletins at $42,149.99 (January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025).
• Sheriff’s Office – Vehicle Transfer to GovDeals: Authorized transfer of one Chevrolet Tahoe (VIN 1GNLC2E03ER216914) for surplus sale.
• Publication of Draft Unaudited Financial Status: Approved one-time publication in Gulf Coast Newspapers for the twelve months ending September 30, 2024.
• ASPCA Disaster Response Grant: Accepted $25,000 grant for trailer and supplies for temporary animal shelter.
• Rescinding Previous Action and Adoption of Resolution #2025-051 – ARPA Interest for Scenic 98 Bridge: Rescinded June 18, 2024 action and allocated $395,297 of ARPA interest for engineering design.
• Resolution #2025-050 – ARPA Funds for Public Works: Approved reimbursement of $56,441.39 from LaBella Associates and reallocation of $3,250 to Courthouse Queuing Structure and $53,191.39 to CR-65 drainage project.
• Resolution #2025-052 – ARPA Interest for Sally Port Project: Allocated $697,359.61 of ARPA interest for construction costs.
• Highway – Addition to Take Home Vehicle List: Added John Lundy, Traffic Operations Manager, with 58-mile round trip.
• River Road Bridge Relocation – CE&I Services: Approved on-call consultant Michael Baker International, Inc. for fees not to exceed $283,555.91.
• Rental of Hydraulic Under Bridge Inspection Platform: Approved rental agreement with Anderson Crane and Bridge Technologies for $14,730 for two weeks.
• Transfer of Funds for Lillian Park Improvements: Authorized transfer of $27,838 from Keeney Drive Park project to Lillian Park Lighting and Landscaping project.
• IRS Form 8283 for Donated Right-of-Way – Sherman Road (Tracts 3A, 5, 6) and Woerner Road (Tract 1): Accepted donations and authorized Chairman to execute IRS forms.
• Personnel Changes:
  • Retitled Sherry Smith to Purchasing Support Specialist (no salary change).
  • Employed Roxanne Buch as Administrative Support Specialist IV ($21.54/hr, $44,803.20/yr).
  • Employed Claire Arnold as Death Investigator I ($25.00/hr, $52,000/yr).
  • Employed Daniel Fleming as Custodian ($14.71/hr, $30,596.80/yr).
  • Employed Tara Hazelbaker as Director of Finance ($140,000/yr).
  • Promoted Shelby Middleton to Senior Grants Accountant ($65,962.31/yr).
  • Promoted Justin Cregger to Code Enforcement Officer ($46,134.40/yr); employed Charles White as Planning Technician I ($42,244.80/yr); employed Donald Driskell as Engineering Technician I ($53,040/yr).
  • Increased pay for Mallory Knowles to $18.50/hr ($38,780/yr).
  • Authorized AirMedCare Network Services renewal (one-year rate guarantee at $115 per slot).
• Item CR10 (Stop Loss Insurance Renewal) was pulled from the agenda at the request of the Personnel Director and will be brought back on December 17, 2024.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were made during the regular meeting.

Discussion Items

• Novelis Project Update (Work Session, Senior Staff Reports): Representatives from Novelis (Plant Manager Tori Holt, Communications Lead Callie Cox, Legal Counsel Annie Baxter, and Project Administration Director Matthieu Rothenberger) presented a video and slides on the aluminum recycling and rolling mill project. Key points: the investment has increased to $4.1 billion; the project is the first fully integrated facility of its kind in the U.S. in over 40 years; construction began April 5, 2024; 35% of steel erected; first equipment installation (kiln) scheduled for next week; structural steel increased 48% (to 86,000 US tons), electrical cabling increased 149% (2.6 million linear feet); over $400 million committed to Alabama companies, with $250 million already spent; anticipated operational in the second half of 2026; will employ up to 1,000 people. Commissioners expressed appreciation for the progress and safety record (1.5 million man-hours without a lost time accident).
• Executive Session (Work Session): The Commission voted unanimously (4-0) to adjourn into an executive session at 9:21 AM to discuss preliminary negotiations involving trade/commerce and matters protected by the Alabama Trade Secrets Act. The work session did not reconvene.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Minutes of the November 19, 2024 Regular Meeting (unanimous).
• Approved Payment of Bills (unanimous).
• Approved Consent Agenda as presented, with the exception of CR10 (unanimous).
• Adopted Resolutions #2025-044, #2025-046, #2025-047, #2025-048, #2025-049, #2025-050, #2025-051, #2025-052, #2025-053.
• Awarded Contracts and Bids for vehicles, bridge engineering, traffic light installation, and bridge inspection equipment.
• Accepted Grants from ASPCA and BRATS funding.
• Approved Personnel Actions including new hires, promotions, and salary increases.
• Commissioner Comments: Commissioners highlighted upcoming holiday events (North Baldwin Christmas Fest December 6-7, Bicentennial Park Christmas Lights through December 23), thanked staff, encouraged safety and support for foster children via Angel Trees, and recognized first responders and law enforcement.