Baldwin County Commission Regular Meeting (December 17, 2024)

The Baldwin County Commission held its regular meeting on December 17, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the Fairhope Satellite Courthouse, following a pre-meeting work session that began at 9:00 a.m. The meeting was chaired by Commissioner Matthew P. McKenzie. All four commissioners were present: James E. Ball (District 1), Matthew P. McKenzie (District 2), Billie Jo Underwood (District 3), and Charles F. Gruber (District 4). The consent agenda was approved with one removal (CR6 – Stop Loss Insurance) and one addition (GA1 – ARPA fund reallocation for Scenic Highway 98 Bridge Replacement). The meeting included presentations, public hearings on two right-of-way vacations and ten planning/zoning items, and commissioner comments. The regular meeting adjourned at 11:37 a.m.

Consent Calendar

• CA1 – Approved alcohol license for The Galley On The River LLC (Restaurant Retail Liquor) contingent on health department permit and business license.
• CA2 – Designated Alabama Secretary of State as agent for voter file maintenance program.
• CA3 – Approved use of county roads for Zion Fountain and Vaughn Community Christmas Parade (December 21, 2024, 1:00 p.m.), contingent on liability insurance.
• CC1 – Approved dedication ceremony for America 250 Memorial Benches in Bicentennial Park (February 15, 2025, 2:00 p.m.) and waived rental fees.
• CE1 – Approved Amendment to service agreement with Kofile Technologies, Inc. for Phase II records preservation ($198,998.55).
• CE2 – Approved Allowance Authorization No. 1 with Tindle Construction, LLC ($42,130.89) for mental health holding cells at Juvenile Detention Center.
• CE3 – Awarded bid for Phase II Sheriff’s Office renovations to JNB Services, LLC ($3,445,522.00; 270 calendar days).
• CE4 – Donated one surplus 2010 Ford Crown Victoria from Sheriff’s Office to Dale County Sheriff’s Office.
• CE5 – Authorized staff to begin negotiations with Gresham Smith for engineering services on County Road 13/Corte Road intersection improvement.
• CE6 – Authorized staff to begin negotiations with Thompson Engineering for dirt road paving on Mannich Lane.
• CE7 – Rescinded previous award and awarded duct cleaning quote to Star Services, Inc. ($39,987.00).
• CH1 – Approved TIPS Purchasing Cooperative Contract with DLT Solutions for tax/license inspection system ($300,092.25).
• CH2 – Authorized sale of four surplus HPE ProLiant servers via GovDeals.com.
• CH3 – Approved termination of Master Agreement with TextMyGov, effective April 5, 2025.
• CJ1 – Authorized transfer of a Chevrolet Tahoe from Sheriff’s Office to Commission for sale on GovDeals.com.
• CK1 – Adopted Resolution #2025-054 to allocate $22,833.00 for video wall system; approved FY2024 State Homeland Security Grant ($107,433.00) with ALEA.
• CM1 – Approved termination of armored transportation services agreement with Brink’s U.S., effective February 17, 2025.
• CN1 – Accepted Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant ($15,906.00) for K-9 for Sheriff’s Office.
• CN2 – Approved one-year extension of Sheriffs’ Advancement in Education, Technology, and Training Fund Grant (amount to be determined by ADECA).
• CN3 – Adopted Resolution #2025-055 approving Amendment #1 to Subrecipient Agreement with Town of Silverhill for ARPA-funded water tower project (performance period ends February 28, 2026).
• CN4 – Adopted Resolutions #2025-057 and #2025-062 approving Amendment #1 with Perdido Bay Water, Sewer & Fire Protection District for ARPA-funded water capacity improvement (performance period ends February 28, 2025).
• CN5 – Adopted Resolution #2025-058 approving Amendment #1 with City of Loxley for ARPA-funded water capacity improvement (performance period ends February 28, 2025).
• CN6 – Adopted Resolution #2025-063 reallocating $285,035.00 in ARPA funds from County Road 68/Main Street drainage to County Road 65 drainage improvement project.
• CO1 – Accepted roads for Cottages of Aventura Phase 3C (Prado Loop West 466 ft, Prado Loop East 480 ft, Valencia Way 686 ft, Adventura Drive 110 ft); accepted surety of $161,076.00.
• CO2 – Released maintenance bond ($263,812.72) for Camellia Place Phase One.
• CO3 – Accepted roads for Camellia Place Phase Two (Petal Drive 667 ft, Forsythia Loop 884 ft).
• CO4 – Established school zone on County Road 55 at new Silverhill Elementary School (25 mph, 7:30–8:15 a.m. and 2:30–3:15 p.m. on school days).
• CO5–CO10 – Accepted donated right-of-way parcels (ranging from 0.007 to 5.381 acres) and authorized execution of IRS Form 8283 for tax purposes.
• CO11 – Approved County Rebuild Alabama Certificate of Compliance verifying 99.48% of FY2024 funds expended via contract.
• CP1 – Approved Alabama Department of Youth Services Part 1 Grant ($98,000.00 for seven counties at $14,000/county) and Part 2 Grant ($116,745.00 based on population).
• CR1 – Approved promotion of Christopher Welch to Network Administrator ($80,917.87 annually).
• CR2 – Approved employment of James Bell as Construction Engineer ($95,000.00 annually).
• CR3 – Approved employment of Cole Brown as Engineering Technician I ($42,244.80 annually).
• CR4 – Approved promotion of Ashlie Rickard to Engineering Technician II ($56,388.80 annually).
• CR5 – Approved promotion of Sarah Reynolds to Probate Training Coordinator ($46,758.40 annually).
• CR6 – Removed from agenda at request of Personnel Director.
• CS1 – Appointed Melissa Hadley to Board of Adjustment #1 (term through March 16, 2027).
• CS2 – Accepted resignation of Dick Sute from Environmental Advisory Committee; appointed Donald Joffe (term through September 3, 2027).
• GA1 – Adopted Resolution #2025-065 allocating $263,497.00 in ARPA Revenue Replacement funds for engineering design, field surveys, and environmental permitting for Scenic Highway 98 Bridge Replacement Project in Point Clear.

Presentations

• DA1 – Commissioner Ball presented a Certificate of Recognition to Felicia Anderson, Director of Archives/Special Historic Projects Coordinator, for receiving the Lynn Hastie Bozone Citizen of the Year Award 2024 from the Stockton Heritage Association. Georgene Gause Conner (SHA President) and Laureen Harms (Stockton Civic Club President) praised Ms. Anderson’s dedication. Ms. Anderson expressed gratitude and noted her role as service. The certificate was made part of the record unanimously.
• DA2 – Chairman McKenzie read and presented Resolution #2025-064 commending Lynn Jones Biles upon her retirement as Law Librarian and Director of the Baldwin County Bar Association, and recognizing the naming of the Lynn Jones Biles Law Library. Ms. Biles thanked the Commission. The resolution was adopted unanimously.

Public Hearings & Testimony

Right-of-Way Vacations (Highway)

• EO1 – VAC-24-4 (100’ unopened right-of-way from Fox Run Lane to Steelwood at Point Clear): Neill Guilbert, property owner, spoke in favor. No other speakers. Approved unanimously.
• EO2 – VAC-24-5 (30’ unopened right-of-way from Airport Road and W Fern Avenue north 2,640’ to 40’ unopened right-of-way): No public speakers. Approved unanimously.

Rezoning Cases (Planning & Zoning)

• ES1 – Z24-17 Point Clear Village Rezoning (2.2 acres, B-2 to RSF-2): No public speakers. Staff recommended approval; planning commission recommended unanimously. Approved unanimously.
• ES2 – Z24-41 Fernandez Property Rezoning (3.5 acres, RSF-E to RSF-1): No public speakers. Staff recommended approval; planning commission unanimously. Approved unanimously.
• ES3 – Z24-42 Howle Property Rezoning (0.45 acres, B-2 to B-4): No public speakers. Staff recommended approval; planning commission unanimously. Approved unanimously.
• ES4 – Z24-43 Wild Property Rezoning (11 acres, RSF-2 to RR): No public speakers. Staff recommended denial due to RR district allowing many incompatible uses; planning commission recommended approval 5-3. Commissioners denied the rezoning (unanimous). Commissioner Underwood noted staff’s clarifying reasons.
• ES5 – Z24-44 Fletcher Property Rezoning (22 acres, BCZ to B-2 for event venue): No public speakers. Staff recommended approval; planning commission unanimously. Approved unanimously.
• ES6 – Z24-45 Wiese Property Rezoning (26 acres, RSF-2 to RA for agricultural use): No public speakers. Staff recommended approval; planning commission recommended 7-1. Approved unanimously.
• ES7 – Z24-46 Beds & Blinds Inc. Property Rezoning (3.24 acres, RR to B-3): Jessica McDill (applicant’s representative) present to answer questions. Staff recommended approval; planning commission unanimously. Approved unanimously.
• ES8 & ES9 – Z24-31 Volovecky Property Rezoning & PRD24-04 Lanterna Subdivision Residential Development (89 acres from RA/RSF-E/B-2 to RSF-2 and RMF-6; 295 units: 132 single-family, 156 townhomes):
  • Public speakers in favor: Will Graham (Jade Consulting, applicant) answered questions.
  • Public speakers in opposition: James Clark (Pleasant Road resident) cited traffic congestion; Ben Schoenfeld (Pleasant Road resident, 19 years) raised traffic and safety concerns; Sam Dean (Pleasant Road, 40 years) opposed the Pleasant Road entrance and a 1-acre retention pond near his property, citing drainage and traffic issues; Bob Allen (Pleasant Road) noted stacking concerns and urged a traffic study before approval. Staff and County Engineer Frank Lundy noted that traffic and drainage studies would be required at the subdivision phase and that OLDOT would review the state highway access. The County Engineer assured a rigorous approach to solving drainage and traffic issues.
  • Vote: Rezoning (ES8) approved 3-1 (McKenzie nay); PRD site plan (ES9) approved 3-1 (McKenzie nay).

Discussion Items

• Work Session (9:00 a.m.): Commissioners reviewed the agenda and set the consent agenda. GA1 (ARPA fund reallocation for Scenic 98 Bridge) was moved to consent. CR6 was removed. Items with addendum attachments noted. County Attorney Brad Hicks declared an executive session to discuss real property negotiations and trade secrets. The work session adjourned at 9:10 a.m. for executive session; the regular meeting began at 10:00 a.m.
• Commissioner Comments:
  • Commissioner Underwood requested that the Master Plan be reviewed and updated, noting that five of the nine zoning cases did not conform to the current plan. Planning Director Jay Dickson agreed, stating the future land use maps are outdated and confusing.
  • Commissioner Ball urged starting the Master Plan update soon.
  • Commissioner McKenzie reported that the Christmas light show at Bicentennial Park (Dec 2–14) had 1,543 vehicles and approximately 5,445 visitors. He also wished everyone a safe and Merry Christmas.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda – Approved as amended (removed CR6; added GA1).
• Presentations – Both certificates and resolutions adopted unanimously.
• Public Hearings – Two right-of-way vacations approved unanimously.
• Rezoning Cases:
  • Denied Z24-43 (Wild Property) unanimously.
  • Approved all other rezoning cases unanimously except Z24-31 (Volovecky) and PRD24-04 (Lanterna) which passed 3-1, with Commissioner McKenzie voting nay.
• Personnel – Promotions and new hires approved (CR1–CR5). CR6 removed.
• Executive Session – Held from 9:10 a.m. after work session; no further discussion in open session.
• Next Steps – Staff directed to begin work on updating the Master Plan and future land use maps.