OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Baldwin County Commission Regular Meeting - April 1, 2025

County Commission — Tuesday, April 1, 2025
BodyBaldwin County, Alabama
SessionCounty Commission
DateTuesday, April 1, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:19:22

Transcript — Verbatim
0:04

Good morning, everybody.

0:05

It's nine o'clock.

0:06

Welcome to the pre-work session.

0:08

Pre-meeting work session.

0:10

Today is April 1st.

0:13

I was going to do an April Fool's thing, but I decided I better not.

0:16

So anyway.

0:18

But thank you.

0:19

Brian's going to do the invocation, and I'll do the pledge of allegiance.

0:25

Let's pray.

0:26

Gracious Heavenly Father, Lord God, first of all, we thank you for the opportunity to wake up this morning, Lord God.

0:31

We thank you for this beautiful day that you've blessed us with.

0:34

And Lord God, as we go into this meeting, Father, we pray that you just guide each and every decision that's made.

0:39

Lord God, I pray that you bless each and every person that's here.

0:42

Keep us safe as we go about our way.

0:44

We give you all the glory and honor in Jesus' name.

0:46

Amen.

0:47

Amen.

0:49

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

0:54

And to which it stands one nation.

1:03

Thank you, Brian.

1:12

All right.

1:16

We'll go ahead and get started with the uh consent items.

1:20

Um administration.

1:24

We have seven items.

1:26

I want to um pull CA4 and for further studying and maybe picking somebody different.

1:37

We we've been talking a lot about um the mental health boards with ACCA, and uh think we need to look at this a little more closely before we just so we'll pull CA4 from the from the list.

1:53

Any other questions for the other items?

1:59

All right, got animal control, CB1, got one item.

2:04

Everybody good?

2:06

Okay, all right.

2:10

And we got brats, you got one item.

2:12

Good for that.

2:13

I'm good.

2:13

Good.

2:14

Okay.

2:19

Budget and purchasing.

2:20

We got uh 11 items.

2:25

Yes, I'm fine.

2:26

Good.

2:27

All right.

2:27

I got one question on CE9.

2:29

I I I read it and everything, Mark, but when you say uh clearing and grubbing, yes.

2:37

What is I know what clearing means, but that's explain that on 60, Kenny Road 64.

2:42

Absolutely, Commissioner.

2:43

Uh, what we're gonna do on the clearing grub it package, they will actually go out and clear the vegetation, move and reset all of the fences, essentially open up that right away from edge to edge.

2:55

The grubbing is simply the earthwork that's required to remove the vegetation uh as we go through there, but that will prep us for the next phase, which will begin their utility relocations, and then the third and final phase will be the actual construction of the widening.

3:10

All right, thank you, Mark.

3:12

So y'all good with those?

3:14

Yeah, I guess that was the only one.

3:16

Uh emergency management.

3:18

We got uh one item, CK1.

3:21

That's a good deal.

3:22

Yes, that's a very good I look at Tommy's smile.

3:24

Congratulations, Tom.

3:25

Congratulations, Tom.

3:26

Yep.

3:27

Um I'm good.

3:31

All right.

3:33

Was that a tough?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety████████████████████████████28%
Youth Programs██████████████14%
Procedural█████████████13%
Telecommunications Infrastructure█████████████13%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████7%
Child Welfare███████7%
Fiscal Sustainability██████6%
Personnel Matters█████5%
Arts And Culture████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Baldwin County Commission Regular Meeting - April 1, 2025

The Baldwin County Commission held a pre-meeting work session at 9:00 AM and a regular meeting at 10:00 AM on April 1, 2025, at the Baldwin County Administration Building in Bay Minette, Alabama. The work session included review of agenda items, a fleet manager presentation, and discussion of courtroom renovations. The regular meeting began with adoption of minutes, followed by approval of the consent agenda (with one item removed and one added), several presentations, and closing comments. The meeting adjourned at 10:54 AM. Commissioners present for the regular meeting: James E. Ball, Matthew P. McKenzie, and Charles F. Gruber. Commissioner Billie Jo Underwood was absent due to a commitment in Montgomery.

Consent Calendar

  • Removed: Item CA4 (AltaPointe Health Systems reappointment) was pulled by Commissioner Ball for further review and removed from the agenda.
  • Added: Item FE1 (courtroom renovations) was added to the consent agenda with modifications from the Purchasing Director.
  • Approved as a block: All other consent items, including:
    • CA1: Support for Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery Memorial Day Event (May 26, 2025) with $388.00 for BRATS transportation and $2,662.50 for equipment from Contingency Budget.
    • CA2: Tent rental for Law Enforcement Memorial Event ($1,576.25).
    • CA3: Alcohol license transfer to LVPAL LLC d/b/a TA Robertsdale.
    • CA5, CA6: Reappointments to Cindy Haber Center and Ono Island Water, Sewer & Fire Protection Authority.
    • CA7: Revision of Alcohol License Applications Policy #2.6.
    • CB1: Professional Services Agreement with Dr. Babette Dixon for rabies clinics (April 1, 2025 – April 1, 2028).
    • CD1: FY 2026 Federal Transit Administration grant applications ($702,515 Section 5307 and $37,485 Section 5339).
    • CE1-CE11: Various contracts and budget amendments, including awards for erosion control materials, generator preventive maintenance, intersection engineering (CR 13 & Corte Road, $204,218), bridge replacement engineering (Styx River Road, $97,734), County Road 64 clearing and grubbing ($246,244.16), and Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Amendment (Resolution #2025-095).
    • CK1: FY 2025 Certified Local Emergency Manager Salary Supplement subaward ($17,000).
    • CL1: Certificate of Exception from garbage pick-up for Marcus Armstead.
    • CM1: Revision of Banking and Investment Policy #8.21.
    • CN1: Extension of ventilation system improvements contract at Foley Satellite Courthouse (90 days).
    • CO1, CO2: Transfer of vehicles and sale of surplus equipment via GovDeals.com.
    • CR1-CR9: Personnel actions (employment, promotions, transfers) effective April 7, 2025, including two Animal Control Officers, two Emergency Management Agency personnel, five Highway Department employees, three Juvenile Detention Workers, three Planning and Zoning staff, and one Probate Office promotion.
    • CS1: Removal of two members from the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Presentations

  • Lifesaver Awards: Sheriff Anthony Lowery presented Lifesaver Awards to Deputy Brandon Chain, Deputy Delaney Thomas, and Deputy Jacob Bridges for their life-saving actions on May 15, 2024, rescuing a woman injured in a boating accident near Gravine Island. The victim suffered full amputation of one leg and partial amputation of the other; the deputies applied three tourniquets and controlled bleeding.
  • BCSO Cadet Program: Deputy Landon Pickett and Corporal D. presented the Sheriff’s Office Cadet Program (post #0105), established in fall 2024. The program meets Tuesdays 4-7 PM in Robertsdale, serving 14 cadets from Baldwin County high schools. At their first state competition, cadets placed in seven categories, including first place in Unknown Risk Traffic Stop and Unknown Problem. The program aims to prepare youths for law enforcement careers and leadership.
  • Proclamation – National Telecommunicators Week: The Commission proclaimed April 13-19, 2025, as National Telecommunicators/Communication Officers Week. Sheriff Lowery noted that BCSO’s Communications Division receives approximately 100,000 calls for service annually, and Baldwin County 911 receives an additional 100,000+ calls. Chairman McKenzie and Commissioner Ball highlighted the critical role of dispatchers.
  • Resolution – Stockton Five Arts Club 100th Anniversary: The Commission adopted Resolution #2025-089 recognizing the Stockton Five Arts Club’s 100th anniversary (founded October 16, 1925). Ms. Georgene Connor, co-chair of the anniversary celebration, described the club’s impact on arts and community service in North Baldwin County.
  • Proclamation – Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Assault Awareness Month: The Commission proclaimed April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month and Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Month. Ms. Nikki Whittaker (Care House) reported that the Child Advocacy Center has already conducted over 100 forensic interviews in the first quarter of 2025. Ms. Rhyon Ervin (The Lighthouse) and Ms. Diane Zills highlighted the need for community support and a new Sexual Assault Intervention Network (SAIN) program in partnership with Infirmary Systems and the District Attorney’s Office.

Discussion Items

  • Pre-Meeting Work Session (9:00-9:25 AM):
    • CA4 Pulled: Commissioner Ball requested removal of item CA4 (AltaPointe Health reappointment) for further study, citing concerns about mental health board appointments.
    • CE9 – County Road 64 Clearing and Grubbing: Assistant County Engineer Mark Acreman explained that the $246,244.16 project involves vegetation removal, fence relocation, and earthwork to prepare for utility relocations and road widening.
    • CM1 – Banking and Investment Policy Revision: Finance Director Tara Hazelbaker (whose birthday was April 1) explained the revision removes geographic restrictions on investments, allowing broader options for excess cash reserves. An RFP for investment services is forthcoming.
    • FE1 – Courtroom Renovations: Circuit Judge Scott Taylor presented three improvement categories: safety measures (to prevent inmate-public interactions, contraband passing, and escape), workspace expansion for judicial staff, and carpet replacement. He noted a recent escape attempt from Courtroom No. 1. The project costs: $45,630 for Tindle Construction (courtroom renovations) and $16,587 for Delta Flooring (carpet), totaling $62,217. Commissioners agreed to use Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) balance. The item was added to the consent agenda with a contract from the Purchasing Director.
    • Fleet Manager Report: DJ White reported that since November 2024, the fleet team has inventoried 287 of 697 capital assets (excluding Sheriff’s Office) and plans to integrate maintenance tracking into Munis. The recent auction of surplus equipment generated over $2 million, exceeding the $1.8 million estimate.
    • Executive Session: At 9:25 AM, the Commission voted 4-0 to adjourn into executive session to discuss real property matters (purchase, sale, lease, or exchange). The work session did not reconvene.

Key Outcomes

  • All motions passed unanimously: 4-0 during the work session (with Underwood present) and 3-0 during the regular meeting (Underwood absent).
  • The consent agenda was approved as amended, with CA4 removed and FE1 added.
  • The Commission adopted four proclamations/resolutions:
    1. National Telecommunicators Week (April 13-19, 2025)
    2. Resolution #2025-089 recognizing Stockton Five Arts Club’s 100th anniversary
    3. Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month (April 2025)
    4. Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Month (April 2025)
  • Personnel actions for 17 positions were approved, effective April 7, 2025.
  • Contracts awarded: Gresham Smith for engineering on CR 13 & Corte Road ($204,218) and Styx River Road Bridge ($97,734); Gibson Construction Services for County Road 64 clearing ($246,244.16); and others as listed.
  • The next regular meeting was scheduled for a future date (not specified in the minutes).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made during the regular meeting; no public hearings were held.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, everybody. It's nine o'clock. Welcome to the pre-work session. Pre-meeting work session. Today is April 1st. I was going to do an April Fool's thing, but I decided I better not. So anyway. But thank you. Brian's going to do the invocation, and I'll do the pledge of allegiance. Let's pray. Gracious Heavenly Father, Lord God, first of all, we thank you for the opportunity to wake up this morning, Lord God. We thank you for this beautiful day that you've blessed us with. And Lord God, as we go into this meeting, Father, we pray that you just guide each and every decision that's made. Lord God, I pray that you bless each and every person that's here. Keep us safe as we go about our way. We give you all the glory and honor in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to which it stands one nation. Thank you, Brian. All right. We'll go ahead and get started with the uh consent items. Um administration. We have seven items. I want to um pull CA4 and for further studying and maybe picking somebody different. We we've been talking a lot about um the mental health boards with ACCA, and uh think we need to look at this a little more closely before we just so we'll pull CA4 from the from the list. Any other questions for the other items? All right, got animal control, CB1, got one item. Everybody good? Okay, all right. And we got brats, you got one item. Good for that. I'm good. Good. Okay. Budget and purchasing. We got uh 11 items. Yes, I'm fine. Good. All right. I got one question on CE9. I I I read it and everything, Mark, but when you say uh clearing and grubbing, yes. What is I know what clearing means, but that's explain that on 60, Kenny Road 64. Absolutely, Commissioner. Uh, what we're gonna do on the clearing grub it package, they will actually go out and clear the vegetation, move and reset all of the fences, essentially open up that right away from edge to edge. The grubbing is simply the earthwork that's required to remove the vegetation uh as we go through there, but that will prep us for the next phase, which will begin their utility relocations, and then the third and final phase will be the actual construction of the widening. All right, thank you, Mark. So y'all good with those? Yeah, I guess that was the only one.

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