Baldwin County Commission Regular Meeting - July 1, 2025
Baldwin County Commission Regular Meeting - July 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 July 1, 2025, at the Baldwin County Administration Building in Bay Minette. 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 meeting covered a consent agenda of routine items, presentations, a public comment, and several resolutions, all approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
The consent agenda, approved by a 4-0 vote, included the following routine items:
- CA1: Approval of cycling routes for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Bike MS: Tour de Beach event on September 27-28, 2025, and use of Mullet Point Park as a rest stop.
- CC1: Authorization for the 2025 Christmas at Bicentennial Park Holiday Drive-Thru Light Display (Dec 1-23, 2025, Mon-Sat 5-9 PM, plus Dec 21 Sunday).
- CC2: Support for the Fort Mims Living History and Re-enactment event on August 30, 2025, including BRATS transportation at $594.88, Parks maintenance, and Highway Department parking striping up to $10,950 (funded by prior resolution).
- CD1: FY25 Certifications and Assurances for FTA grant programs for BRATS.
- CE1-CE5: Competitive bid for concrete sidewalk repair; payment of $5,500 to North Baldwin Utilities for a fire hydrant meter at the Corrections Center; award of hazardous waste cleanup contract to PPM Consultants, Inc. (36 months); RFP for CDBG-DR grant administration; RFP for temporary clerical and labor services.
- CN1-CN3: Amendment No. 2 to CDBG-DR subrecipient agreement (admin $100,000, housing $19,169,010, non-housing $24,092,676; extended through Oct 31, 2028); extension of LaBella Associates contract for Foley Satellite Courthouse ventilation (120 days); adoption of Resolution #2025-138 for First Amendment to CDBG-DR Citizen Participation Plan.
- CO1-CO3: Intergovernmental service agreement with Historic Blakeley Authority for cross drain replacement (not to exceed $125,000); license agreement #25013 with Mediacom for cable installation (619 feet); speed limit reduction on CR68 from 45 to 35 MPH over 2,200 feet and installation of raised pedestrian crossing and solar-powered signage ($45,000).
- CP1-CP2: MOUs with Baldwin County Board of Education and Sheriff's Office for food services at the Juvenile Detention Center (school provides meals at $3.15 breakfast, $4.75 lunch/dinner).
- CR1: Promotions in the Revenue Commission (Re-Appraisal): Joni Ayres to Assessment Specialist I ($23.93/hr), Brooke Crawford to Collections Specialist I ($26.78/hr), Meranda Ferrell to Collections Technician II ($19.03/hr), effective July 14, 2025.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Leigh Peters (representing the forest industry) addressed the Commission, stating that Alabama has over 23 million acres of forest (95% privately owned) with an annual economic impact of $36 billion and over 50,000 jobs. In Baldwin County specifically, there are over 700,000 acres of forest, 15 forest products manufacturers, 2,000 employees, and a $550 million annual economic impact. She asked the Commission to consider the impact of the entire supply chain on forestry.
Discussion Items
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Work Session Discussions: During the pre-meeting work session (9:00-9:23 AM), the Commission discussed:
- CO3: Efforts with the City of Loxley and Buc-ee's to improve pedestrian and driver safety on County Road 68. The proposed improvements (speed reduction and pedestrian crossing) are within the county's right-of-way and aim to address ongoing congestion and safety concerns.
- DA2: Establishment of the Baldwin County America 250th Committee. Commissioner Ball questioned the selection process for committee members, expressing a desire for commissioner input. County Administrator Roger Rendleman explained that retired Judge Tim Russell spearheaded the effort to coordinate events for the 250th anniversary, and members were chosen for their affiliations. The committee will serve until July 4, 2026.
- Staff Reports: Beth Hodges, Budget Director, provided an overview of the FY 2026 budget timeline, noting that budget deliberations will take place in August (Mondays: Aug 4, 11, 18, 25) with adoption scheduled for September 16, 2025. Tara Hazelbaker, Finance Director, introduced the TRACE program (Tracking Resources and Cost Expenditures), a framework to better document and manage financial aspects during disaster responses to support FEMA reimbursement. TRACE will be activated upon declaration of a local state of emergency.
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Regular Meeting Presentations:
- DA1: Sheriff Anthony Lowery and Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Chief Lee Steiner presented an Award of Merit to Deputy Justin Bellew for his role in assisting with a structure fire at The Beach Club Resort & Spa on June 4, 2025. Deputy Bellew worked alongside firefighters for approximately six hours, helping evacuate residents from all 17 floors. The Commission commended his service.
- DA2: Jarrod Cunningham, General Services Manager, presented the establishment of the Baldwin County America 250th Committee. The committee includes Tim Russell, Mike Bunn, Charles Cornwall, and Harriet Outlaw (Eddie Tyler unable to attend). Resolution #2025-144 was adopted 4-0.
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Addendum:
- GA1: County Administrator Roger Rendleman explained that due to Act 2025-280, Resolution #2025-147 reaffirms the exemption of sales tax on hearing instrument sales, effective September 1, 2025. Adopted 4-0.
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Other Staff Recommendation:
- FO1: Mark Acreman, Assistant County Engineer, presented the third 30 Cubed Program project: an intergovernmental roadway construction agreement with the Town of Magnolia Springs for approximately 2,600 feet of roadway and pedestrian improvements on County Road 49 (from US 98 to Magnolia River). The project includes access management via a center landscaped median and a multi-use trail. Total cost is $4.2 million ($2.1 million from the town, $2.1 million from the county). Mayor Ross Houser thanked the Commission, noting the project was otherwise unfundable. Adopted 4-0.
Key Outcomes
- All consent agenda items and resolutions were approved by unanimous 4-0 votes.
- The Commission adopted the minutes of the June 24, 2025 regular meeting.
- Payments of bills and ratification of interim payments were approved.
- Resolution #2025-144 establishing the Baldwin County America 250th Committee was adopted.
- Resolution #2025-147 exempting hearing instruments from county sales and use tax was adopted.
- The Intergovernmental Roadway Construction Agreement with the Town of Magnolia Springs under the 30 Cubed Program was approved.
- The Commission expressed appreciation for Deputy Justin Bellew and the Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Department.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to the Baldwin County work session. It's nine o'clock even. I've asked uh Commissioner Gruber to do the Pledge of Allegiance. I'm gonna do the invocation, so bow with me just for a few minutes. Dear Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance as we begin our meeting. Help us to listen to each other and to find solutions that benefit everyone. We ask for your wisdom and your guidance as we work today to serve the citizens, and more importantly, you in Jesus' name. Amen. Please join me in a pledge. A pledge of the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Thank you. This should go pretty fast. It's not a lot on the agenda. So commissioners on the um consent, we got the administration. CA1 got one item. All right. All right. Archives and history. We got uh two items. Okay. All right. I think that was good. Um Baldwin Regional Um the Bratz. Got one item. I'm good. Go. All right. Five items. All right. Then grants. Uh you can see under CN1, it's approved by the county attorney already. We got uh three items. Good. There'd be good. And then highway, we've got uh three items. I'm good. I did have a question I've already asked Mark about it, and so I just it was the one about the CO3 Loxley City, um, the one we're doing it right there in front of Bucky's. Um I've already asked him the question, so it's I'm good with that one. Just wanted y'all to be aware that I did ask him. Um I just I'll comment. Um, there's been a lot of um back and forth with uh Lotsley and the county and with Buckeys trying to constantly figure out uh a way to um address the congestion in that area and um what's inside the property that belongs to Bucky's is under Bucky's uh control, but what we're trying to do is to keep what's under our authority, the best and safest as we can for the pedestrians who are the employees that cross the street there, and so this is part of an effort to um address situations that I receive constant concerns from that area. Concerns are complaints, but Mark and Frank and Mayor Teal and even the new management. There's some new management at Bucky's. So Loxley is kind of working with Buckies about their internal logistics of how that's going down, but we felt this would be a good move to help anything to do to help make it safer. That's good. Yes, that's anything you want to just uh the the improvements that we're proposing are all within the the county's maintained public right-of-way, and they're designed to both improve the driver's safety as well as the pedestrian safety. Yep, he can say it's so much more concise and better than me, so we should have just let him say. It's needed, but it it has been an ongoing situation, and you know, Bucky's was not there when the parking lot across the street came after.
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