Baldwin County Commission Regular Meeting - September 1, 2026
Baldwin County Commission Regular Meeting - September 1, 2026
The Baldwin County Commission held its regular meeting on September 1, 2026, following a pre-meeting work session at 9:00 AM. The commission approved consent items, recognized deputies and a retiree, and discussed an opioid settlement funding request and a budget update. The meeting was conducted in Bay Minette, Alabama.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The commission adopted minutes from the August 17, 2026, special meeting (budget deliberations), August 18, 2026, regular meeting, and August 24, 2026, special meeting (budget deliberations). All passed unanimously.
- Payment of Bills: The commission approved payment of 792 invoices totaling $6,573,824.66 (Item BA1).
- Ratification of Interim Payments: The commission approved 417 invoices totaling $3,572,079.64 under Policy 8.1 (Item BA2).
- Consent Agenda: The commission approved the consent agenda as discussed in the work session, with the notation that Item CG1 (Shared Use Agreement with Mobile County Communications District) had a replacement item. The consent agenda included numerous items across Administration, Animal Control, Budget/Purchasing, Communications, Council on Aging, Elected Officials, Finance, Highway, Parks and Recreation, Personnel, and Planning and Zoning.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the public comment period at the work session or the regular meeting.
Discussion Items
- Opioid Settlement Funding Request: Katrina (Grants) presented an application from Adult and Teen Challenge of Alabama, located in Bay Minette, requesting $25,000 in opioid settlement funds to support their 12-month residential recovery program. The program has operated since 1977 and serves individuals statewide. The application scored 83 points (threshold 70). The commission discussed the request and decided to place it on the next meeting agenda for formal consideration.
- Budget Update: Beth provided an update on the FY 2026-2027 budget process. After the August 24 meeting, the commission directed a shift to scenario-based budgeting. Key steps included a 3.5% reduction in operational costs and a 40% reduction in critical requirements, which together achieved a $4.6 million reduction (exceeding the $4.2 million target). Personnel changes are still being finalized. A balanced budget is expected to be presented at the September 15 meeting.
Presentations
- Sheriff's Office Commendation Awards: Sheriff recognized multiple deputies for outstanding service:
- Deputies Trace Busby, Zach Johns, Zach Ellis, Landon Pickett, and Charles Best for solving 11 breaking and entering vehicle cases on June 6, 2026, leading to the arrest of three juveniles.
- Deputy Jared Allen for uncovering a severe sex abuse case through his instincts and persistence, resulting in two individuals being jailed.
- Deputy Cody Playtoe and Chief Steiner (along with Assistant Chief Hahn) for performing 22 water rescues in July 2026 after a double red flag was dropped prematurely. Two people were airlifted and two transported by ambulance. A geo-fenced reverse 911 alert helped close the beach.
- Retiree Recognition: Lisa Hacker was honored for 19 years of dedicated service in the Finance Department, most recently supporting Accounts Payable. Commissioners and staff thanked her for her meticulous work and contributions.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes Approved: All three sets of minutes (August 17, 18, 24) were adopted unanimously.
- Bills and Interim Payments Approved: Both payments were approved by voice vote with no opposition.
- Consent Agenda Approved: The consent agenda was adopted with the noted replacement for CG1.
- Opioid Funding Request Deferred: The $25,000 request from Adult and Teen Challenge will be placed on the next meeting agenda for a vote.
- Budget Progress: The budget is expected to be balanced and presented at the September 15 meeting; a celebratory email will be sent once balanced.
- Commissioner Comments: Commissioners thanked staff, deputies, and the retiree, and reminded the public to travel safely on Labor Day.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good morning. We're gonna get this work session started today. Um, September 1st uh pre-meeting work session. Uh what we'll do from here is um we'll do our welcome and invitation. What we're gonna do uh Commissioner Underwood will give us the invocation and Commissioner Gruber will do the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand. Good morning. You'll please bow your heads. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, Lord. We thank you for all the blessings that you bestow upon us here in this wonderful place we call Baldwin County in our home. Lord, we just ask you to be with us today as we conduct the business of Ball and County in this work session. Guide us and direct us so that your will will be done. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Please go in the pledge. Pledge the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God and liberties and justice for all. Thank you. Thank y'all. Commissioners, we'll uh now go through our agenda, set our consent items. Got one administrative item. I'm good. I'm fine with it. Yeah, I'm good, Mr. Chairman. All right, we got an animal control item. Yes. Good to go. Okay. We got a few items under Wanda's headline. Just a few. I'm fine. A lot of copy machines in it. Yeah, I'm good. CIS. Yes. Yep. So when we do this item on the um regular meeting, do we say that that there's a replacement item, or you're just letting me know that there's a replacement item? Yes. Yes. Okay. All right. So we're good on that one. Uh counsel on aging is been taken care of. The uh legal review has been done by the attorney. Are y'all good with that? Yes. Yes, sir.
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