CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN/DAVID D. DORTON
AUBURN —
The Auburn City Council took the following actions at its first meeting in May:
• Approved a contract for the MLK Streetscape Project. The council approved a construction contract in the amount of approximately $4.5 million for the Martin Luther King Drive Streetscape Project, which is part of the city’s Northwest Auburn Neighborhood Plan. The project will include new street infrastructure — islands, turn lanes and other enhancements — along with an improved pedestrian path and lighting on MLK Drive from Shug Jordan Parkway to North Donahue Drive. It will tie into the new multi-use path being completed from Shug Jordan Parkway to Webster Road. Together, these two projects will create a two-mile-long route for the people who live along MLK Drive to connect with downtown and Auburn University. Stay in the loop about the project’s status at auburnalabama.org/cip.
• Authorized a Solid Waste Rate Study. The council authorized a study to be conducted by consultants to evaluate the operational and capital needs of the city’s solid waste and recycling activities. The city conducted its first rate study in 2011, which included a multi-year financial forecast that projected operating and capital needs into the future and resulted in a proposed rate structure that was adopted by the city council in June 2011. During late fiscal year 2017, the city conducted an update to the previous rate study and no action was taken to increase rates at that time.
• Approved agreements with The Hound for sidewalk improvements and outdoor dining space. The council approved a license agreement with The Hound to allow the business to continue to use city property for outdoor dining space and to facilitate additional improvements to the outdoor dining space by The Hound. Council also approved a contract with the restaurant to construct 55 feet of sidewalk between Tichenor Avenue and the Tichenor Avenue parking lot in exchange for a financial contribution of $22,000 from the city. This will improve accessibility to the City Meeting Room, located at 122-B Tichenor Ave. In conjunction with these improvements, the council also approved a contract with Charter Communications, and previously with Alabama Power, to underground utilities in this area of downtown.
THE COUNCIL ALSO:
• Announced one vacancy on the Historic Preservation Commission and filled two vacancies on the commission. Anyone interested in applying can do so at auburnalabama.org/boards. An appointment for the last vacancy will be made at the June 6 meeting.
• Authorized the submittal of the city’s 2022 Water Pollution Prevention Annual Report to the Alabama Department of Revenue. The reports for H.C. Morgan Water Pollution Control Facility and Northside Water Pollution Control Facility both show that these two facilities are being properly operated and maintained. To see the reports, visit www.auburnalabama.org/water-resource-management/sewer/municipal-water-pollution-prevention-report.
· Approved the purchase of four portable traffic signals with wireless technology and solar power for $150,000. The signals will assist with traffic control during city projects and help alleviate project delays due to continued manufacturing issues with traffic signal components.
Meeting minutes and a video of the meeting will be posted at auburnalabama.org/agenda. Mayor Ron Anders’ recap of the meeting will be posted @CityofAuburnAL on social media. The next regular council meeting will be held on May 16, 2023, in the Council Chamber, located at 141 N. Ross St. in the Public Safety Building at the corner of Ross Street and Magnolia Avenue.