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Auburn Council Moves Forward with Pearson Park

by | Sep 7, 2023 | Featured, Politics

BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER
HGOLDFINGER@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

AUBURN —
Auburn approved a professional services agreement to move forward with design of the Ann Pearson Park.
Pearson Park, as it is referred to, will border Saugahatchee Creek and Shelton Mill Road, and include a number of amenities for Auburn citizens.
The council approved the professional services agreement Tuesday night during the council meeting with Foresite Group, LLC “to provide design and construction phase services for the Ann Pearson Park Project in the estimated amount of $218,200. The services to be provided include land surveying, schematic design, design development, construction documents and construction administration.”
Some of the amenities of the park will include a disc golf course, nature playground, picnic areas, walking trails, hammock areas, gravel trail, exercise area, pavilions, rock council ring, a bridge and more.
The park will be a passive park, said City Manager Megan Crouch. This means no organized sports.
“The city is looking to serve an area of town where we have no existing parks and no [other] hope of acquiring property at a reasonable cost,” she said.
The park comes from the Alabama-Georgia Land Trust and therefore there are stipulations — but the land also comes to the city at a heavily discounted rate.
BIENNIAL BUDGET
The council approved the biennial budget Tuesday night as well.
The budget was approved Oct. 22, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023, and Oct. 1, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2024.
Ward 2 Council Member Kelley Griswold proposed an amendment to the budget removing a stipulation that gave the city manager more authority in the budget with a spending limit of $30,000.
It received a second but did not pass from the council.
Crouch said his was set in place to keep her from bringing everything — even small things — before the council. Auburn Mayor Ron Anders said this is typical for the city — it has done this in the past.
Other than this, the council passed the budget without discussion.
OTHER BUSINESS

  • The council approved an alcohol beverage license for retail beer and retail wine for Cafe Devall, LLC doing business as Corner Office at 540 Devall Drive.
  • The council approved a restaurant retail liquor ABC license for Conquistador Restaurant LLC doing business as Conquistador Restaurant at 2514 S. College St.
  • The council approved a special events retail ABC license for Greenawalt Hospitality, LLC doing business as Sigma Chi at 737 W. Magnolia Ave.
  • The council approved a lounge retail liquor – class II (package) ABC license for Hanumant LLC doing business as Tiger Spirits and Tobacco at 1550 Opelika Road, Suite 23.
  • The council approved a restaurant retail liquor ABC license for K Cupbob, LLC d/b/a Chi Mac at 203 Opelika Road, Units B and C.
  • The council approved a concurrence with the Industrial Development Board at AUBix LLC at 1571 W. Samford Ave. in the Auburn Industrial Park.
  • The council accepted a public right-of-way for Donahue Crossing, LLC located at 1365 N Donahue Drive.
  • The council approved the acceptance of a public water easement for Neoh Holdings LLC for property on the north side of Bryant Avenue.
  • The council approved the acceptance of a public water easement for Neoh Holdings LLC for property on the south side of Bryant Circle.
  • The council approved the renewal of the GIS Fellowship for Auburn University for the 23-24 academic year for $20,000.
  • The council approved a change order to the pest control services contract with Cook’s Pest Control, Inc. to include the new public works and environmental services campus.
  • The council approved amendment 1 to Task Order 5: Engineering Consulting Services for the H.C. Morgan WPCF Clarifiers No. 1 and No. 2 Weirs and Baffles Replacement Project with JACOBS.
  • The council approved the annual renewal of customer support fees associated with the Mobile Data Information System (MDIS) with Southern Software, Inc. for the Police and Fire Departments for just over $20,200.
  • The council approved a maintenance and support contract for the Permit Portal and Cityworks PLL with the Timmons Group for $25,600.
  • The council approved a payment to construct Brindlewood Drive, a contract with the Creekwood Development Homeowners Association.
  • The council approved an infrastructure development agreement with Herring Development LLC for the Bridlewood Drive construction.
  • The council approved a board appointed to the Lee County Youth Development Center Board of Directors.
  • The council approved an update to a professional services agreement with Seay Seay & Litchfield Architects for the Auburn Public Safety Training Center – Phase II Proposal for over $61,300.