Auburn City Council approves $150 million general fund budget
BY OBSERVER STAFF
AUBURN — The Auburn City Council approved a fiscal year 2025 general fund budget of just under $150 million during Tuesday night’s city council meeting. The total anticipated revenue for the general fund during FY 2025 includes nearly $76 million in locally levied taxes and another $19 million in property taxes and state-shared taxes. Licenses, permits and other fees make up another $38.3 million.
Mayor Ron Anders and the council recognized employees for their time in service to the city during the meeting. Those recognized for 20 years or more included Johnderick Zellers, Environmental Services, 20 years; Allison Edge, Finance Department, 25 years; and John Lankford, Fire Department, 30 years
IN OTHER BUSINESS
- The council announced a board vacancy for the West Pace Village Improvement District Board for a term to begin immediately and end Sept. 15, 2030.
- The council approved the minutes from the Aug. 20 meeting.
- The council approved a request for a special event retail ABC alcohol license by Ithaka Hospitality Partners Auburn Beverage, LLC doing business as The Hotel at Auburn University located at 620 S. Donahue Drive.
- The council approved a request for a speial event retail ABC alcohol licenses by Ithaka Hospitality Partners Auburn Beverage, LLC doing business as The Hotel at Auburn University located at 901 S. College St.
- The council approved a request by MMM24, LLC doing business as Ponko Chicken for a restaurant retail liquor license. The restaurant is located 2111 S. College St., Suite C, in Auburn.
- The council approved a special retail — more than 30 days ABC license for Proof of the Pudding by Mgr LLC doing business as Proof of the Pudding at Neville Arena located at 250 Beard Eaves Court.
- The council approved a special retail — more than 30 days ABC license for Proof of the Pudding by Mgr LLC doing business as Proof of the Pudding at Plainsman Park located at 349 S. Donahue Drive.
- The council approved a restaurant retail liquor license for Tacorita LLC doing business as Tacorita located at 155 N. College St.
- The council approved an agreement with C Spire Business for the VMWare license renewal for eight Dell VXRail E560F nodes for an amount of nearly $67,000.
- The council approved a master standard agreement for professional engineering and related services with JACOBS.
- The council approved public sanitary sewer and sidewalk easements located on site of The Graduate as shown on the plat: Anders Bookstore Subdivision, First Addition and Revision of Lot 1 (Case AS-2024-066), located at 212 W. Magnolia Ave. The owner of the property is GAAL Owner LLC Graduate Hotel).
- The council approved and ordinance to Amend the mid-biennial budget for fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2023, and ending Sept. 30, 2024.
- The council approved a development agreement with CoBek Development LLC for The Vintage Expansion on East University Drive. According to work papers in the council agenda packet, “The Vintage Expansion (Development) is a proposed mixed-use, multi-unit development on approximately 6.08 acres on the northeast corner of East University Drive and a private street which extends north across from Stoker Street. This development is a continuation of the initial development, The Vintage, which sits adjacent to the site on the northwestern corner of the same intersection.”
Niagara Bottling to invest $20 million in a facility expansion
BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER
OPELIKA — Niagara Bottling LLC announced a major expansion of its facility located at 2710 Andrews Road. The expansion project will involve the acquisition of new manufacturing machinery and other new personal property, and will require a total capital investment of approximately $20 million. The Opelika City council approved certain tax abatements and exemptions for company during Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
The council held nine public hearings on the adoption of standard technical codes relating to residential, commercial and industrial construction during the meeting. The ordinances should they be approved at the Sept. 17 meeting will update the building codes to the 2021 editions of the International Building Code, the International Fire Code, the International Fuel Gas Code, the International Plumbing Code, The International Property Maintenance Code, the International Residence Code and the 2021 edition of the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code. It will also update the existing ordinance to the 2020 edition of the NFPA 70 National Electric Code and the 2024 edition of the International Mechanical Code.
The ordinance was introduced for its first reading after the public hearings.
The council also held public hearings on a weed abatement assessment for 2102 S. Long St., an ordinance to amend the Zoning Ordinance & Map to rezone 68.4 acres from R1 to a planned unit development (PUD) for Sportsplex Parkway and a hearing for the revocation of business license at 1002 Columbus Parkway. The ordinance to amend the zoning ordinance and map was later introduced for its first reading.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
- The council voted to approve a bid from SDAC for nearly $875,000 for the North 7th Street Storm Drainage project.
- The council approved a request for a downtown street closure for the City of Opelika National Night Out event on Oct. 1
- The council approved a request for a downtown street closure for an AIDB 5K event schedule for Oct. 19.
- The council approved expense reports from various departments.
- The council voted to accept the dedication of a public right-of-way at Intersection of Frederick Road and Cunningham Drive.
- The council voted to approve the amending the Organizational Chart of the Opelika Fire Department.
- The council approved a professional services agreement with CDG Engineering & Associates Inc., for construction, engineering and inspection services for Pepperell Parkway MPO Project.
- The council approved a professional services agreement with Sain Associates for the Gateway Drive Traffic Signal study and Signal Warrant Analysis at 2nd Avenue and N. 3rd Street. The estimated compensation due to Sain Associations is $36,000.
- Following a nearly four hour public hearing, the council voted to table the resolution for the revocation of the business license of BRP Hospitality LLC doing business as Springwood Hotel located at 1002 Columbus Parkway. Alleged reasons for the revocation included
- The licensee allegedly has allowed the hotel premises to be the scene of ongoing criminal activity. Between Jan. 1, 2021, and July 14, 2024, the hotel has had 769 responses by the Opelika Police Department to the Springwood Hotel.
- The licensee has allegedly allowed persons to gather on the premises of the hotel for purposes of engaging in drug-related activities.
- The licensee has allegedly permitted or allowed to exist, acts of prostitution upon the premises of the hotel.
- The licensee has allegedly failed to take reasonable measures to provide adequate security to make the hotel premises reasonably safe for its guests and visitors.
The city presented two witnesses during the due process public hearing. Attorney Algert Agricola Jr., representing the licensee, also presented information during the hearing, questioned the city’s witnesses and called upon four individuals to speak on the issues.
The council will vote on the resolution at the Oct. 1 meeting, and the licensee will have until that time to provide a report from a structural engineer and plans for the buildings. - The council approved a temporary construction easement with Hamilton Gables Homeowners Association.
- The council approved the weed abatement assessment for 2102 S. Long St.
- The council approved an ordinance to establish public records policies to comply with the Alabama Public Records Act.
- The council introduced an ordinance that would approve the first amendment to the Ground Lease with SBA Towers IV LLC for its first reading. SBA Towers IV LLC leases nearly a quarter acre of land located at 1051 Douglas St. and maintains a communications antenna on the property. The original lease with Hemphill Corporation and later assigned to SBA Towers IV LLC was entered into January 2000. The ordnance will amend and supplement the lease to provide for five additional successive renewal terms of five years.
