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Opelika approves $1.295 million FY26 Transportation Plan

by | Aug 5, 2025 | Politics

BY MICHELLE KEY | PUBLISHER

OPELIKA — Opelika’s City Council approved the fiscal year 2026 Transportation Plan during Tuesday night’s meeting.
Expecting to receive an approximate $1.295 million dollars from the Rebuild Alabama Act, Opelika’s Engineering Department has proposed the resurfacing of Gateway Drive and a shared use path from Society Hill Road to Marvyn Parkway. This project is estimated to start October 2025, with 90 calendar days allocated for completion.

Awards
Opelika’s Mayor Gary Fuller and the Opelika City Council honored Kole Pagan, a dispatcher with the Opelika Police Department, with an Atta Boy award. Pagan joined OPD in 2018 and was recognized as Dispatcher of the Year in 2022.
“Our dispatchers are our lifeline; that’s how we refer to them as patrol officers and detectives,” OPD Captain John Hester said. “They are the key to us being able to talk to each other and get what we need and they help keep us safe. It is really good working with all of them but especially Mr. Pagan here.”
Pagan was recognized for his efforts in the early morning hours of July 13 when he answered the call of a person stating she had been stabbed. He immediately asked if she knew who had stabbed her and the victim was able to give the name of the suspect before losing consciousness. She later succumbed to her injuries.
“ By immediately asking such an important question without hesitation, Kole obtained a dying declaration from the victim,” Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller read from the award submission. “This is a critical piece of evidence in homicide investigations and something that is rarely acquired. Thanks to Kole’s quick thinking and capturing crucial evidence, he helped detectives solve a homicide.”

In other business

  • The council approved a request for a downtown street closure from First Baptist Church Opelika for its Fall Festival on Oct. 26.
    •The council approved a request for a downtown street closure for a Freedom Fest Concert on Nov. 7.
  • The council approved a request for a downtown veteran’s parade on Nov. 8.
  • The council approved a request for a special retail more than 30 days alcohol license for the Auburn Hospitality Group LLC doing business as Element Hotel.
  • The council approved a request for a special events retail alcohol license for Brewzle LLC doing business as Brewzle Whiskey Festival.
  • The council approved a request for a special retail more than 30 days alcohol license for RS Brown Enterprises LLC doing business as Bottling Plant Event Center.
  • The council approved a bid from WOW in the amount of $214,200 for the Fiber Connection to Aubix Datacenter for the IT Department.
  • The council approved a bid from The Cleaning Man LLC for custodial services in the amount of $2,175 per month for Opelika Power Services for the first three years. Services not included in the contract will be billed at $18 an hour.
  • The council approved expense reports from various departments and approved the designation of city personal property surplus and authorized its disposal.
  • The council approved a resolution for a change order request in the amount of $845 for Resolution No. 067-25 for the purchase of one 2025 Ford Transit Van for the Public Works Department.
  • The council approved a resolution for a change order request in the amount of $995 for Resolution No. 069-25 for the purchase of one 2025 Ford F350 Chassis Cab for the Public Works Department.
  • The council approved a resolution for a change order request in the amount of $4,935 for Resolution No. 071-25 for the purchase of three 2025 Ford F250 Super Cabs for the Public Works Department.
  • The council approved a resolution for the acquisition of real property and a temporary construction easement for intersection improvements at 10th Street and 2nd Avenue. The cost of the land acquistion is $1,000.
  • The council approved the CDBG PY2025 Budget and Annual Action Plan. The projected amount the city expects to receive from HUD is $305,551.
  • The council approved a resolution for electric services and pole attachment agreements with Tallapoosa River Electrical Cooperative to provide service to the city’s facilities at Spring Villa Park.
  • The council approved an engagement letter with Himmelwright, Huguley & Boles LLC for annual auditing services for an estimated amount of $112,000.
  • The council approved a resolution modifying the job description of Digital Services Librarian.
    • The council introduced an ordinance that would approve a three-year lease agreement with Envision Opelika at 1032 S. Railroad Ave. for its first reading. The proposed rent is $1 per year.
  • The council voted to reappoint Aaron Kovak to the Historic Preservation Commission for a new term that will expire Aug. 19, 2028.
  • The council voted to reappoint Mark Grantham to the Historic Preservation Commission for a new term that will expire Aug. 19, 2028.
  • The council voted to reappoint Cecil Morgan to the Celebrate Alabama Improvement District Board for a new term that will expire Aug. 5, 2031.
  • The council voted to reappoint Mike Shannon to the Celebrate Alabama Improvement District Board for a new term that will expire Aug. 5, 2031.

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