BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER
OPELIKA — Two check presentations were made to the city during Tuesday night’s Opelika City Council meeting. Bubba and Michelle Dean, representing Miracle League, presented a $40,000 check to support renovations of the Miracle League Field. The Opelika Pickleball Club followed with a $50,000 check to help fund upgraded lighting at the pickleball courts at the Opelika Sportsplex.
Mayor’s comments and recognitions
– Mayor Eddie Smith announced the appointment of Ben Bugg to the Opelika Planning Commission. His term runs through Feb. 15, 2030.
Public hearings
The council held public hearings on an amendment to the Broad Metro Development Agreement,
an amendment to the Miele Manufacturing Project Agreement and an amendment to the zoning ordinance and map that will rezone 48.06 acres located at 2051 Alabama Highway 169, from R-1 to C-3.
Aaron Bushey, owner of Almost Anything, addressed the council to share concerns about the proposed rain-date street closures for SNOPELIKA and the tree-lighting ceremony.
He began by expressing frustration over communication with downtown businesses
“I’m here tonight to share my concerns about the possible movement of the date for SNOPELIKA,” Bushey said. “For those of us who operate businesses in Opelika, there is often very little communication about what is going to happen. You show up to work and suddenly your street is closed, and you had no way to prepare. I only heard about this by chance, and it’s very frustrating.”
Bushey said the uncertainty makes it difficult for small businesses to operate during the busiest time of year.
“If you don’t know how to prepare, and your street is closed on a Saturday during the Christmas season, you’re going to lose customers,” he said. “They may or may not end up using that date — I understand that — but there’s no communication, no dialogue and no way to work toward a solution that benefits all of us.”
He also emphasized how many downtown shops depend on access and parking.
“The Well will be impacted, the Surcie Shoppe will be impacted and the businesses on 8th Street that rely on parking — like Davis Mann and the Breezeway — will all be affected because the streets would be completely closed,” Bushey said. “If people come in from out of town and see everything shut down, they just keep moving. This is cumulative, and I’ve spoken with several of you about this before. Events that impact businesses should be discussed with those businesses before they come to the City Council for a vote. Too often we find out after the fact.”
Bushey concluded with a request for reconsideration.
“So I’m asking you to consider denying the request, finding another date or finding a middle ground that doesn’t close the entire street for an entire day right before Christmas,” he said. “Thank you for your time.”
The council later voted to approve the request from the Chamber of Commerce to set Saturday, Dec. 6, as a backup date for SNOPELIKA and the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in the event of inclement weather and also for street closures as needed in relationship to that. The time for the street closures was changed to begin at 4 p.m. if needed.
Other Business
– The council voted to add one item under general business and subsequently voted to adopt the amended agenda for the meeting as presented.
– The council approved the minutes from the Nov. 18 meeting.
Consent Agenda
The council approved the consent agenda which included the items listed below.
– A downtown street closure for Christmas in a Railroad Town on Dec. 12.
– A transformer repair bid from Emerald Transformer for OPS on an as-needed basis.
– A bid from Sunbelt Solomon Services LLC to repair voltage regulators for OPS on an as-needed basis.
– A resolution declaring certain city personal property surplus and authorizing disposal.
– The purchase of one 2026 Ford F-350 Super Crew 4×4 from Stivers Ford Lincoln for OPS ($60,215).
– The purchase of one 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD LT from McSweeney Auto Group for OPS ($63,810).
– The purchase of one 2026 Ford F-150 Super Crew 4×4 from Stivers Ford Lincoln for Public Works Auto Shop ($53,452).
– The purchase of one 2026 Ford F-150 Super Crew 4×4 from Stivers Ford Lincoln for Public Works Building Maintenance ($58,467).
– The purchase of one 2026 Ford F-250 Super Crew 4×4 chassis cab from Stivers Ford Lincoln for Public Works Collections ($67,631).
– The purchase of two 2026 Ford F-150 Super Crew 4×4 trucks from Stivers Ford Lincoln for Public Works Wastewater ($86,706).
– The purchase of two 2026 Ford F-250 Super Crew 4×4 trucks from Stivers Ford Lincoln for Public Works Collections ($123,246).
– A three-year contract for Netwrix software from SHI International Corp for IT for a total cost of $453,228.62 to be paid annually as follows:
Year 1 – $181,673.04
Year 2 – $135,777.79
Year 3 – $135,777.79.
– OPD’s bulletproof-vest grant application. The total amount of the Grant Application is $47,310 and requires a 50% match from the city of all funds appropriated.
– Tax abatements and exemptions for Stinson Breads LLC which has announced plans to open a new facility in the building located at 715 1st Ave. and plans to invest approximately $1.3 million.
– The construction of a Gaga Ball pit/enclosure at Covington Park to be completed by Nicholas Brock, a local Boy Scout, who submitted the proposal to build the Gaga-pit/enclosure at no cost to the city as part of his efforts towards becoming an Eagle Scout.
– A professional services agreement with ESG Engineering.
– The reappointment of Kisha Abercrombie as assistant municipal prosecutor.
– A fiscal year 2026 annual appropriation contract with O Grows in the amount of $50,000.
Resolutions
– The council approved expense reports from various departments.
– The council approved the acceptance of settlement and release terms in a class-action lawsuit.
– The council approved the first amendment to Broad Metro Development agreement in order to increase the Development Incentive Cap from $7.5 million to $9.5 million.
– The council approved the first amendment to Miele Manufacturing Project Agreement in order to change the job performance grant period from a period of 10 years to 13 years.
– The council approved the fiscal year 2026 annual appropriation contract with the Opelika Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $115,000.
– The council approved the 2025 holiday schedule for city employees.
Ordinances
– The council approved an ordinance to rezone 1.933 acres located at 1401 Speedway Drive from R-5M to C-2.
– The council introduced an ordinance to rezone 48.06 acres located at 2051 Alabama Highway 169 for its first reading.
