By Michelle Key
Publisher
During last week’s Opelika City Council meeting, the council voted to approved a series of change orders regarding the work being done on the new Opelika Police Department and Municipal Court building in order to modify the courtroom for use as a meeting place for the city council and the planning commission.
The changes total nearly $400,000 and are broken down as listed below:
• Seay, Seay & Litchfield contract – $21,500.44
• Robins & Morton contract – $28,531.74
• Freeman & Associates contract – $107, 904
• Contractor Steel Supply Company, Inc. contract – $8,274
• Bradley Plumbing & Heating, Inc. contract – $7,448.03
• Auburn Electric Company, Inc. contract – $225,043
Also during the meeting, Mayor Gary Fuller and the council members recongized and honored Opelika Police Lt. Ben Blackburn for his completion of training with the FBI in Quantico, Virginia.
“We couldn’t be more proud of him and his family. It is a tremendous sacrifice for him to be away from them for ten weeks,” Opelika Police Chief John McEachern said. “It is a lot of classroom and physical training. We knew when we sent Ben up there that he would represent us well. We couldn’t be more proud.”
The council also presented gifts to the 2019 Opelika Middle School Quiz Bowl Team, recognizing their recent national championship win in Orlando.
In other business, the council:
- received the city’s financial summary for June 2019 and the monthly building reports
- held public hearings and then voted to approved weed abatement assessments for the following properties:
• 20 Jeter Ave. – $203.47
• 311 S 3Rd St. – $107.39
• 514 Old Columbus Rd. – $605.59
• 803 E Towne Lake Circle – $367.67
• 810 Williamson Ave. – $163.34 - held a public hearing and then voted to approved a resolution on the vacating of the right-of-way of southeastern portion of Frederick Road and North Frederick Avenue.
- held a public hearing and introduced a request regarding the rezoning of 47.3 Acres at 1300 Block Fox Run Parkway
- approved a contract with Top Notch Cleaning for for custodial services. The bid for the first, second and third year is $2,540 per month and the amount to be charged for additional services not included in the bid is $19 per hour
- approved a contract with AAA General Contractors, Inc for the removal of dead, dying or dangerous trees, stumps & tree pruning for an amount of $83,000 for specified trees and approximately $67,000 for other miscellaneous trees within the city based on unit prices
- approved the purchase of a commercial washer and dryer for turnout gear for the Opelika Fire Department for an amount not to exceed $17,540.05
- approved the purchase of furniture for the new municipal court room in the amount of $48,667.56
- approved a request from ATT for a special use permit for a cell tower at 2000 Steel St. and at 2404 Frederick Road
- approved an agreement for professional services for Auburn University game day security
- approved a special appropriation to East Alabama Community Ballet for $1,000
- approved a special appropriation to the Dream Day Foundation to support 2nd Annual Black Male Summit for $2,500
- approved a proposal from OSMOSE for Pole Attachment Count for Opelika Power Services
- approved a special appropriation to The Rain Group for the ‘Love U Love U’ event for $1,000
- approved a proposal and agreement for pavement consulting services for an amount not to exceed $24,343.50
- voted to reapprove an ordinance to amend City Code of Ordinances, Section 5.5 307(b) because of a typographical error in the ordinance that was approved and passed during the July 2 meeting.
The Opelika City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday nights of every month at 7 p.m. Meetings are held in the council chambers at City Hall which is located at 204 S. 7th St. in downtown Opelika.
Citizens are encouraged to attend the public meetings and are invited to address the council during the citizen’s communication portion of every meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Aug. 7.