20150203 Andalusia City Council Meeting February 3 2015
Date: 2015-02-03 Type: Regular Meeting
Quick Summary
Council approved the presented minutes by motion and unanimous vote. The council adopted Resolution 2015-03 consenting to ALDOT resurfacing US‑84 and AL‑55 from River Falls to Choctaw Street. The mayor was authorized to enter a three‑year contract with Retail Strategies (initial ~3 months of data gathering); council also approved Resolution 2504 to reissue 2009 bonds (noted to modestly improve the rate).
Key Decisions
- Approved meeting minutes as presented (motion, second; unanimous).
- Adopted Resolution 2015-03 authorizing the Alabama Department of Transportation to resurface U.S. 84 and Alabama Highway 55 from River Falls to Choctaw Street (motion, second; unanimous).
- Authorized the mayor to enter into a contract with Retail Strategies — a proposed three‑year agreement with an initial ~three‑month data‑gathering/strategic planning phase (motion, second; unanimous).
- Approved Resolution 2504 to reissue the 2009 bond issue (motion, second; unanimous); noted this reissue is intended to improve the rate by about five basis points.
Notable Discussion
- Choctaw Street location described as the intersection near Rite Aid and the mall in Andalusia in relation to the resurfacing project.
- Retail Strategies described as Birmingham‑headquartered; scope includes extensive data collection on retail, education, medical institutions and local habits to produce a strategic plan and campaigns to attract suitable businesses.
- Council noted Retail Strategies’ research would be made available to existing local businesses and that a major retail show in March/April was a timing consideration for contracting.
- Officials noted voters who are bona fide residents and registered may vote in an upcoming election on February 24 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Williams Law Enforcement Training Center.
Action Items
- Enter the approved meeting minutes and adopted resolutions into the city council record.
- Mayor authorized to execute the contract with Retail Strategies and to proceed with the initial data‑gathering/strategic planning phase; mayor to return for further/final authorization before the final stage.
- Proceed with ALDOT resurfacing project per Resolution 2015-03 (city consent provided).
- Proceed with the bond reissue process under Resolution 2504 as handled by city officials.