FAIRHOPE, Ala. — A round of applause radiated from Steve Griffis supporters in the audience at Tuesday’s City Council meeting after Mike Skinner of the Concerned Citizens of Fairhope for Steve Griffis spoke of Griffis’ attributes and of the police chief hiring process, which he said had been affected by a “power struggle” between the City Council and the mayor.

“It appears the only way the citizens of Fairhope will get a chief they deserve is for the chief to be picked from a fair selection committee that will consist of local police chiefs and sheriff’s personnel. These people know what is expected of a police chief in Baldwin County,” Skinner said.

Griffis is not one of the six finalists the city is considering for the position.

Doug Lamplugh also addressed the council, not on behalf of Griffis, but for a fair selection process. His concerns were addressed in a news article published in the May 27 Fairhope Courier.

After a lengthy discussion, the council unanimously voted to hold face-to-face interviews for the police chief position. The five out-of-town candidates may drive or fly to Fairhope for the June 20 interviews, and reimbursement cannot exceed $500. Councilman Rick Kingrea said the owner of the Fairhope Hampton Inn has agreed to provide one- or two-night lodging for the candidates at no charge. 

Finalists are: Daniel Busken, former police chief of Madison and Crystal City, Miss.; Bill Press, a captain at the Miami-Dade Police Department; Richard Moss, police chief in Woodstock, Ga.; Curtis Vanderkooi, a captain at Grand Rapids Police Department in Michigan; William “Charlie” Sewell, police chief in McMinnville, Tenn.; and Terry Sanders, now Fairhope’s interim chief and former police chief of Bay Minette.

Rose Fogarty, financial reporting manager, gave the financial report, which showed the 2009 general fund revenue through April 30 at slightly more than $11 million, about $100,000 less than last year. The year-to-date general fund expenses totaled almost $12 million, about $900,000 less than last year.

At a previous meeting, the City Council asked the mayor to submit suggestions for cutting the budget. The mayor presented his suggestions at the work session held before the regular meeting Tuesday evening. He told the council he didn’t want to spend any more time on these items without the council’s agreement that he should research them further. He estimated his 10 areas of cuts to the general fund would save about $1,400,000 this fiscal year.

“I am prepared to live with those numbers if we amend the budget tonight,” Kant said.

The council voted for the mayor to proceed with the development of more information for all of his proposed budget cuts except for his suggestion of bringing a DEA agent assigned to Mobile back to Fairhope to help the FPD with staffing and overtime during the summer.

When that particular item was brought up in the work session, Interim Chief of Police Sanders said, “It’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

He went on to say he was against the idea and had been in contact with the agent’s Mobile supervisor and had made arrangements for that employee to return to the Fairhope PD office if needed for special circumstances, such as a hurricane.

Councilman Lonnie Mixon, also chairman of the Finance Committee, suggested the council move forward on the city administrator position by opening the application process to current employees. The job description is contained in the ordinance regarding the position approved by the council at its last regular meeting.

“The only problem I have with it is the money,” Councilman Rick Kingrea said. “Do I think we need the guy or girl right now — yes; do I think we can afford it — no.”

City Council President Debbie Quinn said she would like to open it up and see who applies.

“Perhaps we could have an interim for six months, and then, if things work out and everything looks good, we could negotiate on a higher salary. If not, then we wouldn’t need to spend the big bucks.”

City Councilman Mike Ford disagreed.

“It seems like we’re just insulating the citizens more and more from us. This person won’t be en elected official and will answer to the mayor. If he’ll answer to the mayor, why do we need another layer of government?” Ford said.

Mixon responded by referring to the organizational charts the mayor had presented earlier in the evening (at the council’s behest).

“Right now the mayor has two superintendents; this would make it one,” Mixon said. “We need to fill the position, and the sooner the better,” he said.

The council voted 4-1 to open the position with Ford casting the lone dissenting vote.

In other action, the council:

APPROVED:

•Minutes of the May 11 regular meeting, April 27 and May 11 work sessions.

•Resolution to waive the collection of Sales & Use Tax by ADOR for June 2009 and authorizes collection to become effective July 1, and the first payment of taxes on July 20.

•Resolution to rescind Bid No. 004-09 from Craft Turf Farms and award to the second lowest responsible and responsive bidder, Skipper General Contractors Inc., for regrassing of the greens at Quail Creek Golf Course. The first vendor didn’t meet the specs and didn’t return a signed contract bid.

•Resolution to rescind Bid No. 016-09 from Life Fitness and award to the second lowest responsible and responsive bidder, Star Trac, for strength equipment for the Recreation Center. The first bidder didn’t meet specs within the time frame.

•Resolution to award bid for cardiovascular exercise equipment for the Fairhope Recreation Center. This, like the above action for the Recreation Center, was a rebid for the same reasons.

•Resolution to award RFQ for pipe and fittings for sewer line extensions for the Water & Sewer Department. This will cover two projects: the Gainswood/Silverwood subdivisions and Key Allegra. The successful bidder is Mainline Supply Co.

•Resolution to award bid for labor and equipment for resurfacing Rock Creek Parkway and Woods Avenue and purchase asphalt materials from the Alabama State Department of Purchasing bid list. The low bidder was American Asphalt with a bid of $62,485.

•Resolution to set limits on the Utility Funds transfers and expenses. The council voted to limit the transfers to 50 percent effective no later than Oct. 1, 2011. The approved resolution also calls for money for legal fees and community development to be moved into the general fund.

•Resolution to authorize the mayor to execute an agreement with Fairhope-Point Clear Rotary Youth Programs Inc. for the development and operation of a recreational and educational facility previously known as the Boys & Girls Club on Young Street.

•Resolution to authorize the mayor to execute a contract with Fairhope-Point Clear Rotary Youth Programs Inc. to carry out the duties as set forth in the agreement presented above.

•Resolution directing the mayor to provide information concerning the city-owned sewer system to the City Council prior to the next City Council meeting scheduled for June 8.

•Application for a Restaurant Liquor License by Brandi Dearing, Texiana LLC, d/b/a Cactus Key located at 19344 Scenic Highway 98.

laid over:

•The council laid over two ordinances relating to city garbage and trash collection:

1. Ordinance to amend and add to Article VI, Garbage and Trash, Sections 21-70 and 21-73, Fairhope Code of Ordinances. 

2. Ordinance to amend and add to Article VI, Garbage and Trash, Sections 21-71 and 21-72, Fairhope Code of Ordinances.

•Following a public hearing, the council laid over a decision on builder’s request to change a development, Dogwood subdivision, located on the northeast corner of Valley Street and Middle Street, from an R-2 medium density, single-family residential district to a Planned Unit Development.

•The council moved to take immediate consideration on an ordinance to exempt certain “Covered Items” from the Municipal Sales and Use Tax during the first weekend of August 2009, as authorized by Act 2006-574, generally referred to as the State Sales Tax Holiday Legislation. The action was approved with Kingrea voting against it.

•The council introduced an ordinance authorizing and granting Mediacom Southeast LLC the right to use rights of way of the city to provide cable services to the citizens of the city under the terms of a cable television system franchise agreement. The council then laid over voting on the ordinance so the city attorney could determine whether the 27-page, single-spaced document contained sufficient coverage with regard to arbitration and mediation. This contract is for a five-year period, and has been up for renewal for two years.

Fairhope Courier Editor Sheila Propp contributed to this report.