After a a work session that ran from 5 p.m. until time for the 6 p.m. council meeting to begin, the council discussed several items of business, including a proposal to rename Berner Road, between Highway 59 and College Street. The Cattle and Fair Association requested the name be changed to Fairground Road, since that is where the new coliseum is being built.

After some discussion, the council decided to add the matter to the agenda for the meeting.

Councilmember Joe Kitchens told the mayor and other members of the council that since there was not enough right-of-way on Highway 104 in front of the new First Baptist Church building under construction for the sidewalks and since it had been discovered that part of Mimosa Street was built on the property now owned by the church, he had gotten together with the church’s building committee and found a solution.

“They asked if we could give them 10 (sewer and water) taps in exchange for the right-of-way on 104 and as a resolution to the Mimosa Street problem. It’s a simple, easy way to do it. It’s a win-win situation,” he said. The council agreed with the proposal and it was added to the agenda.

Murphy brought up to the council an idea to help pay utility bills for local residents who can’t always afford to pay their bills. He suggested a voluntary program, similar to one called “project share” that Alabama Power Co. offers, in which residents can elect to add to their own bill to help pay the bills of those who don’t have the money. He said Catholic Social Services has had “budget cuts” that will impact their ability to help with utility bills

“I suggest we think about doing something like that and let Catholic Social Services handle it for us. The money would go to help our local Robertsdale citizens with their utility bills,” Murphy said.

Because there were so many items to be discussed during the work session, there wasn’t time for a report from South Alabama Regional Planning Commission on impact fees and how they can and cannot be used.

Murphy suggested a special 4:30 work session prior to the regularly scheduled work session and meeting of June 4 to allow more time for explanations of the impact fees and the council agreed.

Pam Schaar, executive director of the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce and Dennis Stastka, chairman of CBCC, along with Otis Gatlin, project architect, showed the council conceptual drawings of the new CBCC building. The mayor and council voiced approval of the plans and Murphy said they would get together at a later date with Schaar and Stastka to discuss funding of the building.

After the work session, two public hearings were on the agenda. A request by Victory Lighthouse Ministries that their property at 18045 Highway 104 that the zoning be changed from residential to B-1 so it can be used as a day care center and a request by Donald Peterson that his property on Highway 59 be rezoned from residential to B-2, which is in keeping with the surrounding property. The town’s planning commission recommended that both requests be approved.

There were no objections from the audience about the zoning changes and those items were moved to the top of the agenda and the council quickly passed two ordinances to make the two zoning changes.

In other business, the council:

— Paid bills in the amount of $967,978,23.

— Approved a change order for McFadden Engineering to add the $75,320 price of the water well pump to the well drilling bill, rather than have two bills.

— Accepted the Municipal Water Pollution Prevention Annual Report.

— Rejected the low bid for ballpark construction of $910,838.80 to allow the solicitation of sub elements.

— Accepted a proposal from Blackmon Insurance Agency for property and liability insurance at $90,535 per year, on a three-year contract. Ann Simpson, the city’s chief financial officer said although the insurance has gone up $10,000 from last year, it has gone up for many Alabama municipalities because of extensive storm damage.

— Changed the name of Berner Road, between Highway 59 and College Street to Fairground Road.

— Accepted an easement on Highway 104 from the Robertsdale Baptist Church in exchange for 10 water and sewer taps. Murphy and Brently Kendrick abstained.

— Agreed to donate $750 toward expenses for students of the Technology Student Association of Central Baldwin Middle School to attend the TSA National Conference in Nashville in June.

— Entered into an agreement with the Baldwin County Sales and use Tax Department for an information exchange.

— Approved CDBG Grant Agenda Invoice.

— Agreed to co-sponsor the Band Boosters Calendar for $200.

— Approved a request from the Fire Department to seek bids for a generator to run the fire station in times of loss of power.

Before adjourning, Murphy reminded the council and the community that a Memorial Day ceremony will be held at Memorial Park on Highway 59 at 9 a.m. May 28. In case of rain, the ceremony will be held at City Hall.