FAIRHOPE — The topic of the Fairhope Governmental Structure Committee came up in the City Council’s work session Monday afternoon.

At the July 23 council meeting, Council President Bob Gentle appointed Chuck Zunk to chair a committee to explore the duties of the mayor and the utility superintendent, including job descriptions, qualifications and compensation as well as the differences between running a city and running a utility business.

During Monday’s meeting, the council voted to let Councilman Mike Ford add an element to the previously set agenda in order to speak to this issue.

“The committee set up to look into the possibility of separating the utility superintendent position from the mayor’s job came about due to Mr. Gentle acting as a private citizen. He has the right to set up a committee, but it is not an official city committee,” Ford said, adding that he had checked with the Alabama League of Municipalities.

“If we had voted on it, I would have voted against it,” Ford said.

Councilman Cecil Christenberry said, “I support it 100 percent.” Christenberry said the committee was operating “in the sunshine, and anyone can come to the meetings.”

Christenberry said the purpose of the committee was to help develop a business plan for the city.

“If we wanted to, we could fire the mayor (from the utility superintendent’s position) next week, but this is not a witch hunt against the mayor. I am in favor of it and appreciate Chuck agreeing to serve on it,” Christenberry said.

“One of my fears is this could result in a utilities board within the city — a utilities authority — and once incorporated, we could never undo it,” said Ford.

“Whether this committee is sanctioned by the council or not, I want it to be legal and done right,” said Councilman Dan Stankoski. “This council has the right to listen to the report of that committee.”

Gentle said, “This is about management. Fairhope utilities now has to compete with others and we are not in a competitive mode. It’s not about the mayor; it’s about the future.”

Mayor Tim Kant was absent from the meeting because he underwent a medical procedure that day. Councilwoman Debbie Quinn was absent because she was on vacation.

When the issue was broached in the council’s work session, Committee Chairman Chuck Zunk, who was present, said, “Everyone I have talked with has been very helpful, and I expect that to continue. This is meant to be a study group with no political overtones, and I want it to stay that way.”

Finance Committee meeting

The council’s deliberations began Monday at 4 p.m., with a Finance Committee meeting. Gentle asked the council members if they wanted to continue holding finance committee meetings.

“State law requires the mayor to give a (financial) report every six months; we are getting one every month,” said Ford.

The council agreed to meet Aug. 27, 3 p.m., to discuss the 2007 budget adjustments. Rose Fogarty, financial reporting manager, said that would give them 30 days to get the adjustments made. Gentle said the council could decide then if they wanted to continue holding the finance meetings.

City Treasurer Nancy Wilson provided council members with a financial status report, which showed that on Aug. 7, the city had $583,032.93 in available cash, and for the week of Aug. 6, the total bills payable was $418,606.83. Gentle said he was glad the revenue exceeded the expenses.

He asked Wilson if it currently took, on average, $1 million per week to run the city, and she said yes. He then asked how much she would like to have in reserve for operational funds.

“I would love to have $6 million,” she said.

Gentle asked how much money was available in the “rainy day” fund to spend on a disaster such as a hurricane. Wilson said the city currently had about $882,000. She said that $30,000 is added to that fund each month.

Council members were advised the library bridge loan is up for renewal. The consensus was the library board “needs to get busy collecting their pledges.”

Two presentations were made at the council meeting to honor Fairhope Police Department Corrections Officer James Stewart and Daphne resident Troy Brannon, although Brannon was not present to receive his.

Fairhope Police Chief Mike Comalander presented officer Stewart with a life saving medal and Brannon with a plaque. The General Galvez Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution presented both men with heroism awards for their efforts in helping James Brooks Jr. escape from his vehicle, which caught fire on North Section Street near Main Street in June.

According to the police department commentation, Brook’s van left the roadway, struck a tree and caught fire. Brooks was unable to exit the burning van due to the injuries he sustained and damage to the driver’s door. Brannon and Stewart were able to extricate the injured man from the vehicle before it was destroyed by the fire.

In other business, the council:

• Heard a staff report from Cpl. Craig Sawyer, assistant administrator for the Fairhope Police Department, based on U.S. Census data and Incident/Offense Reports filed by the police department from 1996 through July of this year.

“Although we have seen an approximate 29 percent increase in population since 2000, we have averaged about an 11 percent increase in reported crimes,” he said regarding a comparison of 2000 and 2006 statistics.

• Authorized the mayor and City Treasurer Nancy Wilson to renew the utilities line of credit with RBC Centura Bank for $2 million.

• Authorized Mayor Tim Kant to execute an agreement between the city and Baldwin County Health Department to support the comprehensive mosquito control program in accordance with the publication titled “How to Start a Mosquito Control Program in Your Town, Alabama.”

“We have an agreement with the county. They give us $20 per capita based on the 2000 U.S. Census ($24,960 per year). This is the authorization to let us go forward with this program,” said Jennifer Fidler, public works superintendent.

• Updated the Fairhope Police Reserve Roster by adding Stony Burk, Rebekah MacLean, Phillip Tipp and Daniel Rada; and removing Brandon Powell and Jeremy Davis.

• Denied a request from Faye Broome to operate a vending business at the Fairhope pier to sell fishing bait and tackle.

• Accepted the lowest acceptable bids of $35,651 (including a performance bond) for asphalt materials and services for the South Beach Park Trail Extension; and $1,800 for concrete utility poles for the Barnwell Sports Complex.

• Approved the payment of $2,908,764.82 in monthly bills as follows: General, $669,532.44; Gas, $326,351.32; Electric, $1,227,787.95; Water & Sewer, $585,681.32; Golf, $22,110; 7 Gas Tax / 4 Gas Tax, $1,444.04; and Capital Projects, $75,857.75.

• Approved the minutes of the July 23 meeting.