The Foley City Council honored Dylan Yates, a senior musician at Foley High School, for his many accomplishments with a proclamation at the city council meeting Monday.

Yates will perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The council voted to allocate $500 to the South Baldwin Literacy Council, pending approval of the new budget. The money has already been allocated in the proposed budget, which has not yet been approved.

    The council also approved the allocation of an additional $12,000 as part of the streetscapes project adding sidewalks, which has already begun. The council had previously allocated $7,000. The additional funding is necessary for other sidewalks that have come to the attention of the council as needing additional work. The council felt that the work should be done now as part of the current project because the price per square foot the city is currently getting for the sidewalks is a good price, which is not likely to be available at a later date.

The purchase of three portable pitching mounds, which will allow the city’s sports complex to host softball and baseball tournaments was approved my the council. The three pitching mounds will cost $5,500. In the proposed draft budget, the pitching mounds were included at a cost of $9,000.

Foley Police Chief David Wilson clarified from a previous council meeting that the three new patrol cars being purchased for the department would cost $120,000, which would include the cost of outfitting all three cars for use by the department.

Following that, the council approved thebid for three new patrol cars. The cars are being purchased from Moyer Ford for $22,075 per vehicle. The remainder of the allocated $120,000 will be used to outfit the cars with sirens, cages and other regulated equipment.

The police department also requested they be allowed to pay an expert to assess what type of mold is in the police station, where it is and come up with a plan on how to remove the mold. The police station is less than 15 years old and in recent months employees have noticed a mold problem that they have not been able to control. The police  officials believe that part of the problem may come from the air conditioning units, which are not moving the air in the best way possible.

The council approved a request from the Oyster Festival race committee to hold a 5K and one-mile run on  Nov. 13. The races, which benefit the Foley Rotary Club, will begin at Orange Blossom Square.

Approval was also granted by the council for the fourth annual “giving” event to be held Dec. 5 in the Foley Civic Center at no charge. The event will benefit the less fortunate in the community. Organizers have decided to move the event indoors this year because inclement weather has hindered past events.

 Southside Missionary Baptist Church was granted approval by the council to use Aaronville Park on  May 28, 2011 for a May Day event.

The council also approved that the Graham Creek Nature Preserve Access Road be renamed Philomene Holmes Boulevard in honor of a resident who was instrumental in its preservation. The road will be dedicated in the near future, but no date has been set yet.

The council also approved to allocate more money to the Graham Creek Nature Preserve Pavilion and approve necessary changes that the contractor requested. Because of the design, an handicap accessible ramp is required at the site, which will cost an additional $500. The contractor also advises that the roof be painted a dark green to mute the colors into the landscape. The color change will cost an additional $750.

The council voted to reappoint Vernie Heard as alternate on the Board of Adjustments and Appeals when his current term expires in late December.

The city’s application for a “Safe Routes to School” grant, which will provide $150,000 to build sidewalks and pedestrian crossings was approved.

The Foley Kiwanis Club also received approval of the proposed route for a Christmas parade on Dec. 4.

A proclamation declaring November as National American Indian Heritage Month was approved.

There were also a few items brought before the council for consideration, but no actions were taken yet.

Foley High School has been chosen to host a practice session for the Alabama All Stars on Dec. 8. This event will bring 50 of the best football players in Alabama to the area. Foley High School was chosen because of the extensive indoor facilities. Because this event will bring so many people into the area, the council has been asked by Coach Todd Watson and Jeff Rouzie to consider funding some sort of hospitality event which would welcome them to the city. The exact event has not been chosen yet, but among the options mentioned were a night of bowling at the Gulf Bowl or a dinner hosted by the city. Rouzie thinks it would be money well spent to welcome these students to the area and make sure that Foley is a welcoming and memorable locale.

Councilman Charles Ebert also asked the council to consider what could be done to regulate the “menagerie” of colorful newspaper and advertising racks that are present on city sidewalks. Ebert is concerned about many of the racks, especially some of the free coupon books and real estate guides that are not maintained or restocked on a regular basis. Ebert wants to see what other municipalities do and look into what the City of Foley can do.