During the non-voting work session on July 20, Gulf Shores City Council discussed wrapping up four change orders on the construction of the pedestrian bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway at East Second Street.

Those include additional steel to increase the wind capacity on the towers for $265,821; a bridge design structural review for $54,258; and design and installation of structural glass along the walkway for $160,334. The city will receive a $443,192 credit for work on the two plaza areas that has now been included in a GoMESA project. All told, the city will owe $37,221 to clear up these four change orders and still have a contingency fund balance of $151,039.

Council also discussed:

Authorizing a taxi franchise for Action Taxi to operate in Gulf Shores;

Reclassifying several positions with the city including Blake Phelps as the director of strategic initiatives, Amy McKenzie to planning budget and manager and making a part-time accountant position full-time as grants and administrative support specialist;

Hiring two recruitment services to fill vacancies in the city, including Next Move Group for $19,750 for an economic development manager and another with Find Great People for $25,000 for a new communications and engagement director position;

Buying a $142,500 full-body scanner from Tek-84 for the new justice center and paid for by the Municipal Court Judicial Fund. It will help detention officers identify contraband at the city jail, Deputy Chief Joe Taylor told council;

Spend $604,506 on new Christmas decorations with Décor Group to include roofline lights on eight city buildings and lighted palm trees at State Route 59 and Fort Morgan Road and State Route 59 at East Beach Boulevard and other various light pole decorations. It's a three-year contract including decoration services;

A memorandum of understanding with the Pleasure Island Revelers and Mardi Gras Krewe to collaborate on the 2027 Mardi Gras parade on Feb. 9; and

Two agreements with the Alabama High School Athletic Association to continue having the softball regional tournament and the outdoor track championships at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.