Loxley officials hope land donation will provide home for municipal facilities

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LOXLEY — The town of Loxley has received a donation of land that could allow the municipality to further expand its facilities as it moves forward as a city in 2022.
At its meeting on Monday, Dec. 13, the Loxley Town Council voted unanimously to accept the donation of two parcels of property located on Second Avenue, south of the Loxley Fire Station.
"I was contacted by Andy Bertolla several weeks ago that they were getting the property evaluated in hopes of selling the property to the town at a reduced rate," said Loxley Mayor Pro Tem Kasey Childress. "I was excited when I thought we were going to be able to buy the property, but I never dreamed that they would give it to us."
The town also owns property to the north of the fire station along the old L & N Railroad line, that was deeded to the town by the city of Foley, Childress said.
"It's like the final piece to the puzzle which will allow us to expand our facilities in the future," he said.

According to the resolution, the two parcels of property, valued at $51,000, began as a single-family farm established in 1902 by Allesandro Bertolla.
The council voted to accept the donation along with restrictions that the property only be used for municipal public purposes and would not include "jail facilities, housing of detainees or inmates, rehabilitation facilities of any kinds, firing ranges, garbage facilities or fleet parking," defined as "outdoor, or partially indoor (covered) parking of 10 or more self-propelled vehicles, owned or operated by the town of Loxley, which are not currently in service."
The town also agreed that no buildings with metal cladding or siding would be constructed or maintained on the land.
Any structure built or maintained on the property would also be dedicated and named in honor and memory of "The Family of Allesandro Bertolla."
There is one small structure currently on the property that, officials said, would be used to establish a museum for the town.
"This is a huge gift for our town," said Loxley Mayor Richard Teal, "and we are so appreciative to the Bertolla family for allowing us to use this property for the benefit of the town."
In other business Dec. 13, the council voted to approve its 2021-22 budget which would leave the town with a surplus projected at more than $1 million for the coming year.
The council voted unanimously to pass the budget with total projected revenues of just over $11.5 million, total expenses of $10.2 and long-term debt of just under $750,000 for a net income of just over $1 million.
The budget included an increase of around $2 million in general fund revenues for 2021-22 with projected revenues of just under $9 million, up from just under $7 million in 2020-21.
Expenses in the town’s general fund budget increased from just over $6.6 million for 2020-21 to just over $8 million projected for 2021-22 for a total surplus in the general fund budget of around $850,000.
The town’s utility fund included a surplus of around $950,000 for 2021-22 with operating revenues of $2.5 million, a slight increase from 2020-21.
Other income and revenues totaled around $500,000, compared to just over $300,000 in 2020-21 bringing the total net income and expense for the utility department to around $950,000.
The council also voted to increase water rates 3 % each year and sewer rates by 6 % each year over the next three years to recover costs of providing services, maintain facility sustainable utilities and maintain competitive monthly user rates.
In November, the council heard a presentation from Rafelis consulting group, which included a utility rate study, asking the town to consider a 1 % increase in water rates and a 4 % increase in sewer rates over the next several years, in addition to the annual 2 % increase currently employed by the town.
The new rates for 2022 would go into effect Jan. 1 and with another increase on Oct. 1, 2022, followed by increases beginning Oct. 1 in 2023 and 2024.
Officials said customers with both water and sewer will see increases of an average of less than $3 per month.
Also on Dec. 13, the council:
— Tabled action on a resolution to declare a public nuisance on South Walnut Street.
— Adopted an ordinance to annex property located south of Buc-ee’s on County Road 68.
— Donated $500 to the Miracle League of Coastal Alabama.
— Renewed the town's advertisement with the Robertsdale High School baseball team in the amount of $400.
— Approved a parade permit application for OATH Inc. to host a 5K run in April.
— Tabled a measure to approve the town’s 2021 contribution to the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance in the amount of $5,000.
— Approved pro-rate dues for the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission for 2021-22 in the amount of $1,883.
— Renewed the town’s line of credit with Citizens Bank in the amount of $150,000.
— Approved two invoices for work completed for engineering expenses from Goodwyn Mills & Cawood on wastewater treatment plant improvements and effluent outfall upgrades which will be paid for through a USDA grant.
— Approved an invoice on work completed for engineering expenses from Goodwyn Mills & Cawood for a portion of the design phase to construct an industrial access road for the new Lynx-Dade Paper Facility being constructed in Loxley.
— Approved a construction agreement with the state of Alabama through the Alabama Department of Transportation for the widening and resurfacing of a portion of County Road 49 to the intersection of Industrial Park Drive providing access to the Lynx-Dade Paper Facility.
— Approved the hiring of a horticulturist for the public works department.
— Approved a letter of intent allowing fire chief Tony Lovell to apply for a Hazard Mitigation Grant through FEMA in the amount of $2.3 million to construct a facility able to hold government, fire and police offices able to sustain 200 mile-per-hour winds. The matching grant would provide 75 % funds to be matched by the town. If approved, the town would be responsible for providing approximately $575,000 of the funding for the project. The grant also provides for 1 acre of property for the placement of the facility, Lovell said.