FAIRHOPE, Ala. — At the last City Council meeting of the current administration Monday night, City Treasurer Nancy Wilson gave some welcome news when she said the city had received long-awaited funds from the county revenue office for property tax payments tied up in appeals during the past year.

“Guess what I got at the end of last month,” City Treasurer Nancy Wilson said. “It finally came.”

Wilson said the city received $1,267,000 initially and an additional $65,000, with a final $12,000 expected soon.

“We didn’t get the amount I expected,” Wilson said. “I was looking for a million and a half (dollars). But it’s looking a lot better than it has in a long time.”

Wilson also reported on the two lines of credit the city maintains to pay bills during cash shortfalls in the summer and early fall for general fund operating expenses and utility fund expenses.

She said the city drew $250,000 on the utilities line of credit in September but none in October for a total of $1,750,000 on the total $2 million line of credit for utilities.

“We won’t need the whole $2 million,” Wilson said.

She said the city drew $600,000 on the general fund line of credit in September before the city received the tax monies for a total $900,000 on that $2 million line of credit.

“We paid $225,000 back on that line in October, dividing it into four installments and expect to have it paid off by the end of January,” Wilson said.

She also said the city had paid about $700,000 on the Greeno Road pedestrian improvement project with one additional bill expected from Summit Industries.

“We have applied for reimbursement from the Alabama Department of Transportation to get our money back,” said Wilson, referring to the federally funded project that is managed through ALDOT. The total project involved a cost of approximately $1 million.

“If there is any item you need further clarification on, I’ll be in the office Friday if anyone would like to stop by before the Finance (Committee) meeting on (Nov. 5),” Mayor Tim Kant said.

The last meeting of the current administration saw none of the fireworks between council members and mayor that occurred occasionally during the past year and leading up to the August municipal elections and October runoffs.

Kant presented plaques to outgoing council members Cecil Christenberry and Bob Gentle, honoring their eight years of service on the council.

“You ought to be proud of all you have accomplished,” said Kant, referring to city projects such as construction of the library and museum and helping the city rebuild after several major hurricanes. “This group has done a lot in eight years. I know we have had our ups and downs, but there have been more ups than downs.”

He also praised Christenberry and Gentle and the other council members for arriving at solutions through open discussion in council meetings.

The new council and mayor will take the oath of office before Circuit Judge James H. Reid on Nov. 3. That first council meeting will be an organizational meeting of the new council that will include election of a council president and other duties, according to state law.

In other business, the council:

•Adopted unanimously a resolution to lift the moratorium on annexations imposed because of the 2008 municipal regular and run-off elections. The resolution is effective beginning in November. Regular, quarterly scheduled annexations will begin in January 2009.

•Approved an application by Page & Palette Foundation to close streets at 4 p.m. on Dec. 31 for its 1st Annual Runnin’ in the Streets 5-K event, serve alcohol at the Dancin’ in the Streets event that evening, waive the closing of the streets fee and the hiring of private security for the events under the supervision of the Fairhope Police Department.

•Rejected bids on electric transformers and approved the city’s moving forward to purchase the eight transformers at an approximate cost of $120,000 outside the bid process as authorized by state statute, according to the presentation by the city’s purchasing department. The department representative stated the bids should be rejected for the “exorbitant” bid amounts received and failure to comply with bid requirements. The council instructed the department to inform the companies of the rejection of the bids.

•Recognized Bob Fass as City of Fairhope Veteran of the Year. “Bob will be leading the Veteran’s Day Parade,” said Joe Birindelli who recommended Fass for the honor on the mayor’s request, according to city records.

•Recognized four Fairhope residents, all over 100 years old, who were inducted in the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame in September. The four centenarians, who are residents of Carroll Place in Fairhope, received proclamations from the city and are as follows: Christine Bergen, 102 (did not attend council meeting); Ema Davis, 100; Bernice O’Callahan, 101; and Ollie Staggs, 102.

“They are going to flip the switch when the trees are lit on Nov. 28,” Councilman Cecil Christenberry said.