ROBERTSDALE, Alabama – The Robertsdale City Council voted at Monday’s meeting accept a $20,000 settlement with BP Exploration & Production Inc. for lost revenues following the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rib and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

In a letter addressed to Mayor Charles Murphy, presented to Council members at Monday’s meeting, city attorney Ken Raines recommended accepting the claim and not pursuing “at best” a $50,000 claim in Federal Court which would “likely be farmed out to a Louisiana law firm and result in potentially less net return to us and a much longer time in collection by us.”

According to the agreement, which was approved unanimously with all Council members present at Monday’s meeting, the city accepted the settlement and promised not to sue BP for lost revenues from May 2010 through December 2010 as a result from the April 20, 2010 spill.

Also on Monday,t he council passed Ordinance No. 004-11 entering into a telecommunications franchise and consent agreement with CenturyLink for use of the city’s right of way.

The Council voted at its Nov. 21 meeting to approve a contract with CenturyLink, but it was decided that the measure needed to be done in ordinance form based on recommendation by Greg Fender with Local Government Services LLC out of Dahlonega, Ga.

According to the terms of the ordinance, the city agreed to allow CenturyLink use of rights-of-way within corporate limits in return for an annual franchise fee of 3 percent of gross receipts received for a period of 10 years. Murphy told Council members at the Nov. 21 meeting, the agreement would generate about $1,000 per month for the city.

In order to pass the ordinance, the Council voted unanimously by roll call vote, first to suspend the rules then to approve the measure.

In other business Monday, the council:

• Approved a request by Public Works Director Scott Gilbert to purchase a truck for the maintenance department. Gilbert said the vehicle cost and additional costs to equip the vehicle would still come in under the city’s proposed $30,000 budget for the item.

• Approved a request from Police Chief Brad Kendrick to pay fees totaling $650 for the use of the Fraternal Order of Police shooting range in Fairhope.

• Approved a request from Robertsdsale High School for sign sponsorship at the RHS softball complex in the amount of $150.

• Approved a half-day holiday for city employees for Friday, Dec. 30.

• Announced the Christmas luncheon for city employees would be held Friday, Dec. 16 at the PZK Civic Center.

• Announced City offices would be closed Friday, Dec. 23 for the Christmas eve holiday and Monday, Dec. 26 for the Christmas day holiday. Scheduled garbage pickup for Friday, Dec. 23 will be Thursday, Dec. 22 and for Monday, Dec. 26 will be Tuesday, Dec. 27.