ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Officials at the Robertsdale City Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 7 said the main part of debris cleanup from Hurricane Sally in September has been completed, but there’s still much work to do.
During the Dec. 7 council work session, CFO Ann Simpson gave a financial report for the city, which included deficit spending so far in the 2020-21 budget year, which began in October, of just over $1 million.
But the city has spent around $1.5 million following Hurricane Sally that has yet to be reimbursed by FEMA, Simpson said. Just under $1 million was spent in the 2019-20 budget year, bringing total hurricane expenses to around $2.5 million, Simpson said.
The city expects to be reimbursed 75 percent of the cost through FEMA. The state has also committed an additional 12.5 percent leaving the city to foot the remaining 12.5 percent.
Shortly after the storm, the city activated its FEMA contract with TFR out of Austin, Texas. Public Works Director Scott Gilbert said the crews finished their debris cleanup work on Dec. 6 while city workers continue to clean up the remaining large stumps left over from the storm.
“We’ve still got a long way to go before we finish with expenses from Sally,” Simpson said.
The city leased 30 acres of land on Wilters Street near the Wastewater Treatment plant where all the debris is being taken. The city must return the site to its original condition, which means grinding all the debris into mulch and hauling it away.
Officials estimated that the city will spend a total of $4 million on hurricane recovery before all is said and done, which it expects to get about $3 million back from FEMA and about $1.5 million from the state, leaving the city with about $500,000 in expenses from the storm.
In addition to debris cleanup, about 40 workers from Alabama came to assist the city with electric system damage repair, including crews from East Bay Electric of Robertsdale, and city crews from Florence, Opelika and Tuskegee.
The city should also be reimbursed for holiday pay for its city crews who worked in the days following the storm and equipment used in storm cleanup and repairs, officials said.
“We’re in much better shape today than we were following Ivan (in 2004),” said Mayor Charles Murphy.
In other business Dec. 7, the council approved a bid of $149,908.74 with Mike Hoffman’s Equipment Service Inc. for the installation of above-ground fuel tanks/pumps at the city’s new Public Works Complex.
City Engineer Greg Smith said construction is nearing completion for the complex located on property the city owns on Chicago Street north of the police station.
The project includes a 23,000 square-foot administration office, two warehouses, a mechanic shop, equipment shed and maintenance shop, in addition to coverings for the two fuel pump stations.
The council rejected a sealed bid in October for the purchase and installation of two 10,000 fuel tanks (diesel and gasoline), allowing the city’s engineering department to negotiate for the purchase.
Since the project includes a USDA loan, the bid had to be approved by the USDA state engineer, officials said.
The project is Phase 2 of an improvement project surrounding Honeybee Park. Phase 1 improvements to the park were dedicated in July of 2019. Murphy said in January he hopes to have Phase 2 of the project completed by the end of this year.
Phase 3 of the project, which will include an amphitheater, parking and restroom facilities, has also been scheduled as a $1 million cash capital expenditure project for fiscal year 2020.
While the project was scheduled for completion as part of the city’s Centennial Celebration in 2021, slight delays in the project will likely push the completion back to the end of the year, Murphy said.
The council also heard a presentation at the Dec. 7 council meeting from John Robinson, president of the Central Baldwin Youth Softball League.
Robinson said several events planned for 2020 had to be canceled because of concerns over the Coronavirus, leading to a loss in revenue for the league.
“I just want some assurance that we will be able to use the fields in 2021, because if we’re not, I’m not sure we will be able to continue to operate,” Robinson said.
Mayor Charles Murphy s assured Robinson that the fields would be ready for use, said but could not guarantee that the league would be able to host tournaments in 2021.
“Right now, we just don’t know where this is going with the virus,” he said. “It’s really all dependent on that but I assure you that the fields will be ready.”
The league hosts two tournaments every year on the city’s fields at Garrett Park, which were both canceled in 2020. In addition, the league sells concessions at the city fields used by Robertsdale High School during its annual tournament, which was also canceled in 2020.
Robinson said also that about $4,000 in equipment was stolen from a storage facility maintained at the park.
The council also voted Dec. 7 to approve a half-day hliday for city employees on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31.
