Loxley takes step toward city status

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LOXLEY —Loxley took a step in its transition toward city status with the Town Council voting Monday to add a second council meeting beginning in January.

The council currently meets the second Monday of every month beginning at 5:30 p.m. with a work session at the same time the last Monday of every month. On Oct. 13, the council voted to add a second meeting on the fourth Monday of the month with a work session beginning at 5:30 p.m. followed by a regular meeting beginning at 6.

“City status won’t take full effect until May,” said Mayor Richard Teal. “By starting in January, we hope to get everyone used to meeting twice a month.”

In order to obtain city status, a municipality must have a minimum population of 2,000 residents.

In August, it was revealed that between 2010 and 2020 Loxley experienced the largest population growth percentagewise of any municipality in Baldwin County, rising from a population of 1,632 in 2010 to 3,710 in 2020, an increase of 127.3 percent.

Loxley has also experienced an increase in business and industry over the last few years with grocery retailer Aldi breaking ground on a new 564,000-square-foot office and warehouse in February, and Imperial Dade, a leading independently-owned and operated distributor of foodservice packaging and janitorial supplies, breaking ground on a 220,000-square-foot logistics hub in April.

“It’s exciting, working with the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance to bring new industry to Loxley,” Teal said. “And having city status will bring new opportunities for our residents to enjoy and increased quality of life with new restaurants, industry and infrastructure. It’s also nice to know that increasingly, people are looking to Loxley as a place to call home.”

The council also voted Oct. 13 to split the building and zoning department. Jake Traweek currently serves as the town’s building inspector and oversees all planning and zoning issues for the town. Traweek will continue to fill both positions until he retires, officials said. After his retirement, the town plans to fill the positions with two separate employees.

In other business Oct. 13, the council approved an interconnection and water sale agreement with the Spanish Fort Water System to provide emergency services where the two water systems connect on U.S. 31.

Under the terms of the agreement each water system will bear its own costs to design, build, install, maintain and operate a water main and will share the cost to design, build, install, operate and maintain the equipment necessary to connect the water mains.

The contract also included volumes and availability, rates, regulatory compliance, indemnity from claims and non-exclusivity.

The terms of the contract will remain in effect for as long as the water systems are connected, according to the agreement. After a minimum of three years, either party may give notice to the other party that they want to remove the interconnection and terminate the agreement.

Also on Oct. 13, the council:

  • Recommended the approval of an alcohol license with the State of Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board for Vape World Inc. operating as Loxley Liquors in the Piggly Wiggly Shopping Center on South Hickory Street.
  • Donated $700 to the South Baldwin Center for Technology’s FFA program to attend the 94th Annual National FFA Convention Oct. 26-30 in Indianapolis.
  • Approved a resolution to surplus a Samson 583 mixer amplifier sound system, authorizing the sale of the equipment.
  • Approved a resolution to support a Baldwin County Recycling Cooperative.
  • Renewed a tri-party agreement with the Baldwin County Commission and Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office for the housing of prisoners.
  • Approved an invoice for engineering services with Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood for Loxley wastewater treatment facility improvements and effluent outfall upgrades in the amount of $2,385.95.
  • Approved expansion of a franchise agreement between the town and the Baldwin County Sewer Service to include property north of Mill Road along U.S. 31.
  • Rescheduled the October work session from Oct. 25 to before the Nov. 8 regular meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
  • Agreed to waive conflict with attorney Casey Pipes with the law firm of Helmsing, Leach, Herlong, Newman & Rouse in a lawsuit regarding the old railroad right of way with Riviera Utilities and the City of Foley.