Fairhope Council Members Oppose Mayor Wilson’s Pick of Engineering Firm for Utility Capacity Study

FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Members of the Fairhope City Council on Monday night opposed Mayor Karin Wilson’s selection of an engineering firm to perform a utility capacity study of the city’s gas, water and sewer systems.

The Selection

The mayor’s resolution, item 6 on the agenda, would have approved Cassady Company Inc. to perform the Professional Engineering Capacity Study. Wilson said she chose the firm to bring a fresh perspective to the study. The company’s owner lives in Fairhope.

Councilman Kevin Boone opposed the resolution, saying the work should go to a local firm. He named Dewberry/Preble-Rish LLC, Volkert, and Hutchinson, Moore & Rauch (HMR) as options and pushed for the selection to be changed to HMR. Councilman Jack Burrell supported Boone’s position.

At the most recent planning and zoning meeting, nine of the 10 items presented as public hearings or requests involved Preble-Rish, and one involved HMR.

Mayor’s Assistant

The council also considered item 16, a resolution to provide a part-time administrative assistant to the mayor. Burrell opposed the resolution, and Boone joined him in blocking it.

Building Moratorium

The city has a six-month building moratorium in place while it identifies problems with its sewer, water and gas infrastructure. Although the city’s new sewer plant has capacity, the system that carries sewage to the plant, including 68 lift stations, has significant problems.

Background

Boone and Burrell are the two council members remaining from the previous administration; the former mayor and three council members were voted out in the most recent election. That administration’s actions included the $12 million settlement of the Triangle lawsuit and construction of an $11 million sewer plant.