ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The city of Robertsdale is requesting that permit and tap fees totaling more than $100,000 be paid for the new 911 facility being built in the city’s Industrial Park.

The unanimous vote was made during the council’s April 3 meeting, contrary to a request from 911 to waive the fees.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held March 23 for the new 27,000 square-foot facility, which has an estimated cost of $8 million, to be built on 33 acres of land on McAuliffe Drive, adjacent to the current facility.

The city voted in March to waive an Alabama Craft Training Fee of close to $8,000 for the facility, said Mayor Charles Murphy, but voted April 3 to request payment of permit fees totaling nearly $80,000 and tap fees for sewer and water which have been estimated at $33,000.

According to reports, the property will also be home to the new Medstar Air Care 1 helicopter. The cost is being paid for by the Baldwin County 911 Board. Construction for the new facility is planned for completion in May of next year.

In other business April 3, the council voted to approve a short-term lease agreement with Bon Secour Valley Ingredients to rent storage space in the former Diamond Growers property which is currently owned by the city.

The agreement, brought to the council by the city’s Industrial Development Board, Murphy said, includes a lease of $2 per square foot per year for the 6,000-square-foot facility, a total of $12,000 per year or $1,000 per month.

The warehouse will be used to store a type of squash which will ultimately be dehydrated and converted to a vegetable flour. The business will also be doing the same with sweet potatoes and other vegetable products.

Also at the April 3 meeting, the council:

•Approved financing with Citizens’ Bank for the purchase of a new sewer video system for the city’s Utilities Department. The 60-month loan of $203,580 will include monthly payments of $2,772.25.

•Purchased two zero turn mowers and a bat wing mower for the Public Works Department while also voting to surplus the department’s old equipment.

•Approved a request for a retail beer and table wine license through the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board for Fred’s in Robertsdale.

•Tabled a request to contract with the Revenue Discovery and Recovery (RDS) collection system.

•Tabled a presentation request by Kimberlie Dean with Robertsdale Elementary School after no one representing the school was present at the April 3 meeting.