ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The city of Robertsdale is looking to establish its own school resource officer.

The Robertsdale City Council took steps to secure funding for the officer at its meeting on Monday, June 5, voting to support the establishment of a school resource officer and applying for a Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) grant to help fund the resource officer.

In a letter addressed to Mayor Charles Murphy which was included in the meeting’s agenda, Robertsdale Police Chief Brad Kendrick said a resource officer would cost approximately $105,000, which includes a base salary plus overtime, insurance, retirement, worker’s compensation, Social Security benefits, supplies, training and a vehicle.

The grant would pay 75 percent of the officer’s salary and expenses for three years, Kendrick said. Funding could also come from the retirement of a longtime employee whose salary is still in the city’s budget, Kendrick said.

Both Kendrick and Murphy were out of town and unable to attend the June 5 meeting. Both measures were passed by the city council unanimously with Mayor Pro Tem Joe Kitchens presiding over the meeting.

In other business June 5, the council voted to approve a contract for services with Adams & Stewart to proceed with finalized plans for upgrades to the city’s Honeybee Park and proposed work on a new utility department complex.

Last September, the city set up three public hearings in October to present plan options for park improvements in preparation for the city’s centennial celebration in 2021.

Plans call for the addition of parking, restructuring of sidewalks and landscaping of the park, along with the addition of central features, such as a pavilion and playground area.

One of the main features will be a 500-seat amphitheater which will be placed in the current location of the city’s utilities barn with plans to move the barn to property the city owns north of the Robertsdale Police Station on East Chicago Street.

Based on public input, plans are to consolidate three options that were presented to the city, along with any other changes that might come out of conversations between the engineering firm and the city.

Also on June 5, the council:

• Approved training and a control burn to be conducted Saturday, June 10 on Buck Road with the city’s Volunteer Fire Department.

• Renewed a sponsorship for the Robertsdale High School volleyball team.

• Granted an ABC License for the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce Flavors of the South event which will be held July 20 at the Baldwin County Coliseum in Robertsdale.

• Approved the addition of Monday, July 3 as a paid holiday for city employees.

• Approved an application for a sewer grant through the city’s utilities department.

• Approved an annexation request for property on Adams Acres Road.

• Tabled a request to host a 5K fundraiser for residents seeking to raise money to adopt a child, per the request of City Attorney Ken Raines.