Fairhope council moves forward on soccer complex

By Crystal Cole
Posted 11/2/16

During last week’s Fairhope City Council meeting, the council voted unanimously to enter into a partnership with the Fairhope Single Tax Colony to finish the concession stand and restrooms for the …

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Fairhope council moves forward on soccer complex

Posted

During last week’s Fairhope City Council meeting, the council voted unanimously to enter into a partnership with the Fairhope Single Tax Colony to finish the concession stand and restrooms for the Manley Road Soccer Complex.

The city agreed to match the Single Tax Colony’s contributions 50/50 up to $300,000.

Council President Jack Burrell said there had been considerable discussions back and forth between the city, the Single Tax Colony and the soccer league over what the city’s involvement and contribution would be on this part of the project. He added that in-kind donations for parts and labor had been part of those considerations.

“This is just getting out in front of the 2017 budget,” Burrell said. “I think I’ve resigned myself that we’re going to have to pony up the money one way or another.”

Councilwoman Diana Brewer said she didn’t see any major issue with moving forward.

“I don’t have a problem with spending the money,” Brewer said. “We knew building a soccer complex would require a concession stand and restrooms, so I look at this as just completing the project.”

The council also unanimously approved a resolution of support for asking the Baldwin County school system to consider realigning two schools within the Fairhope feeder pattern to be remade into K-6 schools.

The resolution asks the Baldwin County Board of Education to consider changing the configuration of Fairhope Elementary and Fairhope Intermediate Schools into the K-6 model before the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year.

Burrell said this was a resolution that many Fairhope residents had pushed for and that local education officials seemed to support as well.

“We do have the support of the school board and the superintendent in moving forward with this,” Burrell said. “It also aligns with recommendations from the Community Advisory Task Force, so it’s got a wide base of support.”