Blog Layout
Gulf Shores Plans Year-Ending Budget Surplus
John Mullen • December 2, 2024
Budget surplus and pub crawl expected in council discussions
As the budget year winds down, Gulf Shores announces it will have a budget surplus of more than $438,000 headed into the new budget year on Jan. 1. Gulf Shores, like Orange Beach, because of the tourist industry economy, doesn’t do the fiscal year budget like most local governments in the county spanning Oct. 1-Sept. 30.
The city council will meet for the final time in a joint regular/work session on Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. in council chambers at city hall.
For the year, Gulf Shores generated $298 million in revenue and had expenses totaling $281 million.
During the meeting, the council will also:
- Hear the annual National Shrimp Festival poster presentation.
- Consider a public assembly permit for the annual Polar Bear Dip at the public beach Jan. 1 south of the Hangout and organized by the Kiwanis Club.
- Discuss another public assembly permit for the Papa Rocco’s St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl.
- Consider permits for 2025 for the Gulf Coast Regional Volleyball Association for events Feb. 21-23, March 8-9, April 17-19, May 1-4, Oct. 4, Oct. 11, Nov. 1 and Nov. 8-9.
- Discuss changing the fee schedule for the Bodenhamer Recreation and the Cultural Center Studio Fitness. For residents, the rate will be $300 for an annual single, $375 for an annual couple and $450 for a family. Senior prices will be $240 for a single, $305 for a couple and $365 for a family.
- Consider a resolution of a contract with Baldwin County for the use of voting machines and support staff for municipal elections.
- Discuss renewing two contracts with lobbying services for the city. Van Scoyoc Associates is responsible for lobbying on the federal level and with Christie Strategy Group at the state level.
- Discuss rescheduling council meetings in 2025 due to municipal holidays including Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day and canceling the meetings of Dec. 15 and Dec. 22.
- Consider an amendment to the conditional use permit for the Gulf Shores Landfill’s five-year closure plan.
- Hear requests from several taxi companies to renew franchises to operate in the city in 2025. Those are A-1 Ms. Mary Taxi Service, Bama Beach Shuttle, Beach Buggy Taxi, Beach Express Taxi, Blue Dolphin Taxi Gulf Coast, Coast Cab,
- Coastal Express Shuttle, Crozzzzcabz, Gulf Logistics Platinum Chauffeured
- Transportation Service and Robins Rides.
Recent Posts
Foley residents and visitors will have a chance to stroll through more than a century of local history in April when Foley conducts walking tours of the downtown historic district. Foley is one of more than 20 Alabama communities conducting the tours on each Saturday of the month throughout April.
In recent years people have applied for business licenses on the beach which include jet ski rentals, banana boat rides, private party catering, chair services and the never ending amount of weddings. Orange Beach will take a new city ordinance to further prohibit “commercial activity” on beaches, shorelines and waterways in the city. “There have been some business licenses that have come through recently that we needed some clarification on,” Deputy Coastal Resources Director Nicole Woerner said. “We just don’t want our beaches to be overrun and our waterways with people just selling and doing all kinds of things.”
Part classroom lesson, part real life problem-solving and a whole lot of rock ‘n’ roll has defined the school day for students at Foley and Gulf Shores high schools recently. The students have spent the last few months serving as the stage managers, producers, promoters, designers, artists and even the roadies who carry in the amps and guitars for the popular Reach and Teach program.