1. Meeting called to order – President Simmons
2. Invocation
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Roll Call – President Simmons
5. Approval of Agenda
6. Message from Mayor
7. Reports of Department Heads
8. Reports of Standing Committees
9. Public Hearings: None
10. Business from floor pertaining to items on the consent and regular agenda (5-minute time limit).
11. Consent Agenda:
    All matters listed within the Consent Agenda have been distributed to each member of the Florence City Council for reading and study, are considered to be routine, and will be enacted by one motion of the Council with no separate discussion. If separate discussion is desired, that item may be removed from the Consent Agenda and placed on the Regular Agenda by request. Please call 256-760-6400 for questions on Consent Agenda items prior to the Council meeting.

(a) Approval of minutes of the October 15, 2024, meeting.

(b) Confirm payment of bills by the City Treasurer.

(c) Resolution to approve a Service Order Form Agreement between the City of Florence and Zendesk, Inc., to provide online live chat feature for Florence Utilities customers for the City of Florence Customer Service and Collections Department, in the amount of $7,648.00, for a period of three years, with an option to add any additional chat agents for $109.25 per month, to be paid from budgeted funds account #903.00, sponsored by Sandie Preedom.

(d) Resolution to approve authorization to apply for grant funds through the Walmart SparkGood grant program, in the amount of $5,000.00, to be used to purchase trailer to transport boats and other equipment for Florence Fire and Water Rescue, sponsored by Tim Anerton.

(e) Resolution to approve payment of Invoice #6397, dated October 31, 2024, from The Grounds Guys of Northwest Alabama, for the repairs to lighting at Pope’s Tavern, in the amount of $2,550.00, to be paid from Fund 158, account #1047-43600, sponsored by Brian Murphy.

(f) Resolution to approve payment of Invoice # 5179, dated October 8, 2024, from Riverview Track and Materials, LLC., for repairs to a CAT 420D, in the amount of $1,103.76, to be expensed to account #261-43120, sponsored by David Koonce.

(g) Resolution to approve a contract with Riverview Track and Materials, LLC., to provide labor, materials and incidentals necessary for repair services on an as needed basis for the City of Florence Solid Waste and Recycling Department, to be paid from budgeted funds account #261-43200 and account #261-43125, sponsored by David Koonce.

(h) Resolution to approve payment of Invoice #5319, dated October 13, 2024, from Riverview Track and Materials, LLC., for repairs to a CAT 963D, asset # 6216, in the amount of $5,317.71, to be expensed to account #261-43200, sponsored by David Koonce.

(i) Resolution to approve payment of Invoice # 23012857, dated October 1, 2024, from Wiese USA, Inc., to diagnose and repair a Komatsu forklift, asset #8309, at the Recycle Center in the amount of $2,588.15, to be expensed to account #260-43125, sponsored by David Koonce.

(j) Resolution to approve a contract with Stuart C. Irby Company, to perform annual di-electric testing on all hotline tools used in the distribution system operated by the Florence Utilities Electricity Department, to be paid from FY2024 budgeted funds Account #593 and Account #594, sponsored by Mary McDuffa.

(k) Resolution to approve a contract with IMSA Southeastern Section, Inc., to provide a series of traffic signal certification training sessions to the City of Florence Utilities Electricity Department personnel, in the contract amount of $700.00 per employee, to be paid from FY25 budget funds, account # 923.00, sponsored by Mary McDuffa.

(l) Resolution to approve a Special Work Authorization Agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation for the use of a snooper truck or reachall truck and operators to inspect City owned Jackson Road Bridge over Cox Creek, in the estimated amount of $5,648.35, to be paid from account #398-433110, sponsored by Bill Batson.

(m) Resolution to approve a contract with Casum Lovell, DBA T & C Asphalt, to provide labor, equipment, materials, and incidentals necessary to grade, resurface sealcoat, and stripe asphalt paving, at the access easement south of the parking deck from Tombigbee Street to Mobile Street and the parking lot at the corner of Pine Street and Mobile Street, in the amount not to exceed $36,000.00, to be paid from fund 195, account # 931-48149, sponsored by Bill Batson.

(n) Resolution to approve proposal from Marsh & McLennan Agency, to provide network security (cyber) liability insurance for the City of Florence, for the period December 3, 2024, through December 3, 2025, in the annual premium amount of $50,091.00, to be expensed to fund 115, account #511-41570, sponsored by Andy Jones.

(o) Resolution to approve agreement with Davies Actuarial, Audit & Consulting, Inc., dated October 29, 2024, to perform actuarial and/or consulting services for the evaluation of the City of Florence Liability Insurance Fund, in the amount of $5,500.00, to be expensed to fund 115, account # 511-41570, sponsored by Andy Jones.

(p) Resolution to approve a contract with Robinson & Sons Construction Services, Inc., to provide labor, equipment, materials and incidentals necessary for the Cypress Creek Water Treatment Plant Clearwell Improvements for the Florence Water Department, in the total amount of $720,000.00, sponsored by Tad Cole.

(q) Resolution to approve a contract with Eady Contracting, Inc., to provide labor, equipment, materials and incidentals necessary for the Veterans Park Water and Sewer Improvements for the Florence Water and Wastewater Department, in the total contract amount of $707,092.40, sponsored by Tad Cole.

(r) Resolution to approve a partnership with the East Lauderdale Water and Fire Protection Authority, the Town of Lexington, and the Rogersville Water Works and Sewer Board, to apply for Alabama Department of Environmental Management Emerging Contaminant funding to support interconnection and distribution infrastructure to resolve emerging containment limits in drinking water as established by the Environmental Protection Agency, sponsored by Tad Cole.

(s) Resolution to approve a contract with Party Never Ends Rental, LLC., to provide labor, equipment, materials and incidentals necessary for the rental of tents and chairs, for the Veterans Day Ceremony at Veterans Park, in the total contract amount not to exceed $2,170.00, to be expensed and split to accounts #482-41111 and #482-41112, sponsored by Mayor Betterton.

(t) Resolution to approve a Memorandum of Understanding, between the City of Florence and Lauderdale County, regarding animal control services in the county, sponsored by Mayor Betterton.

(u) Resolution to advance and reimburse travel expenses to City employees, sponsored by Mayor Betterton.

12. Regular Agenda:

(a) Resolution to approve Real Estate Sales Agreement between the City of Florence and KT Holdings, LLC., for the City to purchase the property located at 0 Northington Court and 4501 Starkey Drive, for the total amount of $4,000,000.00, sponsored by David Koonce.

(b) Resolution to approve an Alcohol Beverage License Application for the operation of a Full Menu Restaurant with On-Premises Liquor, Beer & Wine by MFLORES LLC., d/b/a DON MIGUE MEXICAN CUISINE, located at 1917 Florence Boulevard, sponsored by Robert M. Leyde.

(c) Resolution to approve an Alcohol Beverage License Application for the operation of a Full Menu Restaurant with On-Premises Liquor, Beer, Wine by HOLLANDS BAR AND GRILL LLC., d/b/a HOLLANDS BAR AND GRILL, located at 116 S. Pine Street, sponsored by Robert M. Leyde.

(d) Resolution to approve an Alcohol Beverage License Application for the operation of a Package Store with Lounge Retail Liquor-Class II by LAKSHMI 2024 LLC d/b/a STAR PACKAGE, located at 1820 Darby Drive, sponsored by Robert M. Leyde.

(e) Resolution to approve an Alcohol Beverage License Application for the operation of a Convenience Store with Retail Beer (off premises only) and Retail Table Wine (off premises only) by AVYA 2024 LLC d/b/a JOHNS MARKET located at 2614 Huntsville Road, sponsored by Robert M. Leyde.

13. General Business: 

(a) Resolution to approve the General Fund Budget for fiscal year 2024-2025, sponsored by Shanna Balch.

(b) Resolution to approve the Solid Waste Fund Budget for fiscal year 2024-2025, sponsored by Shana Balch.

(c) Resolution to approve the Special Fund Budgets for fiscal year 2024-2025, sponsored by Shana Balch.

(d) Resolution to approve a budget amendment for the Electricity Department budget for fiscal year 2024-2025, sponsored by Mark Lovejoy.

(e) Resolution to approve a budget amendment for the Gas Department budget for fiscal year 2024-2025, sponsored by Mark Lovejoy.

(f) Resolution to approve a budget amendment for the Water Department budget for fiscal year 2024-2025, sponsored by Mark Lovejoy.

(g) Board Vacancies

• • • • Tree 1-Vacancy
      • Beauty Board 1-Vacancy
      • SEDA 1 Vacancy
      • Library-(Public) Dr. Vince Brewton (Expires 12/01/24)
      • Evan Thornton (Expires 12/01/24)

14. Business from the public (5-minute time limit).

15. Council Members reports and/or comments (5-minute time limit).

• • Council member Eubanks – District 4 
  • Council member Edwards – District 5 
  • Council member Oliver – District 6 
  • Council member Hendrix – District 2 
  • Council member Griffin – District 3 
  • President Simmons – District 1 
  • Mayor Andy Betterton

16. Motion to adjourn.