The Gulf Shores City Council opened it's first session of the new four year term by welcoming members and electing Phillip Harris as the Mayor Pro Tem. The mayor pro tem is vested with the mayor's powers who performs the mayor's duties when the mayor is absent or unable to act.

The organizational session also included an resolution to affirm and reappoint all incumbent officers, comprising mainly department heads and and titled administrators. The resolution passed unanimously. The council also approved an ordinance (2178) which detailed council meeting rules and how all meeting of the council flowed. This ordinance also passed unanimously.

The City Council went into it's scheduled work session. The council heard from Clint Colvin, Capital Projects Director, about an application for a TAP grant. The grant would assist in paying for new sidewalks in the West Beach area. The city received the grant and the 10 foot wide sidewalk can be installed on the north side of West Beach Blvd..  The amount of the grant is $800,000 and the city match portion would be $210,275. The staff recommends accepting the grant in the next meeting of council.

Cindy King, the Director of Finance and Administration, presented to the council a list of quotes from banks to provide the City of Gulf Shores with a line of credit. These funds could only be used in an emergency situation. The lowest interest rate offered was 3.89% for a five year term.

The City Council also heard a consideration to change the current re-zoning requirement notice standards. The request in the ordinance change would reflect that the city will follow State Code (Title 11, Chapter 52). The changes would expand the First-Class mail notices, post larger signs on the property subject to zoning changes, post draft agendas one week before a meeting, post agenda item map of the property and utilize social media to inform residents.

The City of Gulf Shores is also sharing GIS online map system showing upcoming development agenda items so that residents can review a parcel's location and review the status of a property if the property is being considered for changes.

The Public Notice regulation changes have already been approved by the Building Commission and the staff recommends it approval in the next meeting of the City Council.

Public Works Director, Noel Hand, presented a construction change order for the new Gulf Shores High School. The current contract is at 607 days of a 690 day contract. March 11, 2026 is the scheduled completion date. The change order would provide an additional $1,555,515. The breakdown of the additional cost are outlined below: