The City of Andalusia has partnered with a management agency to manage and operate two public-use facilities.
Ninety-Four Investments will manage Springdale Estate as well as the Andalusia Farmer’s Market facilities, following the agreement. Ninety-Four Investments is an Andalusia-based firm.
John Thompson, Andalusia City Clerk, stated that the contract with Ninety-Four Investments will transfer the management of the properties from city employees who had previously been responsible for it.
The management of these properties takes a lot time. We have been searching for ways to outsource various jobs and this seems like a great opportunity. The Farmer’s Market was taken out of public use due to its management difficulties. Thompson stated that the contract will enable us to delegate those duties to others.
Ninety-Four Investments will be paid $2,750 per monthly by the city for its efforts to manage and market the properties. The contract can be cancelled by either party with a notice of 90 days.
Springdale Estates has hosted many events over the years including family reunions and weddings. Officials believe that the park will be used more often in the future, as it is located adjacent to the Farmers Market on Tisdale Street. The roof has been replaced and improvements have been made to the building.
Thompson stated that Thompson believes there is potential to make these properties more accessible for the public.
The city hopes to save money over the long-term and increase revenue from renting the properties through the agreement.
“I believe this will result in savings for the city compared to having our employees do that job now. Thompson stated that (Ninety-Four Investments will take care of the regular cleaning after events, while the city will deal with any major maintenance issues.”
Mayor Earl Johnson stated, “I believe the contractor will take more initiative in finding tenants. Ninety-Four Investments has been doing it for a while. I believe it will make these facilities more accessible to the public. It is a smart move, especially considering the plans for the park.
The contract was approved by the council with a vote of 3-0. Two members of city council were absent.
The council also discussed the following topics:
- Approved a bid of $23,000 to purchase and place a curtain in the city hall auditorium.
- Approved a bid of $157,000.00 for Johnson Park’s batting cage shade structures.
- Approve the $357 cost of abatement to be billed to property owner.
A swearing-in ceremony was also held by the city council for William Alverson, who is now the new municipal court judge. After accepting an assistant attorney general position for the Alabama Secretary-of-State, Mike Jones resigned.
The next meeting of the city council is set for Tuesday, February 7, at 6:30 pm, at city hall. The meeting will be preceded by a work session that begins at 5:30 pm in the second-floor conference area.
The post City of Andalusia signs a property management contract was first published on The AndalusiaStar-News.
