Council OKs feasibility study

Florala could soon have a new motel.

The city council on Monday agreed to fund a $5,000 feasibility study to determine a location for a proposed Best Western motel.

Mayor Robert Williamson said without the study, the city won’t be able to move forward on the project, which the city has been pursuing since 2008.

“The location hasn’t been selected,” he said. “There has been talk of a number of locations, and that’s what the study is for.”

Covington County Economic Development Commission Chairman Rick Clifton, who has been in talks with Best Western for some time, said one of the reasons the chain hotel wants to be located in Florala is because of the its Best Western in Opp.

Clifton said the best way to determine if a hotel is going to work for Florala is to have the study done.

“The folks at Best Western put me in contact with someone who does specialty studies for hotels,” he said. “We made contact with them and touched base with the mayor. I’m glad to see that they authorized that. This will help us going forward.”

Clifton said Spurrier Consulting out of Gautier, Miss., is handling the feasibility study, adding that the study will be done fairly quickly.

In other business, the council:

• approved two separate measures to finish repairs to the library roof — $1,568 for batting and $2,500 for the batting installation, and a further $2,400 to fix duct and electrical work.

• agreed to pay $500 to remove three trees on Montgomery Ave.

• tabled a decision on Christmas decorations until the next meeting.

• heard a playground update from Williamson, who said the city has collected a total of $121,000 for its construction, and discussed another location for the new playground, instead of being located at the old armory.

• approved a court fee ordinance.

• approved 24th of June celebration road closings.

• agreed to pay $5 for every medical call to which the Florala Volunteer Fire Department responds.

The next council meeting is set for July 13.