3 days Ago By Alex Husting/ [email protected]
The Opelika City Council approved two items tied directly to this year's Victorian Front Porch Tour. While most of the City of Opelika was focused on the results coming in from the polls locally and nationally, the Opelika City Council met at the Opelika Municipal Court Building on Tuesday for the council's first meeting of November. During the meeting, the council approved a contract for services between the city and Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour of Opelika, which is a nonprofit organization.
The council also approved expanding the boundaries of the downtown entertainment district on the second Saturday of December of each year beginning with Dec. 14 2024. The expansion is in connection with the VFPCT which is held from 8 a.
m. to 10 p.m.
according to the ordinance in the council's agenda packet. According to the contract resolution, the VFPCT is an annual event allowing residents and tourists to enjoy a self-directed driving tour of homes decorated with life-size Santas, angels, toys, carousel horses and more. The event, which is free to the public, will be held on Dec.
14 as streets are closed to vehicle traffic and visitors are invited to stroll through the neighborhood and enjoy the homes up close, listen to carolers and talk with residents dressed in Victorian costumes, according to the resolution. The resolution said that VFPCT has been voted one of the Southeast’s top rated tourism events and has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Living magazines. In the approved contract for services, Ward 1 Councilman George Allen, President Pro Tem and Ward 2 Councilwoman Erica Baker Norris and Ward 5 Councilman Todd Rauch appropriated $500 each from their respective discretionary funds for the event.
Ward 3 Councilman Tim Aja and Council President and Ward 4 Councilmember Eddie Smith appropriated $2,500 each, bringing the total to $7,500 dollars. The temporary expansion of the entertainment district will extend north from North 8th Street and North 7th Street past 2nd Avenue and stopping at the midpoint of North 7th and North 8th before 3rd Avenue. The Opelika City Council approved a new play plan for city employees that will take effect on Dec.
6 after it was revealed that many of the positions had average salaries below the market average. According to the resolution, on Aug. 15 2023, the council approved the conducting of a compensation study to include all City employees by Evergreen Solutions, LLC.
The resolution said the intent of the study was to update the pay plan, which was last updated in 2017. According to the resolution, the study involved Evergreen conducting in performance of this study, Evergreen conducted employee market surveys, reviewed and analyzed current employee classifications, duties, compensations and position policies and evaluated feedback from department heads and supervisors. Evergreen also conducted a market analysis that compared the city of Opelika's positions to up to 15 market peers.
According to the resolution, Evergreen concluded that 128 classifications have average salaries below their respective market range. The report from Evergreen recommended the City of Opelika update and adjust its pay plan so that the compensation for all employees below the minimum of the ranges in the new Pay Plans be raised to the minimum of the corresponding range, the resolution said. The council approved four new pay plans, covering general, Opelika Power Services, Opelika Police Department and Opelika Fire Department, with a combined total of 98 unique pay grades, according to the resolution.
"The City Council believes that it is in the city’s best interest to update the pay plan to ensure that city employees are compensated competitively based on market data to meet recruitment and retention goals," the resolution said. The cost to implement the four new pay plans for 2024-2025 fiscal year will not exceed $2.6 million, according to the resolution.
The council approved acquiring approximately 1.96 acres of land from Trinity Presbyterian Church for the extension of Gwen Mill Drive from McLure Avenue. Trinity Church agreed to donate and convey the right of way for the 1.
96 acres of land to the City of Opelika, making it an right-of-way acquisition and development agreement. The council approved the following appropriation contracts for the 2025 fiscal year: The council approved a mental health and substance abuse benefits and employee assistance program plan from Behavioral Health Systems, Inc. for the city of Opelika and its employees and dependents.
The council voted to appoint Morgan Vickers to the Lee Russell Council of Governments MPO Citizen Advisory Committee on a new term that expires on Nov. 5, 2026. The council also reappointed Christie Hill to the Lee Russell Council of Governments MPO Citizen Advisory Committee on new term that expires on Nov.
5, 2026. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A man takes a look at decorations on display. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A little girl sits for a picture in front of the decorations on display. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
People take pictures with the decorations on display. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
People take pictures with the decorations on display. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A group of children sing songs for the crowd. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Santa takes pictures with guests outside Trinity Methodist Church. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Children toast marshmallows for s'mores outside Trinity Methodist Church. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A small band plays Christmas carols outside Trinity Methodist Church. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Children toast marshmallows for s'mores outside Trinity Methodist Church. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A pair of kids take a photo with a Santa decoration outside Heritage House. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Carolers perform outside Heritage House. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A small band plays Christmas carols for the crowd. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A group of children sing songs for the crowd. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
The crowd takes in the entertainment during the Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour on Saturday, Dec. 10. 2022, in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 8th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A group of carolers perform for the crowd. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A young girl rides the carousel. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A young girl rides the carousel. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Kids ride the carousel. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 9th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 9th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Decorations on display along 9th Street. Victorian Front Porch Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A group of riders wave during their ride around the tracks. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A young boy poses during a ride around the tracks. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Riders smile as the train moves along the track. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A group poses on the tracks for a photo. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
A pair of girls go down the slide. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
The conductor waves at a young child as the train comes around the track. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Santa takes a photo with a young girls at the pavilion. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Santa chats with a young boy at the pavilion. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
People wait in line for their turn as the train takes off with its next load of riders. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Kids and parents take their turn on the train. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
The train rides through the lights and decorations. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
The train rides through the lights and decorations. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
The train rides through the lights and decorations. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Riders smile as the train moves along the track. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
Riders smile as the train moves along the track. Reindeer Express at Monkey Park on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Opelika.
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