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The City of Andalusia will partner with a management agency for the management and operation of two public-use facilities.

With the agreement, Springdale Estate and the Andalusia Farmer’s Market facilities will be managed by Ninety-Four Investments, an Andalusia-based company.

According to Andalusia City Clerk John Thompson, the contract with Ninety-Four Investments will take the management of the properties away from city employees who have traditionally been handling those duties.

“The management of these two properties take a lot of time. We’ve been looking for ways to contract various jobs to others and we feel like this is a good opportunity to do that with the management of the properties. We took the Farmer’s Market off of public use and one of the reasons is because of the lack of ability to manage it. This contract will allow us to give those duties to others,” Thompson said.

The contract states the city will pay Ninety-Four Investments $2,750 per month for its work to market and manage the properties. Either party can cancel the contract with a 90-day notice.

Springdale Estates has hosted a number of events over the years, including weddings and family reunions. With a new park planned adjacent to the Farmers Market building on Tisdale Street, officials believe usage there will increase in the future. That building has also undergone improvements, including a new roof.

“I think there is potential for these properties to be utilized by the public much more than they are now,” Thompson said.

Through the agreement, the city is hopeful to save money in the long run while also seeing an increase in revenue from the rental of the properties.

“I think this will generate a savings for the city as compared to our employees doing that work now. (Ninety-Four Investments) will handle the routine cleaning after the events while the city will handle any major maintenance issues,” Thompson said.

Mayor Earl Johnson added, “I think the contractor will be more proactive in getting tenants. Ninety-Four Investments has been doing this a while and I think it will make these two facilities more usable by the public. I think it is a good move, particularly with the plans we have for the park.”

The council approved the contract by a 3-0 vote. Two members of the city council were not in attendance.

Other items discussed by the council included:

• approving a bid of $23,000 for the purchase and placement of a stage curtain for the city hall auditorium.
• approving a bid of $157,900 for batting cage shade structures at Johnson Park.
• approving the cost of abatement of $357 to be billed to the property owner.

The city council also held a swearing-in ceremony for William Alverson as the city’s new presiding Municipal Court judge. He replaces Mike Jones who stepped down after accepting a position as an assistant attorney general for the Alabama Secretary of State.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m., at city hall. A work session precedes the meeting, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the second-floor conference room.