Hello, everyone. I hope you all fared well during our recent “Snowmagedden.”
As I write this a few days later, it’s a beautiful sunny day of 70 degrees. That’s our Gulf Coast weather.
I would like to compliment our first responders and public works personnel on their dedication to public safety during our historic snowfall and cold. They worked throughout the event making sure that our city was covered.
Roads were cleared and emergency services provided. Our region is not used to those types of events, but Foley reacted well—including the citizens who heeded the advice to not take risks.
Spring is not far off. Mardi Gras and Easter are close by with spring break soon to follow. Please note upcoming events on our city’s Visit Foley website (visitfoley.com) for what’s happening around our area.
You may notice many projects happening in Foley or nearby. Intersections are being improved at Highway 59 and County Road 12 as well as County Road 12 and County Road 65.
In town, road projects include work on East Jessamine Avenue, Pilgrim Street and Bullard Avenue. Several sidewalk projects have begun around the city and construction will continue throughout the year.
We recently broke ground on our new Library-Community Center. Our Public Works campus building progress is going well.
We have more than 50 projects in progress between Infrastructure and Parks and Recreation. For example, work on our Pickleball/Sand Volleyball complex is moving forward.
We continue to work with our state and local partners on roads and intersections. In the coming year, you will see improvements to the Hickory and Michigan intersection, the start of the West County Road 20 extension, and work along the County Road 65 corridor.
Work also continues on the new Publix grocery store complex on the Foley Beach Express. The anticipated opening is near Memorial Day. A Doc’s Seafood Restaurant at County 20 and South Juniper Street, the Goodwill store on East Azalea and the First Watch Restaurant on Highway 59 are all moving forward.
The long-awaited downtown Colt Grill successfully opened. More projects are coming in the upcoming months. We are working diligently to bring businesses to town while supporting our current business community so that our citizens have what’s needed for their lives.
A big congratulations goes out to our Foley High School for winning the A+ School of Excellence Award. As recognized by the State Board of Education, FHS was No. 1 in improvement in High Schools for Advanced Placement. The hard work of the students, teachers and staff, with support from the Baldwin County Board of Education, is certainly commendable.
The City of Foley will continue to partner with the BCBOE to help make our schools the best they can be.
I hope everyone enjoys the last of our winter as we go into spring.