By Ali Moreland
The Chipley City Council met Tuesday, August 11, recognizing the 8U Chipley Tigers All Stars as the Darlings Dixie Softball Florida State Champions, advancing the North 2nd Street Paving and Drainage Improvements project, and approving a $325,000 settlement to resolve the City’s recent litigation with Fellowship of Psalms 41:4, Inc.
The City Council recognized the 8U Chipley Tigers All Stars team as the Darlings Dixie Softball Florida State Champions during the meeting for winning the state championship and advancing to the World Series. Players were presented with certificates in recognition of their accomplishment, with coaches and family members also attending the presentation. Coach Justin Burnham praised the team for its work throughout the season, saying, “We had an outstanding season. I’m very proud of our girls, and they’ve come a long way and put in a lot of time and effort this season. I’m very appreciative of them and their parents.”
The Chipley City Council moved forward with plans for the North 2nd Street Paving and Drainage Improvements project, with a recommended contract award of $1,247,291.85 to Extreme Land Restoration LLC of Lynn Haven. Eleven bids were received, with Extreme Land Restoration submitting the lowest base bid of $1,373,671.25. Because the base bid exceeded the project’s $1,265,445.32 budget, two deductive alternates were applied, bringing the recommended contract amount within the available funding. The engineer recommended awarding the project to Extreme Land Restoration LLC, citing the company’s compliance with bid requirements and its successful work on previous City projects, with the award subject to approval by the state grant agency.
Also during the meeting, officials approved a settlement agreement resolving the long-running lawsuit between Fellowship of Psalms 41:4, Inc. and the City of Chipley. The dispute centered on a 2008 lease involving property used for the City’s wastewater spray-field operations, with the court previously ruling that the lease was valid and enforceable and rejecting the City’s defenses and counterclaim. Under the proposed settlement, the City will pay Fellowship of Psalms $325,000 to resolve the litigation. Once the full payment is received, Fellowship will file a dismissal with prejudice, bringing the case to a final resolution and releasing both parties from the claims covered by the agreement. The settlement allows the City to avoid further litigation over damages and the uncertainty and expense associated with continuing the case.
Chipley City Council will meet again for regular business on Tuesday, September 15, at 5 p.m.
AMBER PATINO