AUBURN, Ala.- The Auburn City Council took the following actions at its first regular meeting of the year:

Approved amendments to the CDBG Action Plan. The City Council approved an amendment to the Community Development Block Grant FY 2023 Action Plan to include projects described as land acquisition for affordable housing and an HVAC upgrade for the Boykin Community Center. The added projects are supported by allocating $375,000 of CDBG program income for the purchase of property for the affordable housing program and the purchase and installation of a new heating and air conditioning system for the Boykin Center to serve the area leased by Joyland Child Development Center.

Heard a report on expenditures of the Rebuild Alabama Act gas tax fund. The Rebuild Alabama gas tax provides infrastructure funding to the City, and the City Council heard a report of how funding for fiscal year 2023 has been utilized. The City received $479,593 in revenues from the gas tax and applied the funds to two projects — North Dean Road/East University Drive intersection improvements and Annalue Drive/East University Drive intersection improvements. Both projects are listed in the transportation plan previously approved by the City Council. The improvements to Annalue and EUD are currently under construction, and construction for the EUD at North Dean improvements are expected to bid in the spring.

Approved the purchase of lifesaving medical devices for the Fire Department. The council approved the purchase of three LUCAS Compression Devices at a cost of $52,845.87 to be used by the Auburn Fire Department. The devices are user-friendly, mechanical chest compression devices that will be used by emergency responders to save lives and will create a safer work environment for emergency medical technicians, specifically during transport of a patient in cardiac arrest.

The council also:

• Approved a tax abatement for CSP Technologies, which is in Auburn Technology Park North. The abatement is in connection with CSP Technologies purchasing new manufacturing machinery for its facility. No education or hospital taxes will be abated. The company anticipates hiring 20 new employees over the next two years with a total capital investment of about $42.9 million.
• Approved the purchase of a 2024 Super Duty F-350 Crew Cab and Animal Transport Package for a cost of $86,942.40. The vehicle will replace a 2006 Ford E250 Van and will be used by Animal Control for rescue and transport of stray and injured animals.
• Approved the purchase of one Ford Transit 150 Cargo Van at a cost of $54,571, which will be used by the Public Works Department primarily for litter pickup.

Meeting minutes and a video of the meeting will be posted at auburnalabama.org/agenda. Mayor Ron Anders’ recap of the meeting will be posted @CityofAuburnAL on social media. The next regular council meeting will be held on Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Council Chamber, located at 141 N. Ross St. in the Public Safety Building.