Huntsville City Council Regular Meeting – January 12, 2023

The Huntsville City Council met on January 12, 2023, at 5:30 PM in Council Chambers, presided over by President Pro Tem Jennie Robinson due to Council President John Meredith's absence. All four present council members (Robinson, Kling, Keith, Little) voted unanimously on all items. Mayor Tommy Battle, City Administrator John Hamilton, City Attorney Trey Riley, and Clerk-Treasurer Ken Benion were present. The meeting featured a special recognition, a detailed presentation from Huntsville Utilities on historic winter weather impacts, several public hearings set for February 23, approval of a 136.28‑acre surplus property sale, council improvement fund allocations, and three second‑roster public comments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Carol Thomas (2210 Apache Dr. NW) expressed concerns about the city’s education system, noting that one in four children are not reading at grade level and that several schools operate with a C average. She urged the council to ensure educational growth parallels the city’s economic and technological expansion.
• Jan Neighbors (7856 Waltzing Helm Rd.) reported progress on the Gateway Greenway Park project, including completed engineering drawings and a Zoom luncheon with author Richard Paul Evans. She highlighted the park’s function as a memorial for children lost at any age, with two similar statues already in Alabama drawing hundreds to annual candlelight vigils. She noted rising costs due to inflation and requested continued community support.
• Andre Wilson (District 2 resident) proposed an “all‑student quarantine” to protect children from COVID‑19 variants and school shootings. He argued that quarantining students to their attending schools would create a “zero infection zone” and improve accountability, transparency, and real‑time monitoring of student health, education, and safety.

Discussion Items

• Huntsville Utilities Winter Storm Presentation – CEO Wes Kelly, joined by Electric Cities of Alabama Executive Director John Hand, provided a comprehensive briefing on Winter Storm Elliott (December 22‑26, 2022). The storm brought record low temperatures (3°F) and record electric demand (1,475 MW peak, vs. 685 MW on Dec. 22). HU implemented rolling blackouts for the first time in its 90‑year history at TVA’s request (ELCP Step 50), opening breakers on the 46 KV system affecting about 8,000 customers per rotation, with most outages lasting 30 minutes. HU did not implement blackouts on Friday morning but complied on Saturday. The gas system set a new peak flow of 87,000 decatherms; water system saw 260 calls for broken pipes during the thaw, largely due to commercial/industrial HVAC issues from blackouts. HU identified stressed circuits north of U.S. 72 and has new substations coming online (Capshaw within 30 days; Old Monrovia and Burwell by summer). Project Share utility assistance is being expanded for affected customers. Council members asked about power surges, billing impacts, and HU’s policy of not disconnecting for non‑payment when temperatures are below 32°F or above 100°F.
• Surplus Property Sale (Unfinished Business) – Ordinance 22‑1030 declared 136.28 acres (Lot 2, Lanier Subdivision) south of Bob Wade Lane and east of Pulaski Pike as surplus and authorized a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Stanley Developers, LLC. Director of Urban & Economic Development Shane Davis explained that only 3.9 acres will be sold (at appraised value) for regional detention, enabling a planned mixed‑use development including approximately 250 new homes, commercial/retail, and trail connections to Wade Mountain greenways. Councilmember Keith noted that District 1 saw over 700 new residential lots through planning commission in 2022, the most of any district.
• Council Improvement Funds (New Business – held for discussion) – Two ordinances allocated $75,000 each from the new council improvement fund: 20H (District 4, Councilmember Kling) – $5,000 for the Angel of Hope memorial at Cleveland Avenue park, $25,000 for animal control to reduce euthanizations, and $45,000 for road/sidewalk repairs in District 4. 20I (District 1, Councilmember Keith) – $3,500 for Huntsville Revisited Museum promotion and preservation of history/art, with museum founder William Hampton speaking about his work.
• Memorial Parkway / Mastin Lake Overpass Agreements (20L‑N) – Three authorizing resolutions with ALDOT for traffic signals, roadway lighting, and maintenance on the Mastin Lake Road to Winchester Road project (ALDOT Project NH‑0001(610)). Director Davis noted the $50 million project will let in February, with main construction starting around May 2023 after utility relocations are complete. Councilmember Keith raised concerns about signage for small businesses during construction; Davis confirmed the city’s traffic engineering department can install and maintain wayfinding signs. Davis also urged residents to contact the city engineering department for complaints rather than ALDOT.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda approved as submitted.
• Minutes of December 15, 2022, approved.
• Proclamation presented declaring January 2023 as Mentoring Month; Big Brothers/Big Sisters of North Alabama recognized.
• Byron Thomas, HR Director, received 25‑year service pin.
• Public hearings set for February 23, 2023:
  • Zoning of 2.56 acres on Oakwood Rd. / Research Park Blvd. to Residence 2‑A District (Resolution 23‑01, Ordinance 23‑02) – unanimous 4‑0.
  • Vacation of right‑of‑way along Davis Circle (Resolutions 23‑03/23‑04, Ordinance 23‑05) – unanimous 4‑0.
• Finance Committee Report – Resolution 23‑06 authorizing expenditures of $48,462,382.60 – unanimous 4‑0.
• Board reappointments approved:
  • Katie Beasley to Land Trust of North Alabama (two‑year term ending Dec. 31, 2024) – unanimous.
  • Abby Owens to Advisory Commission on Accessibility, Seat 8 (three‑year term ending Jan. 10, 2026) – unanimous.
  • Traci Harris to Madison County DHR Board, Place 7 (completing term ending Aug. 1, 2027) – unanimous.
• Board nominations referred to January 26 meeting:
  • Doug Martinson to Huntsville Public Library Board (four‑year term ending Feb. 10, 2027).
  • Collin Keller to Animal Services Advisory Committee, Place 1 (three‑year term ending Sept. 9, 2025).
• Sewer easement vacation at 222 Washington Street (Lewter Hardware) – Ordinance 23‑10 approved unanimously.
• Unfinished business – Surplus property sale to Stanley Developers, LLC (Ordinance 22‑1030) approved unanimously.
• New business – Consent items (20A‑G, 20J‑K, 20M‑AD): All approved in one unanimous vote, covering travel expenses, donations, procurement, light duty vehicle contracts, budget amendments, carry‑forward appropriations, Huntsville City FC practice facility lease, SJ&L General Contractor contract for Ditto Landing access road, ALDOT lighting and maintenance agreements, Schoel Engineering contracts (Lowe Avenue streetscape and Fagan Creek LOMR), Rogers Group modification, REV Construction sewer contract, Sain Engineering for new city hall commissioning, HUD homeless assistance grant, firefighter cancer/LTD benefit, personnel strength ordinance, Checkr background checks, Marsh & McLennan parking lot insurance, AEMA EMPG grant, DEA task force agreement, letter of credit invocation, boathouse purchase, and special employee agreements for George Daigle and Kimberly Gosa.
• Council improvement funds approved:
  • District 4 (Ordinance 23‑18) – $75,000 – unanimous.
  • District 1 (Ordinance 23‑19) – $3,500 – unanimous.
• Memorial Parkway traffic signal agreement (Resolution 23‑22) approved unanimously.
• New business introduced for January 26 vote:
  • Annexation of 4.50 acres east of US Hwy 431 S and west of Wade Rd. (Ordinance 23‑41).
  • Surplus equipment auction (Ordinance 23‑42).
• Meeting adjourned at approximately 7:10 PM.