Huntsville City Council Regular Meeting - February 23, 2023
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Huntsville City Council Regular Meeting - February 23, 2023
The Huntsville City Council held its regular meeting on February 23, 2023, at 5:30 PM in City Council Chambers. All five council members were present: President John Meredith, Jennie Robinson, Bill Kling, Devyn Keith, and David Little. Mayor Tommy Battle and City Administrator John Hamilton also attended. The meeting included presentations, public hearings, personnel decisions, and approval of over $25.9 million in expenditures.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the agenda (with item 21e taken out of order by unanimous consent).
- Approved the minutes of the February 9, 2023 regular meeting.
- Approved a resolution recognizing the Academy of Science and Foreign Language Future City Competition team (Resolution 23-112).
- Approved numerous routine legal items, including vacation of easements and rights-of-way.
- Approved the consent agenda for Items 20a-w (travel, donations, procurement, contract modifications, etc.).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Frances Akridge (2002 Rogers Drive) spoke during agenda-related public comments. She requested that Operation Green Team make regular cleanups on Abington Road, commented on the EarlyWorks master plan, and suggested consulting John Kelton for museum design. She also criticized council travel to Washington, D.C., stating that Councilmembers Kling and Keith should voluntarily withdraw their requests.
Discussion Items
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Warrants Ordinance (21e): Introduced early by unanimous consent. Finance Director Penny Smith presented a $205 million tax-exempt general obligation warrants package. The city achieved a AAA rating from S&P and Moody's. The four series received competitive bids with true interest costs ranging from 3.66% to 4.17%. Councilmember Keith asked about issuing more, but bond counsel explained tax limitations. Councilmember Robinson confirmed no tax increase is involved. The ordinance was approved unanimously.
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Personnel Hearing – Queron Wherry (Parks & Recreation): Council considered a 10-day suspension for misconduct (13.5B). Councilmember Keith moved to reduce to a 3-day suspension with a written apology; motion died for lack of second. Councilmember Robinson moved to uphold the department head's decision, which passed 4-1 (Keith dissenting). Keith argued the punishment was disproportionate compared to past cases.
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Opioid Settlement Resolution (23-113): Authorized the city to join settlement agreements with Walmart, Teva, Allergan, CVS, Walgreens, and future opioid settlements. Approved unanimously.
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Public Hearings:
- Zoning of 2.56 acres north of Oakwood Rd. to Residence 2-A District – approved.
- Vacation of right-of-way along Davis Circle – public hearing held; later approved via resolutions G and H.
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Presentation – EarlyWorks/Alabama Constitution Hall Park: Bart Williams reported attendance of 67,000 in 2022 (up 40% from 2019). The museum receives $700,000 annual city appropriation (30% of budget). Councilmembers discussed rental revenue, master planning, and impact measurement. Councilmember Robinson pressed for outcome metrics.
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Presentation – Boys & Girls Club of North Alabama: Director Patrick Wynn reported serving 3,100 kids in 2022, 85 graduating seniors (all with a plan), 8 STEM labs, and a driver's ed academy that helped 85 obtain licenses. The club purchased a 58,000 sq ft facility on Pulaski Pike in North Huntsville. City appropriation is $110,000.
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Travel Resolutions:
- Councilmember Kling's trip to Washington, D.C. (March 25-28) approved 5-0; cost $2,100, within his $4,000 travel budget.
- Councilmember Keith's trip (March 25-29) died for lack of second; Keith had exceeded his travel budget.
- Councilmember Little's trip (March 25-28) approved 5-0; remaining balance after trip $1,900.
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Finance Committee Report: Penny Smith presented the first quarter FY23 financial report. Sales and use tax grew 6.2% over prior year, but returning to normal growth patterns. The city remains under budget on expenditures. Health care funds are performing as forecast. The retiree health care trust market value is $14.7 million.
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Board Appointment: Celia Wettstein appointed to the Beautification Board (unanimous).
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Councilmember Comments: Councilmember Kling reported on town hall and neighborhood issues. Councilmember Keith welcomed AKA conference attendees and defended his travel. Councilmember Little announced town hall and school reading events. Councilmember Robinson discussed a controversial apartment development on Garth Road and her district cleanup day on March 11. President Meredith announced a change in Finance Committee chair, replacing Councilmember Keith with Councilmember Robinson.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: $205 million general obligation warrants (unanimous).
- Approved: Resolution to join opioid settlements (unanimous).
- Upheld: 10-day suspension for Queron Wherry (4-1).
- Approved: Travel for Councilmembers Kling and Little.
- Failed: Travel for Councilmember Keith (no second).
- Approved: Zoning change for 2.56 acres on Oakwood Rd.
- Approved: Vacation of right-of-way along Davis Circle.
- Approved: Expenditures of $25,904,432.71.
- Introduced: Several ordinances for future action, including surplus property, salary plan amendment, budget amendment, annexation of 3.44 acres, and code amendment.
- Appointed: Celia Wettstein to Beautification Board.
- Announced: Shaundrika Edwards as Interim City Clerk.
Meeting Transcript
As class valedictorian and outstanding all-around cadet. His career and life are prematurely ended when he died of a muscular disease called called ALS, also known as Lou Garrick's disease. In honoring his memory and his accomplishments, our police department renamed the academic award and presents it to the graduating cadet who has the highest academic score. This academic score is calculated by averaging the major reinforcement exams, along with multiple miscellaneous tests that are given throughout the academy. With an academic score of 97.72, the sixty-seventh session Gary E. Saber Award is presented to your cadet butts. Christopher Butts. Thanks to all of you who are with us today, and also all those watching online. Please note for the record that all council members are in attendance, and we are convening this session of the Huntsville City Council, and the meeting will be called to order. We will begin our meeting tonight with an invocation led by Dr. Sonny Hatcher with Movement Church that will be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilmember Robinson. And tonight we have a very special treat for you as Ms. Renetta America will honor us by singing the national anthem. Please stand for the invocation, pledge, and anthem. Let us bow aheads. Most holy one. As we have gathered here on such a beautiful evening, we are thankful that we had the opportunity to experience such a beautiful day on today. On behalf of the leaders in this room who hold offices of trust, we humbly pray for and over them to use wisdom and guidance in making wise and unified decisions on behalf of the city, this entire city. May this meeting have an atmosphere of openness and oneness in the spirit of unity, understanding that we are all different, coming from different backgrounds with different mindsets. So today, help us to understand and believe in our hearts that differences do not have to cause separation. Help us to be open and respectful in differences, agreeing to disagree if needed, so that the end of the night we can walk away, go in our separate ways, being unified. This is our sincere prayer given in your holy name. Amen. Amen. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God and indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the peril. Gave proof through the night that our flag was you. Thank you, Dr. Hatcher, Councilmember Robinson, and Ms. Merrica. Thank you all. Council members, you have the agenda before you for this regular meeting of the city council on February 23rd, 2023. The administration has requested the council consider item 21e at this meeting, which will require unanimous consent of the council. Because of the time-sensitive nature of the item, it will be taken out of order. Are there any other changes or additions to be made to the agenda? Is there a motion to approve the agenda? To approve. Motion by Mr. Little. Chair will second the motion. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. Hearing none, the agenda will stand approved and accepted as presented. Members, you have a copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the Huntsville City Council held on February 9th, 2023 before you. Are there any changes or additions to be made to the minutes that you have received? Hearing none, those minutes will stand approved. The next item on the agenda is the one that has been requested to be considered at this meeting, and that it will require unanimous consent of the council. And that is item 21E is the introduction of an ordinance authorizing the city's general warrant.
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