Huntsville City Council Regular Meeting - August 24, 2023

The Huntsville City Council met on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 5:30 PM in the City Council Chambers. All five council members were present (Meredith, Robinson, Kling, Keith, Little); Mayor Tommy Battle was absent. The meeting featured presentations from Arts Huntsville, the Historic Huntsville Foundation, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, and Huntsville Utilities on a proposed water rate increase, followed by extensive council debate. The water rate ordinance was postponed to September 14. All other agenda items were approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda and minutes of August 10, 2023, approved unanimously.
• Resolution honoring Space4Youth competition winners (UN Office for Outer Space Affairs).
• Resolution recognizing General Federation of Women’s Clubs’ food collection efforts (Resolution 23-660).
• All New Business items for consideration (20a through 20aa) were approved in one block, except item 20m which was voted separately. These included: travel expenses, donations, contracts for Project Roots surveying, land lease with Murphy, UAH facility use for Jazz in the Park, media relations with Meltwater, CivicPlus service requests, Regroup mass notification, Comcast network services, FLOCK Group contracts (two), special employee agreements, salary adjustments, and more.
• Finance Committee report: expenditures of $30,745,484.87 approved.
• Board appointments: Bobby Massey to Madison County DHR Board (Place 3), Donald Taylor reappointed to MidCity Improvement District, Heather Bender nominated to Animal Services Advisory Committee (referred to September 14).
• Legal department items: multiple easement and right-of-way vacations approved unanimously.
• Unfinished business: annexation of 9.83 acres (Shottenkirk) and 695.35 acres (Sanderson Farms) both approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Angela Sommerset (agenda-related): Criticized Huntsville Utilities for lack of transparency and urged a citizen advisory committee. Noted pandemic relief funds and questioned expense management.
• Robert McCoy (agenda-related): Opposed the 35% water rate increase as overly aggressive, asked for internal cost-cutting and alignment with CPI. Requested council not approve until utility demonstrates efficiency.
• Jerry Cox (agenda-related on rezoning): Questioned details of the Nazarene Meridian rezoning (61.05 acres to Residence-1B) and asked about developer responsibility for water/sewer.
• Martha Hereford (second roster): Asked for restoration of the Twickenham monument honoring Dr. Council and Dr. Hereford, noting estimated cost $3,500-$5,000. Also raised pedestrian safety concerns on University Drive and Jordan Lane.
• Chad Chavez (second roster): Criticized lack of transparency in HPD crime reporting, noting clearance rates and traffic enforcement stats removed from 2023 annual report. Asserted HPD has not reported to FBI since 2020, leading to inaccurate city rankings.
• Andre Wilson (second roster after adjournment, permitted to speak briefly): Presented ideas for student safety equipment (wristband, tablet, study goggles) to Huntsville City Schools.

Discussion Items

• Presentations:
  • Arts Huntsville (Allison Dillion-Jauken): Reported $280,000 in grants to 21 organizations serving over 200,000 people. Proposed pilot "Arts Idea Grants" focusing on inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility. Highlighted public art projects at new City Hall and the Moon complex (target fall 2025). Council discussed Panoply ticket revenue and potential to make it a free event.
  • Historic Huntsville Foundation (Donna Castellano): Presented "Brick by Brick" exhibition on Henderson and Daniel Brandon, free and visited by 16,000 people from 38 states and 8 countries. Requested continued funding for 2024 to tell story of Shelby Johnson.
  • U.S. Space and Rocket Center (Kimberly Robinson): Detailed recovery from COVID losses ($50M revenue, staff from 1,200 to 91). Now at 100% camp capacity (30,000 attendees summer 2023). New exhibits, simulators, and Space Camp Operations Center opened. Requests continued city support; outlined need for loop road to improve campus safety.
  • Huntsville Utilities (Wes Kelly and Kevin Mullins, Garver Engineering): Presented 20-year water master plan projecting average daily demand to rise from 44.4 MGD to 78.5 MGD, requiring $218.9 million in capital improvements (plant expansion, 45 miles of pipe, new pump stations and tanks). Proposed water rate increase of 35% (average residential bill +$6.34/month) to ensure stability for five years.
• Council Debate on Water Rates:
  • Councilmember Keith advocated for front-loading the increase to provide predictability for customers and avoid repeated rate hikes. Suggested a rate structure with lower rates for first 3,000 gallons to benefit low-usage customers (e.g., fixed-income seniors) and higher rates above 3,000 gallons.
  • Councilmember Kling expressed concern about the availability fee, which disproportionately affects low-income households who pay the same fee as larger homes. Suggested shifting more cost to consumption to encourage conservation.
  • Councilmember Robinson asked clarifying questions about growth costs, Limestone County water, and the balance of availability vs. consumption. Noted that without addressing deferred increases, future hikes would be larger.
  • Councilmember Little inquired about timing of infrastructure projects (e.g., Greenbrier tank) and support for low-income customers via Project Share.
  • Council President Meredith summarized that the item would be postponed to allow further public input and requested models incorporating different rate structures (lower first-tier consumption, availability fee adjustments).

Key Outcomes

• Water Rate Ordinance (Item 17a): Postponed to September 14, 2023, Regular Council Meeting. Council requested additional rate models from Huntsville Utilities, including options with reduced availability fee and tiered consumption rates.
• CNI Implementation Grant (Item 20m): Resolution approved authorizing agreement with Urban Design Associates for grant application support. Councilmember Keith requested a 2x2x1 briefing with council before public presentation.
• Introduction of Ordinances:
  • Hands-free driving ordinance (Ordinance 23-694) introduced, set for public hearing September 14.
  • Surplus property declaration (Ordinance 23-695) introduced.
  • Weed and overgrown grass ordinance amendments (Ordinance 23-696) introduced.
• All other agenda items passed unanimously, including annexations, board appointments, easement vacations, and consent agenda.