The Huntsville City Council held its regular meeting on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 5:30 PM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting included public hearings, recognition of Alabama A&M University’s women’s tennis team as HBCU national champions, approval of a 5.1% electric rate increase (phased), a contentious sanitation rate increase ordinance, and updates on the Derrick Street homeless camp fire cleanup. Councilmember Devyn Keith attended his last meeting after eight years of service.
Good evening, everyone. Happy uh Thursday. It's 5 30. It's October 24th, 2024. And we're meeting in the city council chambers of Huntsville, Alabama, and all council members are present. Welcome everyone who's here with us tonight and also those who are watching online and on television. And this season this uh city council meeting will now be called to order. And we will begin with an invitation offered by Huntsville, Alabama Public Safety Chaplains, uh, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, which will be led by Councilmember Dr. Jenny Robinson. So please stand as you are able. Let's pray. Father God, as we are here this evening, we first want to recognize your blessings. We are blessed in the country live uh with freedoms that people in the the other parts of the world could only dream of. We are blessed in this state that we are, and we're particularly recognizing we're blessed as a city. Uh we have so many opportunities, so much that's given to us, so much that has come to this city, and we know too much is given. Uh, there is much responsibility. So I pray uh for the city council as they make decisions as they steward them and the mayor, the direction of our city, they'd be wise. Uh you'd give them direction and know it exactly the right steps to take. And we ask that you bless us, that you expand our territory, that we again can be a blessing to others, not just in this city, but in this world. Father, we pray for protection in the time in which we live. Uh, we pray protection for our uh police officers who serve us every day and are so silent and not seen unless something goes wrong. But we pray for them protection. We we pray for a family uh just recently, the Manning family that um uh lost someone in a shooting, and we can sometimes take uh for granted the the the freedoms and the safety we have, and we won't do that. We pray for your comfort. Uh, we pray for your care for that family, bring around them people that they would know would care for them, it would lift them up in this time. So, Father, as this meeting continues, you be in it, you be among it, you direct it. We pray for your blessing in Christ's name. Amen. Dr. Robinson. Please face the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the republic for which it stands. Thank you, Chaplain Lacy, and thank you, Dr. Robinson. Council members, you have the agenda before you for this regular meeting of the city council on October 24th, 2024. And please note as uh legal department has explained to us that item 21A will require unanimous consent. It is outlined on the agenda, and it was explained in greater detail in the proposed ordinance. This is a corrective ordinance seeking to rectify a mistake made on paperwork attached to another ordinance and uh it just the last meeting of the council on October 10th. Um does anyone else have any deletions or additions to be made to the agenda? Hearing none, I'm gonna move to approve the agenda. All right, second motion to accept by Dr. Robinson, second by Mr. Meredith. All in favor say aye. Any opposed say nay. The agenda is approved. And council members, you have a copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the Huntsville City Council held on October 10th, 2024. Are there any additions or changes to be made to the minutes you've received? Hearing none, those will be approved.