Good evening, everyone.

It is November 6th, and we are gathered here in the uh chambers of the Huntsville City Council.

It is 5 30 PM.

We welcome everyone who is joining us here in the chambers this evening and also joining via one of our many streaming platforms.

We also would draw your attention to that screen in the very back there.

We are going to be closed captioning these meetings here for the first time.

So you know, our technology is we're going to cross our fingers and hope it works.

But that is one more service we are going to provide for those who want to participate in in council meetings.

He is the awaiting the birth of his first grandbaby, and so uh we wish his family uh luck, but we also should note for the the record that all four council members are here and a quorum is established.

Please also note that we are meeting on the first Thursday in November, uh, as opposed to usually we meet second and fourth.

But in November and December, we meet on the first and third Thursdays.

So please note that for your calendars, our next meeting is going to be on November twentieth.

So we'll now begin our meeting with an invitation offered for us tonight by chaplain Jeff Warren, and then the invitation will be offered by Councilmember Michelle Watkins.

If you are able and would like to, please stand and join us for the invocation and pledge of allegiance.

Chaplain Warren.

Good evening, everyone.

Let's pray.

We we thank you for our nation.

We thank you for for the state of Alabama that we live in.

And of course, we thank you for our wonderful city of Huntsville.

And Father, I also especially want to thank you tonight for Battle and the members of our council who have dedicated their life to public service.

I pray your blessings over them, wisdom and discernment over them, good health over them, favor over them, and for their families, Father, and protection for their families while they're here and while they're serving.

Father, we pray tonight will be a night of hearing different sides and hearing different opinions, and that in all that, Father, that good decisions will be made, decisions that are made for the betterment of our city, for the betterment of the citizens of this of this great city.

And Father, we thank you for the growth and the prosperity that Huntsville has seen.

And Father, as as as growing occurs, we know that sometimes there's growing pains.

So Father, I pray that you give the council a mere battle wisdom and discernment to foresee things, Father, in our growth that that needs to be done, and that we have to be aware of and that we have to watch for.

So Father, we give you tonight, we pray that you would be among us.

We pray that your will will be accomplished and all that's said and done in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God.

Indivisible with liberty and justice for all the thank you Chaplain Warren.

Thank you, Ms.

Watkins.

Council members, we will move on now to approval of the agenda.

There have been a lot of moving parts on this agenda this week so we should make note of the following changes.

There have uh we have deletion of items 20 P, 20 Q, and 20 R due to no longer needing to invoke.

We are also at the request of sponsors going to postpone items item 10 D to the November 20th Council meeting and postponing items 6B and 6C to the December 4th Council meetings.

Also Councilmembers please note that items 21A, 21B, and 21 C have been offered for introduction and the administration has asked for consideration of those items at this meeting that will require the unanimous consent of all council members when we get to that point we will take care of that.

Are there any other changes anyone wishes to make to the agenda seeing none the agenda is approved as presented with those changes.

We also, Councilmembers you also have the minutes of the regular meeting of the City Council held on October 23, 2025.

Are there any changes or additions to be made to those meetings?

I don't necessarily have changes or additions but I am somewhat concerned of what might appear to be a double standard.

Okay.

With me specifically two times my errors we'll call them were not overlooked.

I nominated Wiley Day warning Wiley Day Jr.

My nomination kind of got thrown out because supposedly you couldn't tell Wiley Day Jr.

from Wiley Date Sr.

even though Junior was on that committee.

And then after that I was told everything was literal so then I mentioned I think his first name Floyd but Buddy Little and then that wasn't there.

So it's it's and then the mayor last meeting and this is in the minutes that's why I'm bringing it up made an appointment and the uh the terms were wrong.

That was swept out and made okay so I mean just make a note of it.

I'm not trying to put up a fuss but I'm just pointing some stuff that's actually a conversation I had today with some folks.

So we're aware of that and and we need to have some clarity and agreement on how we're going to what we're going to reflect in the minutes and and how this might work.

So thank you.

Thank you for bringing that up on the record appreciate that.

Are there any other changes?

Then the minutes will be uh accepted as presented we now will move on to item five the mayor has special uh special recognition 5A is a proclamation honoring the recognition of the Church Street family and Salt Smokehouse in the inaugural Michelin guide to the American South.

Mayor Battle Thank you Madam President and Council.

If you look out here I think we have a number of um the SALT team and the purveyor team who are here and we would love for y'all to come on up please I know it's beautiful.

I want to know who's running the restaurants did y'all bring dinner salt on this side purveyor on this side how about that's very rare.

Good and uh we have Chef Renee here Chef Renee and we have the males here who are the uh owners here and we want to say uh congratulations to both of you uh many of you uh might have read what the Michelin uh guide came out we had two uh two mentions in the Michelin guides two recommendations in the Michelin guide and those two um recommendations were purveyor in the salt smokehouse and when that happens it really helps um it picks up the whole restaurant scene in the whole city uh I was in Birmingham as an early restaurant tour in uh Frank Stitt's place hit the Michel Michigan guide and when it did uh uh when it Michelin guide when it did hit the Michelin guide all of a sudden you saw a flourishing of of great restaurants and uh and those restaurants make other great restaurants come in and and work and we want to say thank you so much thank you for what y'all have done congratulations to you and uh and the the final portion of it says now therefore I Tommy Battle mayor of the City of Huntsville do hereby proclaim purveyor and salt smokehouse day in the City of Huntsville on November 7, 2025.

Congratulations to you.

And uh and the the final portion of it says, now therefore I, Tommy Battle, mayor of the City of Huntsville, do hereby proclaim purveyor and salt smokehouse day in the City of Huntsville on November 7th, 2025.

Congratulations, y'all have your own day.

Very good.

Great hammer.

Thank y'all so much.

Congratulations.

Congratulations, everybody.

You represent the City of Huntsville well.

Great hamburger.

Thank you.

I see.

Thank you.

Have you been to SALT yet?

I've been both awesome.

They deserve stuff.

Thank you all for joining us.

Now go get back to work and serve good food.

While items 6B and 6C have been postponed to the December 4th meeting, we will proceed with 6A.

6A is a presentation honoring Councilmember Meredith in appreciation of his service as Council President for two years.

So I want to make it official because Councilmember's meredist service does deserve that recognition.

Most of you know Council Member Meredith served as president of council for the last two years.

And uh you may not know that the council president is also the department chair, which means it's not just sitting up here, it's working through the agenda, it's working with the staff, it's working through other uh resolving other issues that go on.

So um, John, we just want to recognize and thank you for your dedicated service and your leadership these past two years.

Thank you for your service.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for indulging us while we did that.

Again, item 6B and 6C are postponed until the December 4th meeting.

Uh we have no announcements and presentations or matters with outside legal represent representation.

So that brings us to public hearings to be held.

9A is a public hearing authorizing community development to assess the cost of cutting overgrown grass and or weeds against certain properties and consideration of a resolution pertaining to the same.

We will open that hearing.

Mr.

Irwin.

Yes, thank you very badly.

Council members.

Scott Irwin Community Development Department.

This resolution authorizes the assessment for 46 properties that were found in violation of the grass and wheat ordinance and had to be abated to bring into compliance.

The total amount of the resolution covers 12,277 and 29 cents.

The average per property assessment is 279.03 cents.

34 of the property owners are ownership within the city limits of Huntsville.

Seven of the property owners are outside the city of Huntsville, and five are out of the state.

All procedural requirements per chapter chapter 27 of Article 3 of the Code of Ordinances of Huntsville have been met.

And tonight was the time and place which property owners were notified that they could the council would hear any objections to the assessments being placed.

Is there anyone here who wishes to comment on this item?

Anyone wishing to comment?

Please come forward.

Just come to come to this, come to this microphone over here.

And if you would step the microphone and give us your name and address for the record.

Is one of these uh properties 2107 South Line Drive?

Give us your name, name and address.

It's James B.

Pugh, P U G H.

Got it.

And your address?

Is 2107 South Line Drive?

Yes, sir.

The time is yours.

Is Scott Irwin here?

Yes, this is Mr.

Irwin.

All right.

Earlier today, somebody from your department came by and spoke with my brother there.

My wife and I live down in Morgan County.

My parents moved to this house in the late 80s.

They loved Huntsville.

They really did.

Both have passed.

Madam President, this item is actually the next agenda item.

Oh, it is okay.

Oh, yeah, it's your you're right.

There's the address.

Yes.

So Mr.

Pugh, if you would not mind waiting just until the letn the next we do with the next item.

This is grasslands.

Is there anyone who wishes to comment?

Seeing none, the public hearing is closed.

Is there a motion to approve the resolution?

So moved.

Motion from Mr.

Kling.

Second.

Second from Mr.

Meredith.

Thank you.

Any discussions, questions from Mr.

Irwin?

All in favor indicate?

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Now that brings us to 9B.

9B is a public hearing in order to here consider and act upon all objections or protests if any for removal of a public nuisance at 2107 South Line Drive Northwest.

Huntsville, Alabama, in consideration of a resolution ordering abatement of a nuisance located at the same property.

The public hearing is now open.

Mr.

Irwin.

Yes, Madam President, Councilmembers, Scott Irwin Community Development Department.

This is a resolution authorizing a junk public nuisance at 2107 South Line Drive.

This is the public hearing which the public may be heard.

The photos before you or the conditions that exist, we were on the property today, and many of those conditions still do exist.

So we're seeking your authorization to abate this public nuisance.

Thank you very much.

Now is there anyone who would wish to uh comment?

Mr.

Pugh, you can come back to the microphone.

We have your name.

Um and again give us your address.

Okay.

You're in Morgan County.

So again, my parents moved here.

They lived here until they passed my dad passed first about seven, eight years ago.

Uh my mother uh passed about two years ago.

Um my brother lives there.

He's been diagnosed with OCD.

He has schizophrenic tendencies and obviously a little bit of hoarding issues going on.

So I got the first notice that came from the city, and this was back in August, and I chewed him out on the phone.

And uh then I got the second notice.

And I decided to go chew his butt in person.

Uh the the garbage is gone.

They took one load, uh he hauled it out to the uh uh hauled it out to the street in front of the house.

Um they took it yesterday, so I have pictures of it being cleaned up and that type of thing.

The car, our neighbor is uh Mr.

Steve Mole here.

No.

So do you know Steve Mole?

I do not.

Who made this complaint?

This is your opportunity to make comments, but no documents.

Okay, well, you can't have dialogue.

My comment is I know who this came from.

And then and one person, actually two people, do not the public make.

That's my comment.

It's a great picture of the car from the uh street.

You can barely tell it's there.

You can't tell it's inoperable from the street.

The uh all the pictures here were taken from Steve Mole's driveway, so you probably should know them.

Or if he didn't make this complaint, I'd need to tell Steve that somebody was trespassing on his property to take these pictures.

Uh the second you know the second notification came on came in with all these pictures you're showing.

And the garbage has been cleaned up.

I agree a hundred percent with that.

That's disgusting and and attracts rats and everything else.

I like the picture of my dad's wheelbarrow.

He used to bust up rocks and use that wheelbarrow to go everywhere.

I set it upright.

I think I'll use it as a planner, so plan on it staying there.

Um has anybody been out to the Cadillac Ranch in uh North Texas, Amarillo?

Is anybody?

Again, this is not a conversation.

Okay.

My dad comments.

My dad loved uh you know Camries.

I'm thinking of buying 15 more cameras and planting them at a 45 degree angle and calling it the Camry Ranch.

Sir, if you could if you could just limit the issue.

I have all kind of pictures here of the uh of the area.

Who who represents, by the way?

I don't know.

Who's my who's the city councilman that represents the Mount Sharon area?

Thank you.

You you understand Mount Sharon.

There's all kind of rocks.

People have nothing but rocks in their in their front yard.

They have Sir, what are your concerns regarding this?

My concerns is I'm getting a whole lot of love from the uh the development agency of the City of Huntsville.

All right.

I went around and took pictures today of all kind of things.

Sir, please limit everything else.

Can you limit your comments to this specific agreement at this point?

I found all kinds of pictures of limbs that are down and everything else, but nobody else has uh signs posted in their front lawn.

I chewed on my brother, and I got him to clean up the situation.

Now I'm chewing on y'all.

This is this is outrageous.

Okay.

A wheelbarrow?

Really?

Sticks.

I got lots of sticks.

One of those is a log that was placed there by Steve.

Uh excuse me.

Yes, by Steve Mole.

Okay.

I didn't put it there.

He put it there because my dad had to put in a new driveway because we were using part of his property, it was bought that way, to pull into the garage.

My dad had to put in another driveway beside Steve's, you know, and he put that log there to make sure we didn't go get over on his property.

It's not mine.

I don't mind him putting the log there.

I don't have a problem with that.

I think the councilwoman can attest pretty much there on Mount Sharon.

People keep to themselves and live in good harmony.

You don't develop uh communities by blowing up the community.

That's what this is.

This is a issue between neighbors that the city has taken aside on.

You can't see and you couldn't see any of that garbage.

It was disgusting.

But you couldn't see any of that garbage from the public road.

So in order to be a public nuisance, you might want to be able to see it from the public road.

Okay?

And community developments doesn't need to pick out one guy because he's got a complaint from his neighbor.

One guy does not the public make.

Thank you, sir.

I think I think we get your point.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you for being here.

I don't want to share your thoughts.

This is bringing bringing the city into liability because of a dispute between neighbors when the city takes a side in that, it's never good.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

And litigation is also never good.

No one wins.

Thank you, sir.

Is there anyone else who wishes to comment?

Seeing none of the public hearing is closed.

Is there a motion to approve the resolution?

Motion to approve.

Second.

Second from a motion by Mr.

Meredith, second by Mr.

Kling.

Is there any discussion?

Yes.

Yes, sir.

If I could ask Mr.

Irwin, okay, we've heard we saw the picture about the garbage.

What outstanding issues are still out there on the property?

I think there's an issue with the car and car issues, their uniform, whether it's uh regardless of what part of the city is in.

So I understand about cars.

But are there any other issues out there that that y'all had identified?

Uh yes, Mr.

Kling, there were the majority of the trash that had been attracted nuisance for the vermin and other issues was removed, however, the car and there are some other isolated items on the property that still need to be removed.

We evaluated the property this afternoon among staff and had discussion had been cleared up enough that we would actually uh not go forward with this and we determined that the conditions still existed, that some work needed to be done, so we would come continue to go forward with our process as we set this two weeks ago as a public hearing, uh but also the issue was first uh noticed on July 23rd of this year.

But also the issue was first notice on July 23rd of this year.

Any other questions or comments?

I would ask one question, and that is these were inspectors who are trained to evaluate properties.

This was not about a complaint from a neighbor.

This were you had you went through the process, if you could just explain that briefly.

Yes.

So there are many avenues which we have that would make us be allowed to go out and inspect a property.

One is the C click fix, Huntsville Connect app, which notifies us if there are potential issues that are in violation of city ordinance.

We also, when we go into neighborhoods, if we will have a call in a neighborhood, we will cite anything we find in that neighborhood, being proactive.

So there are many avenues for us to identify, and we obviously seek voluntary compliance first.

There is a notice that went out in for a 30-day compliance for junk, affair to bring the property into compliance at that time, necessitate us to move forward with a public nuisance action seeking your authorization.

Any other comments, Mr.

Meredith?

Yes.

If I heard you correctly, you had mentioned that the corrective action that had been taken to this point.

Kind of if if today was day one, you wouldn't go down this road, correct?

Correct.

We give 30 days for a junk notice and ask for it to be corrected within that 30-day period.

Is it possible to withdraw this and start the clock and those few things that are left?

Give him an additional 30 days to correct.

If they don't get corrected, start the process up again.

You know, is the council's will on whether we do that?

How often, you know, you are still looking, if you are asking us to start another 30-day process, we would do that process, then we have to get on counsel again to set a public hearing for junk, and then we have to have the public hearing two weeks after that.

So you would be a minimum of probably 60 days going forward.

At the same time, if if if Blight and Junk continue to accumulate, you will have all the neighbors who have their property values negatively affected because of the actions of one property.

So if we don't do that, how much time does he have to remedy the few things that are left?

So again, we always work with for voluntary compliance, so we we haven't started anything, so it will be at least 30 days, likely.

And we spoke with the resident of the property today and made the understanding they understood what was needed to bring the property in compliance, and we believe they will do that.

However, we need to see that it is done before we can assume it will be done.

So if someone is living in an dwelling and doesn't own it, do we obviously we are holding the owner liable?

So the discussion with the brother is kind of a moot thing.

It's right.

No, I don't have the ownership record in front of me, but if it was an air situation, we would issue something to the heirs of or whoever is on the tax record for the tax records as far as any any party, any any interested party in the property.

Thank you.

I would suggest Mr.

Pugh spend the next 30 days checking off those few things that are left, and then all of this goes away regardless as to how we vote here.

Thank you, Madam President.

Yes, oh yes, Ms.

Markins.

So Mr.

Pugh still has time to remedy this and not face any fines, correct?

Correct.

Absolutely.

So Ms.

Pew, if you don't mind, would you send me an email and we'll talk?

Um Mr.

Irvin will work with you on that.

Okay.

Thank you.

All in favor of approving the resolution, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

And perhaps, Mr.

Irwin, perhaps you could have a conversation with Mr.

Pugh now.

That brings us then to item 9C.

9C is a public hearing for suspension of licensure for confidential tax-related case number 411 and consideration of a resolution pertaining to the same.

Mr.

Dungan.

Good evening, Council, and Mayor Battle.

Nova Duncan, Accountant 3, Finance Department.

Before you is a suspension of a business license related to the confidential case number 411, which you received on October 20th.

The public hearing is now open.

Is there anyone who wishes to comment on the related tax-related case number 41?

Seeing none of the public hearing is closed.

Is there a motion?

So moved for suspension.

Motion by Mr.

Kling, second by Mr.

Meredith.

Any discussion?

Questions from Ms.

Dungan?

All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Any opposed?

The motion carries.

Brings us to 9D.

9D is a public hearing for suspension of licensure for confidential tax-related case number 412 in consideration of a resolution pertaining to the same, Ms.

Dunga.

Council before you is another suspension of a business license.

This one related to confidential tax case number 412, which you received on October 20th.

Is there anyone here who wishes oh the public hearing is open?

Is there anyone here who wishes to comment on this case?

Seeing none, the public hearing is closed.

Is there a motion to approve?

So moved.

Second.

Motion from Mr.

Kling, second from Mr.

Meredith.

Any questions or discussion?

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, the motion carries.

Finally, 9E is a public hearing on authorizing the finance director to issue an airport shuttle license to Kimberley Alberson, doing business as NUGA Shuttles LLC for the operation of two airport shuttles and the consideration of a resolution pertaining to the same.

Good evening.

Keisha Bryant, Director of Parking and Public Transit.

We are here on the application for a business license of Kimberly Alverson.

DBA is NUGA Shuttles, and she would like to operate two airport shuttles that will service pilots to and from their destinations from the evening and then back to the airport the following day.

And that's their goal with this business.

And so they're due for their public hearing so that they can get their license issued.

The public hearing is now open.

Is there anyone who wishes to comment?

Please come to the microphone.

Give us your name and address for the record, please.

I'm Kim Alverson, and everything is listed.

Okay.

I'm from Harrison, Tennessee, and I own a company called Nougas Shuttles in Chattanooga.

We have gotten inquiries from several different airlines to operate a shuttle specifically for their aircrew.

It's only for employees of the airline.

It's only pre-arranged transportation and U.S.

DOT inspected vehicles.

They're all licensed through U.S.

DOT.

It's an extenuation of Interstate Commerce.

And we are not taking any openings through the public.

Our only operation is between the airport and right.

Well, right now it's the embassy, but it's whatever hotel they designate.

Thank you for providing that information.

Is there anyone else who wishes to comment?

Seeing none, the public hearing is closed.

Is there a motion to approve the resolution?

Motion to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Meredith, second from the chair.

Discussion or questions for Ms.

Bryant?

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

The motion carries.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Alverson.

That concludes our public hearings.

We have a couple of public hearings to set.

10 A is a resolution to declare a public nuisance located at 1609, Brookhollow Circle Northwest, Huntsville, Alabama, and to set the date for when objections will be heard.

Is there a motion to set the hearing?

So moved.

Motion from Mr.

Kling to set the hearing for November 20th regular council meeting.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second from Mr.

Meredith.

All in favor, please indicate.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

10B is a resolution to set a public hearing on the zoning of 9.93 acres of land lying on the east of Highway 431 South and south of Wade Road to Highway Business C4 District and the introduction of an ordinance pertaining to the same.

Is there a motion to set the hearing?

Motion to set the hearing for December 4th, 2025.

Second.

Second by Mr.

Kling.

All in favor, please indicate.

Aye.

Motion is uh the hearing is set.

19C is a resolution to set a public hearing on the rezoning of 53.770 acres of land lying on the west of North Memorial Parkway and north and south of Bob Wade Lane from residence one district to highway business C4 district and the introduction of an ordinance pertaining to the same.

Motion to set the hearing for December 4th and from Ms.

Watkins and a second from Mr.

Kling.

All in favor, please indicate.

Aye.

Any opposed?

The motion carries.

And finally, 10 D is a resolution to set a public.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I think it's just this one.

Yeah.

Is the resolution to set is that is that the right one?

They're postponing it, aren't they?

That was postponed.

Yes, ma'am.

You're right.

That is postponed to the December 4th meeting.

1120.

To the 25th meeting.

You are right.

It's to 1120.

So let me start that over again.

10 D has been postponed to the November 20th, 25 meeting.

Which then brings us to agenda-related comments.

This portion of the meeting is reserved for individuals wishing to address the council on matters relating to specific items on today's agenda.

Each speaker will state their name, home address, and city residence for the record.

Each speaker may address the council for three minutes.

Speakers shall use this time to offer opinions, concerns, and ideas regarding agenda items only.

Council members shall listen without engaging in dialogue.

Council members or representatives from City Administration may meet with residents at a later time to address concerns.

Speakers shall reflect refrain from making comments regarding the good name and character of any individual.

The first person signed up to speak regarding agenda items is Jamie Meyernick.

Your item is item uh 14 District 4.

I think it's 14 that was uh I understand there's uh some approval of council district four.

14D.

Yeah.

Okay.

So good evening, Mayor and Council.

Uh give us your name and address for the record.

Uh-huh.

Janie Murnock, 1010 Hume's Avenue in Huntsville.

Thank you, Jane.

And uh nice new digs, first time I've been here to this uh council chamber.

But I came today to represent the Huntsville Urban Bike Share Co-op, which is called Hubs.

And to thank you for approving Councilman Kling's I mean, it's it's part of what is happening tonight, the appropriation for District 4 discretionary funds to support the Hubs Co-op.

Established in 2020, we have grown each year in membership and donations.

Hubs Co-op is a membership cooperative and a 501c3 that takes donated bikes and refurbish refurbishes them, brings them back into the community.

Hubs provides affordable access to bicycles, bicycle tools, work stands, and bicycle repair training classes.

Hubs provides bicycles for kids for free.

And transportation and education programs for adults to address transportation insecurity, as well as advocating for safe cycling throughout Huntsville area.

Transportation insecurity is experienced by folks who don't own a car or that car is broke down more often than not.

They can't afford Uber either.

Children and families that don't have reliable transportation also are transportation insecure.

Using low-cost, low-impact bicycle transportation can be very convenient for short trips to school or work.

But safe streets and considerate drivers are also crucial to promoting safe cycling.

We apply efforts to protect uh to build protected biking lanes and slow traffic, especially around schools.

As a League of American cyclists, cycling instructor, it has been my dream to start a cycling education and skill training program in Huntsville area schools.

Hubs hopes to soon bring safe cycling skills to schools as a pilot to demonstrate the benefits of teaching kids safe cycling.

Bicycles use the same rules of the road as do all vehicles.

So safe cyclists will become safer drivers who are more considerate of bicycles, which is what is needed in this area.

Hubs is located.

A bicycle can solve that problem.

Hubs is located at 2450 Brum Avenue in Hopeworks.

And we're open Saturday afternoons to the public.

Also, I would like to mention there really isn't a bike rack anywhere around the City Council for me to come in.

So be careful when you leave, don't trip over my bike.

That's that's locked to the railing right out the front door there.

So I saw there was a bike rack in the in the parking garage, but that's a long way from the door you have to get to to sign in to come in, the door we enter for, for instance, this meeting.

Anyway, thank you so much.

Thank you, Ms.

Mirnick.

When we get to that item on the agenda, we will have more context for that.

The next person to sign up is Joe Winston, and the subject is Black History Museum, but there is nothing on the agenda regarding the Black History Museum.

So could we delay your comments until the agenda related or until the non-agenda comments at the end?

I will make sure that you're you're the first one I call.

And then the next person is Kim Alverson, but I believe she has already spoken.

So I think that concludes agenda-related comments, which then brings us to the mayor.

Mayor Battle, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam President and Council.

I would like to ask Zach McGovern to come forward today and tomorrow.

We have been as a community, and it is a big community has come together to try to make sure that we take care of needs of our of our fellow citizens as we have gone through this government shutdown.

There is a not as many people most people know there are many people who work for the federal government and in our community and this the shutdown has affected their uh their pay and their ability to pay their bills and other things and community came together uh today and they're coming together again tomorrow on that and Zach I'd love for you to kind of talk about that and uh tell tell the community what what everybody's doing.

Yes sir uh thank you mayor uh madam president and council um as the mayor already suggested that there is a pain point in our community due to the federal shutdown not only for the folks that work for Redstone Arsenal, government contractors, those on SNAP benefits.

So today in a brief moment I hope I can uh just update you on what uh external affairs government relations is doing um for communication in DC also what is going on in our community to support uh those in need.

Um so first the state of the shutdown um we were hopeful and optimistic that this week there would be a solution there is some optimism that that might still happen.

We are in constant communication uh with our lobbyists in DC, also with uh my counterparts in the DC offices as well.

So we're maintaining uh contact throughout the entirety of this shutdown uh just to stay informed and to be forward thinking during this process.

Also SNAP Benefits, I know that's been a a situation of concern for our residents, approximately 36,000 in Madison County rely on these benefits as most who are following the situation today saw that a federal judge ordered the the administration to release those benefits, those could uh be delayed as they already have been uh this week.

Um so what's being done um what I hope you get out of this is we have a very caring community.

Unfortunately this is not the first time that this community has experienced a shutdown of this length uh in 2019 before Zach was here um but also in 2020 during COVID and here we are again um and every time uh being at these mobile food pantries uh these federal resource fairs you hear the story of how the Huntsville has answered the call every single time not only uh the people of Huntsville, the city of Huntsville as well.

Um so what what my role in this all is to connect the dots to ensure the um agencies that we hold close to us and that we uh appropriate dollars to are working with others in the community to meet these needs um and um it has been very easy it's a very easy job because so many people are coming to the table to help out it would be really hard to sit here and and talk about every single uh organization nonprofit government entity um organization banking restaurant that have all led to helping hand during this but I do want to highlight uh just a few uh this afternoon uh the food bank of North Alabama has been holding um emergency mobile food pantries every single week they've done one one a week for the past two weeks and there's one scheduled for Veterans Day um last week they did over 300 uh provided meals to over 300 families uh this week uh last week was at Joe Davis this week it was at Milton Frank that was 500 families that were served um and I'm I'm assuming the the need for food will only increase as the situation plays out.

Manna House has also been uh stepping up and providing food assistance to those um uh talking to them their their shares are their shelves are becoming bare.

Obviously a lot of this food does come for the Food Bank of North Alabama.

So we're remaining in close contact with the food bank of North Alabama connecting them to where we see the most needs in our community and they have been very forthcoming with information and being transparent of of where what they're seeing as well.

So also going on currently uh was today and tomorrow is the resource fair for federal employees.

So if you are a f federal employee impacted uh by the shutdown or you know somebody that's in uh impacted by the shutdown uh tomorrow at First Baptist uh Huntsville First Baptist uh there will be a resource fair for you from 10 to 4 uh you can come meet find uh financial institutions you can come meet uh uh united way community action partnerships there we have some vendors that are looking for some part-time work um and um another thing I want to highlight with this event is the contribution from Food City um obviously Food City has been a huge partner uh in the community in such a little time they have been here uh but they have stepped up tremendously and provided uh three thousand uh grocery cards worth $50 each uh to support this event um uh I don't have to tell you all how important and how that what that means for our community um that it was an easy decision for Mr.

Smith the CEO uh to make and we are great for his contribution to our city and all those who have um helped us uh helped our community during this time.

Um we are also working with United Way, uh Happy Health and some other churches and uh nonprofits to really get into the communities uh to help uh bring food to those communities that might uh struggle with uh getting to one of these emergency food bank pantries or the resource fair.

Um so we are I hope to share more uh that uh in the coming weeks.

It's uh it's a lot of planning.

These things take a lot of planning, and sometimes we can't turn them around as fast as we want to, or which we would like.

Um lastly, uh the city's role in this, it's like I said, we're being the connector of the dots.

How can we get the resources of our community uh uh from a you know uh a high eagle's view to the the needs of the community?

Um also um there's several departments to think HPD, uh public uh transit, parking and transit, parts and rec uh all have provided in-kind services to every single one of these events uh throughout the next uh the last few weeks.

Um like I mentioned before, uh we have a resilient community.

We've done this before.

Um we're staying in close contact with all of our nonprofit agencies, closely held agencies, the federal government, um, um, and we're optimistic that the shutdown will come to an end.

And even if it does, we're there people in our community are still gonna find have some pain for months.

Uh it's going to take a while to rebound for them, uh, and we want to uh remain in constant communication with the needs of the community.

So thank you, Mr.

McGovern.

Um also if um if you notice this week there's a lot of elected officials in town, uh elected mayors and uh council members for first time uh Alabama League of Municipalities has had their two-day indoctrination, talking about how to make sure that um if if you're an elected government official that you uh properly govern and uh work within the framework of uh of the office that you've been elected to um is been there's been a uh about 250 to 300 of them who have been in in our city.

Um in addition to that, uh the Douglas County uh Georgia group has been in town uh benchmarking against the City of Huntsville uh to see you know what what some of the best practices are that they can take back to their community.

It's been a lively conversation with the those groups and um they they they brought some knowledge to us.

We brought some knowledge to them, and hopefully we both get better at out of that.

Um Veterans Day.

Uh tomorrow morning, the Hogan YMCA in Madison will host a veterans breakfast uh Monday afternoon, Monday evening at the Vine Braun Center, uh the uh Saturn Hall.

There will be a uh Veterans uh dinner for uh in in honor of Veterans Day on Tuesday.

Uh we will start off at the roundhouse.

Uh we'll be I'll be serving uh portions of a breakfast and uh others will be helping out uh serving those breakfast items uh and then at 1111 our parade starts and and for Veterans Day and to each of the people out there who are listening, uh those who are veterans or active in our military service.

Thank you for your service.

We appreciate it.

Um also uh thank you, Mr.

Meredith, for pointing out um that we needed to work on making corrections.

Um I would like to make sure that I announce tonight the appointment of Brenda Conville to the Huntsville Housing Authority seat previously held by Dick Fountain for a term to start January 1st, 2026 to August 15, 2030.

Uh the website will be reflective of that change following the appointment, so thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Battle.

We'll now move on to Councilmember comments.

Mr.

Councilmember Kling will let you go first.

Thank you, Madam President.

Well, a lot of my activity was spent in the uh in the heart of the district, uh doing what I can contribute to help in a little way to help clean up and make things a little bit better.

I uh spent last Saturday morning bright and early working with uh several hundred uh volunteers uh at the mayor's tree planting event that was held at Brand Springs Park.

Over 350 trees were planted.

And uh, even though these are relatively new trees that are just getting planted, they have uh root balls that are uh been massaged and loosened up.

I can already imagine what those trees are going to look like once they get established uh two, three, four or five years from now.

That's certainly gonna be a great shot in the arm for uh that area uh Brand Springs Park.

After that, or before that rather, the previous Saturday, I was getting my exercise, bending over, picking up garbage in the low-mill neighborhood, and uh working under Operation Green team, Brian Walker and his team uh did a great job organizing that.

A lot of good volunteers came out, a lot of great work was done to spruce up the uh low-mill neighborhood.

In a um something that I previously mentioned, I think is very important for neighborhoods.

Uh I previously I talked about the concerns I had about uh the uh Benford Court uh LR Patton uh apartment complex uh taking place off of uh Seminole Drive.

Um Housing Authority and the police department have done a great job in the aftermath, the two fatal shootings that took place, and I understand that uh one of the uh suspects has actually been apprehended and will be coming back to Huntsville in the near future.

But uh again, the uh place was cleaned up.

I walked unimpeded by myself, no police uh presence needed.

In fact, I went back another time and did the same thing.

Not a stunt, but it shows the great job uh that the police department, the housing authority have done in cleaning up uh that complex.

The people who live there, they're entitled to the same quiet, clean, peaceful neighborhood that any of us would have and would want to have.

And thanks to all the great work that was done to really uh get that taken care of.

We have some great people out in the trenches, and they uh really did a great job of uh taking care of that problem.

In addition to walking that area, I also uh I've walked in uh last several days over in the Mayfair neighborhood, uh Lower Piedmont, Fleming Westbury, Covemont, Holiday Homes, and today Madison Heights.

And again, uh find little things here and there that I can call in, uh cable TV wires, litter, potholes, uh, complete requests for complete street resurfacing, all those things help.

And again, I'm proud because if you look at the city of Huntsville as a whole, it's a clean city, and the neighborhoods, everyone wants to have a good neighborhood to leave live in.

People are proud of their they take care of their property when they see that the other areas, the public areas of of their neighborhoods are kept clean up.

So uh again, that's something I enjoy doing, and uh I think it's uh probably helpful because that's one fewer council member to be hanging around City Hall when uh you know their things out there to do.

But anyway, I appreciate all the great work done by uh our departments, uh, Mr.

Irwin, uh Brian Walker, um, public works, uh I could go on at different times.

ITS, uh they all have all pitched in, responded to uh requests for services that I had put out and appreciate the great work that they have done.

Yesterday I had a chance to go over and see the expanded dressing room area that's behind the Von Braun Center uh concert hall, and that's something we don't really think about, but the uh quality, uh the expansion of the dressing room from I think roughly about five to close to uh 18,000 square feet uh and the quality, the room, uh the cleanliness, the uh uh the way they were furnished, these are things that help to attract top-notch acts to come to Huntsville, Alabama.

Uh when they're looking at where they're gonna go on tour, that is one of the things that they look at.

Uh Orion does the same thing.

Their dressing room area that for the artists are very well top-notch.

And again, that helps to in just that little thing that we don't really think about because we're in the audience, but those are the things that help attach uh attract uh these great artists that we want to come to the City of Huntsville and off have those great offerings.

And then finally, I want to commend you, uh, Madam Chairman.

I know you've been working on the uh uh joint uh school board city council meeting.

Uh I think that's gonna be a great thing when it comes to materialize.

I know it's hard getting everybody's schedule together, uh, but I think the communication and working together, the teamwork, uh I think will be uh something that'll pay dividends, and I'm looking forward to seeing that come to fruition sometime in the near future.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Kling.

And we are working on scheduling that.

Uh Councilmember Little is not here to give us his comments, but he did just send me this text.

We have a beautiful eight-pound 13-ounce baby girl, mom and baby are good.

So congratulations to Councilmember Lill and his family.

Councilmember John Meredith.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I'm gonna do some I don't normally do.

And I was gonna say I don't like doing it, but I think it's warranted here.

And then has to talk about something that's going on in or happened in someone else's district.

I uh had the privilege of attending the Career Connect event uh yesterday at the Sherney Library, and it was phenomenal.

I think it is a good um model for moving forward, uh, particularly in terms of the workforce development for particularly non-um aerospace, non-engineer type uh jobs, although those folks were there and they were interviewed on the spot um by the employer, so they're welcome as well.

Um but you had a lot a lot of other non-degree type uh positions that were available.

In fact, um 600 people were personally interviewed during the uh the uh uh the event.

And for those that don't get jobs out of it, I just want to uh uh encourage them that they did the right thing by going.

Um even though you may not get a job out of it, the companies you interviewed with, you're in their system.

And when those jobs, the next set of jobs comes up, you will be among the first that they consider.

And I'm gonna stop there because I don't want to steal Ms.

Watkins thunder.

Uh the only other thing I'd like to um appeal to my colleagues in the mayor's office is the um uh I guess it's a motorist sign on um at exit 14 on I 565.

That sign has been down for months.

And I know that DOT or LDOT knows that it's down because when it went down, there was a big huge metal bracket in the merge lane.

They moved it, but they left the sign bent over, and all you can see is the metal.

You can't even read it now that it's down on the ground.

And after such a long amount of time, I think they need to fix that.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

Uh yes, if you can address that.

Good evening, Councilmember Shane Davis, Director of Urban Economic Development, uh, Council Meredith, you are correct.

Um, but one of the things, reason for the delay is is Album Park Transportation has just awarded the contractor that got it escapes me, but a two and a half million dollar sign upgrade for the entire length of uh I 565 and 72 each.

So it will start at I 65, and all interstate signage uh exit signs, the overhead sign canopy are totally getting replaced, and it goes just east of SHIELDs Road.

So they're probably waiting on that because all that it will be brand new throughout the whole corridor.

Thank you very much.

I'll get you a schedule.

Thank you very much.

The other, since you mentioned all of the signs from 65, would it be possible to actually put a sign up that indicates when you are in Huntsville?

For someone that lives out west to pass a sign that says you're 14 miles from Huntsville, and you're already in Huntsville for three or four, is very insulting.

So part of the replacement sign is a lot of it, the reflectivity, the text font of Federal Highway Standards was out, but also our community has grown so much.

Both Huntsville, Madison in Limestone County and abroad that there is a lot of signage missing or confusing along the interstate.

So that's part of the entire sign corridor rehab.

But um, I'll try to get you a package to you.

We have it through the MPO, but also mainly get you a scheduled start and completion time.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Davis.

You're welcome.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Mr.

Meredith.

Uh Ms.

Watkins.

Good evening, everyone.

Um last Thursday and Friday, I had the pleasure of attending the trunk retreat at Jemison High School and Shower Center.

And let me just tell you, once they were done, my shoulders were hurting from passing out.

I didn't just pass out candy.

People that know me know I pass out books.

I pass out books and then I give them candy.

Some kids pass by my table, and it's like I don't want to be bothered with you.

Some of them were really excited, but I want to thank the community partners who donated books to both of those tribes.

I really appreciate that.

On Monday, I had a drop-in at Terry Heights, and I want to thank the Terry Heights community for hosting the drop-in and the uh Metal Baptist Church as well for opening the doors.

I want to thank John Hamilton and Ricky Wilson.

Both of them came out last week to Cavery Hills and did a tour with Tony McGuinness and Michel De Johnson and myself to look at some things that we need to do inside the building for Happy Health to start um seeing patients.

So thank you, John Hamilton and Ricky Wilson.

I want to thank Scott Irwin because I call him all the time, and he answers.

Thank you, Scott.

Um yesterday, the Committee 100 had the Ascend Connect Career Fair, and let me just say I thought I was on time.

I was pulling up there at 2 o'clock, and the traffic was backed up.

I could not believe it.

It was just a it was just amazing to see that many people out.

And I have to say this Committee 100 along with Hospital Housing Authority and several other community partners.

It was well organized.

I have to give them that.

And I'm really excited about that and hope that they do it again soon.

I attended the ribbon cutting yesterday for Shipleys Donuts.

Just try to send them a roll.

That's all I got to tell you.

Warm it up.

Today we had the Envision Press Conference at Cavery Hills with Tony McGuinness, Michel De Johnson, Drake State, Villager Promise.

So really excited about that.

Tony said he's going to start the program next week.

Happy Health will be temporarily delayed until they make some configurations to the building, but look for that as well.

Tree planting on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock at Cavery Hills.

I'll be there with my gloves.

I don't like planning, but I'm going to do it.

Eric Wade is here.

Eric, thank you.

I saw you last week off of Marinia Street, picking up in the area where you donated your time to pick up trash, and you had like five bags.

I could not believe it when I stopped and saw you.

But thank you for doing that, Eric.

And tonight, Jemison High School is in the playoffs against Muscle Shows.

All I have to say is let's go Jags.

Thank you, Ms.

Watkins.

I had my last town hall meeting of the year last week.

We held it at the Torch Technologies Freedom Center, and many thanks to Torch and Freedom Real Estate for hosting us at the last minute.

The Santa Moon Complex is under construction.

They're building the parking lots, and it simply was not going to be possible to do it there.

So we had a real quick change of venue, and many thanks to those who were able to find it and make it there.

Nick Nene, our traffic uh engineer, did a marvelous report of his uh study, traffic study of Bailey Cove Road, and also shared what's going to happen as a result of that study.

So thanks to Nick for that effort.

John Hamilton was there.

He reported on the 1990 capital plan, um, particularly the projects that are well projects all over the city because we have so much going on and uh talked also about the projects that are taking place um in District 3.

Uh because the Moon Center is a construction zone right now.

We will probably delay any future town halls until spring of 2026 unless we find another venue.

Um but we will keep everybody posted.

At that town hall, we introduced Captain Ricky Stevens to the community.

He's the new commander at the South Precinct.

And if you would like to get to know Captain Stevens more, we are going to be holding an open house at the South Precinct on Monday, December 10th or November 10th.

This coming up Monday, November 10th at 6 o'clock.

So please come and meet Captain Stevens.

He will be a great um addition to the to the South Huntsville community and to the work being done at the South Precinct.

We will be opening the park at Hayes Farm on November 19th at 2 o'clock.

Please come for the ribbon cutting.

We had a little bit of a delay due to a leak in the waterfall, but everything's working now, so we look forward to having everyone come on November 19th at 2 o'clock to help us open the park at Hayes Farm.

And then finally, uh I wish a happy Veterans Day to those who have served and those who are now serving and their families.

My dad served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

And um it's just the way the timing worked out with his career, and so I have a great appreciation for veterans and for the families of those who serve.

So we wish you all the best and thank you for your service.

Madam President.

Yes, sir.

If I could just briefly piggyback off of Council Member Watkins' comments.

Eric Wade was also a participant at the mayor's tree planting event that we had last Saturday.

So I mean, just about every council member in one way, shape or form, has probably benefited from the great work that fine gentleman has done.

And I think all of us owe you a dead of gratitude, Mr.

Wade, and please keep up the good work.

There he is, right back there.

Thank you.

Superman.

We will move on to the Finance Committee report.

14A is a resolution authorizing expenditures for payment.

Mr.

Meredith, would you like to make that motion?

Yes, Madam President.

I move that the council approve expenditures and the amount of 26,157,147 and twelve cents.

Second by Ms.

Watkins.

All in favor, please indicate.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

14B is an ordinance approving appropriations, goods or services for District 1, Council Improvement Funds.

Motion from Ms.

Watkins.

Second by Mr.

Meredith.

Ms.

Watkins, would you like to share us the good work you are doing there?

Yes.

District 1 is unique in that sometimes they need that extra support when it comes to extracurricular activities.

For those reasons, I am appropriating funds from the discretionary fund I have, 1,500 to McNair Girls Basketball, 2,000 to McNair Boys Basketball, and 1,500 to McNair football.

To Jemison High School, 2500 to girls basketball, 2500 to boys' basketball, 2500 to Cyber Jacks, 1,000 to SGA, 500 to dance team, 500 to cheerleaders, and 500 to principal's books.

And that is because I understand the need from working in the community as well as volunteering at the school, and these funds are going to help the students.

Thank you.

And we should just clarify the ordinance requires a minimum distribution of $5,000.

So 5,000 will go to McNair for those as was indicated, and 10,000 goes to Majemeson High School again in the way of and to be distributed according to Ms.

Watkins' comments there.

All in favor, please indicate.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

14C is an ordinance approving appropriation goods or services for District 3 Council Improvement Funds.

The Chair moves for approval.

Second.

Second by Mr.

Meredith.

These distributions are a $25,000 appropriation to the land trust of North Alabama to purchase land on Green Mountain to help complete the Bevins Gap, Levins Gap Trail, and also simply to preserve Green Mountain and to keep Green Mountain Green.

And $5,000 to Operation Green Team Foundation to provide funding for the Fallen Soldiers Memorial on LG's Walk in Hayes Farm.

This is a really unusual project that was the Huntsville Tree Commission is working with some other organizations.

There were apparently trees that were planted as a fallen soldiers memorial that have been cut down.

And so this is an effort to rebuild that memorial using trees on LG's walk in his farm.

Any questions?

No ma'am.

All in favor, please indicate.

A 14D is an ordinance approving appropriations, goods or services for District 4 Council Improvement Funds.

Move for approval.

Second.

Motion by Mr.

Kling, second by Mr.

Meredith.

Mr.

Kling.

Thank you, Madam President.

$5,000 is being appropriated to the Huntsville Urban Bike Share Co-op, which we heard Ms.

Merick talk about in the audience.

One thing she didn't really point out, because I think she is a little bit modest, but this is going to allow a lot of homeless people to have bicycles that they can use to get around to work.

And this will be valuable transportation.

They will be available to them and might help to change some lives.

So that is something that I think is very valuable, and I wanted to really recognize them for what they are doing.

Also, $5,000 would be appropriated to the Piedmont Recreation Association, Inc.

to be used to construct a neighborhood community green rest and relaxation area park.

Very good.

Any questions from Mr.

Kling?

All in favor, please indicate.

Motion carries.

We have one board appointment to be voted on.

15A is a resolution to appoint Ray White to the Wellstone Inc.

Place 7 to fill vacancy due to the passing of Sidney White, his father, for the remainder of a vacant six-year term to expire on April 1st, 2029.

Chair moves to approve.

Second.

Second by Mr.

Meredith.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor, please indicate.

I posed motion carries.

We thank Mr.

White for his service.

16, there we have one board appointment nomination.

Please note no mo no action will be taken.

This these are nomination, this is a nomination only and will be voted on at the November 20th meeting.

16A is a nomination to reappoint Marco McLean to the public building authority of the City of Huntsville to his current seat for a six-year term to expire December 14.

This says 21, but it should be 2025.

Oh no, there would be 231.

Wouldn't it?

Man, time is time's flying.

Are there any nominations from the floor?

Here none.

We'll move on.

There are no Huntsville utilities items.

We have one legal department item.

18A is an ordinance authorizing the vacation of a portion of utility drainage easement.

Lot 16, block 6, Wakefield Subdivision 16, Asbury Road.

Is there a motion to approve?

Motion to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Meredith, second from Mr.

Kling.

All in favor, please indicate opposed, motion carries.

19, unfinished business items for action.

19A is an ordinance naming the new arboretum at John Hunt Park, the Joy McKee Arboretum.

Move for a motion from Mr.

Kling, second from the Chair.

Questions, comments on this?

Mr.

Meredith.

I have some comments.

A while ago we were told, or at least I was told, I won't speak for anybody else, that we should not be naming buildings after people who are still alive.

That didn't seem to matter when Sandra Moon had, I think it's soccer or whatever, in her name.

Loretta Spencer.

I am sorry, yes, uh former mayor.

Um but at this point it's like is there a policy or is there not a policy?

And my other concern is had I known we were going to name it after somebody or something, it would have been nice to know so that I could have possibly also offered an option.

So that's all.

You know, I think you have made a really good point regarding a naming policy, and that's probably something we do need to look at.

Any other comments?

I do.

Ms.

Watkins.

Um yes.

Um I have a problem naming buildings and places and things after living individuals.

Um I don't understand why we do that.

Um I just don't agree with it.

I don't know if we have a policy against it or not, but I think that's something we should look at.

I don't think we should be randomly naming anything after anyone living.

And let me say this.

I appreciate Ms.

McKee's work.

She done some phenomenal work when she was with the green team.

Nothing against her or her character.

Only thing I am saying, any individual that's living, we should not be naming buildings and facilities and anything else after them.

Thank you.

Any other Mr.

Kling?

Well, I guess I would disagree with my two colleagues.

I think uh uh I guess I like to have that option where we could name things after people who are living, we can recognize them, we can celebrate.

Uh you know, we have had many great people in the community.

Uh Tom Thrasher, I think that was done while he was around, Loretta Spencer.

Uh I can think of other people living whom I think would be, you know, certainly deserving of recognition.

Uh we're elected officials.

We have we have a responsibility to make good decisions, and I think this would be one of those judgment calls instead of just saying arbitrarily nonliving only.

You know, I think all of us as a body looking at the body of work done by the individuals that we're considering.

Uh I think there's merit to do that.

And you know, I think that would just basically come under the judgment call of, you know, for council members to make.

But again, I think we have so many great people in this community.

And you know, I like I think it's unique that we have certain things named after outstanding people instead of, well, there's a building, you know, and that's that.

But uh, you know, it's everybody's called, but again, I I think it it's a celebration of Huntsville, and I guess I like having the option, but again, it's something the Council as a body, you know, can come together uh and recognize, you know, those non-living and those whom are living for what they have done.

It sounds like we have some concern regarding naming altogether, so may I suggest that we postpone this to the November 20th meeting, and that gives us an opportunity to take a look at what our guidelines are, and are we operating within the guidelines or if there are guidelines at all?

So I would not support that.

Um I wouldn't support that.

I had a rec center.

I could have named it after somebody, but I was operating under the impression you could name it after somebody who was living.

I would have loved to have named it after Jody Singer, the first NASA female uh center director.

It's right out the gate.

But because I was instructed, or at least that's the way I took it, that you couldn't name it after anybody.

So that's why it's West Huntsville.

Now, West Huntsville in itself, I think is a great name.

It's it's good for that community, it solidifies a community.

But could have been the Jody Singer, rec center.

So Madam President.

And the other thing, again, specific to this arboretum.

Again, no offense to Joy McKee.

Great woman, did great work for decades.

But this is an arboretum.

Harvey Cotton is the king of HRI in America.

If you're going to name an arboretum after somebody, it ought to be him.

And I never got the opportunity to present that because I am operating under the assumption that we can't name it after someone who is still living.

Thank you, Mr.

Meredith, for raising good points.

Mr.

Kling.

I am going to withdraw my motion.

And I would say you can't.

It's got a motion in a second.

It's on the floor, so we need to act on it.

So I uh I would then ask all in favor of the ordinance, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

I'll say.

Any others?

All any opposed?

Nay.

Nay.

And Madam President, by voting nay, that puts me in the majority, so I reserve the right to bring this back up for reconsideration in the future.

It would be needed to be at the next meeting.

According to our bylaws, it would need to be in the next meeting.

That is the then the motion uh the motion fails.

And um and we will move on.

And for the record, uh I do have that option to bring it up for reconsideration.

According to our bylaws, yes, you did.

Correct.

I I don't know if this is the proper time, but I certainly wouldn't um like it to be named after Mr.

Hardicott.

Thank you.

That is noted in the record.

19B is an ordinance concerning our rights of way use agreement between Fiber Utility Network Inc., doing business as Alabama Fiber Network Inc.

and the City of Huntsville.

Is there a motion to approve?

Motion to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Merrith, second from Mr.

Kling.

Any discussion or questions?

All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion carries.

19C is an ordinance annexing 4.65 acres of land lying on the south side of Highway 72 East and east of Shields Road.

Is there a motion?

Oh, Mr.

Well, is there a motion to approve?

Motion to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Merrith, second by the Chair.

Mr.

Nunez.

Good evening, Council members, Council President, Mayor Bano, Thomas Nunez, manager of Planning and Zoning Services.

This item is located south side of Highway 72 East and east of Shields Road.

It is overall 4.65 acres.

The petitioner is seeking to annex for city services for proposed retail, commercial development.

All right.

Questions for Mr.

Nunez comments.

Apparently you did a really good job explaining that.

All in favor, please indicate.

And opposed.

Motion carries.

This brings us.

Thank you, sir.

This brings us to new business items for consideration or action.

These items will be approved in one motion unless any member of the Council wishes to remove an item for discussion.

The reading of each item will be waived unless the Council member requests otherwise.

Please note items 20 P Q and R have been deleted.

Can I did we skip 19C?

Oh, that was used to be a good one.

Okay.

Again, he did such a good job.

It went like correct.

I am telling you, I missed it.

Are there any items anyone wishes to hold for separate consideration?

Yes, and A B.

S and A B.

Got it.

F what did somebody call that a No, we have Okay item F.

F is in Frank?

F is in French.

Other items?

Chair wishes to hold B.

Madam President, I am sorry, excuse me.

I wanted to ask if item S is in Snake.

That has that has been held.

Okay.

S is in SAM has been held, and you do not wish to hold F as in France.

No, F does get held.

Okay.

Both of them.

And the Chair wishes to hold item B and item H.

So we have held items B.

Item F.

Item H.

Item.

S.

And A B.

S is Attorney General.

Yes.

And AD.

So the Chair wishes to hold.

The Chair moves to consolidate and approve item 20A.

20 C to E, 20 G.

20I.

20I to O, items P, Q, and R are deleted.

Item T to Double A.

And item 20 A C.

Is there a second?

Second.

All in favor indicate.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

That moves us to 20B.

20B is a resolution authorizing the acceptance of donations.

The Chair moves for approval.

Second.

Second by Mr.

Kling.

Mr.

Irwin, I held this item because it is just a good news donation item and we need to hear about it.

Thank you, Mayor President.

Scott Irwin Community Development Department.

So earlier this year, community development and Norfolk Southern had meetings due to some of the rail issues near homeless encampments.

So we explored options and where Norfolk Southern could be a better community partner and provide assistance to the community development department with funds that would help individuals experiencing homelessness, transition from encampments into case management, shelters, and long-term housing solutions.

So I would like to announce tonight that Norfolk Southern has donated $50,000 to the City through the Community Development Department to address the unsheltered population.

And a huge thank you to Norfolk Southern, and we certainly hope to be able to bring your future similar donations as we expand our presence within the private sector to support our efforts in Huntsville.

Thank you.

It is also a recognition of the good work you are doing, and they want to invest in it and help you do more.

Any questions, comments?

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Motion carries.

Move for approval.

Motion from Mr.

Kling, second from the Chair.

Oh, yes, sir.

We'll let Mr.

Davis take a bow and he can say whatever he wants to, but I just want to call him up to this has been a long standing project that we have been working to get done for the neighborhood area out there.

Mr.

Davis has done yeoman's work.

So I guess basically I just wanted to extend a laurel and a hearty handshake to you for your great work.

The neighborhood people appreciate it.

And I was walking in that area today, and I can see it.

Looks like there are already some stakes that have already been laid out.

But uh that's going to be a great project.

And just want to tell you thank you and committee for the great job you did to make it happen.

You are welcome.

Councilman Clean, I will for the record just state the project since you held it.

Um Shane Davis, Director of Urban Economic Development.

So this is, as Councilman Kling said, a drainage improvement project from Monroe Street, uh which would connect Governor's Drive to Memorial Parkway, a little side street there.

It's a very complex project in drainage and that's taking some time for us to get a good design together and then work with neighbors.

Uh there's some mature trees there that are not in very good health, so uh they're kind of right on the property line of the route of way, so getting approval to remove those, they are replanning is going in.

Uh but the uh low bidder was CTS excavation, the total contract amount is $375,028 and 19 cents.

Any questions or comments from Mr.

Davis?

All in favor, please indicate.

Any posed?

Motion carries.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

20 H is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter an agreement between the City of Huntsville, Alabama, and Garver LLC for engineering design services for the diving for the Ditto Landing Event Space Parking Lot, Project No.

71-25-SP 32.

Chair moves for approval.

Second.

Second by Mr.

Kling.

Um, this is someone could someone comment on this project.

Shane, is that you again?

I missed that one.

And circling on the paper.

So you know I was going to hold that one.

So uh yes, so Councilmember, I'm sorry, I'll just uh trying to circle the other meetings.

So this is in partnership with the ongoing project that is occurring with Madison County uh Commission and the event center.

Uh and as we continue to develop the master plan of dital landing and bring more activity to our riverfront in our city.

Uh about a year ago we committed to providing some parking as part of the the partnership with that project.

So this project would provide the design of about 450 parking spaces, and then we would come back and certainly bid that and bring that back to council for you to approve it actually constructing that or in this year in the capital plan that you approve, there's a line item for the ditto landing for this project.

But the design fee is 153,276.

Thank you.

So sometime of early next year, uh we will coordinate with the county.

We don't want to start the parking lot too early, and it would be damaged with a heavy construction that's going on with the vertical construction along the riverfront.

Uh but we will bid this sometime early spring and bring it back to this council for consideration.

I have received some questions from folks about wondering when we were going to start the parking lot we are building the County Commission is building a great event venue, but where is everybody going to park?

So this answers that question that we are going to be designing it.

Now there was a mention made at one point of 600 spaces.

So is there going to be another phase with more spaces or is 450 what we are going to do?

So you bring up a good point.

So in part of some road construction that was done in this area, probably I think about two or three years ago with a new entrance with the county and the Greenway project along the Tennessee River.

We built a portion of this parking during that project.

So this is an addition or an extension to that small existing parking lot.

So there are 150 spaces there.

This 450 brings it to 600.

Yes, ma'am.

So we are all following the master plan, both us and the county.

Very good.

Thank you.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Thank you.

Next for consideration is 20s.

20s is a resolution authorizing the City Attorney to submit certain questions to the Office of the Attorney General of Alabama relative to forms to utilize in writing tickets for certain municipal traffic violations based on local ordinances and requesting issuance of an attorney general's opinion relative there too.

Chair moves for approval.

Second.

Second by Mr.

Meredith.

Mr.

Riley, could you share with us what we are doing here?

Okay.

This is a situation where there it basically involves our our local hands-free ordinance and how we will initiate a charge on that.

There's been some disagreement among the folks involved.

When you talk about judges, members of the bar, magistrates, all the people that are involved in that process as to what the proper form to be used would be.

And so as is available to us with the authorization of counsel, I can submit this question to the adjourned attorney general and ask him to render an opinion.

And basically that's all we are trying to do is get some guidance on the proper form to use to initiate a complaint under that.

Any questions from Mr.

Meredith or from Mr.

Riley?

No questions but a comment.

This is what happens when you rush something.

This should have been ironed out before we pass this.

We passed something and we don't know what to do with it.

Well, why do we pass it if we didn't know what to do with it?

Just a comment.

You don't have to respond.

Thank you, Madam President.

And any other comments, questions.

All in favor, please indicate.

Aye.

Any opposed?

The motion carries.

We will go now to 20 AB.

20 AB is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into purchase and sale agreement between the City of Huntsville and the Howard Revocable Family Trust for a purchase of 72.7 acres more or less of property.

Is there a motion to approve?

So move.

Motion from Mr.

Kling, second from Mr.

Meredith.

Mr.

President, thank you.

Shane Davis, Director of Urban Economic Development.

So, Council members, should you approve this purchase and sell agreement?

We would continue to move forward with due diligence on the property.

And this action item is actually in partnership with Huntsville Hospital.

We have been working through my office to find them a suitable location for a significant investment in North Huntsville along North Memorial Parkway that would include full service emergency room, imaging center, and then have a campus that would continue to grow in providing medical services as we continue to grow in that direction.

We have located this piece of property as a suitable site for them.

And should you move forward, we will start to do that as far as due diligence.

What will happen is we will bring you a contract at a later date for Huntsville Hospital to purchase this from us.

Okay.

But at this time, what we would like to do is get control of the property so we can finish due diligence and start working on that agreement with Huntsville Hospital and doing some site design and site layout, which we will bring to this City Council for you to review and see what we are working on.

So this is a good story.

It's taken us about a year to get here, but uh I think Huntsville Hospital's first initial investment, this campus is over fifty million dollars.

But certainly they were looking for a piece of property for long-term growth, the initial investment, but how do they continue to grow providing medical service to our community?

Thank you.

Questions or comments?

Ms.

Watkins.

Comment.

I am super excited for District One.

This investment tells that people do believe that District 1 is the place to live.

And not only that, that District 1 is worth the investment, and I am excited about this.

Thank you for working hard on this, Shane.

Thank you for the support and the patience.

We have been keeping you apprised of making progress and making progress.

And certainly Mr.

Sounds and Rudy Hornsby at Huntsville Hospital.

So kudos, it's a team effort.

Thomas, Jim McGuffey, myself.

It's a lot of work to get here, but uh this is a good investment about to happen.

So thank you for the support.

Thank you.

Any other comments or questions?

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Any opposed?

The motion carries.

This brings us to 22 new business items for introduction.

We have three items for introduction.

These are interrelated items.

And the administration has also requested for consideration at this meeting, which means that we will have to have the unanimous consent of the council on each one to consider them.

So here's how I would like to proceed, because this is a very important project.

We want to make sure that we have all the information we need in order to move forward.

So I will read each of the items in 21 for introduction.

Then we will go item by item and to consider the will of the council regarding consideration at this meeting.

If in fact we do have unanimous consent on all the items, we will then have Mr.

Davis make a presentation on the entire project.

These are all related to that project.

Because there will be no nothing on the floor for consideration at that point.

We won't have any questions or comments from Mr.

Davis.

We will hold that until we come back and consider each item separately.

Does that make sense to everybody?

Okay.

So let me read first the items for introduction.

21A is the introduction of an ordinance to declare certain property surplus and authorizing the mayor to enter into a real property purchase agreement between the City of Huntsville and Home Depot USA, Inc.

for conveyance of the same.

21B is an introduction of an ordinance to declare certain property surplus and authorizing the mayor to enter into a purchase agreement between the City of Huntsville and API Huntsville LLC for the conveyance of the same.

21B is the introduction of an ordinance to declare certain property surplus and authorizing the mayor to enter into a purchase and sale agreement between the City of Huntsville and Express Oil Change LLC for conveyance of the same.

So these items have now been properly read and introduced.

The next point is the again, the administration has, and this is uh this is timely that we have these in place so that we can meet the deadlines of involved in these contracts.

So we will consider each one and ask the council for consent to uh consider these items at this meeting.

It will require the unanimous consent of council members present.

So uh on 21A, uh the Chair makes a motion to consider this item at 21A at this meeting.

Is there a second?

Second from Ms.

Watkins.

We will have a roll call vote.

Mr.

Meredith, how do you vote on consideration?

Mr.

Meredith votes aye, Mr.

Kling votes aye.

Ms.

Watkins votes aye, the Chair votes aye.

We have unanimous consent to consider 21A at this meeting.

We will now go on to 21B.

21B is the introduction of an ordinance to declare certain property surplus and authorizing the mayor to enter into purchase agreement between the City of Huntsville and API LC for the conveyance of the same.

Do we have consent from the council to the chair moves for consent of the council?

Second from Ms.

Watkins, Mr.

Meredith, how do you vote on consideration of 21B?

Aye.

Aye from Mr.

Meredith?

Aye.

I for Mr.

Kling.

Aye.

I for Ms.

Watkins and the Chair votes aye.

We have unanimous consent of the council to consider 21B at this meeting.

21C.

The Chair moves for consideration of 21C at this meeting.

Mr.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Second from Ms.

Watkins.

Mr.

Meredith, how do you vote?

Aye.

Ms.

Mr.

Meredith votes aye.

Mr.

Kling?

Aye.

Mr.

Kling votes aye.

Ms.

Watkins?

Ms.

Watkins votes aye and the chair votes aye.

We have unanimous consideration to consider item 21C at this meeting.

Now we will move to Mr.

Davis's presentation on the project that will involve all of these moving parts plus some more.

Mr.

Davis.

Madam President, I apologize for the complexity tonight in this section, and also commend the Council for giving the administration unanimous consent to consider these items.

The items on the screen are the ones that you have just read, introduced, introduced, and the council has to give us unent to consider these items.

So we have been working on a project now for uh almost 20 months.

Uh we had a code name called Project Surge, and it's a district one economic development project.

Before we get into that project, I want to take a timeline and commend council uh on actions that you have taken previously that got us to where we are tonight, okay.

Uh so one of the things that uh has really kicked off uh economic development opportunity, not just in District 1, but in other parts of the city, and we'll continue to do so is in April 2023 uh you gave the administration uh the approval to enter into an agreement with Food City on six locations, and Food City agreed to place those locations or those new stores in locations that the city had identified uh that were great locations, one to meet a need in the community, but also to spur additional economic development.

Uh and then Zach McGovern said uh tonight, I mean the donation of 3,000 food gift cards in less than uh 24 hours to our community, they've been a great community partner.

Uh in July 2023, you gave us approval to secure the 12 acres uh at the corner of US 231 and Countis Road.

Uh that became uh the site of the Food City that opened earlier this year, but also in November 2023, uh you approved a contract to begin construction of the Northern Bypass.

As we went into 2024 in May, uh Food City breaks ground on the North Memorial Parkway.

And do I need to pause for a moment?

I need a set of challenges.

I got you.

And then in June of 2024, uh the city with your authorization allowed us to secure uh 42 acres uh on at the corner memorial parkway in the new northern bypass that's under construction.

That's what we will be discussing tonight, the these three items that uh you gave us authorization for.

Uh so in August of last year, we began a master plan and marketing strategy for this 42 acres.

And part of that master plan marketing strategy uh really that started summer of last year and through about this time uh last year is we in our office really started to uh promote and show the ongoing public investment, new housing starts that are occurring in District One.

Um, rooftops brings retail uh new jobs.

So, you know, the expansion of jobs in North Huntsville Industrial Part, the new housing starts that at the Johnson uh redevelopment campus with the Johnson Legacy Center and uh new housing on Blue Springs and Pulaski Pike and actually on the Northern Bypass and what the new subdivisions occur on Meridian Street.

So all this momentum we really started to use it to take advantage of of those great opportunities of private investment, but the public investments have been occurring and tried to capitalize uh on those.

Uh so started getting uh the opportunities of of what we were seeing could be a reality.

Uh the city exercised that purchase option and closed on the 42 acres in November of last year.

And in January 2025, uh we finalized the retail master plan based on some conversations and a couple of letters of intents that uh we felt like we could uh secure.

And then April 2025, uh, you know, we really started to gain a lot of interest.

We we you know we started working with International Shopping Center uh Council and some brokers of really the momentum and really the construction of Food City and seeing that the retail um it's really hard when you take an area of great opportunity.

Somebody's got to go first.

You know, and a lot of times it it's I don't want to go first, but if so, you know, from a retail perspective, but if someone goes, call us back.

We'll we'll be become very interested.

Uh so again that food city commitment really helped us uh start to bring some momentum.

Uh this past July we celebrated uh the at the time it was the third opening of Food Cities uh six stores.

Uh they're about to uh break ground after the new year at County Line Road, and we still have one uh on Highway 53.

Both of those should be under construction sometime next year.

That would complete the six.

The good news is they're doing very well, and our office is having conversation with their leadership uh to add to that.

Uh we're uh they've identified a couple pieces of property in South Huntsville and a couple more further west.

So uh we'll I think we will wind up with somewhere between eight and ten food city locations when all is said and done.

And now we're here tonight.

So what I want to introduce to you and the public again, this momentum allowed us to bring to you tonight a new retail development called North Village Town Center.

And you know, what this will be is a best in class retail development.

So what I'd like to do is go through what that would be.

So North Village Town Center will be developed a best in class lifestyle lifestyle center.

The retail project will include multiple multiple national retail anchors to include also local and regional retail space.

Also with multiple national and regional restaurant on the campus of the 42 acres and across the street, and I'll start to break that down for you as we get in this presentation.

So it would be located at the intersection of Bob Wade Lane and North Memorial Parkway, over a half a million square feet of retail and restaurant space.

So it'll put that in a little bit of perspective.

Madison Square Mall used to have 1.1 million square feet.

So this is almost half the size of Madison Square Mall.

It would be what I would consider for our community that's listening and wants to learn more as this rolls out.

This will look like the Jones Valley Lifestyle Center on Carl T.

Jones.

In size and scale and quality, it's about the same amount of retail square footage there.

Phase one construction would start quarter between towards the end of quarter one and Q2 of 26 as we come out of the winter months and can start moving dirt.

So that's probably in the April-May time frame.

And the first store openings will shortly open about 12 months after that in 27.

The private investment, it'll be just under a quarter of a billion dollars, 240 million dollars.

And again, as I said, the different retail types are uses will be big box national brand department stores, home improvement, grocery help fitness, restaurants, small shops, and the list will uh go on.

So we also want to uh introduce the two anchors that you're approving tonight.

Uh one will be a super target and the other will be a home depot.

Uh, those would be the first two anchors that we can uh announce tonight.

That is the contracts that are before you that uh you've graciously provided you name consent to to consider.

Um both of these want to hit the ground running and get their capital approved and start making construction schedule.

So we're about to go in the holiday season, so as we do that, these two get really, really busy uh with sale.

So uh they were asking for us to really get this signed and done before the city council before they get really busy in that season.

Uh and you uh graciously said yes tonight.

So uh you still have to vote.

I'm not asking for a guaranteed vote, but just the opportunity to present this to you uh is really uh appreciated.

So let's talk about the location.

So we very quietly have been making a lot of momentum at this intersection.

It's why we asked you over a year ago to let us, if you will.

I think at one council meeting, I said, you know, we're not in the real estate business, but there's certain opportunities that I believe that we should land bank an opportunity.

We're we are extending a major limited access highway across undeveloped property crossing a U.S.

highway.

Uh so at the bottom part of the screen you see the brand new Food City.

Uh and through that food city, you see a national brand Sud Stop Car Wash, a brand new Starbucks, a brand new Circle K.

So we've started to start to see momentum here, and we've been able to build off of that.

So this is the site of uh North Village Town Center.

This is the 16 acres that I mentioned that the city also purchased.

Uh we are working on contracts now for additional retail there.

That will be phase two.

We should be able to bring that before you uh early next year.

So in front of the Food City, when we uh did this agreement with Food City and we uh acquired this property, we thought it was very important for the city to maintain control of the out parcels.

And what I mean by that is we want to make sure that it's a value add and uh get to choose who we want to put out there.

So, you know, somebody it's a really value add.

Uh so uh we are in negotiations now with all five parcels.

Uh actually 21C is is a really third acre uh parcel.

The access is a little unique, such that uh you know, food and beverage would be very difficult.

That's actually 21C tonight that you would would approve, which would be uh Valvelline Express uh car center.

So item 21A is the western portion of the 42 acres, and item 21B would be the 30-acre balance there in the next slide will help uh disseminate that sum.

So there's the item 21C is lot one, it's point uh three oh acres.

And then item 20 that you just approved, you see the the vacant land south of the TBA power lines.

Uh that is the property that you have approved allow us to secure that to move forward with Huntsville Hospital's massive investment here.

So as you start to see very quickly, this intersection uh is going to become very dense in retail and lifestyle services uh very quickly over the next 18 months.

And as I mentioned, that's phase two.

Uh that's everything that you see in blue is controlled and owned by the city.

Um and we've been very specific on how we get this developed uh in the right way.

So here's the layout of phase one.

So you see Home Depot in orange, uh certainly the red uh is the super target.

And then uh what I want to walk through is the pink box is another anchor that uh not quite ready that we can disclose that publicly.

And then the the three yellows, what I'll refer to as a junior anchor uh, and those have been secured, but uh we're still in the process of of finalizing those, and as as we move forward, should you approve tonight.

Um we will continue to announce uh retailers going forward, and then uh the the blue light bright blue is small shops or what we refer to in the retail world as shadow space.

Uh so think of a firehouse sub or a Nell Salon or those type of of you know uh either local or or regional small square foot type uh multi-users.

Uh everything that you see in green is scheduled other than the express care valve links you see in blue that you will consider tonight is 21C.

Everything else in green is food and beverage and restaurant out parcels.

And then what you see in blue uh is 16 and a half acres that as I said, we are in negotiations for a phase two retail development, and we'll bring that to you sometime early in 26.

So what are you you uh we ask what is the administration asking you to consider tonight?

So item uh 21A would be for the city declare that property surplus and sell that property at market rate to Home Depot.

Item 21 B would be to do the same for a much larger piece of track to deliver the target and the additional retail space that I just went through, and then item 21C would declare surplus of 0.3 acres of one of those out parcels uh for the uh required use of a Valveine Express uh care.

So as always, I always uh I'm transparent on a return on investment.

So let's walk first through the real estate piece.

So the city uh last November purchased this property for 10.1 million dollars.

Uh should you approve both items 21A and 21B tonight, the total uh proceeds that would come back to the city would equal 10 million one hundred and sixty thousand one hundred and eight dollars.

Uh through that transaction, there's remaining property that the city is retaining, uh and we would uh still walk through and bring you a contract later on for uh a couple more of those out parcels.

Uh we currently at the sales price that you are considered tonight that would have an additional value of 821,300.

So the net transaction, if you will, is uh after we uh discount the land purchase.

Not that we're in the business of making money selling real estate, but it has a net positive gain to the taxpayer of $881,408 just on the real estate transaction.

So again, we are selling this at market value just the arms length transaction as any other entity would.

So let's look at the return on investment of the project.

So building permit fees are currently estimated based on the private investment of $925,000.

That's a one-time certainly revenue stream for us.

Uh the sales tax on construction materials is just over $2 million at 2.2.

Again, that's a one-time infusion into our general fund.

Uh new property tax revenues that we created is $2.3 million annually.

I did make a note just to uh split out that millage.

This project would bring about $1.1 million annually to our Huntsville City Schools annually in new taxes.

And then the new sales tax estimated is just over $6 million annually for this project.

Again, I want to uh I think probably the best as you guys get into asking questions is now, Madam President, as you go through these three items.

I'm going to leave it at this and prepare for any questions as you consider these items.

Council members, thank you.

All right.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Davis.

So this is an important project, and that's why we're taking our time going through this.

So we will now proceed, Councilmembers, to voting on each of these items.

21A has been introduced and is an ordinance to declare certain property surplus and authorizing the mayor to enter into a real property purchase agreement between the City of Huntsville and Home Depot, USA Inc.

for conveyance of the same.

Is there a motion to approve?

Motion from Ms.

Watkins, second from Mr.

Meredith.

This would be an appropriate time to enter into discussion or ask questions of Mr.

Davis.

I don't have any questions.

I think I've been asking them for a year.

Yes, ma'am.

But I do want to say how excited I am for the community, and I'm excited for the change that's about to come to District One.

This is something that we have been waiting on for a long time.

And you told me when you got ready to deliver, you would deliver big, and I did keep my mouth shut.

You did good.

Other comments or questions?

This is really a great project.

And one of the advantages I see here is that it will be a huge benefit to District One, but it's also going to pull in the Meridianville, Hazel Green, Northern County shoppers as well.

And that is why this location we saw to be very important as we grow as a metro.

This is something desperately deserved in District 1 is have this variety of retail that is about to be delivered.

But this is a competitive world.

I mean, this is a compet our state, cities live into off sales tax.

I mean, the SSUT situation is got to be fixed.

But this is in a location that we will see.

I believe there's some models that the development team has done as much as 10 percent of the revenue could come out of uh the Tennessee area, which is great for our general fund.

Uh but um you know what I'm most excited about uh in January I have 25 years, and and we've been beating this drum and beating this drum, and uh tonight we're delivering.

It's a great project.

Congratulations.

All in favor, please indicate any opposed.

Um that first piece, we can check that box.

21B is an introduction, or I'm sorry, has been introduced and is an ordinance to declare certain property surplus and authorizing the mayor to enter into a purchase agreement between the City of Huntsville and API Huntsville LLC for the conveyance of the same as Watkins.

Would you like to make that motion?

Motion from Ms.

Watkins, second from Mr.

Mr.

Clinton take that this time.

Questions for Mr.

Davis.

Just to clarify, API is the target project.

It is.

So the the difference in the two.

So if you read the the real estate agreement, um, so Home Depot builds and owns their own property.

Um they're one of the few that do that.

Most large retailers partner with a development group that is an approved builder.

Uh so when you look at API, uh they are an approved developer for Target Corporation.

So this is a joint uh development agreement where we require target to be delivered.

There's no ifs, ands and buts about it.

Uh but target that he will deliver the target sort of target, but then we will be required to deliver all the other anchors and all the other retail.

So that's why when you look at the attachment complete is API target.

So it think of as a joint venture between those two entities.

Very good.

Any other comments, questions?

All in favor, please indicate.

All right.

Any any post?

The motion carries.

And finally, 21C has been introduced and is an ordinance to declare certain property surplus and authorizing the mayor to enter into a purchase and sale agreement between the City of Huntsville and Express Well Change LLC for conveyance of the same.

Motion from Ms.

Watkins, second from Mr.

Mayor from Mr.

Meredith.

Questions or comments.

All in favor, please indicate.

Opposed.

The motion carries.

Congratulations.

First step to a really really game-changing project for.

Council members, thank you.

There's still a lot of work to do, and we'll get that work done.

Uh, but one of the things I do want to point out now that you have approved this.

So the item that you approved on the parkway in partnership with Huntsville Hospital, that $8 million.

So one will be selling that to Huntsville Hospital, but there will be a transition piece to where we'll we will own it for just a little bit.

As the border, we are talking about something that's already.

No, I just I just really want to point out, due to the budget that these proceeds will go towards that sale.

That's all I wanted to point out.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

I would like to change my vote on the arboretum.

Are you proposing to reconsider?

Is this a motion to remote vote?

I want to change my vote.

The Roberts Rules does not permit you to change your vote once the mote has been announced.

You are welcome to move for reconsideration.

Bill Kling has made a living on changing his votes.

Why can't I?

That is all I am saying.

It just the optics do not look good.

Well, I do not have to be able to do that.

I don't believe I was present to move on, but he was a very good idea.

And that's it's just funny that you are picking on me to all of a sudden decide that that can't happen.

But that's that's that's it.

I'll shut up now.

No, sir.

I sent you the I sent you what Robert's rule says and Robert's rule says when a vote is announced, you can't change your vote.

But you can move to reconsider.

Are you making a motion to read the money?

No, I'm not.

What I am saying is Bill gets to do it all the time.

He may not get to do it moving forward after today, but just like the whole you can't name buildings after living people, there's a different standard for me than there is for the rest of this council, and it it needs to stop.

I don't believe I agree with presiding.

That's all I want to say.

You you have got Robert's rules in your pocket, and that's fine.

But the the optics of allowing him to do it year after year after year after year, and telling me the one time I try to change my vote, I can't do it because of Roberts Rules, has a bad optic to it.

I was not the person that permitted it.

I want to be clear on that as well.

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

We will move on now to citizen comments.

The final item on our agenda.

This portion of the meeting is provided for making comments to the City Council relating to city business, whether or not such items are on the meeting agenda.

Each speaker shall state their name, home address, and city of residence for the record.

Each speaker may address the council for three minutes.

Speakers shall use this time to offer opinions, concerns, or ideas about city matters.

Council members shall listen without engaging in dialogue.

Items may either be referred to the City Administration or at the request of a council member be scheduled for discussion in a separate meeting.

Please be prepared to make your comments by coming to the center microphone when your name is called.

We will also call the name of the person following to ensure a smooth transition from speaker to speaker.

Speakers shall refrain from making comments regarding the good name and character of any individual.

Mr.

Winst Joe Winston signed up on the agenda-related comments in error, and so we are going to let him go first.

His subject is the Black History Museum.

Following Mr.

Winston, we will have Jeffrey Engels, Mr.

Engel, if you can be prepared.

Mr.

Winston, welcome.

Good name and address for the record first, please, sir.

Okay.

Good evening, uh Council members.

The name is Joe Winston.

I reside at 105 Greatmont Drive, Madison, Alabama.

2575.

The time is yours.

The uh topic I want to just mention, as I mentioned several times before, is the State of Huntsville needs a black history museum.

And we have talked about this several times before.

But uh due to my presentation this afternoon, I want to thank Michelle Watkins for uh setting up a meeting on the 22nd of October, I believe, with uh Dr.

I forgot his name already.

But Dennis Dennis Madison.

And uh regarding the old town down near the uh railroad area uh section in terms of renovating that particular area.

Uh I also presented during the next the last uh board meeting about uh budget.

Uh Mr.

Matson indicated that a budget was not established for this year, but however, next year.

Uh perhaps we could do something with that.

So we're looking forward to that.

And I also provided a uh a list of names and addresses of persons and activities to whom contact to be uh made in terms of getting interest from the community.

And I have not seen that, so that is still out there.

But the meeting was very good.

Uh also talked to Mr.

Hampton William Hampton, Miss Ollie uh Connolly, who has a uh host of material, uh some of which Mr.

Connelly presented last February during Black History Month.

And I understand that's going to be done again this year, but in 2026, we are looking forward to having a Black Art Black History Museum established here in Huntsville.

And with all that I have seen this afternoon in terms of the growth of Huntsville, there's no reason why we should not have a Black Art Black History Museum here in Huntsville.

So I want to thank Michelle and her staff for getting it uh putting the meeting together.

It was a very informative meeting, and I think we are on a path in terms of moving forward to have that done.

It is not just us, but it's also you guys in terms of participating in getting that done.

You have the authority to do it.

Uh so we want to partner together, moving forward so that we get a black black art history museum established here in Huntsville in the year 2026.

And lastly, I just say that uh from the government shutdown, which is a different subject.

Uh it takes all of us, and it should be all of us looking after our community with this government shutdown.

It shall not should not have happened, but it has happened, and it has a tremendous uh impact on those who are less fortunate.

So I encourage the city to take uh action to ensure that the entire city and the community do what is needed to ensure that all people are taken care of.

With that, I thank you.

Looking forward to Black Art History Museum in 2026.

Thank you, sir.

The next person to sign up is Jeffrey Engel, and he will be followed by David Snyder.

Sir, you look at the left your phone.

Hello, my name is Jeffrey Engel.

Uh my address is correct on the sheet.

I am a resident of Huntsville, Alabama, and member of the North Alabama Democratic Socialists of America.

I come here to talk to you about ICE again.

Uh, let's recap from last time.

Uh you have a legal uh obligation to not cooperate with ICE.

I will read you an excerpt from a letter that you uh will see received, Mr.

Riley and Mayor Battle.

Uh it is a disappointment that he is not here to hear this.

My purpose is in writing you uh as the City Council and your officers uh that the governing law of the land is the United States Constitution.

We see it daily in the news that ICE is conducting on unconstitutional searches and seizures.

Additionally, ICE is flat out ignoring orders uh coming from Federal judges and precludes ICE activities.

Just uh yesterday a Federal judge in Chicago hauled Craig uh Bivino into court to explain to him and his officers were blatantly violating her order.

Your engagement and cooperation with ICE uh places your city, your government, and your own individual police officers uh in legal jeopardy uh for any action that is deemed to be unconstitutional.

If you are not already familiar with the Code Section 42 U.S.

C 1983, you might want to brush up on it and also the U.S.

Constitution.

When your local uh officers act in coordination with ICE without proper legal authority, such uh executing civil immigration detainers, prolonging detention beyond the period authorized under state law or sharing personal information beyond what is lawful or leave required, they risk transferring what otherwise would be a Federal action onto local constitutional violations.

Courts have repeatedly held that government entities and their officers are not shielded from liability simply because their actions were undertaken at the request of the Federal Government.

While Federal agencies are responsible for enforcing immigration laws, municipal entities must ensure that all local law enforcement activities they conduct conduct remain fully compliant within the United States Constitution.

I bring that up because uh you have repeatedly heard that uh this is not a problem here.

Uh I have an example uh in Baldwin County, Alabama, uh Leonard Garcia uh Venegras, uh, who is a U.S.

citizen, was detained at construction sites due to agents and officers not believing that he was a U.S.

citizen, even though he had a real ID.

He is now suing those officers.

All right.

Uh Hazenberg uh in Hasenberg, Virginia, uh Jackie uh Funes Andrade uh is a legal U.S.

resident uh was brutalized uh while she was taking her uh daughter to school.

Uh her daughter was stranded on the side of the road, and agents and officers.

Can you please turn that off?

We can't have other media here.

Thank you.

I have stopped your time.

You can finish.

You have a moral obligation to oppose ICE.

These constitutional, unconstitutional actions and brutalizations of our citizens are happening daily, daily across our country.

You are responsible for protecting us.

You are responsible for giving your orders to the police.

And they are there to follow them.

Please act accordingly.

The next person to speak is David Snyder, following Mr.

Snyder will be Richardson.

First name starts with M.

I can't read the first name.

So M.

Richardson will follow David Snyder.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is David Snyder.

My information is written correctly on the sheet.

I live in Huntsville, Alabama.

I would like to point out for uh Veterans Week the uh Project Greenlight, which was started, I believe, by Violet Edwards, one of our county uh district representatives.

I have solidarity with members of our military, but not the military industrial complex or the war profiteers that uh exploit these people.

Um I would like to do a quick note on Derrick Street.

We uh we really could use a community board out there for uh members of the community that um are not able to go and you know donate food as much as they would like, or just for whatever purpose for uh members of our community to be able to post notice.

Um we also need a shelter and we need buses that actually will take people to some of these factory jobs and jobs that actually pay a living wage that you know somebody could actually get out of housing and have a sustainable lifestyle.

Um out there, uh, and I believe a couple of meetings back, somebody brought up that we have hangers over city property, but not over these humans.

This is a value of property over human beings, and it must end.

A black history museum would remind us of the dangers of this type of ethical dilemma, like allowing for homelessness or the double standards that have contributed to what has happened to Malcolm Gulfer uh Gopher and uh the 708 establishment.

There is a UN special report on homelessness and policing in America that demonstrably shows how homelessness is a systemic issue based in racialized classism.

I'll send that to the to the council members uh for review.

I encourage you to I encourage and invite you to review that.

Um I would like to bring up something that I brought up a couple times now, which is the foyer request on um, you know, anything relating to uh people that have been in our jail and uh the ice holds that every person that has had an ice hold, and I've had this from one of the judges.

I've gotten this information from one of our judges.

Every person that gets an ice hold is taken by ice.

And we have been told by our city administrator, and we have been told repeatedly that there is no such agreement, that there is nothing that fits within under the guise of the 287G program, and that's simply not true.

On uh April the 27th, 2023, there was a document, which is a series of documents, a foundational document of the 287G program 73-002, which comes after 73-001, which is part of the foundational agreement between a city and ICE and HSI for the purpose of a 287G program.

So this is problematic.

It may not be operational, but the foundation is laid out by the city for that to be a thing, and we need the city to take decisive action to expel any fears that people have about our uh you know law enforcement being involved with that.

At that juncture, typically you'll see where law enforcement in a city will have been trained to be to know how if this becomes operational to know how to uh move with something like that, and that's something that I'm very interested in in finding out how many officers I understand.

Thank you so much.

Mr.

Snyder, your time is uh been trained to operate within the 280 seconds.

I would like you to finish.

Thank you.

Um the next person to speak, last name is Richardson.

First initial is M.

Is that person here?

My apologies.

My follows assignment.

Okay.

Well, very good.

Grateful to you for being here.

Uh then we will hear from Malcolm Gopher, and Malcolm and Mr.

Gopher will be followed by Sarah Colletti.

Mr.

Gopher.

Malcolm Gopher, House of Alabama.

Address is correct on the sheet.

Welcome.

Today I would like to talk about recidivism.

Recidivism.

The Alabama Censon Commission estimates by 2030 that the prison population could grow to 21,000 is from 21,755,000 to 28,000 inmates.

The State of Alabama, the State of Alabama has 67 counties, and Madison County is sixth on the list of 67 on sending people to prison.

We just gave our police department an $80 million budget to lock more people up.

We getting two mega prisons being built that will have a total of 4,000 each.

So my question is who can I talk to to get a $5 million budget to open up some transition houses to stop recidivism?

These would be six-month placements, which help the help them to get clothing, jobs, training, and finances, a car, and a future worth living for.

If Huntsville is going to be a great place to live, we have to take care of our less fortunate and our people who've truly been through the system.

I myself know what it feels like to be looked down upon because of being incarcerated.

So I would like to know who should I talk with to get the funding for the transition houses?

We have no transition houses for our returning inmates to be successful.

So we would greatly appreciate some assistance from our city council.

We're spending 1.3 billion on one prison.

So 5 million should be a drop in the bucket to stop people from going back.

50 million for a breach.

I think 5 million for to help our human humans transition back into society is a small drop in the bucket to acts.

So my question to y'all is who can I talk with or point me in the right direction to talk to someone about these transition houses?

Because Birmingham has them, Montgomery has them, but we have none to actually help people not go back to prison.

We understand that you're building prison to house people, but can you when they leave there, because nobody helped me, but my family.

My family helped me transition.

But people that might not be as fortunate as me to have clothes, a car, six months, that's all it would take them to transition back.

So they don't commit crimes against us.

Because at this point, if we can't feed them, we surely can't stop them from taking anything because they're gonna need it.

So that's what I ask.

So if y'all anybody got some, sir, we appreciate your comments, and as always, your passion.

Thank you.

The next person to speak is Sarah Colletti.

Ms.

Colletti will be followed by Kyle Jennings.

My name is Sarah Coletti.

My address is listed correctly on the sheet.

Your city of residents.

Hartzall, Alabama.

Thank you.

Um I would like to make a quick comment on uh Mr.

Meredith uh and his desire for a sign that says welcome to Huntsville.

Uh I keep joking that I will be in the city of Huntsville soon enough, and it's not just to be funny, it's completely based in the votes that I see y'all making every single meeting.

Like, if we're really seriously going to invest in the money to put up a sign that says welcome to Huntsville, we probably need to put it on wheels.

Um I also like to thank Hub's Co-op.

Um they do some really incredible work in this community.

They are one of many of the nonprofits in Huntsville that are taking over and doing the work that the city should be doing to making this entire city accessible for everybody.

I guess until we have bus transportation that goes out to all of Huntsville, Hubs Co-op is gonna have to keep filling that hole.

And um, I can't say I'm surprised, but I am incredibly disappointed that they pointed out how the closest bike rack is in the parking garage and not right in front of City Hall.

But not surprising, this city has made it clear how little it cares about accessibility.

Um speaking again of nonprofits doing the city that the job that the city should be doing, I'd like to thank uh David Snyder once again for bringing up the fact that this city still does not have a city-run homeless shelter.

Why is that?

Why is it that the only shelters in this city for people who don't have anywhere else to go are in control of people who don't have the ability to be audited by the city?

It leads to horrific stories, not only from David Snyder, but from other unhoused people that I have known that have suffered disgusting and serious life-threatening abuse at the hands of the people working in these shelters.

I recognize that a lot of the people working in these shelters are really incredible people that really care about the community and are doing very important work.

But I'll tell you, these people abusing our unhoused neighbors are making their jobs harder.

And that wouldn't be such a problem if this city would actually open up our own shelters.

Then we could have government jobs to pay people to advocate for our unhoused neighbors instead of expecting nonprofits to do that work for us.

And I think uh Demetrius Stewart, John Mitchell Rigdon, Erica Adams, and Christina Nance would all like it if we could do a little better job of taking care of our unhoused neighbors, but they're all dead.

Your time is up.

Thank you so much.

The next person to speak is Kyle Jennings.

Mr.

Jennings will be followed by Angela Somerset.

Yes, my name is Kyle Jennings from Huntsville, Alabama.

Welcome.

First of all, history lesson.

If you name anything here in Huntsville, Alabama, it needs to be named after OW Girly.

If you don't know who OW Girlie is, just Google.

Okay.

So here I go.

I love Huntsville.

I'm an ambassador of Huntsville.

When I go out of town, I tell people all about Huntsville.

I had people move to Huntsville just because they come and visit and I brag about the city.

Let me see what I'm going to start.

With all due respect.

So please open up 708.

Let them tell their side of the story, the truth.

So after the club shot, I mean the bar and grill shut down.

I got another job.

I just got the job last week.

I went to work Wednesday, did my contract.

I go to work Thursday, I went to work Friday, I went to work Saturday, I went to work Monday.

But that Tuesday when I got off, I went to Mr.

Gopher to 708 that was doing an interview on them.

So the reporter asked me a question, a comment that Mr.

Riley made, so I answered it, answered it back.

It was basically like we just need to stop the racism in Huntsville, Alabama, and just treat everyone equal, and we can all get along.

This is a great city.

So the next day I go to work early, 30 minutes early, unloading my equipment and everything like that.

I got called in an office, and just like that, they told me I wasn't a good fit.

I asked, what does that mean?

They couldn't even give me an answer or whatever.

But I just found out, I just found that that was ironic that I will make a comment, and then the very next day, um I get told that I'm not a good fit.

That's a red flag for discrimination.

Um if y'all have any jobs or whatever I'm available.

Um 708, all my uh co-workers, they out of jobs, they need a job.

So if you have a job for anybody from 708, we'll appreciate that.

Um that's my comment.

And by the way, the ICE, the ICE issue, um, that definitely needed to stop, but Ice has been going on in my neighborhood for years with the Huntsville police.

We've been treated like that for years.

So we need to get some straightness with that too, or whatever.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next person to speak is Dr.

Somerset.

And Dr.

Somerset will be followed by our final speaker, Kasha Benton.

Well, good evening to everyone.

My name is Dr.

Angela Somerset.

My address is as stated uh on the roster.

Thank you.

I am from Huntsville, Alabama.

My concerns moving forward, especially for 2026 and present, has to do with some questions in regards to the formation of the North Alabama Public Energy District that was formulated a few weeks ago.

It is basically an entity between the City of Huntsville, Athens as well as Scottsboro.

And during that meeting, I had questions in regards to who is footing the bill.

Should there be a gas spill?

Does that mean that our rates are going to go up faster?

And because of the way that Huntsville Utilities is set up in reference to our gas usage, the an ordinance, excuse me, was created many years ago where Huntsville Utilities, in reference to the gas portion, no longer has to come into City Council to ask about increased rates.

So I am aware that it forms great alliances with other cities.

But when those cities run out of a shortage, whose pockets is this coming out of?

But even more importantly, moving forward, I also have a concern in regards to we have board members.

And as Dr.

Robinson has previously stated, whenever I would ask questions about Huntsville utilities, you always defer that to the board members.

But board members have a responsibility also to the citizens.

It's a very bad political look that not one chairman of these boards ever comes to these meetings in the years that I have come into City Council.

And it gives the appearance that you do not care about the citizens' concerns.

How can you make decisions as the President and CEO and utility members and chairs when you don't really understand what the people are going through?

And I am noticing that with the city, there are a lot of quick decisions that are being made.

These things are not making sense, and these things are happening with our money.

So what happens is when your gas rates increase in the summer, you get sucker punched in the winter.

And we've all gone through having double bills.

So one of the other concerns moving forward for 2026 is that when they come in about those capital expenditures, there needs to be a point where what is projected is actually proven as to what is actually happening.

Because without the accountability of those books, a council that is listening, that is engaged, that understands what the citizens are going through.

It's never going to change Somerset.

And we will finish with Kasha Benton.

Is Ms.

Benton here?

Hello.

Thank you for having me today again.

Welcome.

I was hoping that uh Mayor Battle would be here as well.

He's not been feeling well.

Could you give us your name and address for the record?

My name is Kasha Benton.

My address is correctly stated.

City of residence.

Huntsville, Alabama.

Thank you.

And I just wanted to echo ICE non-cooperation and in general, just um good relationships with our police.

I mean, our police are integral to our citizens.

We need them to take care of people and watch out for people.

We need to have a good relationship with them to help fight crime, right?

So I think having the non-cooperation with ICE will help, you know, mend some past wrongs in that relationship.

And I know we have a long way to go, but we need to start somewhere.

Um I know that it is unfortunately up to um Mayor Battle to bring that before um our council members and he apparently has not done that yet.

So that that is a little concerning to me as an issue of executive overreach.

So I don't know how you can hold Mayor Battle accountable for that.

Um but y'all need to see this proposal and to vote on it at the meeting.

Um Jeffrey's um video is just a snapshot.

You know, if you are paying attention to these ICE raids, they're brutalizing people and they're terrorizing families.

They have a separate call line now for children because they're taking children, trafficking children.

Let that sink in.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um, again, our next meeting will be on November twentieth.

We welcome before we adjourn.

As I wasn't trying to argue with you.

And it is on the record.

Thank you.

And with that, I'll make the motion to adjourn.

Very good.

We have a motion to adjourn.

We'll see you all on November twentieth.