Meeting colors

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Huntsville City Council Regular Meeting – March 26, 2026

City Council — Thursday, March 26, 2026

BodyHuntsville, Alabama

SessionCity Council

DateThursday, March 26, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 4:25:17

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:46

It is 5:30 on Thursday, March 26, 2026, and we are calling this session of the Huntsville City Council to order.

0:57

We are met in the chambers of the Huntsville City Council in Huntsville, Alabama.

1:02

We will call the meeting to order.

1:06

We excuse Mr.

1:07

David Little.

1:09

Mr.

1:09

Little has another commitment, was not able to join us.

1:13

Mr.

1:14

Kling is present.

1:15

The chair is present.

1:17

We do not currently have a quorum.

1:19

Is Mr.

1:19

Meredith here?

1:20

Ms.

1:20

Watkins?

1:25

They've stepped out.

1:27

Well, we will proceed with uh with the invocation and with the pledge, and we will establish a quorum at that point so we can continue the remainder of our meeting.

1:37

We welcome everyone.

1:38

We have a full house tonight.

1:40

We have lots to celebrate, and we are glad you've joined us.

1:43

For those who are joining us virtually, we have several streaming platforms, and we welcome you as well.

1:50

So we will begin with uh indication offered by uh one of our Huntsville, Alabama police safety chaplains, Dr.

1:57

Laurie Macaulay, which will be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, which will be given by Councilmember Bill Kling.

2:03

All who wish to uh and are able, please stand for the invocation and for the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:13

Our invocation today will be coming from a 1970 series you may all know called the bionic man.

2:21

And there was a character named Steve Austin played by Lee Majors, and the government said out the his wreck.

2:29

We have the technology.

2:32

We can make him bigger, better, faster.

2:36

And what I am here today is to pray that while the city of Hostel strives to be bigger, better, faster, that you never let the technology surpass the people who call Huntsville home.

2:51

Now, dear Heavenly Father, we thank you right now for your grace and your mercy.

2:55

Father, our City Council has done the research, Father, now let them have your revelation.

3:01

They have done their studying, let them have your spirit in everything they do, and God may it bring you glory.

3:09

Amen.

3:21

And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God and the visible with liberty and justice.

3:38

Thank you for Mr.

3:39

Kling for um providing for for opening our meeting for us.

3:44

Let the record show that council member Meredith and Councilmember Watkins have both joined us, and the quorum is established.

3:52

Again, we miss uh Mr.

3:54

Little Council members, everybody settled.

4:02

Uh we'll now move on to the approval of the agenda.

4:05

Are there any uh changes or additions of which anyone is aware on the agenda?

4:10

Is there a motion to approve the agenda as it has been presented?

4:14

Motion from Mr.

4:14

Cling, second from Mr.

4:15

Meredith.

4:16

All in favor, please indicate.

4:17

Aye.

4:18

Opposed, the motion carries.

4:19

Uh you also, council members for A is the minutes of the regular meeting of the City Council held on March 12, 2026.

4:27

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

4:30

I have a comment.

4:31

Yes, sir.

4:31

Um I want to thank you for adopting this new format for minutes.

4:35

Uh it's a vast improvement over the uh the two different sets of of minutes, which I think is uh confusing to a lot of folks.

4:45

So having it consolidated back into one form.

4:48

Excellent.

4:49

Thank you.

4:50

Any other comments?

4:51

Uh the minutes then will stand uh approved as presented.

4:55

Um the mayor has no special recognitions tonight, but the council is making up for it by having eight resolutions.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural███████████████15%

Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████15%

Community Engagement██████████████14%

Water And Wastewater Management██████████████14%

Youth Programs████████8%

Fiscal Sustainability████████8%

Cannabis Regulation███████7%

Public Safety██████6%

Personnel Matters███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Huntsville City Council Regular Meeting – March 26, 2026

The Huntsville City Council met on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 5:30 PM in the city council chambers. Councilmember David Little was excused; all other members were present. The meeting began with an invocation and pledge, followed by approval of the agenda and minutes of the previous meeting. The council heard two major presentations, approved numerous resolutions, conducted public hearings, and received public comments on a range of topics. The meeting adjourned at 10:04 PM.

Consent Calendar

Approved the agenda as presented and the minutes of the March 12, 2026, regular meeting.
Adopted eight resolutions honoring individuals and organizations: Cheryl Hobbs Robertson (youth development), The Caring Link and Kate O'Neill (community support), Mary L. Parker Davis (student-athlete opportunities), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Epsilon Gamma Omega chapter (service), Prince Hall Masons District 17 (community service), the Benford family (historic contributions), Columbia High School Wrestling Team (athletic achievements), and Coach Jack Doss (900th basketball win).
Approved the consent agenda for items 14A, 14B, 15A–15H, 18A, 18B, 19A–19F, and 20A–20F, 20I–20K, 20M, 20O, 20P, 20T, 20V–20X, 20Z–20AB, with no objections.

Public Comments & Testimony

Agenda-Related Public Comments (Huntsville Utilities): Several residents spoke about high utility bills, billing errors, and alleged mismanagement. Michael Francis described a disputed water bill; Dr. Angela Somerset questioned fuel cost adjustments and transparency. Wes Kelly, CEO of Huntsville Utilities, and his staff remained to address individual concerns.
Agenda-Related Public Comments (Hemp Ordinance): Phillip Smith, owner of SunMed CBD store, expressed concern about grandfathering provisions; city staff clarified that existing lawful businesses would be permitted to continue.
Agenda-Related Public Comments (Police MOU): Tierney Gaskin raised concerns about the proposed memorandum with the state drug task force, urging a balanced approach including treatment and de-escalation training.
Second Public Comments:
- The Jones family (Michael Jones, Brenda Jones Elliott, Ray Mohammed, Keyla Jones, Javille Jones) spoke about historical water rights from the Willie Jones estate, seeking a partnership with the city to access federal infrastructure funds.
- Angelica Condry and Marico Darling from Rocket City Roller Derby requested a dedicated venue, noting that the Stoner Park rink is unsafe and that they have had to cancel sanctioned games.
- Jerry Cox asked for restoration of a veterans' parking space sign near City Hall; staff confirmed the sign is in storage and will be reinstalled after construction.
- Molly Kluck and David Snyder expressed opposition to potential ICE cooperation, citing costs and erosion of trust; David Snyder referenced an existing HSI agreement and urged non-cooperation.
- Rohisise (name approximate) appealed a $280 grass-cutting fee, requesting forgiveness or reduction.

Discussion Items

Office of Multicultural Affairs Presentation: Dr. Randy Barber, director, described the office's mission to connect communities, youth engagement (300+ Civic Engagement Academy participants, 25-member Youth Advisory Council), and partnerships with advisory boards. He answered questions about police training, collaboration with the Hispanic community, labor outreach, and neighborhood associations.
Huntsville Utilities Winter Weather Bills Presentation: CEO Wes Kelly detailed factors behind high winter bills, including extended cold (30 days below 40°F), heat pump auxiliary/emergency heat, and a new billing system. He presented system-wide energy usage data, rate comparisons (Huntsville ranked 8th lowest among peers), and customer service metrics (46,000 calls, 5,600 walk-ins in Jan–Feb). He noted $850,000 in assistance from partner agencies and $183,000 from Project Share, and discussed options like energy audits and fixed billing. Councilmembers questioned the October 2024 rate increase, gas rate adjustments, and the opt-out smart meter fee.
Personnel Hearing – Calvin Haddon: The council considered a motion to overturn the personnel committee's decision and return the matter for a full evidentiary hearing. After initial confusion, a unanimous vote (4-0) sent the case back to the committee.
Hemp Zoning Ordinance: Staff presented amendments to Article 75 to regulate consumable hemp products, including definitions, distance restrictions (500 feet from protected uses), and grandfathering. The council approved the ordinance after clarifying that existing businesses would be grandfathered.

Key Outcomes

Personnel Hearing: Motion to overturn the personnel committee’s decision and remand for a full evidentiary hearing passed unanimously (4-0).
Utility Bills Presentation: No formal vote; the council accepted the presentation and noted that staff would remain for individual questions.
Rezoning and Annexations: Approved three public hearings: nuisance abatement (4313 Chalet Circle NW), zoning of 1.41 acres (south of Sutton Road) to R-1A, rezoning of 1.15 acres (west of Bell Road) to R-2, and a right-of-way vacation at 608 Church Street.
Hemp Regulations: Approved the zoning ordinance amendment (Article 75) and the related business license code changes (Chapter 3).
Board Appointments: Reappointed or appointed members to the Air Pollution Control Board, Community Development Citizens Advisory Council, and Bingo Review Committee. The reappointment of David Driscoll to the Bingo Review Committee failed (2-2 vote).
Project Gemini: Declared 237 acres surplus and authorized the mayor to negotiate a lease for a 40-megawatt solar power generation project, to be developed in partnership with Eurus (a Toyota subsidiary) and Huntsville Utilities.
Other Approved Items:
- $494,035 for independent design check of pedestrian bridges (Redevelopment Quarter Park).
- $47,350 for construction materials testing for Clinton Avenue surface parking lot.
- $680,000 (80% federal, 20% local) for design of I-565/Resolute Way interchange phase 1.
- Renewal of Baron Weather Services agreement for EMA.
- Change order #4 for Sandra Moon Phase 4 (adding signage, e-gaming area, adjustable basketball goals).
- Renewal of cooperative maintenance agreement with ALDOT ($100,000 reimbursement).
- One-year extension of the Huntsville Public Defenders Office contract.
- Renewal of the drug task force memorandum with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Future Meetings: Introduced two ordinances for the April 9, 2026, meeting (competitive bid exemption for vehicle repairs and surplus equipment auction).
Public Hearings Set: Nuisance hearing for 195 Wilkinson Dr. NW (April 9, 2026), right-of-way vacation at 2204 First Street (April 23, 2026), and limousine service hearing for Kirk Parker (April 9, 2026).

Meeting Transcript

It is 5:30 on Thursday, March 26, 2026, and we are calling this session of the Huntsville City Council to order. We are met in the chambers of the Huntsville City Council in Huntsville, Alabama. We will call the meeting to order. We excuse Mr. David Little. Mr. Little has another commitment, was not able to join us. Mr. Kling is present. The chair is present. We do not currently have a quorum. Is Mr. Meredith here? Ms. Watkins? They've stepped out. Well, we will proceed with uh with the invocation and with the pledge, and we will establish a quorum at that point so we can continue the remainder of our meeting. We welcome everyone. We have a full house tonight. We have lots to celebrate, and we are glad you've joined us. For those who are joining us virtually, we have several streaming platforms, and we welcome you as well. So we will begin with uh indication offered by uh one of our Huntsville, Alabama police safety chaplains, Dr. Laurie Macaulay, which will be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, which will be given by Councilmember Bill Kling. All who wish to uh and are able, please stand for the invocation and for the Pledge of Allegiance. Our invocation today will be coming from a 1970 series you may all know called the bionic man. And there was a character named Steve Austin played by Lee Majors, and the government said out the his wreck. We have the technology. We can make him bigger, better, faster. And what I am here today is to pray that while the city of Hostel strives to be bigger, better, faster, that you never let the technology surpass the people who call Huntsville home. Now, dear Heavenly Father, we thank you right now for your grace and your mercy. Father, our City Council has done the research, Father, now let them have your revelation. They have done their studying, let them have your spirit in everything they do, and God may it bring you glory. Amen. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God and the visible with liberty and justice. Thank you for Mr. Kling for um providing for for opening our meeting for us. Let the record show that council member Meredith and Councilmember Watkins have both joined us, and the quorum is established. Again, we miss uh Mr. Little Council members, everybody settled. Uh we'll now move on to the approval of the agenda. Are there any uh changes or additions of which anyone is aware on the agenda? Is there a motion to approve the agenda as it has been presented? Motion from Mr. Cling, second from Mr. Meredith. All in favor, please indicate. Aye. Opposed, the motion carries. Uh you also, council members for A is the minutes of the regular meeting of the City Council held on March 12, 2026. Are there any additions or changes to be made to those minutes?

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com