Welcome everyone.

It is Thursday, June eleventh, twenty twenty-six, five thirty PM, and we will call this meeting of the Huntsville City Council to order.

We are met in the chambers in Huntsville, Alabama.

We welcome all those who have joined us here in person and who are watching virtually.

And we would like to extend a special welcome to Amy Wallace, who is our intern in the City Council office.

This is her first council meeting.

We have enjoyed having her here and we'll enjoy working with her this summer, so welcome, Amy.

Also, I have been asked to make an announcement that a wallet and keys were left in the lobby.

And if you are missing your wallet and keys, please check with the officer at the security desk.

He's holding them for you.

So welcome again.

As is our practice, we will begin with an invitation offered by one of our Huntsville, Alabama public safety chaplains.

Tonight we are joined by Chaplain Don Edy, and after the invocation, we will have Mr.

Little lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

So all who are willing and able, please stand for the invitation and pledge of allegiance.

Father, we're so grateful today for your gift of grace to us, the grift gift of life and strength, the ability to get up and get around.

How thankful we are for that.

We pray for our fellow citizens who are not able to do that today, not able to get up and get around, we pray your grace on them that you would bless them this evening.

Father, we pray for uh patience and wisdom as we interact with one another.

And Lord, I pray especially for discernment for the council as they wrestle with the issues that are before them on the agenda tonight.

And Lord, we just want to please you and honor you as we love you and love one another.

We pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Chaplain Eady.

Thank you, Councilmember Little.

And I've failed to establish that we have all council members present, and also Mayor Battle.

Uh council members, uh, on the agenda, there are a couple of changes that we need to make you aware of.

The first is that item seven A has been deleted presentation by the Huntsville uh police Citizens Advisory Council.

We will look forward to hearing from them in July.

We are also deleting at the request of the sponsors, item 20 and 20x.

So please make that change on your agendas.

Are there any other changes that need to be made to the agenda?

Seeing none, is there a motion to approve the agenda as it has presented?

Motion from Mr.

Lil, second from uh from Mr.

Kling.

All in favor, please indicate I'm opposed.

The motion or the agenda is approved with those uh changes.

Council members, you also have the minutes of the regular meeting of the city council held on May 28, 2026 before you.

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

Seeing none, the minutes will be stand approved.

We have no special recognitions from the mayor.

The council has one special recognition.

6A is resolution recognizing the accomplishments of the University of Alabama in Huntsville's UAH esports program.

The chair moves for approval.

Second from Mr.

Kling.

All in favor, please indicate I oppose the motion carries.

And I have the pleasure of presenting this um resolution.

Yeah, esports members.

If you will please come.

This is a big team because it actually represents four teams, right?

Correct.

Um so like if we're not be down here with you.

So let me just share with you this resolution because some of you may not even know what esports are.

Whereas the City Council and the Mayor of the City of Huntsville, Alabama wish to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the University of Alabama in Huntsville UAH esports and its student athletes for their exceptional performances during the 2025-2026 competitive esports season.

And whereas UAH esports competed in the National Esports Collegiate Conference, NECC, one of the nation's premier collegiate esports organizations, and demonstrated remarkable success this season, with nine of its 27 teams qualifying for the national tournament.

And whereas four UAH esports teams advanced to the deepest stages of their respective national playoff brackets, showcasing the program's talent dedication and teamwork on a national stage.

And whereas UAH's Valorant Blue team captured the NECC National Championship on May 4th, following an already impressive season in which the team also secured a regional championship victory, further establishing itself among the nation's allegiate collegiate esports teams, and whereas UAH's Marvel Rivals Blue Team earned a place among the top competitors nationally, advancing to compete against California State University Sacramento for third place in the national tournament bracket after finishing fourth in the regional playoff competition.

Whereas UAH's counter strike white team advanced to compete for an NECC national championship title after also earning a regional championship victory earlier in the year.

There's more.

Whereas UAH's League of Legends blue team also won a regional championship title in the 2025 season.

And whereas within the UAH esports team blue program, blue teams represent varsity level competition and white teams represent junior varsity level competition, and the success achieved by both levels of teams reflects the continued growth and national prominence of esports at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the city council and the mayor of the city of Huntsville, Alabama do hereby recognize and commend the accomplishments of UAH Esports and its student competitors and extend immense appreciation to the pride and distinction these teams have brought to the university and the Huntsville community during their commitment, sportsmanship, and competitive excellence.

Join me in congratulating our UAHE Sports teams.

And now let me turn this over to Efren Hummel, who will tell us a little bit more about what we're rep what this really represents.

Absolutely, thank you so much for the uh beautiful words.

Um we are very honored to be here in front of you all today and in front of all of the viewers watching as well.

Um esports or the Esports club at UAH uh is an absolute staple of the UAH campus.

Um we're very glad to be able to do what we do.

Currently, we have about 130 competitive members across our 27 teams.

So it is one of the largest clubs on campus, and we're very proud of that, and we're very proud of these teams as well for excelling in their playoff divisions and committing the time as well required uh in order to practice and uh scrimmage and stay at the highest levels of competition.

Uh these athletes that stay uh stand before you are the best of the best, uh and we're very happy to be here.

Um down the line.

I will introduce um a few of our different teams.

So uh Prem right here is the one of the representatives from our League of Legends team.

Uh, these two right here are uh new officers uh for the esports program.

Uh here in the middle is our uh two representatives from Valorant, Marvel Rivals, standing here uh third to the right, and finally Counter Strike at the very end.

Uh I got the pleasure of coaching our counter strike team as well.

Uh, and I forgot to introduce myself.

I'm sorry.

My name is uh Ethan Hummel.

I am the student director of esports at UAH.

Uh and so I've been very um pleased to have this position to be able to lead an advisory level um for the club and and direct uh what the new officers are able to do.

So uh thank you so much for this opportunity.

Well, thank you for your service to these team members, and I will also point out that my grandson Alex Austin was on the national championship Blue Valorant team.

So that's a special thing for us.

So again, join me in congratulating our esports team.

We do a lot of important things at these meetings, but I think nothing is as important as recognizing the good work that's being done by a lot of different people in our community.

Uh we have um no announcements and presentations, uh no matters with legal representatives, and this brings us to public hearings to be held.

So sorry.

Uh 9A is a public hearing on a resolution authorizing the demolition of an unsafe building constituting a public nuisance located at 30 3804 Melody Road Northeast, Huntsville, Alabama, and consideration of a resolution pertaining to the same.

Mr.

Irwin.

Uh yes, Council members and Mayor Battles, Scott Irwin Community Development Department.

This is an appeal of community development findings related to the property on um Melody Drive.

Uh, the uh resolution and pardon me.

So appeal in the community development findings and a public hearing on a resolution authorizing the demolition of the unsafe building constitute a public nuisance of 3804 Melody Drive.

The owners and infantry parties were notified to the public hearing by certified male and first-class male.

The infantry parties indicated they intended to appear before you to present any objections.

We have photographs of the property for your review on the screen.

The property was initially inspected by an independent contractor who determined the structure was not structurally feasible for repair.

It total at a 98% loss.

So we're here before you tonight requesting authorization to abate this public mix.

Thank you, Mr.

Irwin.

The public hearing is now open.

I believe the property owners are here if you would like to approach the podium here.

And if you'll give us your name and address for the record, please.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Please proceed.

How you doing?

We're here, as the aforementioned, to um really ask for consideration of more time in assessing the situation with this property.

We have contact and talked to several contractors who have looked at it externally and because of the notice on it, et cetera.

Um no one has gone in it to kind to check, and what we're we're one of the things we would like to ask is to be able to proceed to go inside.

We have stayed away from doing that because of the notice did not want to go in.

Uh other thing is travel.

My sister and I uh I think was mentioned that we live out of state uh quite a distance away.

Um, and um just getting here can be difficult.

Uh we do have family who has kept a watch on it and things that nature, make sure the property is stayed closed, which it has, et cetera.

Um so that is kind of where we are um with that.

Uh one of the things that has us, the people we have discussed this with as far as contractors, no one has given us or counseled us in it that it needs to be torn down.

Um everyone has been very encouraged and saying no, this this can be saved, uh, but they have wanted to go inside and uh we just have not gone in because we didn't think we were permitted to at this time with uh the notice and and what have you.

Uh myself and my my older brother, uh we have gone in it in times prior to the notice being said that you could not, and it does look like you know, being around these things before a property that could be saved, even though there is we know it's great work uh that is needed, and there'd be a cost.

Post that or past that, um, once we determine what that cost would be, how extensive we would like then to make a decision on how we proceed from there.

Um we just don't think it it is necessary to tear it down without an adequate assessment of what would be needed and get full numbers on that.

Uh we just have not been able to conclude that uh currently because we have not been to begin inside the property, we've only been able to assess it from the outside uh with those that uh uh they have been able to look at it thus far.

Thank you, Mr.

Barley.

Is there anyone else who wishes to comment?

Anyone else wishing to comment?

Um then the public hearing is closed.

Is there a motion to approve the resolution?

Move to approve.

Uh motion from Mr.

Little Second from the Chair.

Um now discussion.

Question.

Mr.

Irwin, um, do you know if the house is safe for anyone to go inside and inspect it?

So when a property has been deemed unsafe, so you're not allowed to enter that property because it would be a danger liability.

So at this point, no, based on that that fact it is not suitable for someone to enter.

So it's not structurally sound.

Correct.

Okay.

Um, has anyone from the family been in contact with you?

Yes, I spoke with the family back in April uh and explained the process that we would do to move forward on our position, which the property was beyond a renovation or rehabilitation type uh you know activity and based on the independent contractor assessment, which was a 98 percent loss.

As staff, we deem that it was appropriate for this property to be demolished.

Um, so if even with the notice not to enter, they couldn't enter with a different contractor and one of uh community development member.

So, yes, the the contractor could, uh, but not not for individuals could not.

It would have to be someone that's licensed able to evaluate whatever the necessary uh structural integrity aspects are being evaluated are.

Okay, so in the intervening time between when it's supposed to be demolished and today.

If they could get a contractor in there before it's torn down and they decide to that it is salvageable, what would happen?

Yeah, our position of staff that it still is beyond that.

However, that we could arrange for them to review that.

We are still going forward and asking your authorization to abate the nuisance though.

Okay.

So thank you.

And what's your timeline on that?

So we it normally takes a minimum of 30 days depending on your public works uh schedule going forward.

It is a busy time, it could go slightly more than that, but it won't typically does have a minimum of 30 days before we are actually able to mobilize and move forward with any demolition.

Mr.

Kling.

Question or just an idea to throw out on the table, since the only time we really get to talk about these things is is in this venue.

Uh what if we were to give approval for Mr.

Irwin to proceed as he sees fit, including demolition, time extension or whatever.

Uh what we've done in the past, we basically give him the hammer, and we trust his judgment if it looks like there's some light at the end of the tunnel, uh, but at the same time to counter that to throw out uh how would the people who live in that neighborhood feel about what I think is a pretty bad blight?

Uh do they want to have this extend longer or um that we have been hearing any complaints from people in that neighborhood?

So that's a double-edged sword I'm throwing out.

So your proposal is to move forward with the well actually I'm just kind of throwing out on the table both arguments to see if there's some consensus on the council as far as what to do.

Mr.

Meredith, I believe you have a comment.

If the only way to do that is for you to put up a motion uh for an amendment and us to vote on that.

Well, and that's what I was trying to ascertain.

So we have a motion right now on the floor to proceed with demolition, but as I re understand that will not take place for 30 days, and in that 30 days time period, uh, if the Barley family had a contractor, you would permit that contractor to go into the building to make an evaluation?

That's correct.

We would handle this as we do all of our public nuisance activities.

We would work with the owner for uh in the most equitable way to get this property secured and removed if needed, but if there's an argument to be made by an independent contractor that it is ready and able to be renovated with a budget and a timeline, then we would certainly be willing to look at that.

Any other questions or comments?

They have 30 days before it's going to be demolished and scheduled to be demolition.

So during that time frame, hopefully, Mr.

Barley can get with you and schedule a time for a contract to come out, and then that way we would know what even if we vote if it's a possibility for the house to be redeemed.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Okay.

All in favor, please indicate.

Aye.

Any opposed?

The motion carries.

Thank you, gentlemen.

And then Mr.

Barley, we will let you meet with Mr.

Irwin to work out how you can get that contractor uh to take a look.

Thank you for being with us tonight.

Safe travels back to Raleigh.

We have several public hearings to be set.

10 A is a resolution to set a public hearing on the zoning of 2.41 acres of land lying on the west side of Old Big Cove Road and south of Worley Drive to residents to district and introduction of an ordinance pertaining to the same.

Is there a motion to set the hearing for July 23, 2026?

Move this.

Motion for Mr.

Little, second from Mr.

Kling.

All in favor, please indicate.

Any posed?

Motion carries.

10 B is a resolution to set a public hearing on the zoning of 2.47 acres of land lying on the south side of of old Highway 20 and east of Greenbrier Parkway to commercial industrial park district and introduction of an ordinance pertaining to the same.

Is there a motion to set the hearing for July 23, 2026?

Move to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Little, second from Mr.

Kling.

All in favor, please indicate.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

10 C is a resolution to set a public hearing on the rezoning of 505.3 acres of land lying on north of Bob Wade Lane, east and west of Mount Lebanon Road, from residents to and residents to be districts to Plan Development housing District LUI 4556 and the introduction of an ordinance pertaining to this same.

Is there a motion to set the hearing for July 23, 2026?

Motion from Ms.

Watkins, second from Mr.

Little, all in favor, please indicate.

The motion carries the hearing is set.

That concludes our public hearings, and we have no agenda-related comments.

So that brings us to comments from Mayor Battle.

Mayor Battle.

Thank you, sir.

We will now have comments from council members, and we will begin with council members.

John Meredith.

I'll pass on mine as well.

And next we have council comments from Council Member Michelle Watkins.

Okay.

Um I have a couple of um people I need to thank.

On Sunday, as I was getting out of church, I received a phone call that Madares Road and Shepard had flooded.

And uh I got on the phone with Shane Davis, not Shane Davis, Chris McNeese.

And uh when I got to the scene, fire department was there, and they were trying to get the drainage cleared out.

I want to thank the fire department, House of Police Department, Chris McNeese and Public Works for acting fast and getting the road cleared.

I really appreciate their attentive attention to the details and to making sure that the residents were safe.

So thank you so much for that.

Um Trevor Lacey basketball camp will be on Saturday, June 20th from 9 to 12 at John Hunt Park.

There's a registration link on the city website.

If you are interested, ages 10 to 17, please register your children.

It's completely free.

There's no cost involved.

Health fair in District 1 will be June 27th from 9 to 12, and it will be at the Johnson Legacy Center.

Another event that's free to the community.

You can come out, talk to some health care professionals, and we would love to have you there.

Thank you so much.

Oh, one last thing.

I think the city lost yesterday, Team Redstone.

So either way, whoever won, I won at the same time.

Thank you, Ms.

Watkins.

Uh Mr.

Kling.

Thank you, Madam President.

Ms.

Watkins, which dug behind which dugout were you sitting.

I was there you go.

Okay, you're your your place, East Switzerland.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um, Madam President, I'd like to ask is Mr.

Davis here by chance.

Shane?

We all, and I'm right up there with everybody.

We all love road resurfacing.

Everybody knows that that's the most exciting thing.

Uh I just want to express a concern to Shane that maybe you could talk to the folks about.

There are several streets within the district that were part of the fiscal year 2025, phase three and four.

The streets have not been resurfaced.

The concrete curving and stuff have been put down, but I noticed over the last couple of weeks, just walking around different neighborhoods.

Uh, a couple of these uh that are supposed to have been done again with FY 25, Holiday, Eustace, Cyprus, uh, Randolph, Harwood, Pontiana, Pansy, Town and Country, which I think is being worked on today, and Hillmont and Fennell.

Most of those, but not all of those are part of the FY 25 contracts.

And it's been a little bit of a hardship for the residents because all the concrete is laid, you know, things are kind of messy, and the asphalt personnel.

And I just want to ask if if you guys could check with, I guess the contracts you got and see if there's a way we could accelerate uh the contractor on that.

But again, not all of those, but most of those were FY 25 contracts, and you would expect those would be done before we even got into the FY 26 contracts, which certainly I'm glad anyway we can get any of those accelerated.

Yeah, so good evening, St.

Davis Director, Urban Economic Developments.

Councilman Clean after the meeting I'll get that list.

Okay, uh sometimes what will happen is they uh public works has to wait on streets to get cleared.

Hunts for utilities is upgrading a gas line, water line, or the sewer department.

That could be the case, but what I'll do is I'll get that list from you.

I'll coordinate with Mr.

McNeese at Public Works and we'll get you on update in the morning.

Okay, I've been hearing from people, but uh I've explained to them that the uh the money's already been appropriated, the contract, so it's not it's not a question of if it's going to be done, it's when.

Uh, but certainly people are, shall we say, eager to have the as I would be too.

Okay.

But we'll get with Mr.

McNeese in the morning and get you an update, sir.

Okay.

Thank you, sir.

You're welcome.

That's all, Madam President.

Thank you, Mr.

Cling.

We'll now hear from uh Councilmember David Little.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh, just be real quick and brief.

I'd like to thank public works, the police department, traffic, um, our engineering and inspections uh departments for all being uh quick to respond to some citizen needs over the last few weeks.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Little.

Um, I acknowledged um Amy Wallace, our city intern uh in our council department at the beginning of the meeting, but I want to extend a special welcome to all our interns.

All our departments have many interns here from many different schools, colleges, universities, and I they are going to have a wonderful summer here.

Many of them, and in fact, in our office, we have hired two of the our interns on our regular staff, so I know it's uh it will be a great experience for them, and we look forward to having them continue to serve with the city.

I would like to remind everyone about the Independence Day celebration on June 27th that will be held at Ditto Landing.

It is sort of the kickoff for a week that will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and so on June 27th, gates will open at Ditto Landing at 5 o'clock.

There is no admission charge but to park, it is five dollars per car and cash only, so keep that in mind.

Festivities start at 6 o'clock with uh concerts, food trucks, and fireworks will be at 9 o'clock.

So please join us for the Independence Day celebration at Ditto Landing on June 27th.

Again, it's gonna kick off that whole week of uh of events which will culminate on June July 4th uh parade downtown here uh in uh the city of Huntsville uh starting I believe at five o'clock that evening with fireworks to follow.

So lots of fun things planned for the 250th.

We'll go on now with the finance committee report.

Mr.

Meredith 14A is a resolution authorizing expenditures for payment.

I move for authorization and approval of expenditures and the amount of twenty-three million nine hundred and one thousand five hundred fifty-three dollars and seventy-three cents.

Second from the chair.

All in favor, please indicate.

Opposed the motion carries.

Uh, is there a report?

Uh no report.

Thank you.

Uh we have no board board appointments to be voted on.

We do have several board appointment nominations.

16A is a nomination to appoint and these will be these are nominations only.

They will be considered at the June 25th meeting.

16A is a nomination to appoint Nano Tate to the Huntsville Electric Utility Board, seat previously held by Kimberly Lewis for a three-year term to expire July 1, 2029.

16B is a nomination to reappoint Jim Batson to the Huntsville Natural Gas Utility Board to his current seat for a three-year term to expire July 1, 2029.

16C is a nomination to reappoint Jim Batson to the Huntsville Water Utility Board to his current seat for a three-year term to expire July 1, 2029.

16 D is a nomination to reappoint David Mathis to the Huntsville Madison County Marine and Port Authority.

City Council place one is current seat for a five-year term to expire July 1, 2031.

16E is a nomination to appoint Yolanda Sales to the Human Relations Commission, place one to fill vacancy due to the resignation of Remy Lisboudon for the remainder of a vacant four-year term to expire September 8, 2026.

16F is a nomination to appoint Paulette Risher to the Huntsville Madison County Railroad Authority.

Are there any nominations from the floor?

Yes, Madam President.

I'm nominate Samuel T.

Green the second to the Houseville Electric Utility Board for the seat previously held by Kimberly Lewis for a three-year term to expire July 1st, 2029.

Thank you, Ms.

Watkins.

Are there any other nominations from the floor?

Mr.

Meredith.

Given Ms.

Watkins' nomination to a competing seat, I'd like to withdraw my nomination of Mr.

Daniel Tate.

Okay.

So please let the record show that the nomination for Daniel Tate at 16A has been withdrawn.

And Samuel Green has been nominated from the floor.

Are there any nominations from the floor?

Hearing none, we'll move on.

We have no Huntsville utility items.

We have a couple of legal items, uh transactions.

So this is 18.

18A is an ordinance authorizing the vacation of a utility and drainage easement between the tracts one and two Martinson Ranch.

Phase four.

Is there a motion to approve?

Motion to move to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Little, second from the chair.

All in favor, please indicate.

Any posed, the motion carries.

18B is an ordinance authorizing the vacation of a five-foot utility and drainage easement in lot two, Montesano Construction Company subdivision 1617, Monte Santo Boulevard.

Motion from Mr.

Little, second by the chair.

All in favor, please indicate.

We have no vacation of rights of way or deeds of acceptance.

So that brings us to 19 unfinished business items for action 19A is an ordinance to amend Chapter 15 licensing taxes.

Article 3, sales use rental, and lodging tax, division 5, lodging tax.

Section 15 of the Code of Ordinances for the City of Huntsville regarding license fees.

Motion from Mr.

Little.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second from Mr.

Kling.

I have been made aware that the administration has asked to postpone this item.

And to the June 25th, 2026 meeting.

Is there a motion?

The chair makes the motion to postpone the June 25th meeting, second from Mr.

Little.

Any discussion?

Second.

All and second.

Motion from I'm sorry.

Move to approve.

Motion to postpone.

Move to postpone.

Motion to postpone to the June 25th meeting from Mr.

Little, second from Mr.

Kling.

Is there any discussion?

All in favor to vote in favor of.

There is discussion.

Okay.

I'm sorry, Mr.

Meredith.

Could someone from the thank you, Mr.

Hamilton?

Explain why this is necessary.

Council members, the item before you is a proposal to increase a lodging tax by one percent with that uh with that new one percent uh earmarked for uh capital improvements at the VBC.

As you're well aware, uh we're also uh in the process of bringing to you uh a TIFF that would also be part of the funding strategy for that project as well as some others.

Uh it's our recommendation that since since both of those items are aligned to the same project and the the TIFF vote uh right now is scheduled to come to you at June 25th.

Our recommendation it's better for you to handle both those things on the same night since they're tied to the same project, not have one get ahead of the other.

Thank you, sir.

Any other questions?

If I might say, this is just part of our obligation to the Hotel Motel Association and all those who have supported this effort uh to make sure that we follow through with our word, what we gave them our word we do.

And also, you know, one of the things that we try to do uh with any any you know fee structure or tax thing like this, but you know, particularly for lodging taxes, they have to do some things to be prepared to begin collecting it.

And so, you know, if uh with your passage at uh when it comes back, it would not actually take effect until October, so that would give them sufficient time to update their system to be prepared to begin collecting it in October.

Okay, any other comments?

All in favor, please indicate the opposed, the motion carries.

And the item has been postponed to uh June 25th.

19B is an ordinance annexing 24.67 acres of land lying on the north side of University Drive, east of Providence, Maine.

Is there a motion to approve?

Motion from Mr.

Little, second by the chair.

Mr.

Nunez.

Council Members Thomas Nunez, the manager of planning and zoning services.

This item is located north side of University Drive and east of Providence Main Street.

Uh petitioners seeking to annex for city services.

Questions for Mr.

Nunez?

Mr.

Meredith.

Do we have an idea of uh what's gonna yes?

This is uh for a commercial retail uh development but we don't know of what nature uh that's currently not have not been disclosed, but we are certain that it is will be uh proposed to be zone C4 for commercial retail and possibly even some lodging components.

Okay, so smaller retail um, small or large, yes, it could this with 24 acres that okay gives us a fair amount of flexibility or the development team, a fair amount of flexibility and uh house the scale of the development.

So depending on the market and strategies in turn um infused, then uh they have some options to put primarily um commercial and retail.

And we don't apartments are uh viable under this uh zoning, right?

Well, this is not the zoning component that would come in a later date, but if uh the proposal would be for C4, and if the the council were to approve such, then yes, that would be uh an uh use that would be permitted.

Okay.

Thank you, sir.

You're very welcome.

Any other comments or questions?

All in favor, please indicate.

I imposed motion carries.

19 C is ordinance annexing 1.98 acres of land lying on the north side of Capshaw Road, west of uh Waltriana Highway.

There's a motion.

Moved approved.

Motion from Mr.

Little, second from the chair, Mr.

Nunez.

Again, this item is located north side of Capshaw Road and west of Waltrana Highway.

Uh petition seeking to annex 1.98 acres for also a commercial retail development but on a smaller scale.

Any discussion?

All in favor, please indicate any motion carries 19 D is an ordinance to declare certain property surplus no longer needed for municipal use.

Move it approved.

Motion for Mr.

Little, second from the chair.

Any discussion?

Yes.

Okay, Ms.

Watkins.

Your question?

So as I'm reading this is saying that it has to be destroyed to prevent a data breach.

And the cost of property disposed of this is three dollars per camera.

But is the uh film backed up?

It is so the way uh so basically the basis of this is we have replaced old body worn cameras with a new system.

Uh what the IT professionals have figured out is the cameras themselves have some local storage in the device, and so there's potential for data that could be a privacy issue for citizens or whoever.

The way our systems work, though, is officers come in at the end of their shift and they download all that data, and then we have retention standards that are set uh for all that data.

So this is just making sure that these cameras don't fall into somebody's hands who might try and you know use it to violate somebody's privacy.

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions?

All in favor, please indicate.

Aye, opposed, motion carries.

This brings us to 20 new business items for consideration or action.

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

The reading of each item will be waived, less a council member requests otherwise.

Are there any items any council member wishes to hold for separate consideration?

Yes, ma'am.

A, C, D, F, G, I, K, P, V, A, B.

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

It went pretty quick, uh, so I may be um repeating some.

Would you like me to?

So we have A, C, D, F, G, I, J, K, and J.

J.

J was one that I asked to help.

I, J, K, P, V, and A B.

Uh, what came after P?

V and AB.

B is in dicator.

Okay, yes, ma'am.

Um, I would like to hold item.

K.

K is held.

Yes, sir.

And item N as in Nano.

Got it.

We have item A, C, D, F, G, I, J, K, N, P, V, A, B.

C, and D.

And N, Yes.

Let me just get all of those down here.

Do we have P?

Yes.

Okay.

And also please remember that item 20 and 20X have been deleted.

So the chair moves for approval and consolidation of I consolidation and approval of items 20B, 20 E, 20H, 20 L, 20 M, 20O, 20Q to U, 20W to A.

Is there a motion to second from Mr.

Little?

All in favor, please indicate.

Any opposed motion carries.

We'll move on now to 28.

20A is a resolution authorizing travel expenses.

The chair moves for approval.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Mr.

Little.

Ms.

Watkins, you held this.

Your questions, please.

Yes.

Can you tell me from the last council meeting?

I think it was, I want to say 14 or 15,000 last council meeting.

So two weeks ago, and now we're approving it for 30,000.

Excuse me.

Yes.

The amount actually this time, so the total cost of travel for this period was $30,291.76.

The employee reimbursement amounted to $8,355.93 cents.

Too much detail.

But basically, it all depends on who travels to where, how large is the actual travel expense.

So for this one, if my memory serves, I don't have the other one directly in front of me.

Was that there were fewer people that traveled in that time period?

And it may have even been for conferences that were like within the state as opposed to outside of the state or something like this.

For this particular one, we had we had a number of places, you know.

There was a planning conference in Detroit, Michigan.

There was the Decatur, Georgia, and there was some out of state ones that went to different places.

So it all depends on kind of what's in state, out of state, and how many people actually travel in that time period.

So just to make sure that I'm I'm tracking, out of the 30,000, 8,500 of the 30,000 was employee reimbursements.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

What is I know there are times when multiple people from a department will need to go to the same conference.

Um is there any limit to the number of people within a department that can travel to the same conference?

No, it all depends on kind of the requirements at the conference.

Um, you know, for instance, there may be C L E or C P or for S C P E requirements, you know, sort of continuing certification requirements for different registrations that we hold or different certificates that that are held within the city by different employees, or um, or for just general, I know that for like the our national conference.

We like a couple of people to try and go to that just in order to cover it.

There's so many things happening at one time, so um, so it just depends on conference to conference, and it is up to the department head as to how many people attend that conference.

Is there any um ban or prohibiting factor for a whole department to accompany or to attend the same conference?

Not that I'm aware of, I'm not aware that that has happened, but um, but that may be maybe that's something that's has occurred.

I it came to my attention that it has occurred, but certainly not within this bunch.

Um I found it particularly uh that a whole department would take off for a week uh to attend the same conference, but but if there are CLEs and other things involved, it makes more sense now.

Um, but uh I appreciate you pointing that out.

Um so thank you.

Okay.

Any other comments?

All in favor, please indicate.

The motion carries.

20 C is a resolution authorized mayor to enter into an agreement to mutually terminate the janitorial services administrative facilities awarded to Office of Pride Inc.

pursuant to resolution number 26-413.

Is there a motion to approve?

Move to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Little, second from the chair.

Um Mr.

Hamilton, could you please um share with us what we're doing here?

Sure.

Council members, we'll you'll note that that C and D are related to related to each other, but we need to handle them in sequence.

So we need to first focus specifically on C and then come to D in order.

Uh so uh janitorial services throughout uh city facilities is mostly handled by contract.

We do have a few uh employees uh that provide some janitorial service primarily here in City Hall, but the vast majority of our facilities are maintained by contract.

Uh we actually have two separate uh janitorial contracts.

One does administrative buildings and the other does all the parks should rec so what's the one that's before you tonight is the one that focuses specifically on administrative buildings.

The parks and rec uh contract actually will come up in about six months for bid.

So that uh that one is not part of tonight's discussion.

So this is purely about the administrative buildings.

Uh this RFP went out uh several weeks ago.

Uh it was evaluated, and we had uh what was the low bidder, although this is one that was not uh determined purely based on low bid.

Uh it's actually a uh kind of a best value uh evaluation process.

Uh but in this particular case uh the the contractor that was evaluated the highest was also the low bidder.

Unfortunately, after that contract was approved, and what they have to do is once you approve the contract, they then have several things they have to do uh to be fully compliant, including getting a performance bond.

Uh, in this particular case, unfortunately, the contractor was unable to uh achieve some of those requirements, uh and so that's why this cancellation is before you is because they are not able to uh perform uh uh under this contract.

So uh we first need to cancel this contract, and as I said, indeed, we will then take up the next action to deal with the repercussions that what's before you write this minute uh is specifically cancellation of this contract because of their inability to perform.

Questions for Mr.

Hamilton or any discussion?

All in favor, please indicate.

Any opposed, the motion carries.

20 D is a resident.

One second.

We need all of the members to speak into their microphone when they're voting.

Thank you.

Twenty D is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into agreement to award the janitorial services administration building contract previously awarded pursuant to resolution number 26-413 to PJH Cleaning Inc.

doing business as Alabama Cleaning Service.

Is there a motion to approve?

Move to approve.

Mr.

Hamilton, so this is follow-up to C.

It is so uh with the action that you just took.

Uh we no longer have a contract for for those facilities, and so this is uh how we deal with that.

So uh the contract uh before you is with PJH cleaning, uh doing business as Alabama Cleaning Service.

Uh they they came in second in uh in the competitive process.

I will tell you it was very, very close.

I've actually seen the scoring uh rubric from uh from the committee.

Uh it it is in terms of the pricing, which uh obviously we we particularly focus on pricing is for a full year about $70,000 more than uh than who was the low bidder, uh, but they performed uh very well on all the other metrics, and so our recommendation is uh that we now move to the second bidder, which is the one before you uh in order to approve this contract and allow them excuse me to uh to move forward.

Questions?

So just just to be clear, this contract then is from a bidder who is able to meet all the requirements.

Correct.

Now they they have the same issue.

They're there are certain things like going and get a performance bond and some other things you can't do until you actually have a contract.

So uh that's why, unfortunately, occasionally we bring you a cancellation where something has happened uh early in the process, and so you know, with your with your approval tonight, they will have an executed contract, and that will allow them to go move forward with some of those final administrative things.

Should they run into problems?

Then we'll you know then we'll deal with that.

But uh, but they can't take any of those steps until they actually have a contract.

Any other comments, questions?

All in favor, please indicate aye.

Any opposed motion carries.

Thank you, Mr.

Hamilton.

20F is a resolution offered authorizing the mayor to submit an application to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs ADECA for fiscal year 2026 emergency grant ESG funds.

Move to a motion from Mr.

Little.

Is there a second?

Second by the chair, um Mr.

Irwin.

Yes, Councilmember Scotterwin Community Development Department.

This item is the authorizing the mayor to submit an application to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs for ESG funding, which is emergency solution grant funding.

This is a pass-through grant that we provide uh resources to our homeless service providers within the community to address homelessness.

Uh the process is that we submit this application.

Uh we then uh receive applications from our local service providers, and then once we have the the uh organizations selected and their activities selected, then we'll come back to you with individual contracts with those organizations, but they will address things such as street outreach, emergency shelters, homeless prevention, and rapid rehousing.

Our expected application for this particular grant is $500,000.

Questions for Mr.

Irwin.

You say $500,000.

Because on the notes, it's five million.

I think it was a typo.

It's a typo, okay.

I just want to clarify, make sure.

Well, it's it's the yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Any other questions.

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed motion carries.

20 G is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into contract between the city of Huntsville and Low Bidder Rogers Group Inc.

for ditto landing event space, parking lot based bid and option number one, project number 71-26-sp 36.

Chair moves for approval.

Second from Mr.

Little.

Mr.

Davis.

Thank you, Madam President.

Good evening, Councilmember Shane Davis, Director of Urban Economic Development.

So this is a project.

Uh it's been in the capital plan for a couple of years.

Uh from a budget standpoint.

Uh we're now ready to bring before city council.

This is a uh partnership with Madison County, as they're making a significant investment along the river for ditto with an event center, uh, new leasing opportunities for uh Ditto to have new revenue coming in.

Uh this council agreed a couple of years ago to provide the parking.

Uh so uh the bid amount came in actually under budget.

The total contract amounts two million three hundred and fifteen thousand dollars.

We'll provide four hundred and fifty spaces uh to the ditto landing uh vent center area, also includes about four hundred and fifty feet of greenway lighting and then land some new landscaping berms along Hobbs Island Road area.

Again, uh our budget was about three million dollars, so this is under budget.

So, very competitive bids going on right now.

Well, I I would just make one comment that this is uh the entire project, which uh has been led by Commissioner Phil Riddick to do the event center and the restaurant space at Ditto is very exciting, and we can't have any events if we don't have parking.

So this is a critical piece to make it work.

In addition to this, we've also done some sewer work as well, haven't we?

Yeah, so uh water pollution control actually self-performed that bringing sewer down to this area of ditto landing.

So uh we did that about a year ago.

So this this our our infrastructure contribution is making this possible.

So um thank you for the work we're doing on that.

Any other comments?

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Okay, any opposed?

The motion carries.

20i is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement between the city of Huntsville and Shoal Engineering Company Inc.

for engineering design services for roadway improvements along Northern Bypass and Memorial Parkway project number 71-26-RD 03 and OLDOT project number C RSA, STPHV PE-10.

Move to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Little, second from the chair.

Any comments or questions from Mr.

Davis?

Ms.

Davis, will you please explain what the what this exactly ought to be?

Yes, ma'am.

Shane Davis, Director of Urban Economic Belt.

So council members, as you're well aware, we are getting close to wrapping up later this year the northern bypass extension.

We'll essentially go from Pulaski Pike to about 1500 feet east side of the parkway along the new food city.

In the middle of this construction project, we've secured a really major retail development, currently anchored by Home Depot and Target and some others that we're working on.

So what this is doing is designing.

We've been working with Al DOT on access management for this new retail development, which would include two signalized intersections.

One on the Northern Bypass, one on uh Memorial Parkway.

Uh and then some right-in ride-outs to some of the out parcels.

So this would be a design contract to design that so we can utilize uh getting this in place before we finish the northern bypass.

We we want to get these uh improvements one to support this retail.

If you've been up in that area, dirt is moving later this summer.

You'll start seeing footing and foundations go in uh for the first part of the retail, which will be target and and some other junior boxes, they're getting really close to announce.

Uh, and then as we get into really late fall, uh you'll start to see the Home Depot start to come out of the ground.

So what we're trying to do is not open a brand new road and then have a bunch of orange barrels out there trying to get two signals in.

So we're really trying to let all this finish about the same time.

Any other comments or questions?

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Any posed?

Motion carries.

20J is a resolution authorized, mayor to enter into an agreement between the City of Huntsville and Skipper Consulting Inc.

for professional engineering services for an interchange access request IAR study along I 65 between exit 340 and exit 347, project number 71-26-sp 47.

Move to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Little, second by the chair.

Um, Mr.

Davis, I I held this because I think it's in would be interesting to the public to hear why we feel we need this additional access at the end.

Sure.

I absolutely happy to explain.

So I think this is an example of us trying to stay ahead of our transportation infrastructure.

Uh, this is certainly not our infrastructure, right?

It's interstate 65.

Uh but we all know uh we all use Huntsville, Limestone County, Decatur, Athens, all of us from a regional MPO.

Uh the interchange of I-65 and 565 is very congested.

Expanding that interchange will cost a lot of money.

Uh it's not something that Al Dot or Federal Highway is ignoring, uh, but we've been having conversations for about a year with Federal Highway Administration of saying a cheaper alternative from a you know three to four hundred million dollar interchange improvement project, uh, could possibly be looking between the Huntsville Browns Ferry exit and I-565, a new interchange that could be in the $30 million range or $40 million range that would provide connection into the growth corridor that we're seeing at Mazda Toyota and the different things that are out in that western corridor.

Mark Bartlett Federal Highway said we think that's a great idea.

We said, well, can we help lead to kick this off?

And he said yes.

So that's what this will do.

Um as we get into this, that we will bring more to the public, and certainly with federal highway.

Will the city of Huntsville build the interchange?

Most likely not, but we want to accelerate.

We want to advance and not wait till functional failure.

So I think this is a good example of us trying to be proactive as we did with restore roads and some other uh partnerships we've had with Aldot in in the past.

Thank you.

Mr.

Meredith.

I don't have any questions, but I know we've been working on this interchange.

For a while.

For quite a while.

So I think it's wonderful to see the progress being made.

Absolutely.

Yeah, it's as Council Mayor said, we did a light corridor study to kind of pigeon where the best location could be.

Worked with Federal Highway on a couple of different locations.

What this will do is finalize that location, do some geometrics of uh how that interchange would most likely connect over at some point to Mooresville Road, Green Bar Parkway, to the west side of 65 to Highway 31, which would provide access to Calhoun College, Prior Field.

So this will finalize where that future interchange would be, get approval from out on Federal Highway, so it's locked into their system.

Sounds good.

Thank you very much, sir.

Any other comments?

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

20K is a resolution authorized mayor to enter into a land lease agreement renewal between City of Huntsville and Roger Martin Farms for the rent and lease of approximately 111 acres of unimproved land, generally located in Cummings Research Park.

Move to approve.

Second from Mr.

Kling, thank you.

Mr.

Davis.

Yes, ma'am.

So this is a just what it says is the farm lease renewal.

This is actually located in Cummings Research Park.

So we have a number of these that come through here annually.

They vary in lease amounts, and I wanted for the public and for this council to get you to understand or better understand why you know they're not the same price per acre.

So we work with a farmer that has interest in it, and then you know, soil conditions, the amount of acreage, the location, what it takes to to go plant a crop, get it harvested, get it out, and then is it irrigated or not?

So the other one you've held, you will notice that we're going to get to the lease amount's a lot more.

We actually has irrigation on it.

So it produces a much uh greater yield, such that you know they can pay more for the lease.

So the lease amount in this is $8,400.

It is unirrigated in research park.

Uh what we mainly do uh here in Alabama, you let a piece of property set dormant for a year, volunteer trees come up.

We would spend a lot of money trying to maintain this.

So uh getting any revenue uh just somebody maintaining it for us is actually saving the taxpayer money.

Thank you.

Questions?

All in favor, please indicate.

Aye.

Opposed, motion carries.

20 and is the resolution authorized the mayor to enter into a land lease agreement renewal between the City of Huntsville and Devaney Brothers farms for the rent and lease of approximately 131 acres of unimproved land lying in the vicinity of the western area treatment plant.

Move to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Little, second from Mr.

Clink.

So the the same uh for for this one, and let me find it on here.

So this is 131 acres.

Uh I apologize.

I was looking at the Devaney one that was like green bar.

If you want, all I was gonna ask is the why are the values on these properties so low?

Yes, um, and I well, why are the values so low?

Why is the city only getting five thousand one hundred and eighty dollars for letting a farmer form?

Yeah, so so for instance, this one is adjacent to the Western Area Wastewater Treatment Facility.

So the site was actually uh a former lay down area for the construction of the treatment plant.

So it's not fully topsoil, it's got some rock and some church, so it does produce a crop, but it's kind of if you go see it once it's planted, I've been down there, it's very sporadic.

So it doesn't have a lot of land value, but we don't want it to grow up in private and volunteer trees.

Uh what I want to point out since we're talking value.

Uh the Devaney farm one that was just the one I thought you were holding.

Um, I just circled the wrong one.

Is a 233 acres at the Green Bar exit.

It's the remnant track uh from the Eli Lily uh that we'll retain.

It is irrigated and it's at 29,150 for about 100 acres.

So much, much higher, but it's producing a yield.

It's got great topsoil, it produces a good yield, so they're paying based off yield.

And frankly, even that is a cheap price.

Um I was amazed at how little farmers pay on land leases.

Um, yeah, I didn't want the public to think, well, Huntsville's just giving this stuff.

Right.

It is relatively inexpensive property.

And Kelly Davis in the engineering office handles these, and about every three years, she'll call some of the large landowners that are doing that, tape farms and some of the others, and say, okay, kind of what is the lease rate that you're paying others, and then we try to adjust these based on that.

Thank you, sir.

You're welcome, sir.

And we also, and as they maintain this land for us, it also means that if we need it for something, we can quickly turn around.

We don't have to do a lot of clearing.

Well, and the other thing is take research park, that lands for sale.

Um the land out at Green Bar that that you approve, it it is markable to go bring jobs.

So at a moment's notice, we may have a company that wants to come see that.

It needs to show well.

You know, it needs to see where you can envision this is a good piece of property.

These farm leases have it in a condition that it's always well maintained and it always shows well.

Okay.

Any other questions?

All in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

I'm opposed to motion carry.

20 P is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a design services agreement between the City of Huntsville and MPS Architecture PC for the transit station office renovation.

Is there a motion to approve?

Motion from Mr.

Kling, second from Mr.

Little.

Um Mr.

Hamilton.

Councilman's before you is a design contract to convert some space in the transit center to office space.

Uh it's a relatively new facility, but we're also actively uh growing that system.

And so as is Ms.

Bryant's needing to kind of add some staff and and uh change the way she's operating.

Uh we need a little bit more office space inside that facility, so this will convert some lobby space that's been lightly used uh into office space.

Thank you.

Questions?

Is this at the new transit center?

It is.

So it's in addition to what's there?

It will not be in addition to the building, it's converting some interior space uh into office space.

Oh, gotcha, okay.

Other questions?

Is there uh any reason to indicate that because this is taking place that uh there's gonna be further transit route expansion in the future?

Well, there is plan.

I mean, th this change won't automatically turn into more buses, but but you know, you you've seen some of the plans over the next few years to uh to add more routes, add more hours, those kinds of things, and so that uh that's continuing to move forward.

This allows uh Ms.

Bryant to properly staff it uh and deal with some of that that increase of traffic into the facility.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

All in favor, please indicate by saying any opposed.

Motion carries.

20 V is a resolution author authorizing the mayor to enter into a facility use agreement between the City of Huntsville and James Sec LLC for the event.

Zero motion.

So move to approve.

Motion from Mr.

Little, second from the chair.

Uh I'm not sure who held this question specific to this, Ms.

Watkins.

Yes, exactly.

What does this consist of with them?

Because the event is in decatur.

So, well, it's not, it's actually in Big Spring Park.

Oh, they haven't had a big spring park this year.

They are, exactly.

Oh, I don't know.

I think that uh yeah, it's a little bit confusing where they have the left decatur in their name, even though uh this particular event's in Big Spring Park.

So this is a standard facility use agreement that that entities uh can get for for park use.

This one and sometimes others have to come before you because uh they will have alcohol involved and they have to get a special event permit from the state.

The state requires them to have a council approved agreement for use of the facility.

So that's that's why it's before you versus a typical one Mr.

Gossett has the authority to approve on his own.

So, that's all I need to know.

Thank you.

Any other questions or comments?

All in favor, please indicate aye.

And 20 AB is a resolution authorizing acceptance of a corrective deed correcting the legal description contained in the original deed recorded in deed book 2023, page 15218 of the probate records of Huntsville, Alabama authorizing the mayor to execute a quick claim deed to convey the portion of land erroneously included in the original deed back to the parties.

Uh Chair makes a motion, second from Mr.

Little.

That's a whole lot of language there, help us understand very simply what we're doing.

Yes, ma'am.

Shane Davis, Director of Urban Economic Development.

So uh the total reconveyance back uh to the landowners is only one point one five acres.

It's actually in three really small locations.

So through the Hayes Farm development, uh they donated a lot of land for public space and public parks and greenways and trails.

And there's a really, if if you looked at the legal description of all that, it was about twenty-two pages.

Uh so as we've went back into that and then and started comparing with actually tax assessor of of land, there was a couple of survey errors and and just some minor turns of east bearing or west bearings.

We've got all that corrected and realized that there were some little pieces here and there that wasn't meant to be donated, that was meant to be retained, and we're just cleaning that up.

So just making sure that everybody's legal boundaries uh close and touch each other.

So thank you.

Just some minor survey and cleanup.

Any questions?

All in favor, please indicate by say hi.

Any posed?

Motion carries.

Uh that concludes our new business items.

Um, and we will now move to items for introduction.

These items are for introduction only.

They will be considered at the June 25th meeting.

Twenty-one A is the introduction of an ordinance amending chapter eight businesses of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Huntsville to add Article 6 concerning private park and pay facilities.

21B is the introduction of an ordinance declaring certain equipment surplus and to be recycled for monetary value.

21C is the introduction of an ordinance to amend ordinance number 25-194, Chapter 2 administration.

Article 13, control of access to city owned controlled and leased premises of the code of ordinances of the city of Huntsville.

That concludes all of our business, and that brings us now to second roster public comments.

We have four people who have signed up.

This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the council on matters relating to city business, whether or not such items are on the agenda.

Anyone who has signed up may speak.

And when called, approach the microphone, state your name, address, and city residence for the record.

Each speaker may address the council for three minutes.

Speakers will refrain from entering into a dialogue with council members or city staff and from making comments regarding the good name and character of any individual.

So when I call your name, please come to this central podium here.

And I will also call the name of the person to follow so you can be ready to come.

The first person to sign up is Tanya Hawkins.

Subject is safety measures at railroad tracks.

Ms.

Hawkins, he'll come forward.

He will be followed by Andre Austin.

Hi, my name is Johnnya Hawkins, and my address is 1538 Moontown Road, Brownsboro.

Thank you.

Yes.

Good evening, everyone.

Back in 2004, I actually lived on Salty Bottom Road with my family, my mom, and my father, and he was hit by a train at that crossing, unprotected, unmarked crossing at Salty Bottom.

After massive injuries that he incurred, he did survive, but survival is not the same as returning to the life he once had.

After that day, his world became smaller.

His strength, his independence, and the years that should have been spent spooling his grandchildren were all limited by what happened in those few terrifying seconds.

Our family has lived with that ever since.

Then more recently, tragedy struck again.

Last month, Keegan and McKinley Davis lost their lives at that same railroad track at Salty Bottom Road.

His father and his daughter.

Lots of other supporters.

If y'all would like to stand up just to show them who's here, would be great.

The two lives that day was a 36-year-old father and an eight-year-old little girl gone in a moment that should have never been left so unprotected.

Two families changed forever at a crossing that gave no warning, no barrier, and no second chance.

These are not isolated stories, they're reminders.

A train can't swerve, it can't stop quickly, and when a crossing has no lights, no gates, no protective barriers at all.

The responsibility falls entirely on human judgment, and the conditions are often hard to judge.

This is why safety upgrades matter.

Lights, bells, crossing arms are not luxuries, they're life-saving barriers between everyday travel and irreversible loss.

Every crossing, like Salty Bottom Road, a crossing that has more than 2100 vehicles that cross it every single day.

A crossing that's had multiple fatalities, a crossing that remains unprotected is a risk sitting in plain sight.

City council members, I respectfully ask for your help along with all of these people, and several that couldn't come because they couldn't get off work, and addressing the ongoing safety concerns at this railroad crossing at Salty Bottom.

Please work with Al Dot to make the necessary improvements before another tragedy incurs.

If funding is the primary obstacle, I know there are some that have said they are willing to contribute toward the local matching funds that the county was previously unable or unwilling to provide.

Families are grieving, lives have been forever changed, and the residents live with the fear that another preventable accident could happen anytime.

We urge you to take action, help protect the citizens of our community from from further loss.

My father's life was altered in 2004.

Keegan and McKinley Davis' lives were ended.

We can't undo what's already done.

Sorry, Miss Hawkins.

We please ask for protection.

Thank you.

Thank you for your time and concerns.

We are very sorry for your loss.

The next person to speak is Andre Austin, who will be followed by David Snyder.

Andre Austin, Kenny Anthony S.

Bain Drive.

So City of Huntsville.

City of Huntsville, yeah.

And unfortunately, there's no dialogue back and forth because my question is about uh community development.

Uh in regarding community development, I was wondering if there's a code of conduct, uh an SOP, or set uh standard operating procedures, and which bylaws there are for the uh community development personnel.

There is a situation, so I can't go back and forth with actual personnel of community development.

There's a situation where realtor calls community development, they don't even live here.

All right, that's a problem.

So a realtor calls community development, come out to my property, and you know it's fine.

I'm still building a fence, you know, times are tough, you know, stuff happens.

All right.

Well, why is it a realtor that don't even live in the community, don't even live in a neighborhood, is willing to make my life difficult because I gotta obviously I'm coming out of pocket, I don't want to not be seen, you know, not be done myself.

You know, and you know it's a little frustrating because these folks they call, they sell up the properties, they don't care about nobody live there.

And you got this personnel from the community development walk on the property that's for sale to look over into my over into my property, over the line over fence, whatever, trying to see what they can, I don't know, violate, say it's from junk back there with it.

Well, you can't see it from the road.

It's construction screen up.

So why are you going all the way back past the cartilage that's the legal bound?

As far as I'm concerned, I'm sure any law enforcement can tell you they can't go past the curlage unless it's in a separating circumstance.

So why is it that the community development personnel can walk all the way past the fence to the neighbor?

They said on tape that they the neighbor, and I recorded it, said that the neighbor or the realtor, sorry, the realtor gave them authorization to walk past the fence to walk, look all in back my yard where people on normal, you can't even see it on Google Maps.

So, why is it okay for him to see that?

I mean, instant details, talking about what uh license plate numbers, you know, ain't no telling what else he out there back there doing.

Scott in the place out trying to figure out what you can steal.

I don't know these folks, and I think that's just disingenuous and disrespectful to have people from community development that they can just do it every day won't.

They're more important than the police officers, I guess, and a fire department and a and a pyramid.

People saving lives.

They're not that important.

That's all I got to say.

Thank you, sir.

Mr.

Irwin, would you like to have a conversation with Mr.

Austin?

Uh, Mr.

Austin, Scott Irwin, our director of community development, we'll meet with you out in the hall.

We will now hear from David Snyder and Mr.

and uh David will be followed by Jerry Cox.

Hello, my name is Mix David Snyder.

Uh my information is written correctly on the sheet.

I live in Huntsville.

I've got a lot on my plate, so this will go a little fast.

First, I would like to invite City Council and anyone in the audience and anyone listening to a screening of the Alabama uh solutions documentary.

It'll be on June the 20th at the Fellowship Presbyterian Church on Meridian Street.

I'm volunteering with the United Women of Color, come check it out.

Um I would also like to just raise community awareness around a meeting that was had with uh our city uh council president, uh Ms.

Robinson, Councilwoman Robinson, and a few other representatives.

Uh the police chief uh about Flock and uh the camera system that we are in contract with as a city.

Uh Caden Helbling submitted a FOIA request, it's an open records uh act request.

Uh and it was denied on the grounds that it was uh that the material was about investigations material, which was not true.

That is not uh factually true, and um I think that is how a lawyer would phrase it is uh Cadence arguing against the facts of the case.

That is not uh what the material was asked for uh pertains to.

Um I would like to mention during that meeting at a certain point actually, uh someone in the room interrupted councilwoman uh Robinson and um just started talking right over.

Councilwoman uh councilwoman Robinson and uh it just it rubbed me wrong.

I wish that I had spoken up in that meeting uh when that happened and brought it up.

I you know, I personally I feel like I should have done better for that.

I was interested in what Robinson had to say about that.

But um we are uh awaiting a review.

One thing that was agreed upon in that meeting is that by the 30th uh 30th, a review of the denial and possibly a reevaluation and possibly a reversal will come through.

So we're anxiously awaiting that.

Um there's also a default deflock week of action starting August the 16th, right?

Um I also want to bring a little community awareness about the battery, the meeting that happened about the battery that's being placed in district one.

Um it's not not living in district one.

Yeah, I went for solidarity.

It's not my bag to talk about what should happen one way or the other.

I would like to say though that it was interesting.

Uh it was confirmed when I brought up in the meeting that it seemed like what I was understanding from the data, um, that there are energy uh inefficiency issues happening in district one that contributed to the battery being placed in that district, and I think that we as a city need to look into that more and provide that district with you know what it needs to be able to meet that.

Um the uh officials from Huntsville Utilities mentioned about there being energy efficient efficiency programs, and when I asked about it when I followed up uh with that and asked, you know, where is the data for transparency?

I'd like to see how many uh, you know, how many times it's been applied for and how many times that's successfully happened.

I uh there's just no data there, so you know there's uh no way to confirm that one way or the other, how well that's working.

Um, I would also like to bring up I've been going through some efforts to uh raise bus fare for people coming out of the jail, right?

Uh I've been going on about this for some time, several meetings now.

Uh, our sheriff's department's very open to it.

I would really appreciate it if our city council and mayor Tommy Battle it may have to come from you.

So thank you.

Look forward to an email from me.

Um, Jerry Cox is I don't see Jerry here.

Is Jerry out in the hall?

Um he was our last signed up to be our last speaker, so that we have no more speakers.

Is there any other business before the council?

We are adjourned at 6 48.

Thank you all for joining us.

Yes, ma'am.