Madison City Council Regular Meeting - October 27, 2025

The Madison City Council met in regular session at 6:00 PM on October 27, 2025, in Council Chambers under Agenda No. 2025-20-RG. After the invocation and pledge, the Council approved meeting minutes, recognized a tourism award recipient, received district reports, and acted on the consent agenda, several department resolutions, and proposed ordinances. No public comments were offered.

Invocation and Minutes

• Pastor Holly Woodall of Fellowship United Methodist Church delivered the invocation.
• Minutes No. 2025-19-RG (regular meeting, October 13, 2025) and Minutes No. 2025-06-WS (work session, October 15, 2025) were approved by roll-call vote.

Presentations & Awards

• Councilmember Connie Spears recognized Curtis Venetta, Marketing & Events Specialist with the Madison Chamber of Commerce, for being named the Green Apple Young Professional of the Year at the 2025 PEAK Awards hosted by the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourism Association.
• Spears read a statement from Chamber President Michelle Epling praising Venetta's impact. Venetta helped launch the first Asian American and Pacific Islander food scavenger hunt, modeled on Madison's Train on Main scavenger hunt, to drive business to local AAPI restaurants.

Public Comments & Testimony

• The public comment period was opened; no speakers came forward, and it was closed.

Consent Calendar

The Finance Committee reviewed regular and periodic bills. Consent resolutions and items were approved in one motion:

• Resolution No. 2025-342-R: City property and liability insurance services with Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation, payable from the General Services Account.
• Resolution No. 2025-343-R: Renewal of Catastrophic Inmate Medical Insurance from King Risk Partners, LLC, with an annual premium of $10,034.04 from the General Services Account.
• Resolution No. 2025-351-R: Travel advances of $387.00 each for Tarah Smith, Sherry Vaughn, and Brynleigh Wester to attend SERSUN/SERFUN 2025 Fall Conference, from the Police Department budget.
• Resolution No. 2025-353-R: Declaring four LUCAS automated CPR devices surplus and authorizing trade-in to Stryker Sales, LLC.
• Acceptance of a check from Madison Street Festival for $1,105.64 for MARS bus usage, deposited into the Recreation Department Salary account.
• Acceptance of one ViewSonic 65-inch Smartboard Display valued at $1,000 for the Fire Department from Ryan Ledford.
• Acceptance of donations totaling $30 from E. Ferge and F. Myers for Madison Senior Center Arts & Crafts and Painting programs.
• Resolution No. 2025-358-R: Joint Purchase Agreement with the City of Huntsville for light duty vehicles from Woody Anderson Ford, Inc.

Mayor and Council Reports

• Mayor Paul Finley thanked Police, Fire, Public Works, and Recreation staff for the Bob Jones homecoming parade. He reported that Celebrate Madison, the State of the City event, was held at Toyota Field with about 700 attendees. He reflected on his 13 years as mayor, including leading through COVID, and said the city was working to support the school system and transition to the incoming mayor and council.
• District 1 (Maura Wroblewski) reminded residents that shirts honoring Fire Chief Randy Williams are available at fire stations with proceeds going to breast cancer awareness. She announced a trick-or-treat festival at Dublin Park from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, partly in the parking lot due to weather, and MVP's Gather Madison at Home Place Park.
• District 2 (Connie Spears) thanked the Chamber, city employees, citizens, and the outgoing council and mayor, and offered to help the incoming council.
• District 4 (Greg Shaw) nominated Tess Hallbrooks for the Madison City Board of Education Place No. 3; after no other nominations, Hallbrooks was appointed.
• District 5 (Ranae Bartlett) thanked Board of Education applicants and those who helped orient new council members, and congratulated Mayor Finley on being inducted into the Bob Jones Hall of Fame.
• District 6 (Karen Denzine) gave personal reflections on community support during her husband's illness and highlighted the Senior Center, Madison Visionary Partners, and the Madison Street Festival.
• District 7 (John Seifert) thanked voters and encouraged the incoming council to continue the city's positive trajectory.

Department Reports

Engineering

• Resolution No. 2025-344-R accepted Madison Farms, Phase One into the City of Madison Maintenance Program. Passed.

Facilities and Grounds

• Resolution No. 2025-345-R awarded Bid No. 2025-018-ITB for the Public Safety Annex roof replacement to Roofing Solutions, LLC, in the amount of $249,000.00, paid from Fund 38. Passed.
• Resolution No. 2025-346-R authorized the purchase of one Compact Utility Tractor with backhoe and bucket from Deere & Company through Sourcewell Purchasing Cooperative, in the amount of $71,692.58, paid from Fund 12. Passed.

Fire & Rescue

• Resolution No. 2025-352-R authorized a three-year agreement with Vector Solutions for training software at $10,048.50 annually from the Fire Department budget. Passed.

Human Resources

• Resolution No. 2025-298-R approved the FY 2026 Holiday/Payroll Calendar. Passed.
• Resolution No. 2025-328 created additional classifications for Madison Parks & Recreation and Information Technology. Passed.
• Proposed Ordinance No. 2025-354 amended Personnel Policy 11 (Attendance and Leave). The Council suspended the rules for immediate consideration and approved the amendment. HR staff explained the main change is that essential personnel (dispatchers, police officers, firefighters, and facilities/public works staff) will receive holiday pay based on the hours they actually work (e.g., a 12-hour shift receives 12 hours, a 24-hour shift receives 24 hours) instead of a flat eight hours.

Information Technology

• Resolution No. 2025-340-R authorized the Mayor to accept a quotation from Unico Technologies for one year of maintenance support services for the Nutanix cloud software subscription in the amount of $80,485.46, paid from the IT Department budget. Passed.

Legal

• Ordinance No. 2025-315 authorized Madison Utilities to grant an easement to the North Alabama Gas District relating to the Huntsville-Brownsbury Road roundabout. Passed.
• Ordinance No. 2025-316 authorized Madison Utilities to grant a small easement to the Limestone County Water and Sewer Authority. Passed.

Planning

• Proposed Ordinance No. 2025-267 established an Arts & Entertainment District in Downtown Madison, the city's second such district. It covers largely commercial areas and includes Home Place Park; businesses with approved alcohol licenses may participate. Planning staff said notices were sent to property owners, boundary stencils would be placed in about eight locations, and rules were provided to businesses. One councilmember stated support but asked the next council to consider moving Sunday hours to allow brunch later; another expressed concern about people with drinks walking through neighborhoods. Staff replied that residential property is significantly limited and the boundary can be adjusted. Passed.
• Proposed Ordinance No. 2025-312 vacated a utility and drainage easement at 241 Concord Drive to allow a retaining wall for slope and erosion issues. City departments had signed off. Passed.

Police

• Resolution No. 2025-347-R authorized the annual renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding with ALEA for participation in the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force. Passed.

Recreation

• Resolution No. 2025-348-R authorized the purchase of a skid-steer track loader through Sourcewell Purchasing Cooperative at $79,191.29 from the Recreation Department budget. Passed.
• Resolution No. 2025-349-R authorized the purchase of LED lighting for the Lower Quad at Palmer Park from MUSCO Sports Lighting, LLC through Sourcewell, at $459,900.00 from Fund 38. Staff noted the Department of Energy no longer permits purchase of halide bulbs, and the LED conversion will reduce utility and maintenance costs. Passed.
• Resolution No. 2025-350-R authorized the purchase of a restroom building for Sunshine Oaks Park from Public Restrooms Company through Sourcewell, at $274,843.00 from the Parks & Recreation Department budget. Staff said the existing trailer has outlived its useful life; the new prefab building will be ADA accessible with changing tables, similar to the Kids Kingdom restroom. Passed.

Key Outcomes

• Approved minutes, the consent agenda, and all department resolutions listed above.
• Appointed Tess Hallbrooks to the Madison City Board of Education, Place No. 3.
• Suspended the rules to approve Personnel Policy 11 amendment on first reading.
• Established the Downtown Madison Arts & Entertainment District.
• The meeting adjourned after miscellaneous business and announcements.