Pelham City Council Meeting – January 20, 2026

The Pelham City Council held its regular meeting on January 20, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included the introduction of new city employees, unanimous approval of consent items and several ordinances, and an update regarding new financial policies at the Ballantrae Golf Course to address revenue loss from no-shows.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the January 20, 2026 agenda and the minutes of the January 5, 2026 regular meeting.
• Resolution 2026-01-20-01: Final summary change order for the Lift Station B Dry Prime Pump Addition Project, completed under budget.
• Resolution 2026-01-20-02: Final summary change order for the Wastewater Treatment Plant RAS Pumps Replacement Project, completed under budget.
• Resolution 2026-01-20-03: Declared certain vehicles and equipment as surplus personal property.
• Resolution 2026-01-20-04: Established an AMERICA250 Committee to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
• All items were approved unanimously on a roll call vote (5-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public came forward to address the council.

Mayor's Report

• The Mayor reflected on a recent "Wounded Blue" presentation honoring Officer Mento and the State Fire Marshal, describing first responders as "truly heroes".
• Announced new state legislation, spearheaded by Pelham and sponsored by Senator Weaver and Representative Pascal, to provide retirement benefits for police officers and firefighters who are catastrophically wounded before becoming vested in the state retirement system. The Mayor acknowledged the bill faces a difficult path in Montgomery.

Report by the City Manager

• New Employee Introductions: Several new employees were introduced by their department heads.
  • Police/Fire Dispatchers Autumn Kiker (formerly of Columbiana PD) and Vicki Comer (formerly of Panama City) were presented by Dispatch Supervisor David Fuentes.
  • Facilities Coordinator Austin Russell (University of Memphis, University of Colorado, former Germantown and Erie Parks and Rec) was introduced by Brian Cooper.
  • Payroll and Benefits Analyst Alexis "Lexi" Muthai Nakna was introduced by Tracy Hill, who noted she is training as "Candy 2.0".
• Ballantrae Golf Course Policies: The City Manager and Ballantrae General Manager Hal Brown outlined a new point-of-sale system and policy updates.
  • The City Manager stated that a weekday tee time is potentially worth $300 and a weekend tee time $350, and that no-shows cost the city over $500,000 in lost revenue the previous year.
  • New policies limit members to three tee times per booking, require public players to provide a credit card number, and impose a $15 per person no-show fee.
  • Hal Brown reported that early feedback from large groups has been positive and emphasized the importance of professional implementation and courtesy for other golfers.

Old Business

• Ordinance 070-07 (Floodplain Development Ordinance): Adopted unanimously. The City Manager clarified this was a housekeeping update to maintain compliance with FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It is not related to flood map remapping, and the city does not anticipate being remapped.
• Ordinance 528 (Utility Superintendent): Adopted unanimously. The City Clerk explained the ordinance updates the Code of Ordinances to refer to the position of Mayor rather than naming a specific individual.

New Business

• Resolution 2026-01-20-05 (Valleyview Drive Traffic Study): Adopted unanimously. The City Manager detailed the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program (NTCP) process, noting that residents along Valleyview Drive submitted a petition with signatures from two-thirds of the street's residents. The resolution authorizes a contract with Gresham Smith to conduct a traffic data collection study to evaluate speed and volume. Funding was budgeted in FY2026.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Passed unanimously (5-0).
• Ordinance 070-07: Passed unanimously (5-0).
• Ordinance 528: Passed unanimously (5-0).
• Resolution 2026-01-20-05: Passed unanimously (5-0).
• Next Steps: The Ballantrae point-of-sale system and policies went live the Monday following the meeting. A traffic study for Valleyview Drive will proceed. The Pelham Water Department is scheduled to meet on February 2, 2026 to review existing policies and procedures (meeting time TBD).