Published: September 01, 2008 09:19 pm      

Residents can air views on city budget

Huntsville residents will once again have a chance to air their views on the city’s proposed 2008-09 budget during tonight’s public hearing at City Hall.

The regular session starts at 6 p.m., but a welcome reception will be held for new city manager Bill Baine beginning at 5:15 in the conference room.

The first item on the agenda is public comments regarding agenda items only, followed by a public hearing regarding the annual budget.

Winston Duke, director of finance, will present the budget to the council, which will discuss and then take possible action on Ordinance 2008-331, adopting the annual budget.

The council was scheduled to adopt the budget during its Aug. 19 meeting, but Mayor J. Turner announced prior to the hearing that he pulled the item off the agenda because the budget itself was not posted on the city’s Web site.

Although no action was taken on the budget, 32 people addressed the council during the public comment and public hearing segments on the proposed budget.

Of the 32, 31 people commented on the budget.

Twenty-nine people directed their comments to the City Council’s personnel committee eliminating the special projects director’s position held by Glenn Isbell and the city discontinuing a contract with Walker County to use an assistant district attorney to prosecute cases at municipal court.

According to the personnel committee funding options, eliminating the assistant DA contract would provide $39,500 and another $163,890 by cutting the special projects job, leaving total available resources at $203,390, to use toward the following recommendations:

• Police — overtime/incentive pay, $16,027.

• Police — Police officer with vehicle, $100,297.

• Recreation — Recreation assistant, permanent part time, $9078.

• Police — Police officer without vehicle, $56,593.

• Fire — Assistant fire chief/emergency management coordinator, $1,600.

• Engineering — Senior designer upgrade, $795.

Total recommended — $184,390.

Subtracting the two totals would leave a $19,000 excess.

The majority of residents addressing the council Aug. 19 provided reasons why Isbell’s position should not be eliminated nor the assistant DA position.

While one resident commended the council’s efforts with the budget, most residents supported Isbell and his 27 years working with the city.

There were residents who criticized council members and their possible motives behind their actions and a possible conflict of interest question was raised regarding the elimination of the assistant DA position.

Without additional help, city attorney Thomas Leeper would be left with the responsibility of taking care of duties at City Hall and in municipal court, where he might not have time to adequately prepare for cases.

In addition, there were comments supporting Bill Baine, who startrf his new duties Aug. 25, and allowing him to handle personnel matters.

More than 100 residents attended the Aug. 19 regular session, filling Council Chambers, the council’s conference room where the session was broadcast live, and they stood in the Chambers’ doorway and hallway.

“We always welcome public participation,” Mayor J. Turner said. “I think that makes for good local government. If people have something to say, we certainly will do our best to listen.”

Residents addressing the council Aug. 19 were Gary Crawford,Jerry Nemec, Pat Camfield, Bill Green, Doug Greening, Art Mosely, David Stephens, William Nash, Dan Davis, George Miles, Jane Monday, Morris Waller, Bill Hammock, Nancy Franklin.

Also, Jim Willett, David Moorman, Marge Rex, Ron Lang, Illa Gaines, Steed Smith, Steve Davis. Bill Gulley, Percy Howard, Tyler Johns, Jack Choate, Mike Yawn, Helen Belcher, John (Jack) Wagamon, Dick Lindeman, Sam Dominey, Joseph Milam and Cheryl Lawson.

Items on tonight’s City Council agenda are:

• Public comments (regarding agenda items only)

• City Council will hold a public hearing to receive citizen input regarding the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Annual Budget.

• Presentation, discussion and/or possible action on Ordinance 2008-31, adopting the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Annual Budget. (Winston Duke, director of finance)

CONSENT AGENDA

(Approval of Consent Agenda authorizes the City Manager to implement each item in accordance with staff recommendations. An item may be removed from the Consent Agenda and added to the Statutory Agenda for full discussion by request of a member of Council.)

• Approve minutes of City Council meetings of July 29 and 30, 2008. (Stephanie Brim, city secretary)

• Approve Ordinance 2008-32, amending the FY 2007-08 Budget. (Winston Duke)

• Authorize the city manager to execute the following bids/contracts for street materials (Victor Pena, director of Administrative Services):

— For trap rock, with Vulcan Construction Materials of San Antonio for $58.45/ton with a monthly price redetermination, to expire on Oct. 1, 2009;

— For flexible base and stabilized flexible base, with Service Ready Mix of Dodge, Texas, on a six-month contract with option to renew for delivered flexible base; and Service Ready Mix of Huntsville on a six-month contract with option to renew for pick up stabilized and pick up flexible base.

— For CRS-2 emulsified asphalt for the amount of $2.3837/gal with a monthly price redetermination.

— For concrete materials, with Transit Mix of Huntsville, a six-month contract with option to renew, for $95/cubic yard for 5 cubic yards or greater and $101.00/cubic yard for 5 cubic yards or less.

STATUTORY AGENDA

• Presentation, discussion and/or possible action to secure a contract for employee healthcare benefits and other benefits to include dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment and disability.

• Presentation, discussion and/or possible action to adopt Resolution 2008-07, authorizing United Healthcare funding for health insurance and opening of health insurance imprest account.

• Presentation, discussion and/or possible action to authorize the City Manager to proceed with paying off the Ladder Truck in the amount of $517,253.17 (amount includes interest and fees through Sept. 9, 2008).

MAYOR/CITY COUNCIL MEMBER/ CITY MANAGER REPORT

• Presentation, discussion and/or possible action on update for Fire Services cost sharing negotiations with Walker County. )Mayor J. Turner and Councilmember Mac Woodward)

• Presentation, discussion and/or possible action appointing members to Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Board.

• Presentation, discussion and/or possible action appointing members to Ad Hoc Committee – City Council

• Rules of Procedure review. (Mayor J. Turner)

PUBLIC COMMENTS (open)