Budget passes during contentious Huntsville City Council meeting

HUNTSVILLE – The regular bi-weekly meeting of the Huntsville City Council began with a
cheerful tone Thursday night, including a resolution honoring outgoing Huntsville/Madison
County Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO Judy Ryals for 45 years of service to the community.

Then came items 19b, 19e and 19 5 – which contained, in order, an ordinance to pass the Fiscal Year 2024 budget and resolutions to approve the 2014 Capital Improvement Plan for 2024-2033 and the 1990 Capital Improvement plan for the same period.

Pleasantries soon faded.

All items passed, releasing into motion Mayor Tommy Battle’s FY2024 balanced budget of
$312,814,218, but not without some contentious debate.

As the meeting moved into amendments being introduced, heated debate regarding affordable housing led Council President John Meredith (District 5), whose call for a break was followed by more back-and-forth, to suggest everyone at the dais “stay in their lane” before finally declaring it was time to recess “before other things are said that shouldn’t be said.”

More heated debate followed the recess regarding an amendment introduced by District 4 Councilman Bill Kling to increase money earmarked for street sweepers. After a lengthy discussion, the measure failed, as did an amendment to the original amendment.

However, City Planner John Hamilton informed the council that, whether or not it passed any amendment for more street sweepers, additional needs for that department would be
purchased regardless to provide the city fleet with more equipment.

After adjournment, David Little, the first-term District 2 member attending his first budget meeting, told 256 Today it was all he had heard it might be, as far as the pointed debates.

“It was interesting to be part of my first budget discussion,’’ he said. “I’ve heard about that over the years. I was a little bit nervous going into it, to be honest, because things get complicated when there’s an amendment. Say I have an amendment that says I need 10 fire trucks, or whatever, and then somebody says well no, I want to amend your amendment to five fire trucks.

“Keeping up with all of that was really interesting to me. “I thought it was a real glimpse into how the sausage was made. Each councilmember has a voice in the process. And then the back-and-forth discussion was really interesting. So I learned a lot as the new council member.”

Little likened the amendment process to a “nesting doll.” The original amendment can unveil another amendment, only for another one to be revealed and possibly an amendment being taken off the table in favor of another amendment.

“Then you have to put it all back together,” he said. “John Meredith did his best work to keep up with all of that.”

Highlights:

• The general fund budget went through with one amendment introduced by District 1 Councilma Devyn Keith that included $25,000 in funding for United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville.
• An ordinance introduced by Little that would strengthen hands-free laws was tabled and
  will be moved to the Oct. 12 meeting.
• As for street sweepers, Hamilton relayed that individuals and not street sweepers were
  responsible for policing curbs in front of their property.

Video of the meeting can be seen at www.huntsvilleal.gov.