HUNTSVILLE – A week after Mayor Tommy Battle submitted his Fiscal Year 2024 budget
at the regular meeting of the Huntsville City Council, the group met Thursday night to
review and discuss the proposal.
The work session lasted nearly 3 1/2 hours, but not because there was lengthy debate regarding parts of the balanced $312,814,218 operating budget, which includes $33,053,691 in special appropriations for 67 outside agencies.
Presentations were made as to what and where the money was earmarked for by city Finance Director Penny Smith, who gave an overview of the budget; Director of Urban and Economic Development Shane Davis (2014 Capital Plan); and City Administrator John Hamilton (1990 Capital Plan).
The five council members were shown slides of where the money was targeted. However, much of the discussion that followed presentations was dedicated to approvals and opinions of what respective districts’ desire and what the needs are and will be in those areas moving forward.
The budget is up for final approval at the council’s regular meeting next Thursday, in time
for the Oct. 1 start of the 2024 fiscal year. Indications are the proposal will easily pass.
“We’re doing what the job of the city is,’’ Battle said. “We’re building new roads, repairing old roads, we’re adding parks and recreation centers that add to the quality of life. We’re investing in projects that have a return on them, have a return in dollars and cents that help us provide more services to the citizens.
“We feel like we’re presenting to the community what is needed to maintain a No. 1 status (as a city to live in nationwide), to be the best we can be, to provide excellent service to enhance the quality of life and to have efficient use of our services.”
Smith told the council the budget proposal is not only balanced but contains no fat.
“I do want to emphasize, as the mayor said earlier, there really is no wiggle room in this
budget,” she said. “We have dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s, and we have looked in every corner.”
All five council members – Devyn Keith (District 1), David Battle (District 2), President Pro-Tem Jennie Robinson (District 3), Third Presiding Officer Bill Kling (District 4) and President John Meredith (District 5) – were present.
Among the proposed capital projects are expansions of the Ice Sports Center and Big Spring Park; Ditto Landing, PARC greenway, and the Mill Creek Choice Neighborhood Initiative.
Departmental funding highlights of the FY24 Budget:
● Increased fire & rescue personnel
● New ladder truck at Fire Station 17 in Hampton Cove
● Increased police personnel
● Increased public transit personnel to implement Phase I of its new service plan
(new routes and Sunday service)
● Additional sanitation routes and increased personnel
● New Parks and Recreation positions for Therapeutic Recreation Leaders to
provide specialized programming for people with differing abilities
● 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for city employees
● Parking garages to support tourism economy at The Orion Amphitheater and
Apollo Park, downtown to support the Von Braun Center, and at John Hunt Park
● Ice Sports Center expansion
● Big Spring Park expansion
● Ditto Landing improvements
● PARC greenway
● Mill Creek Choice Neighborhood Initiative
“The budget in front of you (council members) is the tapestry that kind of weaves into the
cloth of what makes us a No. 1 city year after year after year,” Battle said.
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