City Council - Regular Meeting

My assistant brother owns the other two lots in there. If that is not a place, where are you going to put a restaurant? It's a residential area completed. I've owned that lot since 1903. So we're not going to, it's not going anywhere in my family. I think it's inappropriate to put a restaurant in a new residential district. We got one neighbor just spoke. She wants peace and quiet back there. It's going to be peace and quiet in the property I own because I'm not going to put up with a bunch of noise. I think the city council should go ahead and back us all up, the neighbors that want that. We've got to have a good neighborhood all these years.

Thank you, Ms. Austin. Next one I have is Edwin Johnston. East Tuskeena Street. Edmund.

Edmund. I'm Edmund Johnston, 108 East Tuskeena Street. I live two doors down from the proposed location of this restaurant. I agree with Ms. Vance about having a restaurant immediately next door. She couldn't even sit outside of her back porch without having people from the restaurant practically in her yard. I think it would be by the value of her property as well as mine and Ms. Austin's. The other neighbors around that also had the opportunity to come in and speak tonight.

They have opinions one way or the other. But I do not agree with putting a restaurant in a residential area like that. Thank you.

And then the next one I have is Pratt Austin Trucks, Hill Box 246, Ritumpa, Alabama.

I'm one of the owners of the plot directly across the street from the pizza, the corner of Marshall Street and Pisa Street. I grew up, I think most of y'all know, in the White House, up the hill from there. And I cannot imagine there being a pizza place with fans and noise in the middle of that resolution. It's been, I'm 56 years old, and there's a vote. I was there when I was seven, and it was always peaceful and quiet. And I don't think that that's what We need on that side of the river. I think that needs to say on this side of the river, we've got a dedicated business district. Y'all really sold that. I'm a member of Main Street. Mom's a member of Main Street. You know, we've really worked on that. This is the business district. Let's have the pizza place over here. Let's keep that residential where we all can have our pizza.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chuck. That's everyone that's on the list. Council agenda for this evening on the old business resolution 2026-8-17-1, a resolution to approve a one-time lump sum payment to retired members and beneficiaries of deceased retirees who retired prior to October 1, 2025 at an estimated cost of $11,731. Second time on the agenda we'll be taking action on this receipt. Then item two this afternoon, approved professional services agreement with GMC for floodplain engineering and aerial survey services for Rivertown Center. Second time on the agenda we'll be moving forward with this. this afternoon on the new business 2026-2027 budget that's the first time first presentation you want to go ahead with this yes sir

Thank you, Mayor and City Council members. So you have in your packet the proposed operating budget for fiscal year 26-27. Under the proposed budget, we are looking for total revenue of $24 million, just under $24,774,000. and expenses totaling $21,981,000 and capital outlay special projects and reserves of $3,793,675. All of the detailed line items and everything were in your packet. You know, when we were putting this budget together, We knew that it was gonna be a tight budget for this year and that we were gonna need for all the directors and the departments to work together to make sure that we could achieve all these numbers, keep expenses low while continuing to do what we need to do for our residents and then also meeting these revenue goals.

Okay, council. She's done her job. She's required by law to present us with a budget. So she's just done that. We'll take it up again on the next agenda so you'll have that time to review the budget. Can I have a question? Yes.

Will we have projected year-ending budget numbers to look at before? Of course, we're still a month away. Right. So we could have July and maybe August numbers by then, and maybe projecting for September. If that's what y'all want, then I can pull that together.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Tate. Yes, sir.

Okay, Adam full on the new business approved change or upgraded electrical services for restroom slash parking lot project at a cost of $4,200. First time on this agenda for this erection. So we'll carry this over passion. Is that correct?

Yes, sir.

Thank you. And I'm sorry. Yes, sir.

And I was looking at it, I was driving through town. Where exactly is restroom located? In the parking lot? In the parking lot. So it's on the corner of Spring Street, where Green Street comes in, that corner there.

Oh, Spring and Green. Yes, sir.

If you'll go to that corner some more concrete here in the last few days, you can see the area that's not forwarded from either that part of the sidewalk. That restroom will go right there on the corner. You can see the city existing there. There's a wide area there for food trucks, and then the rest of them sit right off there. Oh, perfect.

Thank you.

Item five in the new business, approved renewal lease with Homesouth Office LLC for the Discovery Center. Andrew, you have that?

Yeah, the lease should be attached in your packet. This is a renewal of the two years we've already been there. There is a slight increase on the rent. Our landlord feels that's in line with what other businesses are charging downtown. And we feel that that's an essential service that we're providing to our downtown area. So over the last few years, we've had great success in having that down there. So I think it's worth our while to continue that lease agreement and continue to have the discoveries in downtown.

City of Wetumpka rents the building. Elmore County government pays the utilities on the building. Okay, item six, permission to advertise a public hearing concerning a petition by the city of Wetumpka to amend the zoning map of Wetumpka, Alabama by rezoning a partial of land that is located at 208 Marshall Street, Wetumpka, Alabama. The parcel consists of 1.27 acres, more or less, lying in and being a part of the northwest corner of section 18, township 18 north, R-19E, Elmore County, Alabama, from a R2.6 low-density residential. to a B-4 business conservation district. Favorable reports from the Planning Commission? Ashley.

Yes, sir. We had the planning commission in the state board. I think it's important that everybody showed up tonight. We need to take what they have said and to advise them. But we also need to realize we're asking the commission to advertise the project.

What you're asking tonight is permission to advertise the rezoning of this piece of property. Yes, sir. Not putting any name, brand, any particular business or restaurant on this property. Right. And item seven. Once all of that has taken place, permission for ordinance 2026 ordinance to amend the zoning map of Alabama, rezoning a portion of land that is located at 28 Marshall Street, Alabama. The parcel consists of 1.27 acres, more or less lying in part of the northwest corner of section 18, Township 18 north Residential 19E, Emerald County, Alabama from R2.6, low density residential to be full business conservation district. That is item seven. This is the first time on the agenda. It will not be considered tonight. Item eight.

Come in. So what you're asking, you're asking the commission to advertise, but then you want the ordinance, you want us to, well, like your next one, you want us to go on the government, change the permission to do a few things. So there'll be a public hearing before this, it's only the agenda tonight, and then you can approve the visit for the whole thing.

After the public hearing.

That's correct. What's the notice period on that?

Yes, run two times in the newspaper and then 15 days after that.

Probably one.

That's item seven.

Item eight, approved job description for communication specialist

Thank you, Coven. Mayor and council, in y'all's packet, y'all should have received the job description for communication sessions. It's supposed to be a support staff role. That's going to help between economic development and communications.

Mainly do stuff like the social media content, management website, graphic design, public information, stuff like that.

Y'all have it in your packet. All the information regarding this is in your package.

We're not looking until next budget year to be able to fill this. Not finished with it in that budget. One question. Will this department be restricted on talking to the media? Does it have to go through this communications person? Will that be set up that way? Normally it would go through the communications department. Andrew briefly handles that.

This person will be assisting with that process. So we'll continue to, I'll continue to handle those outreach requests, press releases, things like that. This person is really coming on to help with the more medial tasks, content updates, website updates, things like that, that are time consuming but important. Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, and then we'll move on to item nine. except in terms of the letter from Unity requesting ordinance 2025-4 franchise agreement apply to Kinetic, ABS, and LLC as an affiliated company.

community owns connected abs and they're just asking for this ordinance to apply to that company has an affiliate company so they will pay the franchise fees so we are already here doing business correct they just have another company that's going to do business here as well and they're going to pay the same thing

Then item 10, replace parking load on the fuel system that went up in the mist for the airport. We can take that off. Strike this off. Strike this off. Okay. Then item 11, approve amendment to Grove Station's project development agreement.

This is a change of name to the actual operator of the restaurant. What they presented to us in the beginning was our station, LLC, would operate the restaurant. That was an error. It should be both the station and the LLC. Did the company know about the same person who sold it to the company? I'm just correcting that so that we can get the taxpayer to correct it.

Then item 12, this afternoon. Permission to beat the street to host an addiction recovery rally at Gold Star Park on October 17th, 2026. You've been there before. I think they're, I'm still here. But they've been there before. They've done this in the park. And it is, like it says, an addiction recovery rally at Gold Star Park.

All right.

That is our agenda for this evening. I will now call the council meeting to order. The invocation this afternoon will be given by Councilperson Gant. The pledge this afternoon will be given by Councilperson Brown. Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day. We thank you for this opportunity.

It's something that sometimes that we think, hey, why do we want to do the best thing for this city?

This city has made the history, has had many people that have volunteered, many people that have given of their time to make this city right. And we ask you to do this, and to make those decisions in Christ's name. Amen. allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Roll call.

Councilmember Robbins. Here. Councilmember Tucker. Here. Councilmember Justice. Here. Councilmember Gantt. Here. Councilmember Brown. Here. Mayor Willis.

Here. You received in your packet a copy of the minutes from the council meeting held on August the 3rd of 2025. Are there any corrections to those minutes? If there are no corrections, we'll entertain a motion for approval. I move.

I'll take justice. Who do I have?

okay we have a motion we have a second i'll in fact let me know to say hi anyone opposed so that too has been approved under old business resolution 2026-8-17-1 resolution to approve and one-time lump sum payment to retired members and beneficiary areas of deceased retirees who retire prior to October 1 of 2025 have an estimated cost of $11,731. It's the second time on the agenda. We'll entertain a motion. Mayor, I'd like to take a motion. We'll take the motion. Do we have a second?

Second.

Motion and a second. Any questions? All in favor, let it be known to say an aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? We get into that state asking. They send that out and ask us to do this. Sometimes it's kind of difficult to do. And back in 08, those years, it's kind of tough to always be able to do that. But we try to follow that each year. Okay, item two of the whole business, approved professional services agreement with GMC for floodplain engineering and aerial survey services for Rivertown Center. Second time on the agenda, we'll move forward and we'll entertain a motion.

Motion to have a second. Second.

Motion and a second. All in favor let me stand by. So that too has been granted. New business this evening. Budget has been presented for the first time, the 2026-2027 budget. You'll have until the next council meeting to review that budget and anything you need to talk to the Comptroller about or whatever, feel free to do that. Do that waiting period. Item four, approved change order for upgraded electrical service for restroom parking lot project at $1,042. First time on the agenda. We'll carry that over to the next agenda. Item 5, approved renewal lease with HomeSouth Office, LLC for the Discovery Center. We can entertain a motion to move forward.

Motion to approve the new lease.

Okay, we'll take the motion. Do we have a second? Second. I have a motion and a second. All in favor let me know by saying aye.

Aye.

Anyone disagree? Item six, permission to advertise a public hearing concerning a petition by the city of Wichita to amend the zoning map of Wichita, Alabama by rezoning a parcel of land that is located at 208 Marshall Street in Wichita, Alabama. The parcel consists of 1.27 acres, more or less, lying In and being a part of the Rosewood section of 18, Township 18, Residents of 19 East of the Illinois County outbound from R2.6 low density residential to B4 business conservation district. This is following the favorable bullets in the planning commission. Okay, we'll entertain a motion. May I make a motion? We have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. We have a motion, we have a second. All in favor, let me know if you want to say aye. Discussion.

Discussion.

I move we postpone this for September the 21st to allow the council to do a little bit more investigating on this. Six people here, five people here tonight, and not one person from those five people spoke in favor of this. I understand the advertising, but I also understand the limited, and I understand all, that you have to do it in the local newspaper, but how many people don't see that newspaper? So I move we postpone this advertisement until after our September 21st meeting.

I understand, but I'm saying that give us a chance between now and September the 21st, which is a month from now,

to do a little investigating on our own before it is advertised. And then after it's advertised, it's still going to give time. But as a council, I would like to do a little bit more investigating instead of you drop a business in the middle of a historic residential area.

Yeah, I'd like to say, I understand that, but I mean, we're not doing anything but advertise. And it's, you know, everybody that's speaking tonight, I definitely understand your concerns. But I was thinking about sitting at a pizza place. I don't know why I said that, but I was sitting at a pizza place in Colwood. Very nice neighborhood in that area.

And I think y'all, I understand your concerns, but I think you're thinking... worst-case scenario, there's not going to be a rock concert there every night.

It's going to be a place where, yes, you might have music. That doesn't mean it's going to be something musical. And, you know, this place in Homewood is just as why this could be a super nice neighborhood restaurant.

The problem I see is the possibility of parking. We have a business at the end of Brookside Drive where we have people within 200 feet of a sign that says no parking, two-hour parking only beyond this point. And we have cars that park there 24 hours a day, and I have been told you can't do anything about it. So if the city council can't do anything about cars parked down there, then what's going to happen when these residents have cars parked all out in the street and they can't get back? I almost could not get by the other day. That's my concern for this. I think we need to do a little bit more investigating on this as a council before we advertise and then within the next two meetings, approve or disapprove the orders.

And I don't disagree with your concerns, but like I said, I don't see what it is to go ahead and advertise it. So you got it done and we don't have to decide this on the 21st. Let's go ahead and do this at the council's suggestion. Let's go ahead. We have a motion. We have a second. We'll call for the vote. All in favor, say an aye.

Aye.

All opposed? No. We've got two opposed, so the ayes have it. We'll figure this out. We're going.

Okay. Is the discussion still open? Mayor, I'll probably call for a roll call. Make sure your vote is correct. Call for a roll call.

Councilmember Robbins? Yes. Councilmember Tucker? No. Council Member Justice? Yes. Council Member Vance?

No.

Council Member Brown?

No.

Okay, moving on.

We need to clarify that a little bit. It sounds like it's a 40-40 tie.

It is. So item seven does not come into play. Item eight, approved job description for communication specialist.

I need a motion.

Second. Well, in favor let it be known to say an aye. Aye. Do you want to vote? Okay, so that carries. I have a nine, accept the terms of the letter from Unitan requesting ordinance 2025-4 franchise to bring an reply to Kinetics, ABS, and Alabama LLC as an affiliated company. We need a motion. I'd like to make a motion.

Do we have a second? Second. We have a motion, we have a second.

Do we have a discussion on that? All in favor let it be known to say aye. Aye. You don't want to vote. So that, too, has been approved. Out of 10 that's been scratched, out of 11 approved amendments to Grove Station's development, project development agreement, we will entertain a motion. Motion. We'll take that motion. And do we have a second? Second. We have a motion, we have a second. I'll let that lady sit down. Aye. Anyone opposed? So that, too, has been approved. Item 12, permission for Beat the Streak to host an addiction recovery rally

Okay, we have a motion. Do we have a second?

Second. New discussion. All in favor let me know and say aye. Aye. You don't want to vote. So that too has been approved. All right. Motion to adjourn.