[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5988269,"mediaKeyId","5774441-13bd09c765a7e4586338edaa16651b1c","parentId",5774441,"title","Court administrator asks council to fund warrant officer, bailiff and cap fines at $500","audioSeconds",1162,"startMs",294000,"endMs",1456000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774441-13bd09c765a7e4586338edaa16651b1c&start=294&end=1456","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774441-13bd09c765a7e4586338edaa16651b1c/thumbnail_294000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5988269/Homewood-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Court-administrator-asks-council-to-fund-warrant-officer-bailiff-and-cap-fines-at-500","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988269-997aa972d09e142e97563574308502be/orig.mp4?Expires=1776520294&Signature=HOnkkyqI~19FoeKPm3cwbZNHR~renBMhCXmLJo0IkQdW0WAb7DHoltM71xSjkg88fAyuURsOOsJxIxSEvt8--GNfmRVnN5iDfTMdNhrCVl3Lxcc-ybIziVDE70LyPg4wAdkNkG8Em88lZq9BrcHYPWIFgLpXGMSlfQI1aVL3235WC1O45JdVgmtWpI3v9DTKNjvbc58wXJXgKP30aAR1zv3UR~FAbswkqFb-KtJ6UCAi4haLNT0NBFQvHYVfMYFTBdht-3wHErqmmdejqJ4U8hGAXQ22~Sdpz6nWKDFa2Jz7zhHNgv0fop6him3aCTC~Gib96mvqbgh6yqgC25mBrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Homewood, AL","date","2025-09-12T00:00:00Z","article","Laura Roberts, court administrator, told the council on Sept. 11 she is seeking a dedicated full‑time warrant officer and a full‑time bailiff to help clear a backlog of warrants and provide court security. “When I first started, we have 12,876 warrants,” Roberts said. “We are now to about 9,000 a little over 9,000 now.”

Roberts said the warrant officer would be an employee of the police department who would coordinate with her office and that the bailiff position would be split 50/50 between the corrections jail fund and the court corrections fund. “They cannot be funded by the court because they are an employee of the police department,” she said.

The request also includes keeping one already‑funded full‑time court clerk position vacant this year so Roberts can complete hiring. She asked council permission to spend $10,000 from court funds to replace broken office furniture and requested up to $45,000 from court funds for a vehicle; Roberts said she may later recommend paying mileage instead if the car is not justified by use.

On penalties, Roberts asked the council to update the city’s fine schedule and to authorize a maximum bond (fine) of $500 for many ordinance violations, rather than a flat $100 cap. “I’m asking that you all approve the ordinance to be put in place to update what we have and make a maximum bond of 500,” Roberts said. She described the $500 figure as a maximum, not a mandatory fine, and said judges would retain discretion to consider ability to pay and other circumstances.

Council member Arliss said he was uncomfortable adopting higher maximums without comparable schedules from other cities. “I guess, I don't feel more comfortable if we have some kind of sort of comparables to compare with other cities,” he said. Roberts replied that she had reviewed nearby cities and that many list a $500 maximum bond without a required flat fine.

A separate discussion touched on parking fines: Roberts said the city’s current parking fines are low (she cited $5 and $10 examples) and recommended a $100 base for many parking offenses while exempting items such as fire lane and hydrant blocking (which she said many nearby cities set higher). She said handicap parking fines in other cities she contacted were commonly $500.

Council members asked procedural questions. Walter confirmed the change would be an ordinance and would need referral to the Public Safety committee. The council agreed to place the proposed fee schedule/ordinance on the committee referral agenda for more detailed discussion.

Discussion versus action: the council did not vote to adopt changes at the Sept. 11 hearing. Roberts’ personnel and capital funding requests were presented for the budget process; the fines/fee schedule was referred to committee for consideration.

Why it matters: Roberts said higher maximums and a dedicated warrant officer would allow the court to clear old warrants and get defendants to court more quickly, which she said would help resolve outstanding cases and reduce repeat violations.

What’s next: Council members asked staff to place the draft ordinance and fee schedule on the Public Safety committee referral agenda so the committee can review comparables, enforcement impacts, and judge discretion before any ordinance is introduced for readings.

Ending: Roberts emphasized fiscal caution on capital items: she said the furniture and vehicle requests would come from court funds, not the general fund, and that she expects the furniture cost to be well under $10,000. The council scheduled the ordinance referral and further committee review as part of the budget process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget Hearing - Sept. 11, 2025 @ 5pm","oneSentenceSummary","Laura Roberts, court administrator, asked the council to approve funding for a dedicated warrant officer and a full‑time bailiff and to refer a proposed ordinance that would allow maximum ordinance fines of $500 to the Public Safety committee.","taxTitle","Homewood City, Jefferson County, Alabama","taxId",65544,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5988259,"Parks seeks senior center design funds, playground and pool repairs and more maintenance staff",891,2185000,3076000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774441-13bd09c765a7e4586338edaa16651b1c&start=2185&end=3076","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774441-13bd09c765a7e4586338edaa16651b1c/thumbnail_2185000.jpg","/articles/5988259/Homewood-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Parks-seeks-senior-center-design-funds-playground-and-pool-repairs-and-more-maintenance-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988259-38c2d0891290c069805b9d1a34e433e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1776520294&Signature=OOO6anvJGMRAvMJ~4~--rA70smbds74cxAiM7curBadpuSmRmsnIaxyqwzqOVDqveodvaaqbWrMAWeHBlEPfF0GyfFfiX4alcgxDOy5r-T6Hz03Izodcd7F~61oNh5nUhxY3WgYnmeB8zHAMWPm8WYUNP~CZU-UywUlBVs77ShcWKTscAf4pxGvRe2o~S3JcLxtsb7~ugS6Wu7neOctfvfYaR~f6BbUgggJ0PtOI9-2-HbTHYLUiAvvNIe0vyNAab2Vf7Hv0Q~X5L0HZGhtwExplXyKbBmP5mkHah-eGZE4gnMd-SiL5xpA3843X7VS4YzBsV6oQ1Pl2yNQzJMzPMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Park staff presented a mix of capital and operating requests on Sept. 11 that cover a senior center design, repairs to gym floors and pool elements at the community center, bridge deck replacements, landscape equipment and additional maintenance staff.

A speaker identified as Bridal asked the council to budget $500,000 for design work at the senior center and to replace gym floors at the community center that have exceeded their life cycle. “They'll come in and basically strip it down all the way to the bare wood,” Bridal said of the planned floor work.

The parks presentation included replacement of worn bridge decking at the central pool, new pool shades, a remote pool vacuum, a dump trailer for ballfield maintenance, two 2012-era stand‑on mowers that have about 5,000 hours, and three trucks to replace older units used to pull trailers. Staff said those replacements support ongoing program growth: staff reported near‑record participation this year across youth sports and pool attendance.

Bridal said the department had increased rentals and program revenue and that operating revenues were close to $1 million this year. He asked the council to restore previously authorized but unfunded maintenance positions: four full‑time park maintenance positions (two to work the trail and two for landscape/mowing) that were on the books but unfunded for many years, and one to two skilled laborers in public works.

Bridal also described completed and planned repairs: 62 sidewalk repairs and many ADA ramps completed in‑house this year were described as cost‑savings compared with contracting. He noted the department has certificated sprayers on staff so it can do some vegetation control in‑house rather than bidding it out.

On smaller projects, Bridal said the men’s and women’s restroom repairs at Spring Park and the senior center ceiling issue had been completed or are near completion, and that a past insurance claim fell below the city’s deductible threshold so the remaining cost requires council approval (Bridal said the claim was below the insurance threshold; exact figures were not specified in the meeting).

Why it matters: staff said equipment and staffing requests support a large increase in community programming (youth sports, pool use) and preserve existing park facilities, which council members noted were visible community amenities and revenue generators.

What’s next: staff asked council to include the senior center design and the equipment and staffing requests in the budget; staff said they would coordinate landscaping architect work for Overton and Woodland parks and begin planning improvements once funding is approved.

Ending: Council members praised parks crews for recent work and discussed next steps for prioritizing projects in the capital and operating budgets.","Park staff asked council for $500,000 for senior center design work, repairs at community and pool facilities, replacement landscape equipment and three trucks, a Connex storage unit at West Homewood Athletic Complex, and additional full‑time maintenance staff.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5988265,"Public works seeks $2 million for facility upgrades, new equipment and vehicles",501,1680000,2181000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774441-13bd09c765a7e4586338edaa16651b1c&start=1680&end=2181","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774441-13bd09c765a7e4586338edaa16651b1c/thumbnail_1680000.jpg","/articles/5988265/Homewood-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Public-works-seeks-2-million-for-facility-upgrades-new-equipment-and-vehicles","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988265-d9fd999b3217fb1f97268950ca201152/orig.mp4?Expires=1776520294&Signature=Yt1YEglfvIkQ2yv1dzSb2jBxzTXhf7HguC4HfF09ue72T6VeAhyxW8kyVtcYkvmC-XCwRUQfhvlljfLTaUo0n33nh33Fw8ACy01oxldi5jaS8VSnNQ6DWH0bZ7QSHXaTy517B7hlYrZ23CZR~FLQIY4Fz3o0LNZhAHixgftkfF27cKm5JKqQJ5po7uhBw7sH1Xu44O~Et7FvEDEHpdyu-6PsPRh6~ZyV2t56ZnCh0ktfFWSZBdFe9rV7SnL5mhObGFw2WwTQqxsG-CyThviT9Tk91QGWzY9k4OnKv7MPphW61E~SSuIlVGiiVQKEhnAgtdkK5UZlYc5jykAdjsTZkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public works staff outlined capital and equipment requests on Sept. 11 that center on a planned renovation of the city’s Citation facility, new small equipment to speed sidewalk and drainage work, and replacement vehicles.

“Starting off… the 2,000,000, as most of you know, we're over on Citation,” said Berkeley (staff). He said the project would create covered metal shelters for vehicles and equipment and renovate locker rooms and restrooms to meet ADA standards.

Berkeley described smaller equipment requests intended to let crews work in narrow residential ditches and perform sidewalk repairs in‑house: two compact excavator-type machines (a small dingo/grappler and a mini excavator) to allow crews to reach tight spaces; and a patching/patch‑paving truck that staff said will arrive in January and was funded through the 7¢ gas tax.

“Right now, we don't have a piece of equipment… I had nine guys digging out a ditch for three days last week,” Berkeley said, arguing the new machines will let two crews work simultaneously on sidewalks, gutters and curb repairs.

Staff reported that the department completed 62 sidewalk repairs of five feet or longer this year and had completed about 15 ADA ramps in‑house so far. Berkeley said in‑house sidewalk repairs cost roughly $2,500–$3,000 for a 10–15 foot section versus $6,500–$7,000 if contracted out.

The department also requested replacement of three aging trucks used daily to pull trailers and equipment. Berkeley said those vehicles had reached the end of useful service and that parts were increasingly unavailable.

Funding and procurement notes: staff said some equipment purchases come from the 7¢ gas tax account, which carries a near‑term spending intent to use available balances for capital before fiscal year end. Berkeley said the patching truck funded from that source is an 8‑ton unit and will increase daily paving capacity compared with the current 4‑ton trailer.

Why it matters: staff said the new equipment will let the city do more sidewalk and ADA ramp work in‑house, which staff estimates reduces per‑repair costs roughly by half and speeds response times for safety repairs.

What’s next: the requests were presented as part of the budget process; staff asked council to consider the $2 million Citation facility project and equipment line items in upcoming budget deliberations.

Ending: Berkeley and other staff emphasized staffing constraints and the need to retain trained crews to sustain the in‑house work; council members thanked crews for their recent production and noted that in‑house repairs appear to reduce costs compared with contracting.","Public works staff asked the council to allocate capital funds for a renovated Citation facility with covered equipment storage, ADA restroom upgrades, new small excavators and patching equipment funded in part from the 7¢ gas tax, and replacement of three trucks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Court administrator asks council to fund warrant officer, bailiff and cap fines at $500

Parks seeks senior center design funds, playground and pool repairs and more maintenance staff

Public works seeks $2 million for facility upgrades, new equipment and vehicles