Homewood Council adopts 2025–26 budget, approves multiple contracts and appointments in 11–0 votes

Homewood — The Homewood City Council unanimously approved the city’s 2025–26 budget and a series of contracts, appropriations and administrative measures at its Sept. 29 meeting, while several contested ordinances were carried over for later action.

The council voted 11–0 to adopt the consolidated budget (resolution 25-175), which includes a 4.5% cost-of-living adjustment for city employees, merit increases required by the Jefferson County Personnel Board and funding for capital projects such as design for a replacement Fire Station No. 2 and the city’s share of the I‑65 Lakeshore diverging diamond interchange.

“First, we are giving our employees a 4.5% COLA,” Councilor Kale Smith said during the budget presentation. Smith, who led the finance committee’s work on the plan, said the budget also covers an estimated 4.75% rise in employee insurance costs and preserves a tiered year-end bonus program contingent on a year-end surplus.

Other measures approved by unanimous votes included: - Authorization for the city manager to execute an amendment to a contract with Kimberly Horn for HRF design (resolution 25-169). - Authorization to contract with Burchfield Architects for design work on a proposed Fire Station No. 2 (resolution…