Homewood Council passes package of resolutions, authorizes contracts and an emergency pipe repair

Homewood City Council on March 31, 2025, approved a series of resolutions and ordinances, including authorizing city contracts, setting multiple public hearings, approving personnel actions and declaring an emergency repair for a damaged storm pipe.

Key outcomes at the meeting included unanimous votes to: assess demolition costs for 1509 Beckham Drive; award contracts for surveying and roof repairs; approve design services; amend an agreement on a roadway project; create an executive assistant position; continue professional services for financial/staffing work; approve vouchers; and grant a no-objection recommendation for a liquor license application. The council also adopted an ordinance restricting non-park parking at the Salter Road pocket park and set public hearings for several zoning and sign-ordinance actions.

Votes and actions at a glance

- Minutes: Council approved the March 10, 2025 meeting minutes and dispensed with their reading. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Consent agenda: Approved as presented. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Resolution 25-38: Assessed the city’s demolition costs against the property at 1509 Beckham Drive totaling $20,833. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Resolution 25-40: Authorized the city manager to sign a contract with Gonzales Strength and Associates for surveying services. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Resolution 25-41: Authorized a contract with Quality Architectural Metal and Roofing to repair City Hall’s roof. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Resolution 25-42: Authorized the city manager to sign a contract for design services with EDT Incorporated. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Resolution 25-43: Authorized an amendment to an agreement with Kimberly Horn on the US 21A TIP (transportation improvement program) project. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Ordinance 29-29: Adopted an ordinance to restrict parking at the Salter Road pocket park to park users and set penalties. Outcome: adopted by unanimous consent (11–0). The chief of police or designee will install signage per the ordinance.

- Referral / public hearings set: Council set a public hearing for the proposed repeal/replacement of the sign and zoning ordinances for April 28, 2025, at 6 p.m. (committee recommended a change to drive-thru stacking spaces and temporary sign dimensions). Council also set a public hearing for an amended development plan for Brookwood Village (conversion of a department store to a medical office) for April 28, 2025, at 6 p.m.

- Resolution 25-44: Approved creation and recruitment for an executive assistant position (grade 21 class 02083) to provide analytical and coordination support for council and department directors; funding source: general fund. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Resolution 25-45: Approved a contract with Carr, Riggs & Ingram to assist city financial processes and staffing/workflow recommendations. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- ABC license recommendation: Council registered no objection to issuance of a retail liquor license for Simapaca Incorporated at 1017 Oxmoor Road (letters of no objection were on file from police and fire). Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Resolution 25-46: Approved vouchers for the period March 11, 2025, to March 31, 2025. Outcome: approved (11–0).

- Resolution 25-47 (emergency contract): Declared an emergency and approved an emergency contract with Video Industrial to repair a failing 54-inch corrugated metal pipe at the intersection of Robert Jemison and West Valley (sinkhole adjacent to a commercial property). City staff reported the pipe is roughly 10 feet deep and showed multiple internal defects; work will use a trenchless cementitious liner method to avoid full excavation. The presenter cited unit prices from an expired service contract and said the project would be paid from GOW Fund 26. The meeting transcript records the total as "$1.21 million"; the transcript’s numeric fragments for cents were split and the exact cents figure is not specified in the public meeting transcript. Outcome: approved (11–0).

What the votes mean

Most approvals were routine contract or administrative authorizations that allow city staff to move forward with planned maintenance, design work and procurement. The emergency declaration for the damaged pipe permits the city to proceed without a competitive bid because of imminent roadway-collapse risk; the council recorded unanimous support for that contract.

The council also set multiple public hearings that will allow public comment and more detailed review of zoning and code changes before the council takes further votes.

Resolution and ordinance numbers

This meeting recorded resolutions and one ordinance with the following primary identifiers: 25-38, 25-39 (separately covered), 25-40, 25-41, 25-42, 25-43, 25-44, 25-45, 25-46 and 25-47; ordinance 29-29 was adopted for the Salter Road pocket park parking restrictions.

The council adjourned after brief mayoral remarks and announcements about community events.