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Council approves routine licenses, demolition assessments, grants and an annexation moratorium; ad valorem levy introduced
Summary
At the pre-meeting work session the Decatur City Council approved multiple routine resolutions including liquor and special-event licenses, demolition-cost assessments, catalogued grant applications and an annexation moratorium; the annual ad valorem tax levy ordinance was introduced in first reading with no rate increase.
The Decatur City Council approved a series of routine resolutions and took preliminary action on several ordinances during its pre‑meeting work session.
Key votes included approval of monthly bills and minutes; a Class I lounge license for the Little Cigar Shop at 110 Second Avenue NE (resolution 25‑0‑6‑1); a special-event retail liquor license for the Greater Morgan County Builders Association’s Kentucky Derby drawdown at Ingalls Harbor (resolution 25‑0‑6‑2); and two demolition‑cost assessments for abatement of unsafe structures (resolution 25‑0‑6‑3: assessment of $8,330 for 718 Cashion Street NW; resolution 25‑0‑6‑4: assessment of $5,340 for 25 Old Trinity Road NW). Each of those resolutions passed on roll call as recorded in the meeting.
Council also authorized execution of the Morgan County EMA Browns Ferry Emergency Planning and Response Agreement (resolution 25‑0‑6‑5) under federal guidelines, approved an annexation moratorium to run through Sept. 30 to allow zoning and polling location work (resolution 25‑0‑6‑6), and approved an MOU designation for the city’s ALM voting delegate and alternates (resolution 25‑0‑6‑8).
Staff presented grant applications that the council approved to pursue: a transition-to-digital design-review grant for the Architectural Review Board (resolution 25‑0‑6‑9) and a grant to fund a historic survey of the Walter Jackson Elementary School neighborhood (resolution 25‑0‑7‑0). Both grant applications, if awarded, will be added to the city’s grant‑match budget after awards are announced and would not affect the current fiscal year budget, staff said.
The council approved replacement of a chlorine tank at Pointe Mallard Aquatic Center and accepted the staff recommendation to pursue a less costly chlorine supplier. Council moved forward on annexation requests for specified properties (ordinance 25‑4606 and others) after public hearings with no speakers. The Alabama Fiber Network franchise agreement (ordinance 25‑4607) — part of the state’s broadband expansion — was presented by staff and then approved; staff said Alabama Fiber Network is a state‑sponsored contractor working statewide.
In ordinance business the city introduced the annual ad valorem tax levy for FY 2026 (ordinance 25‑468) in first reading; staff emphasized there is no proposed increase to the ad valorem tax rate and that state law requires the rate confirmation process in May.
Several agenda items passed unanimously on roll call votes recorded in the meeting transcript; where an item was only introduced it will return for final adoption later in May, per the city’s schedule.
Votes at a glance (selected items from meeting record): - Approve March 2025 monthly bills — motion passed (roll call: unanimous). - Resolution 25‑0‑6‑1 — Class I lounge license for Little Cigar Shop, 110 Second Ave NE — approved (roll call unanimous). - Resolution 25‑0‑6‑2 — Special-event retail liquor license, Greater Morgan County Builders Association, Kentucky Derby drawdown at Ingalls Harbor (05/03/2025) — approved (roll call unanimous). - Resolution 25‑0‑6‑3 — Assess demolition costs $8,330, 718 Cashion St. NW — approved (roll call unanimous). - Resolution 25‑0‑6‑4 — Assess demolition costs $5,340, 25 Old Trinity Rd. NW — approved (roll call unanimous). - Resolution 25‑0‑6‑5 — Morgan County EMA Browns Ferry Emergency Planning and Response Agreement — approved (roll call unanimous). - Resolution 25‑0‑6‑6 — Annexation moratorium to Sept. 30, 2025 — approved (roll call unanimous). - Resolution 25‑0‑6‑8 — Designate voting delegate/alternates for ALM business session (05/15/2025) — approved (roll call unanimous). - Resolution 25‑0‑6‑9 — Application for digital design‑review grant — approved to apply (roll call unanimous). - Resolution 25‑0‑7‑0 — Application for historic survey grant for Walter Jackson Elementary School neighborhood — approved to apply (roll call unanimous). - Ordinance 25‑468 — Annual ad valorem tax levy for FY 2026 — introduced (first reading); staff said there is no proposed rate increase; final adoption expected at a May meeting. - Ordinance 25‑4607 — Alabama Fiber Network franchise agreement (broadband expansion) — approved after public hearing (roll call unanimous).
Council scheduled the next work session and regular meeting and directed staff to return grant‑award language and related budget match items if the grants are awarded. Several items (noted above) were introduced in first reading and will return for formal adoption at later meetings.
