Montgomery City reports modest revenue gains; announces Carter Hill water-main work, two senior hires and neighborhood events

Montgomery City officials reported modest year-over-year gains in several tax revenue streams and outlined a February water-main replacement on Carter Hill Road while announcing two senior staff appointments and upcoming neighborhood events during a council meeting.

A city staff member said the current fiscal year "ended on a positive note for all 4 revenue categories," summarizing collections for sales and use tax, lodging tax, gasoline tax and the alcoholic beverage tax. The presenter said sales and use tax was essentially breakeven compared with the same period the prior year but showed a year-over-year growth rate of nearly 2 percent. The presenter attributed part of the variation to some payments processed by the Alabama Department of Revenue being insufficient, which reduced total collections.

The presenter said lodging tax collections rebounded in December, with a December growth rate of more than 16 percent and an overall fiscal-year growth rate of nearly 10 percent. Gasoline tax revenue grew by more than 5 percent in December and the quarter ended with an overall growth rate of nearly 2 percent, the presenter said. The alcoholic beverage tax, the presenter said, declined by "nearly 3" for the comparable December period but was up more than 13 percent for the quarter; the presenter did not provide additional back-up in the meeting record.

On infrastructure, a city staff member said Montgomery Water Works will replace a water main beginning in February in the westbound lane of Carter Hill Road between Gillespie Drive and West Street. The work is expected to last approximately 10 weeks. Officials said the detour route will be Robinson Hill Road to East Fifth Street to Mulberry Street and asked drivers to exercise patience and caution while the utility work is underway.

The council was also told of two personnel changes. Wade Lyles has been named director of the Montgomery City County Emergency Management Agency. The presenter said Lyles served as the agency's deputy director and interim director, led the city's response to a recent winter storm and a local tornado shutdown, has Air Force experience, and previously worked in firefighting and as director of operations for Capital City Bonding.

Marcus Dean was introduced as Montgomery's new chief building official. The presenter said Dean most recently served at Tuskegee University as associate vice president for facilities and construction and had oversight roles on more than $500 million in campus construction, facility enhancements and capital projects.

Staff also announced community events: the Neighborhood Services Department rescheduled the mayor's annual neighborhood banquet to March 3, 2025, to be held at the Renaissance Hotel; a city staff member mentioned a $25-per-person fee during the exchange but did not confirm who would pay that charge. The presenter invited the public to the 2025 "Save the City" address at 6 p.m. at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and said more information would be posted on the city's YouTube and Facebook pages.

Finally, the presenter recognized National Mentoring Month and presented a proclamation to Tijuana D. Brooks, identified as the Montgomery satellite director for Big Brothers Big Sisters (Birmingham), in recognition of mentoring efforts in the community.

City staff gave no formal motions or votes related to the announcements during the segment recorded in the transcript. Several numerical details were presented by staff without additional supporting documents in the meeting record; the presenter noted the Alabama Department of Revenue processed some payments that reduced collections but did not specify which payments or amounts.

The city said it will discuss a proposed expansion of the downtown convention center and multipurpose arena later in 2025; staff flagged that project as an item to come before the council.