Homewood City Council creates interim city manager, approves contracts and a package of resolutions

The Homewood City Council on Monday adopted Ordinance 2924 to create an interim office of city manager and set a March 1, 2025 start date, and approved a series of contracts, resolutions and appointments by unanimous or near-unanimous votes.

The ordinance, introduced under agenda item 170125 and read into the record by a city staff member, invokes provisions of the Alabama Code for the council-manager form of government and authorizes the council to employ a city manager under sections cited in the ordinance. The ordinance states the interim manager will assume office March 1, 2025, and that the ordinance will terminate when the council-manager form of government approved by a special election takes effect on Nov. 3, 2025. Councilors approved the ordinance on unanimous roll-call vote after a motion for unanimous consent (moved by Councilor Smith; seconded by Councilor Hardin). The ordinance was recorded as No. 2924 in the council minutes.

Why it matters: the ordinance sets the administrative framework for hiring a city manager while preserving the effective date of the charter change approved by voters. The council-manager form approved in the September 2024 election will take effect Nov. 3, 2025; the interim ordinance provides a temporary statutory structure for staffing until that date.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 2924 — Create interim office of city manager (agenda item 170125). Motion: adopt ordinance and set manager to assume office March 1, 2025. Moved by: Councilor Smith. Second: Councilor Hardin. Vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved. Note: ordinance terminates when the council-manager form takes effect Nov. 3, 2025.

- Resolution 25-9 — Authorize mayor to sign contract with UES Professional Services for testing concrete repairs to City Hall Plaza (agenda item 010125). Committee recommended 4–0; council vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved.

- Ordinance 2923 — Declare certain finance department property surplus (agenda item 02-0125). Items listed in exhibit A included filing cabinets, desks, chairs and an Ameritech laser printer; mayor and clerk authorized to dispose by public auction. Motion for unanimous consent carried; roll-call vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: adopted as ordinance 2923.

- Position reclassification (agenda item 030125) — Upgrade an accounting assistant II position to revenue examiner to match assigned duties. Committee recommended 4–0. Council vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved (recorded as a resolution in the minutes; identifying number not specified in the transcript).

- Resolution 25-11 — Authorize sidewalk contract with Gossett Construction to install sidewalk along the west side of the 708–100 block of Columbiana Road (agenda item 040125). Committee recommended approval; council vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved.

- Playground surfacing and equipment (agenda item 050125) — Contract with Great Southern Recreation for playground surfacing and equipment at Salter Road. City reported it was awarded a grant to fund surfacing; committee recommended 4–0. Council vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved. (Grant source not specified in the meeting record.)

- Payroll professional services RFP (agenda item 160125) — Council authorized release of an RFP for payroll services; bids due Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m. Committee recommended 4–0. Council vote: 10 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention. Outcome: approved; bid due date set as recorded.

- Insurance renewal presentation (agenda item 180125) — Presentation by Margaret Ann Pieburn; renewal of existing coverage with no change to premium noted in committee discussion. Committee recommended approval; council vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved.

- Parking spaces/tree wells in right-of-way (agenda item 060125) — Request to allow up to 14 parking spaces and up to three tree wells at 2703 19th Place South, pending an indemnification agreement. Public Works recommended approval (5–0). Council vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved; parking to remain public on the right-of-way.

- Facility-use agreement for Taste of Homewood (agenda item 070125) — Special issues committee recommended approval (5–0). Council vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved.

- 2023–24 annual storm water report (agenda item 080125) — Acceptance and submission to ADEM by Jan. 31, 2025. Special issues recommended approval (5–0). Council vote: 11 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved.

- Appointment, at-large Park Board (committee recommendation) — Council appointed Vernell McDonald to the at-large park board following interviews; motion seconded and approved 11–0.

- Vouchers (Jan. 14–27, 2025) — Council approved the period vouchers on motion; vote recorded 11 yes, 0 no.

What the meeting did not do: no items required more than routine discussion; no budget adoptions or land-use changes were finalized at this meeting. Several items were handled by unanimous consent or referred through committee reports.

Meeting notes and clarifications

- The council repeatedly recorded committee recommendations (typical 4–0 or 5–0 committee votes) and then approved items in full council votes, most recorded 11–0 after roll call. Where the transcript omitted a formal resolution or ordinance number for a specific item, the minutes recorded the action without a separate identifying number (we mark those as "not specified" where indicated).

- The city said a grant award will fund the playground surfacing at Salter Road but the meeting transcript did not specify the granting agency or program; that detail is listed as not specified in the minutes.

Next steps

The council set deadlines and contract authorizations consistent with the actions above and adjourned until its next regular meeting on Feb. 10, 2025.