Hamilton City Council adopts $50 candidate fee, appoints absentee election manager and hires park maintenance worker

Hamilton City Council on May 20, 2025, voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance imposing a $50 qualifying fee for candidates for mayor and city council, appointed the city clerk/treasurer to serve as absentee election manager with $50 per day compensation, posted notice of an August 2025 municipal election, and approved hiring Kyle Alexander as a maintenance worker for the Hamilton Park and Recreation Department at $17.64 per hour.

The ordinance adopted by the council sets a $50 qualifying fee for any candidate seeking the office of mayor or a city council seat; proceeds from the fee will be deposited into the city’s general fund. The council also adopted Resolution 2025-5-19, which designates the city clerk/treasurer as the absentee election manager under Chapter 11 of Title 17 of the Code of Alabama and establishes compensation of $50 per day for absentee election services. The resolution applies to the municipal general election and any runoff election held in 2025.

Council members additionally voted to post a notice of election stating that the municipal election will be held in August 2025; the council recorded that the city clerk will accept statements of candidacy beginning at 8:00 a.m. on a Tuesday in June 2025 and will accept filings during normal business hours through 5:00 p.m. on the closing day. The transcript does not specify the exact calendar dates in June for the qualifying period.

Separately, the council approved hiring Kyle Alexander as a maintenance worker for the Hamilton Park and Recreation Department and set the starting wage at $17.64 per hour. The hiring motion and the wage-setting motion each passed unanimously.

The meeting record shows routine procedural votes as well: the council approved the minutes of the May 20, 2025 regular meeting and a special-called meeting (both approved unanimously). The council discussed posting the election notice and adopting the ordinance and resolution during the consent and business portions of the agenda; no extended debate or dissenting votes are recorded in the transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of May 20, 2025 regular meeting minutes — Outcome: approved (unanimous). - Approval of special-called meeting minutes — Outcome: approved (unanimous). - Hire Kyle Alexander, maintenance worker, Hamilton Park and Recreation Department; wage set at $17.64/hour — Outcome: approved (unanimous). Mover: Scott Ross (as recorded); second: Blake (last name not specified in transcript). - Post notice of municipal election for August 2025 and open candidate qualifying period (start time 8:00 a.m.; end 5:00 p.m. on final qualifying day in June 2025) — Outcome: approved (unanimous). Mover: Scott Ross (as recorded); second: Scott Tower (as recorded for posting motion). - Adopt Ordinance 2025-3 (qualifying fee $50 for mayor and council candidates) — Outcome: approved (unanimous). Mover: Chair (recorded as making the motion); second: not specified in the transcript. - Adopt Resolution 2025-5-19 (designate city clerk/treasurer as absentee election manager; $50/day compensation; effective for 2025 general and runoff elections) — Outcome: approved (unanimous). Mover: Ross (recorded); second: Sherry (recorded).

What the measures change or clarify

- Candidate qualifying fee: The newly adopted ordinance formally imposes a $50 fee payable to the city clerk at the time of qualifying; the council directed that those funds be deposited into the city’s general fund.

- Absentee election management: Resolution 2025-5-19 references Chapter 11 of Title 17 of the Code of Alabama as the authority under which the city clerk/treasurer will perform absentee election duties for state absentee election services in 2025 and sets a daily compensation rate of $50 for those services.

- Election logistics: The council voted to publish the required notice of election indicating an August 2025 election date and a candidate qualifying period beginning at 8:00 a.m. on a Tuesday in June 2025 and ending at 5:00 p.m. on the final qualifying day; the transcript does not specify the exact June calendar dates.

- Staffing: The council approved hiring for the parks department, naming Kyle Alexander as a maintenance worker at a starting hourly rate of $17.64.

Meeting context and next steps

All items recorded in the transcript passed unanimously. The city clerk/treasurer is responsible for posting the election notice and accepting candidate filings during the stated qualifying window; the clerk will also perform absentee election duties as described in Resolution 2025-5-19. The council did not record any motions to amend the ordinance or the resolution in the transcript, nor are further implementation details or department assignments specified in the meeting record.