Hamilton council tables $25,000 economic-membership, backs unified tax-filing resolution and advances personnel items

Hamilton City— The Hamilton City Council on Monday handled a series of routine and contested items including tabling a proposed $25,000 economic-development membership, moving to join a unified filing in a statewide tax lawsuit, appointing members to the zoning board, and approving a police hire and hourly pay.

The council voted to table consideration of a $25,000 membership for 2026 in the Northwest Alabama Economic Development Alliance that would be paid from the citygeneral fund; Frankie moved to table the item and a council member recorded as Shane opposed the motion. The proposal drew brief discussion about cost and benefit before the council decided to delay action.

On a higher-profile matter, the council introduced Resolution 2025-12-1 to include Hamilton in a unified filing opposing litigation brought by the City of Tuscaloosa and others challenging the State Department of Revenues simplified sellers/use tax process. Jeremy (role not specified) summarized the issue, saying the simplified sales/use tax is "basically a flat 8% sales tax on online purchases" and explaining that the revenue is redistributed across the state; he said larger cities are contesting how that money is allocated and that a judge left a 30-day window for other local governments to intervene. A motion to pass the resolution was made and seconded during the meeting.

The council also moved forward on several personnel and administrative items. Members recommended appointing Connor Fox, Philip Pugh, Clement Sink, Steve Davis and Emily Peterson to three-year terms on the Zoning Board of Adjustment. They introduced and recorded motions to hire Cody Holland as an APOST-certified police officer for the Hamilton Police Department; his start date will be set after he finishes notice with his current employer. A separate motion proposed paying Officer Holland $21.84 per hour; the presenter noted the citypay scale is a six-level structure that allows hiring at that step for officers with two yearsservice. Staff emphasized the hire fills an existing vacancy rather than adding new positions.

The council reviewed a contract recommendation for Porter & Higginbotham Engineering Inc. to inspect and certify four city bridges for $2,550, a routine biennial inspection required before 2026. The council also authorized posting for a meter reader for the Hamilton Water Department (Grade 1 water operator certification preferred) with applications due Dec. 12 at 5 p.m.

Procedural business included a motion to approve the Nov. 17 minutes and the November accounts payable; leaders also approved allowing city employees to use one vacation day for Friday, Dec. 6 and confirmed Dec. 24 and 25 as paid holidays, with Dec. 26 to be taken as a personal/vacation day if an employee chooses.

Richard Kitchens, owner of Sports Gallery on the Court Square, closed the broadcast portion of the meeting by thanking customers and viewers for watching. The council concluded after the remaining agenda items and local announcements.

The council recorded motions and seconds for each formal recommendation; not every motion in the record included a final roll-call tally in the transcript. Where the transcript records an explicit vote or objection, those outcomes are noted below.