The Irondale City Council on Jan. 6 approved its consent agenda of routine items and adopted three ordinances after suspending rules for immediate consideration.

Consent agenda: By voice motion the council approved consent items 1 through 10. Items included a $1,500 Jefferson County grant for the Irondale Senior Activity Center; selection of McGriff/Marsh & McLennan as the city's insurance broker; authorization to open accounts with Pinnacle Bank; merchant services contract with Integra Capital Group (doing business as E Biz Charge) that will shift card‑processing convenience fees to customers; the tax‑abatement package for Fluid Solutions; the city’s 2026 public events calendar; a resolution urging reform of the Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT); and service agreements to support youth and anti‑trafficking programs (several for $2,500).

Ordinance highlights:
- Ordinance 2026‑01 (mobile food units): The administration proposed lowering annual mobile‑food permits from $300 to $75, reducing the combined licensing cost for a new vendor (from $475 to $200), retaining a $25 one‑time event fee and shortening the proximity restriction from 200 feet to 150 feet from brick‑and‑mortar stores to encourage more food trucks in the city. Council approved the ordinance after suspension of rules.

- Ordinance 2026‑02 (removal of Chapter 13 — railroads): City staff said the municipal railroad provisions are outdated and largely superseded by subsequent federal law; the ordinance removes the chapter as part of a code update. Council approved the removal.

- Ordinance 2026‑03 (garbage/refuse exemptions): The ordinance revises mandatory service exemptions to add income‑based eligibility tied to federal poverty guidelines and categorical eligibility for SNAP, SSI and Social Security recipients. The administration set Jan. 31 as the application cutoff for the 2026 exemption period and said applications will require notarized signatures when appropriate.

Votes and procedure: For each ordinance the council moved to consider the ordinance read, suspended rules to allow immediate consideration and took roll call votes. The roll calls recorded affirmative responses from the council members present; items passed. The meeting adjourned without an executive session.

What happens next: The mayor or his designee will execute approved service agreements and the tax‑abatement document; city staff will implement the new permit and exemption procedures and publicize application deadlines and changes.