Hoover council tables lodging tax vote, receives update on Library makeover

August 3, 2015 11:51 PM

Photo by Katie Turpen.

During an Aug. 3 meeting, the City Council made the motion to table consideration of doubling Hoover lodging tax. Hoover council member John Lyda said the discussion occurred in Thursday's council work session.

“I think the mayor and council seem to be collectively in agreement to take a real close look at this,” Lyda said.

The proposal from Mayor Gary Ivey would raise the city's lodging tax rate from 3 percent to 6 percent. Lyda said council members' concerns included the impact the tax would have on the city overall as well as the lodging business. How the potential revenue would be spent is another consideration, as Lyda said the current proposal is too vague.

The plan states that the new revenue, expected to be about $1.5 million, would go to the capital projects fund. Resolving details about the best use of the funds, if the tax is approved, is an important step to reintroducing the proposal to council consideration, Lyda said.

During a July 20 city council meeting, the general manager of the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel urged the council to turn down the proposal.

Previous Hoover Sun coverage of the lodging tax issue can be found below:

Also during the meeting, Hoover Public Library Director Linda Andrews gave a report on the library's makeover. The library is updating its color scheme and using different colors and carpet to distinguish the children’s area. The fiction, teens, preschool and quiet study areas will get new carpet along with the children’s programming room and technology hub.

Andrews thanked the Public Works Department for their work in preparing the facility for the renovation as well as the mayor and city council for providing funds for the project.

"It's time to update our look to go along with our services," Andrews said. "We look forward to our new look and showing it to the public when we officially re-open on Tuesday, Sept. 8."

Renovations began Aug. 3 and will continue through Sept. 2. The library will be closed from Sept. 3-Sept. 7.

In other news, the council:

Declared properties located at 1345 Columbia Drive, 2212 Sherwood Place and 6174 Valley Station Circle to be public nuisances due to weeds and/or grass.
Declared certain police vehicles as surplus.
Approved the abatement of public nuisance due to weeds on property located at 2500 Old Rocky Ridge Road.
Authorized the mayor to execute a court referral officer contract with the Alabama Administrative Director of Courts Judicial Branch.
Approved an ABC Application for S H Liquors, LLC, Hoover Package Store, 3659 Lorna Road, Suite 159 to allow the off-premise sale of liquor. This is a change in ownership on a previously approved site.
Approved an ABC Application for Taste of Thailand, 3321 Lorna Road, Suite 3, to allow the on-premise sale of liquor. This is a change in ownership on a previously approved site.