Hoover council adopts budget, hears concerns about school funding

During Monday's meeting, the City Council adopted the budget for the 2015 fiscal year. Several residents addressed the council about not enough funding for Hoover City Schools being included in the budget. The amount allotted for the school system in the budget is $2 million.

One resident who spoke was longtime Bluff Park resident Dan Fulton, who has continually called for a 1 percent sales tax increase with the money to be set aside for Hoover City Schools. During his address, he questioned the council for not communicating with the Board of Education and not allotting enough money for the school system.

Council President Jack Wright stated that when the council met with the Board of Education  Superintendent Andy Craig did not state that the system needed more funding. Wright further said that the council cannot control the decisions made by the Board of Education.

"This budget is strictly a blueprint," Wright said. "It is subject to change."

 "We have put a lot of thought into this budget throughout the year and, it is regrettable there are citizens who don't know what's going on and have resorted to name-calling," said Councilman John Greene.

The $146 million budget, which was presented to the council in October, includes money for various sidewalk and traffic projects as well as improvements to city-wide facilities including parks, sports fields, fire stations, the library and Aldridge Gardens. The budget can be accessed here.

"This is the most balanced budget I've seen since I've been here," said Councilman Gene Smith.

In other news, the council:

• Read a proclamation for Epilepsy Awareness Month.
• Made appointments  to Planning and Zoning Commission.
• Reappointed Eloise Martens and Sara Rast to the Library Board.
• Lt. Trey Bass led a Veterans Week recognition, in which several local Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops were honored for their participation in a flag folding ceremony. Several students were also honored for winning a art poster contest.
• Approved a bid for ballistic vests/carrier plates.
• Approved a bid for Wastewater System Management, Operations and Maintenance. 
• Approved a resolution for Severe Weather Preparedness Tax Holiday – Feb. 20- 22, 2015. 
• Authorized mayor to execute agreement(s) with QCHC, Inc. to provide health services to inmates in the city’s jail facility. 
• Authorized the mayor to accept grant for proposed City of Hoover Floodplain Management Plan.
• Authorized the mayor to execute Claims Service Contract with Alternative Service Concepts, LLC.
• Authorize the mayor to execute a subscriber services agreement with Xceligent, Inc. to provide a searchable, comprehensive, commercial database of available properties located within the city limits of Hoover.
• Held a first reading of Ordinance No. 14-2265 – Grant Water Franchise to Birmingham Water Works Board and Amend the Municipal Code, Appendix IV, Article III, Division I. A second reading and consideration for adoption will take place on Monday, Dec. 1.
• Approved a Restaurant Retail Liquor license for Jim 'N Nick's Birmingham LLC due to change in ownership at the following previously approved locations:

• Jim N Nicks Bar BQ, 1810 Montgomery Highway
• Jim N Nicks Bar BQ, 2831 Greystone Commercial Blvd. 

• Approved a liquor license for Paramsukh, LLC, d/b/a Barristers Bar, 1535 Montgomery Highway. This is a change in ownership on a previously approved site.
• Held a public hearing to consider the adoption by reference of the 2015 International Codes, 2014 National Electric Code and Alabama Energy and Residential Code, with proposed modifications. 
• Held a public hearing to consider the request of Pastor Chris Peters, Cross Creek Church, for Conditional Use approval on property located at 5225 Ross Bridge Parkway (three parcels) to be used for the new site of Cross Creek Church. This property is owned by Mr. Charles Diggs and Deer Valley Partners, LLC. This property is zoned C-2 Community Business District and C-P Preferred Commercial (Office) District. There was a motion to approve this.
• Set public hearings for Monday, Dec. 15, at 6 p.m. to consider the following requests that come  with a positive recommendation from the Nov. 10 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting:

• Nimrod Long & Associates, Inc., representing US Steel Corporation, is requesting conditional use approval for a park to be located at 420 Renaissance Drive. The owner of the property is US Steel Corporation, and the property is zoned PR-1 Planned Single Family District.
• Covenant Bank is requesting conditional use approval for gas station/convenience store to be located at 1801 Doug Baker Blvd. Covenant Bank is the property owner and  the property is zoned C-2 Community Business District.

The next council meeting will be Monday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting was moved to an earlier time due to the city's Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will take place following the meeting at 5 p.m. in the Hoover Library parking lot.