Committees approve Board of Education program manager, projects

Although the planning and development committee did not reach the quorum to hold a meeting on May 1, the finance committee covered many topics, starting with the request for consideration of recommendation for the new program manager for the Homewood Board of Education.

After being discussed at length on April 28, the Board of Education the morning of May 1 that they chose to work with Hoar Program Management (HPM) to oversee pre-construction and construction phases for Homewood schools to accommodate growth. The committee approved the Board of Education’s selection and sent the decision to council to be voted on.

The committee also heard an updated budget request from the BJCTA for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Representatives stated that this year’s budget has decreased slightly and would cost the city approximately $345,000, but first the city must submit a recommended budget to the BJCTA to create the viable service levels.

After the service levels have been created, the committee would meet again to approve or adjust the designated levels, to be completed fully by Sept. 1. The committee approved to send the budget request directly to the mayor for input on the project.

Steps towards two additional service projects were approved during the Finance Committee: the two streetlights that will be placed along 26th Avenue and 17th place in the Rosedale community and the request for proposals (RFP’s) and opening bid dates for the Mayfair sidewalk project.

The Mayfair sidewalk project, which plans for a sidewalk on Mayfair Drive from U.S. Highway 31 to Roxbury Road, has been in discussion for nearly a year and has a set bid opening date of May 22 at 5 p.m. 

Finally, the finance committee reviewed their 2015-2016 fiscal year audit, as performed by Carr, Riggs & Ingram. During the presentation, Jason Harpe gave Homewood an “unqualified or unmodified opinion,” which he said is "certainly what you want and what you’d expect.” The audit also stated that the city had funds enough retained to be fully operational for 10 months, which is well above the recommendation of 90 days.

Finance director and city clerk Melody Salter then expanded on the audit and gave the city's mid-year review. As of Sept. 30, 2016, the city had additional revenues, or a net income, over expenses of over $1 million. Of this, $700,000 was transferred to the capital projects fund, $375,000 was used for employee bonuses and $401,657 was added to the general fund, leaving the total for the general fund as of Sept. 30, 2016 at $27,495,659.

As of that same date, no transfers need to be made for the 2017 fiscal year because the city met its fiscal policy with the amount of cash on hand based on the budget and there was a cash balance of $3.8 million for capital funds. Salter said the city is planning on using $4.5 million for projects in the future, but they won't all occur at the same time.

When comparing the 2016-2017 fiscal year to the 2015-2016 fiscal year, Salter said revenues are up by $1.7 million, which was expected due to a period of raised sales tax. But, she said, expenses are also up over $2 million, leaving the city at about $254,000 "worse off" through March than this time last year.

Salter added, however, that this isn't cause for concern because there shouldn't be as many transfers needed to the capital fund later in the fiscal year and there are additional scheduled reimbursements to the city that have not yet gone through.

Also during committee meetings on May 1, the finance committee:

• Sent the request for consideration of fence installation at 521 and 538 Edgeknoll Lane to the full council.
• Sent the request for consideration of a franchise agreement with Mobilitie, LLC to the council.
• Sent the request for consideration of a transfer of fiber optic franchise agreement with Southern Light, LLC to council.
• Sent the request for consideration of an ordinance participating in the state of Alabama 2017 “Back to School” sales tax holiday on July 21-23 to council.
• Tabled a request to consider lighting on State Farm Parkway.
• Carried a request for consideration to declare surplus miscellaneous unclaimed property at the police department.

Members of the special issues Committee heard an update about the odors caused by Buffalo Rock from Will McCann, representing Volatile Analysis.

“Buffalo Rock has been working on several improvements … over the last year or so,” said McCann. The next slated improvement is to install system fans, which is scheduled for May 2.

While the fans were originally supposed to be installed earlier, McCann said the company had a problem with the supplier, but once installed Volatile Analysis will be able to receive new numbers regarding the pressure amounts almost immediately.

“We’re getting numbers all the time now from them, with the actual pressure numbers in the vessels,” McCann said. “We’ll get new numbers and that’ll confirm what they said the fans would do.”

Due to the delay in fan installation, Volatile Analysis agreed to extend their contract with the city for an additional four weeks, free of charge. McCann said once new data is gathered they will reconvene.

The special issues committee also:

• Carried the request for consideration to address tree ordinance revisions.
• Carried the request for consideration to work in the city right-of-way at 1769 South Lakeshore Dr.
• Tabled the request for consideration to work in the city right-of-way for a parking pad at 1618 Ridge Rd.
• Dropped the request for consideration to clear and possibly pave area appearing to be a former street continuing off Shadow Lane Drive and past the corner of Edgehill Road.
• Dropped the request for consideration for lighting, a porta potty and trash receptacles for the Lakeshore Trail.

Editor's note: This article was updated on May 2, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. to include additional information regarding the mid-year review.