Contract to fund stormwater master plan recommended for approval

The city of Homewood’s finance committee on Nov. 1 recommended to use $331,900 in federal funds to pay for the creation of a stormwater master plan.

The contract with Kimberly Horn will be voted on by the whole council at the Nov. 8 meeting. City Engineer Cale Smith told the committee the plan will focus on the Griffin Creek area, which includes the area between Valley Road and Green Springs Highway, where most stormwater-related complaints come from.

The study will take inventory of existing structures and will also see the creation of an online dashboard of infrastructure so the city can monitor them, Smith said. It will also include a maintenance plan for the public works department, along with recommended updates to the city’s stormwater ordinance.

If and when the contract is approved, the project should take between four to six months and will yield a number of projects the city can choose to undertake to improve stormwater issues, along with the maintenance plan and updated ordinance, Smith said.

The committee also heard an update on the 18^th Street revitalization project. Smith said the right of way certificate has been signed by both the city and the Alabama Department of Transportation, and the city is now waiting on federal construction authorization before beginning to install sidewalks and add parking to the west side of the street, which Smith said will also include the alleys behind the post office, between that building and the property currently housing Jim and Jims.

The committee also recommended an engineering design services contract with Volkert, Inc. in the amount of $17,723. The company will provide design services for the Reese Street sidewalk project.

In other business, the committee:

• Set a bid date of Nov. 15 for cameras to be used by the Homewood Police Department. While the department has a possible contract with Flock Cameras, the specifications on the cameras must be let out for bid to other possible companies.
• Set a bid date of Nov. 29 at 4:40 p.m. for sidewalk projects on Lancaster Road and Saulter Road.
• Recommended the approval of a $43,500 contract with Schoel Engineering for engineering services for College Avenue stormwater infrastructure, along with a $37,500 contract with Schoel for engineering services for the Huntington Road culvert.

Special Issues

The special issues committee set a public hearing date of Nov. 8, the next council meeting, for the potential vacating of an alley between 1722 28^th Avenue South and 1715 27^th Avenue Court South to Mike Mouron, who owns adjacent property – the Valley Mall. Mouron was also requesting the vacating of a portion of 27^thTerrace South. 

Mouron said he wanted to offer an easement on the alley between 1722 28^th Avenue South and 1715 27^thAvenue Court South to The Dance Foundation so they could access their equipment.

An APPLE study called for public parking down 27^th Terrace South, Councilor Andy Gwaltney said. Mouron said he could provide employee parking and suggested the city could use the money he pays for the property in question to obtain a right of way to add parking.

The committee also decided to send the memorial donation policy to the whole council for the Nov. 8 meeting, adding in changes suggested by Councilors Nick Sims and Barry Smith. The policy will state that the “city of Homewood,” not a particular department, is responsible for the maintenance of donated benches. The proposed policy would allow residents to donate money to the city for the installation of a memorial bench in someone’s honor and would have the city maintain it out of that fund for 10 years.

The committee also discussed changing the formation of the Beautification Board, with a proposed two representatives for each ward and five at large, a total of 15 representatives. Ward representatives would be chosen by the council, Sims said. Sims suggested the move to try and even out the board, which has uneven ward representation, he said.

The issue was carried over for two more weeks to allow for discussion with the current board and council members.

Smith said she had heard some complaints about odors from the Buffalo Rock facility but believes it might be a sewer problem. She told the committee she was waiting to hear back from the county about the issue.

Other committees

The public safety committee recommended to add a stop sign at the northbound intersection of Saulter Lane and Crest Drive, while the planning and development committee set a public hearing date of Nov. 8 to discuss and possibly approve changes to the city’s landscaping and tree requirements.