Canine officers, a budget surplus, and lots of Homewood love

There was a special guest appearance from the Homewood Police Department during Mayor Scott McBrayer’s State of the City address on Jan. 15: canine officer Shiloh. When a bank robbery suspect ran into the woods, dark with night, last year, it was Shiloh who found him in a ravine. And when a burglary culprit saw Shiloh, he climbed a fence back over to the side of the police.

Shiloh’s work was just one of the many praises of the city McBrayer sung during his hour-long speech to the Homewood Chamber of Commerce luncheon at The Club, reminding everyone what we love best about the City of Homewood.

“Our school system is second to none,” McBrayer said. “And we have the finest police department and fire department in any city.”

Last year the Homewood Fire Department responded 3,560 times, with an average response time of five and a half minutes.

 “That’s incredible,” McBrayer said.

Homewood Police Department responded to 24,235 calls in 2012.

For the fourth year in a row, Homewood ended the year with a surplus, McBrayer said, creating more revenue than it consumed. The room applauded at this announcement.

Then the mayor had all the city’s department heads and city council stand.

“That is why we have a surplus,” he said, referring to each of them.

The fiscal year 2012 ended with a 1$.9 million budget and a surplus of $1 million. The surplus added to the general fund totaled nearly $4 million over the past four years.

At year’s end, plans for the Rec Center and Lakeshore Greenway were underway. Patriot Park had been completed, and Target was set to open March 10.

For 2013, the city is planning for more sidewalk projects, two new clam shell brush loaders, progress on the new phases of the Lakeshore Greenway project, the Oxmoor Road project, and $60,000 in fencing at West Oxmoor Park.