Mayor shares budget highlights

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The proposed fiscal year 2022 budget for the city of Homewood includes funding for the continued beautification of the west side of 18th Street, sidewalks, merit increases for employees and more.

Homewood Mayor Patrick McClusky shared the highlights of his proposed budget during a finance committee meeting Aug. 30.

Those highlights include $420,000 worth of payroll merit increases (after taxes and pension), along with a 1% cost of living increase, which will cost about $250,000, McClusky said.

The city has also budgeted about $6.4 million in projects from the GOW Construction Fund, including:

  • $1.2 million for Shades Creek Greenway Phase II work
  • $2.8 million for the Interstate 65 Diamond Interchange, which will create a diverging diamond which crosses traffic to the opposite side of the road at the bridge, allowing drivers to veer left onto I-65 without stopping. It will also allow vehicles approaching Lakeshore from the interstate off-ramps to merge into traffic without waiting for a light.
  • $2.5 million for Green Springs Revitalization, which includes a connector sidewalk from Broadway Street to Lakeshore Drive, as well as the cost of the bid alternative for the project, McClusky said.

The proposed budget calls for $7 million in capital project expenditures with about $5.8 million in revenues, with expenditures going toward the beautification of 18th Street, with about $2.5 million coming from the city and the other $2 million coming from the Alabama Department of Transportation. Expenditures are also budgeted for a Samford pocket park and sidewalks in select parts of the city.

The city budget also includes roughly $20 million in tax revenue slated to go to Homewood City Schools.

Homewood has also received federal funds through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and plans to spend that money for city projects and to give certain employees a raise. The money can only be spent in certain ways, McClusky said.

Employees who have been with the city since Feb. 17, 2021, and all department heads are eligible for the one-time payment, which is $2,500 for full-time employees and $250 for part-time employees. The committee approved the payment, which now goes before the entire council.

City projects proposed to be funded by ARPA include:

  • $270,000 for Griffin Creek dredge and cleaning
  • $151,500 for creek wall repairs
  • $350,000 for road drainage along U.S. 31
  • $980,000 for storm sewer and drainage improvements
  • $1.6 million for a new chiller and HVAC at City Hall

The total general fund budgeted revenues total $57.6 million, McClusky said. The first budget hearing is set for 4 p.m. on Sept. 7 at City Hall.

Also at the meeting, the committee talked about the idea of hiring a city manager. McClusky said he would be bringing the results of his research to the council as soon as the budget process was over, but warned it is a long process, depending on how the council chooses to proceed.

“This is not something you snap your fingers and have a position,” McClusky said.

Other cities in the metro Birmingham area have city managers, but they have different roles, McClusky said.