City Council

CITY OF TRUSSVILLE MINUTES OCTOBER 9, 2025 AGENDA WORKSHOP The City Council met in an agenda workshop on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 5 pm to review the proposed agenda for its next regular session. Council President Ben Short presided over the meeting and Dan Weinrib served as recording secretary. Those members present were as follows: Council President Ben Short Councilor Perry Cook Councilor Alan Taylor Others present in their official capacity: Mayor Buddy Choat City Clerk Dan Weinrib Those absent: Councilor Jaime Anderson Councilor Lisa Bright The City Council determined the order of consideration. During discussion time, Finance Director Jospeh Calvert summarized the proposed FY2026 budget for the Council’s & department head’s benefit. The proposed FY2026 budget projects $52.5 million in revenues & $51.5 million in expenses; a year ago, the council approved a budget showing a projected deficit that was just under $1 million. By the end of the FY2025, the City finished with a $2.5 million surplus. Calvert announced that his projected budget includes longevity pay & scheduled step increases for city employees. President Short adjourned the workshop around 5:05 pm. OCTOBER 14, 2025 REGULAR SESSION The City Council of the City of Trussville met in regular session on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 6 pm at the City Hall Annex, with Council President Ben Short presiding and Dan Weinrib serving as recording secretary. President Short called the meeting to order. Councilor Bright led the prayer; Councilor Taylor led the pledge. Those members present were as follows: Council President Ben Short Councilor Lisa Bright Councilor Alan Taylor Others present in their official capacity: Mayor Buddy Choat City Attorney Rick Stotser City Clerk Dan Weinrib Those absent: Councilor Jaime Anderson Councilor Perry Cook They reviewed the minutes from the September 18 agenda workshop & September 23 regular session. Councilor Taylor moved & Councilor Bright seconded the motion to approve the minutes. UNANIMOUS President Short then introduced the regular agenda. Councilor Bright moved & Councilor Taylor seconded the motion to approve the regular agenda. UNANIMOUS There were no public comments. Under the regular agenda, Councilor Bright then introduced a proposed proclamation, declaring October as Youth Substance Use Awareness Month. She moved & Councilor Taylor seconded the motion for approval. UNANIMOUS Proclamation No. 2025-20 Councilor Bright introduced a proposed ordinance. She moved & Councilor Taylor seconded the motion for unanimous consent to suspend the rules & consider an ordinance immediately. Upon roll call vote, UNANIMOUS. Councilor Bright then made the motion, & Councilor Taylor seconded, to declare a certain city-owned property in the industrial park as surplus, then convey it to Julianne & William Fyfe III for fair consideration. Upon roll call vote, UNANIMOUS Ordinance No. 2025-029-ADM Councilor Taylor then introduced a proposed resolution adopting the FY2026 budget. At his prompting, Finance Director Joseph Calvert gave a short PowerPoint presentation on the FY2025 & FY2026 budgets, repeating his message from workshop. The proposed budget includes continuation of merit increases & longevity pay for eligible employees. Councilor Taylor commented on last year’s budget, then praised Mayor Choat & his elected colleagues for their transparency & ongoing stewardship. He also commended Calvert & accounting consultant Brian Barksdale for their work. Taylor moved & Councilor Bright seconded the motion for approval. UNANIMOUS Resolution No. 2025-47 President Short then opened a public hearing on a proposed tax revenue incentives deal with a developer, as required by State Constitution Amendment 772. Since nobody in the audience spoke up, he promptly closed the public hearing. Councilor Taylor then introduced a proposed resolution to approve the project development & tax sharing agreement with Pot Roast Realty LLC. Under the terms of the deal, the developer will build & open a Culver’s restaurant on Chalkville Mountain Road, where a shuttered bank currently sits. Once Culver’s is open for business, the city will give back $500,000 in municipal sales tax revenue over a period not to exceed eight years. He moved & Councilor Bright seconded the motion for approval. UNANIMOUS Resolution No. 2025-48 President Short then opened a public hearing on a public nuisance. Director of Planning, Building & Sustainability J. R. Malchus showed the council & public a picture of the commercial property located at 331 Main Street. The former Chocolate Biscuit building is in a state of disrepair & there are overgrown weeds. Malchus & his department has tried to work with the absentee owner for a year, but at some point, the owner stopped returning communications. The only audience member who spoke up, Kathryne Brugge (4244 Cahaba Bend), asked for information to be repeated because the HVAC had drowned out Malchus. Since nobody else in the audience spoke up, President Short promptly closed the hearing. Councilor Taylor then introduced a proposed resolution to abate the public nuisance at 331 Main Street. He moved & Councilor Bright seconded the motion for approval. UNANIMOUS Resolution No. 2025-49 During committee reports, Councilor Bright announced the IDA will meet on October 30. Also, Public Works remains busy maintaining street signs, repairing infrastructure & other seasonal duties. Also, the school board recognized five school faculty as their Teachers of the Year during their October 13 meeting. She recognized school board president, Dr. Steven Ward, in the audience. Councilor Taylor reported that the Utilities is monitoring water levels during the ongoing drought. So far, there is no mandate to cut back water consumption. Also, Public Safety will meet on October 16. Also, Mayor Choat will give his last State of the City address at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon; Mayor-Elect Short will also speak. The Chamber is already preparing for the annual Christmas events. Councilor Short summarized all actions taken by Planning & Zoning on October 13, including positive recommendations on an annexation petition & a rezoning application. Mayor Choat summarized the approved incentives deal, touting its benefits. He noted how that section of commercial property had been idle, until the City worked with Aronov Realty to bring new businesses into Trussville. He then briefly mentioned the public nuisance. He paid tribute to the late Library Director Jason Baker, who had died unexpectedly on October 11. Baker spent 16 years at our library & had been its director since January 2021. Family survivors include his beautiful wife Patricia & their grown children Webb Baker, Alex Higginbotham & Julie Higginbotham. Choat also had generous words for Drew Peterson, who ran all athletic programs for Parks & Recreation. Peterson had performed the same duties for the Prattville Parks & Recreation Department, prior to joining Trussville. He was 10 days away from retiring when he suffered a stroke. He is convalescing at UAB & is expected to return home in November. The Trussville community is rallying around him, his wife Liza & their sons Jacob & Preston. Also, Mayor Choat congratulated Justin Ferguson on his well-earned promotion to Public Works Director. Justin had been assistant director. He inherited Wayne Sullivan’s duties & responsibilities on January 1, 2024. There were no audience comments. Because she would miss the last scheduled council meeting (October 28) of her expiring term, Councilor Bright took the opportunity to express her profound gratitude to Mayor Choat, colleagues, department heads & the entire city during her time as an elected official. In return, Mayor Choat & Councilor Taylor lavished praise on her for her dedication to the city. Dr. Ward also spoke up. Councilor & Mayor-Elect Short nodded frequently in agreement. With nothing left to review, President Short adjourned the regular meeting just after 6:30 pm. Respectfully submitted, DJW City Clerk Dan Weinrib MMC