City Council

CITY OF TRUSSVILLE MINUTES DECEMBER 18, 2025 AGENDA WORKSHOP The City Council met in an agenda workshop on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at 5:30 pm to review the proposed agenda for its next regular session. Council President Jaime Melton Anderson presided over the meeting and Dan Weinrib served as recording secretary. Those members present were as follows: Council President Jaime Melton Anderson Councilor Ben Horton Councilor Kimberly Farr Councilor Brian Jackson Councilor Jim Miller Others present in their official capacity: Mayor Ben Short City Attorney Rick Stotser City Clerk Dan Weinrib The City Council determined the order of consideration. There were no items on the consent agenda. When the resolution to reappoint Marc Ward to the Active Transportation Committee came up, Councilor Miller requested an executive session, which the Council agreed to do shortly after they start their regular meeting. Consequently, the city clerk amended the regular agenda to reflect that. The Council then spent 15-20 minutes discussing the future composition of the school board screening committee, as well as term limits for boards’ & committees’ members. At the end of discussion, the Council still had not reached consensus on all details of the entire process, they did agree that: • all school board screening committee members must be city residents • first-term school board members seeking reappointment would not have to go through the screening process required of non-incumbents. • any two-term school board member seeking reappointment must go through the screening process • some boards & commissions, such as Veterans or Historical, would not be subject to term limits With no further items to discuss, President Anderson adjourned workshop at 5:55 pm. DECEMBER 9, 2025 REGULAR SESSION The City Council of the City of Trussville met in regular session on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 6 pm at the City Hall Annex, with Council President Jaime Melton Anderson presiding and Dan Weinrib serving as recording secretary. President Anderson called the meeting to order. Councilor Horton led the prayer; Councilor Farr led the pledge. Those members present were as follows: Council President Jaime Melton Anderson Councilor Ben Horton Councilor Kimberly Farr Councilor Brian Jackson Councilor Jim Miller Others present in their official capacity: Mayor Ben Short City Attorney Rick Stotser City Clerk Dan Weinrib They reviewed the minutes from the December 9 agenda workshop & regular session. Councilor Miller moved & Councilor Jackson seconded the motion to approve the minutes, as submitted. UNANIMOUS President Anderson then introduced the regular agenda. Councilor Miller moved & Councilor Farr seconded the motion to approve the regular agenda, as amended. UNANIMOUS During public comments, Celeste Richardson (6609 Maplewood Cove) expressed her concern about overflow parking in the proposed gravel lot next to her neighborhood. She feared that drivers would park their cars on or along the pedestrian path which she & her neighbors use regularly. Mayor Short assured her that would not be the case. While the parking expansion plans are still getting drafted, he told her, that the City will move back the protective gate and put up other barriers so that walkers, joggers & golf cart drivers would continue to enjoy unfettered access. Furthermore, he & other city leaders want to connect their path to a future citywide pathways network.  Under the regular agenda, Councilor Miller made the motion to go into executive session to discuss the good name & character of a private citizen. Councilor Farr seconded the motion. UNANIMOUS The elected officials and city attorney excused themselves from council chambers at 6:08 pm, leaving department heads, supervisors, schools superintendent Dr. Patrick Martin, school board president Dr. Steven Ward, Library board member Marcia Ward & various private citizens to socialize semi-quietly. At 6:21 pm, the seven officials returned to the chambers & resumed the regular session. Councilor Miller then introduced a proposed proclamation honoring Hope Everlasting Ministry for opening its new sanctuary. Mayor Short announced that the congregation is hosting a ribbon cutting on Saturday at 11 am then having its first official religious service there the next day at 10:30 am. He moved & Councilor Jackson seconded the motion for approval, UNANIMOUS Proclamation No. 2025-24 Councilor Farr then introduced a proposed ordinance to declare certain property within the city industrial park as surplus, then sell to B4 Development LLC, doing business as Milam & Company. This was the ordinance’s second reading. She moved & Councilor Horton seconded the motion for approval. Upon roll call vote UNANIMOUS Ordinance No. 2025-039-ADM Councilor Jackson then introduced a proposed ordinance. He moved & Councilor Farr seconded the motion for unanimous consent to suspend the rules & consider an ordinance immediately. Upon roll call vote, UNANIMOUS Councilor Jackson then made the motion, & Councilor Farr seconded, to annex the property located at 4380 Valley Road. Upon roll call vote, UNANIMOUS Ordinance No. 2025-038-ANX Councilor Jackson then introduced a proposed resolution to approve a contingency funding plan for improving the Gadsden Highway/Carrington Drive intersection, as proposed by ALDOT (Alabama Department of Transportation). ALDOT will fund the project up to the $2 million bid amount. The City would be obligated to pay for any cost overruns. He moved & Councilor Farr seconded the motion for approval. APPROVED 4-1 (Miller dissenting) Resolution No. 2025-71 Councilor Horton then introduced a proposed resolution to appoint Mayor Short as Trussville’s board representative on the Cahaba Solid Waste Disposal Authority for the duration of his mayoral term, succeeding Mayor Buddy Choat. He moved & Councilor Farr seconded the motion for approval. UNANIMOUS Resolution No. 2025-72 Councilor Jackson then introduced a proposed resolution reappointing Marc Ward to the Active Transportation Committee, with term ending December 31, 2030. He moved & Councilor Farr seconded the motion for approval. During the voice vote, Councilor Miller attempted to call for a roll call vote*. He made the motion for such. The motion died due to a lack of a second. He then voted. APPROVED 4-1 (Miller dissenting) Resolution No. 2025-66** Finance Director Joseph Calvert then gave a summary of the City’s financial performance through November 2025. As of November 30, the City’s $7.58 million in revenues are $170,000 above initial budget projections, while operating expenses are $7.21 million. Compared to the same time last year, City spending is down by $473,000. City departments have reduced spending & year-to-date sales tax revenues have improved by $254,000. During committee reports, Councilor Horton reported that the Tree Commission bought 42 trees for its giveaway event on January 12. Also, Design Review approved a replacement sign for Sally’ Beauty supply store. Councilor Jackson reported that Active Transportation expects a proposed comprehensive plan from the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham next month. Meanwhile, he is still working on new subdivision regulations with fellow Planning & Zoning Commission members. Also, downtown merchants are utilizing approximately 2.5 miles of holiday lights to glow up Trussville over Christmas holidays. Councilor Miller reported that Richard Koch & John Griscom are now chairman & secretary, respectively, of Veterans committee. Also, ACTA’s TrussVegas sold out. Big Fish & Wizard of Oz are ACTA’s next two productions. Also, the city history museum will be open on January 10. James Loney will be there to talk about the history of the local railroad. Also, Cahaba Elementary School students sang carols at the Seniors Center. Councilor Farr also reported that the IDA delivered Christmas trays to businesses within its park. Thanks to the first Leadership Trussville class, there are new monument signs welcoming visitors to the industrial park. Also, she thanked Public Works, as well as Parks & Recreation for their Christmas parade preparatory & clean-up work. The parade had 125 entries. The Chamber of Commerce’s annual Toast of the Town event occurs January 22, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm, at the Reserve event space above Umani. The Chamber is accepting nominations for the annual Paine Gatekeeper Award. Dr. Patrick Martin will give his annual state of the city schools address at the next chamber luncheon. President Anderson reported that there’ll be two new Cemetery Authority members next month. Also, the HTMS cheerleading squad won its regional competition. Also, the city school board honored numerous schoolteachers for earning national board certification. Also, Leadership Trussville had a successful Government Day program. On January 8, they will focus on economic development. Mayor Short also gave the public advanced notice that next month he will ask the city council to fund a $125,000 request as the City’s 20% contribution to the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham for drafting a new comprehensive plan. The RPCGB will provide the remaining 80% through a matching grant. Also, the City plans to switch its deposits to PNC Bank because they offer more favorable interest rates than Regions. Also, he thanked the Council for approving the ATRIPP-II resolution, regarding ALDOT’s intersection expansion at Gadsden Highway & Carrington Drive. There were no audience comments. With no further business left to consider, President Anderson adjourned the meeting at 6:48 pm. Respectfully submitted, DJW City Clerk Dan Weinrib MMC *Per Roberts Rules, when the governing body usually does a voice vote & a member requests a roll call vote, the motion for a roll call vote must occur prior to actual voting by the governing body. It then requires a second, followed by approval. **The city council passed Resolution No. 2025-65 on November 20, then Resolution No. 2025-67 on December 9. Prior to the December 18 meeting, the city clerk realized #66 had been skipped.