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Good evening everyone. It is 5:30 on Thursday, August 27th, 20026, and this meeting of the

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Huntsville City Council is called to order. Welcome to everyone who has joined us in

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the chambers or who is joining us remotely. All members of the council are present. We will

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begin, as is our practice, with an invocation offered by one of our uh Huntsville, Alabama

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Public safety chaplains. Tonight we have Rachel Harper with us, and that will be

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followed by the Pledge of Allegiance offered by council member John Meredith. All those

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who wish to and are able to do so, please stand for the invocation and the pledge.

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Father, we come to you tonight as a grateful people for all the many blessings that you

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have afforded us and for the opportunity that we have each and every day to live in such a

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great nation. Father, I'm thankful for our leaders and for their hearts to serve, Lord

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and I ask Father, that we never ever take lightly the responsibilities that we have

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as servant leaders. I pray for continued blessings over our city and for wisdom, Lord. over

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our city council in decisions made tonight. Lord, we pray for safety all the men and women

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who who give their lives, their lives on the line every day for your service and the protection

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of us, Lord, we just ask all these things in your precious name. Amen. 1. Hoover flag of

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the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God

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indivisible with liberty and justice for all. In Thank you, Chaplain Harper. Thank you, Mr.

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Meredith. Council members, you have the agenda before you. Please note that item 8A will

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require executive session. Are there any changes or additions to be made to the agenda?

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Hearing none of the agenda will be approved. Uh, you also have, um, the minutes of the regular

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meeting of the city council held on August 13, 2026. Are there any additions or changes

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to be made to those minutes. Seeing none, the minutes will stand approved. We have 2

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recognitions tonight. 6A is a presentation recognizing the 65 year legacy of Big Ed's Pizza,

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and Mr. Little, I believe you will be making that presentation. microphone. Oh,

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Our friends from Big Ed's here. Pizza? Mm It doesn't, come on down, sir. And I'm sorry I

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didn't bring you guys any food. Yeah, yeah, if he didn't hear, he said he didn't bring us any

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pizza, so we're gonna go ahead and vote this out, so that's OK We'll swing by. Thank you. I'd

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like to change my vote to a nay If he didn't bring us food, then I'm changing my vote to

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nay. Mayor Battle didn't bring me Britlins either, so just saying, so yes, well, that's,

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that's uh holding on to a grudge if you're bringing back Britlin's Yeah Yeah oh yeah.

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Well, I'm sure everybody that's lived in Huntsville for any amount of time has heard of Big

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Ed's Pizza celebrating 65 years of business in Huntsville, which is quite a testament to

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good pizza. Um, I did a little, um, Uh, research, and I can only find about 5 or 6

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businesses that are still around. As long as Big Ed, so that's really great, and this

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is a certificate recognizing that great, uh, the outstanding food and tradition and

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community service and assigned by everybody on the council and the mayor too. Yeah,

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congratulations. Yeah, yeah, and uh. Congratulations. 6B is the presentation recognizing

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the dedicated volunteers of the Chaffee community, and it is my honor to make that presentation

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representing the Chaffee community. Tonight we have Mr. Loud Wells and Mr. Bill Gould.

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Mr. Boyles, Mister Mr. Gould, will you come up, please? But you, you stay there I stand up.

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that feels right. That feels right. If you didn't know, the Chaffee community has the one

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of the oldest and largest civic associations in the community. They are a neighborhood that is

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well connected. They are a neighborhood that really cares about their community and

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tonight we're honoring them, particularly for the unique service that they provide to

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caring for Logan Park in uh collaboration with Parks and Recreation. So Mr. Gould, would

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you share with us what it is you do? Sure. So, uh, starting in 2011, the CNCA, the Chaffey

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Neighborhood Civic Association reached an agreement with the city to take responsibility for

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opening and closing and basically tending to the park, keeping an eye on things,

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letting them know her problems and issues. Calling in when somebody was in there when they

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shouldn't be and activities going on, Lyle here was one of that. First group. He was the

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actual founding member of it and he's still in the rotation today. Every once in a while he

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forgets his key, we've got to get it for him, but, but a group of 6 teams. Every week,

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every 6 weeks, you get a rotation. You take that week with a partner and somebody

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opens it in the morning, opens the restrooms, checks the facilities to make sure that

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it's good, and then somebody else or that same team. Lyle does it by himself. He can't

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find a good partner, I guess. Uh, we close it up every night. When we see something, we reach

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out, so the, the partnership with the parks department is amazing. We are truly partners.

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If we need something, we just reach out. David Delier is my favorite pen pal. I send him.

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note saying there's a toilet that's running or there's a trash can that somebody took

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home as a souvenir and the next day it's done, it's fixed. When we have issues, we can reach

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out to the police. We had somebody who was living in the, keeping their car living in the

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park while they were visiting their girlfriend down the street. The police department

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came over and helped us to clean that up. We've been doing that now for 15 years. We plan

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on doing it for a bit longer and we greatly appreciate the partnership and the support

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that allows us to keep our precious. Little park Safe and clean. And a great place for

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the families to spend time. So thank you. And I have 10 certificates here that I hope

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you will share with, with all the folks who are involved. Yeah, if I could, those, those

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people, uh, are. Most of them still getting out of work when we're starting this, so it's

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not a bunch of retirees that just hang around and that's nothing to do but open and

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close the park. They fitted in amongst everything else. First thing in the morning, last

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thing at night, we make sure that it's taken care of. And Lyle, we were talking before

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the meeting started about why this is so important and so do you want to comment on that?

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You don't just take care of the park just to make it look nice. Well, it's significant in the

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fact that the park was really uh it's, it's secluded off of the South Memorial Parkway. It

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was dark. There was a lot of nonsense going on in the park. Vandalism, things of that

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nature, and as a result of doing this now for these years, that's significantly reduced

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all of that, and again we're so grateful to the city for the support we get from several of

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the departments, not just Parks and recreations, but general services and others are in

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there, and we do appreciate that and thank the city for that. And we're sharing this

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tonight not just because we want to recognize volunteers and again, here are the

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certificates. We hope you'll share that, but this is a model we hope other communities can

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use. So thank you both for your service. Thank you to all the volun the Chaffee volunteers

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and for the work that they do. OK. Thank you. All right. Moving on. We have AA. Matters

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with outside legal representation. Uh, 8A is a resolution authorizing the

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mayor. To enter into a legal services agreement with Riley and Jackson PC and affiliated

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co-counsel for the investigation and prosecution of claims relating to the fire

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apparatus manufacturer antitrust litigation. Council members, we have been informed

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that there is need for executive session on this item before we vote. So Mr. Riley,

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could you share with us, um, that rationale. Certainly, thank you, Counsel President.

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counsel, the um. Item number 8A tonight is a matter with outside legal representative

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which will require executive session in which, which we will request. Executive session is

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uh something that is covered by the Alabama Open Meetings Act found at Section 3625A 7 of the

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code of Alabama which provides that executive sessions may be held by the council but only

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for the purposes enunciated therein. There are some ones listed, the pertinent provision

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for our consideration tonight for my opinion is found at subdivision A3, which is to

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discuss with the council. Attorney, the legal ramifications of and legal

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options for pending litigation or for controversies not yet being litigated, but imminently

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likely to be litigated or imminently likely to be litigated if the government

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body pursues a particular or proposed course of action. Before you go into executive

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session, the law requires, uh, that the governmental body shall receive either a written

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or oral declaration that will be reflected in the minutes from an attorney licensed to

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practice law in Alabama, uh, that this exception is applicable to that plan

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discussion and I for the purposes of that requirement, I am a lawyer practiced for a

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long, long time in the state of Alabama, so I've been. Licensed uh, for sure, uh, and I

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confirmed this item does fall within the exception that we just discussed, allowing

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executive sessions, uh, and, uh that, uh, I'm qualified to make that that determination. So if

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you would ask for a motion, thank you, Mr. Riley. The chair moves that the city council go

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into executive session to discuss with our attorney the legal ramifications of and

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legal options for possible litigation. Second from Mr. Meredith, is there any

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discussion? Question? Yes, Mr. Kling, I think just for the record, Mr. O'Reilly, there's a

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rally at the law firm, but that is not related to you, correct? That is, if it is, it's so far

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back, neither of us know, so, uh, to my knowledge, there's no representation whatsoever, no.,

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no relation whatsoever. Thank you for clarifying that. Any other discussion? All in favor

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please indicate Madam President we need a roll call vote for this. a roll call vote has been

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requested. Mr. Meredith, how do you vote? Mr. Kling, how do you vote? Mr. Little, how do you

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vote? Aye. Ms. Watkins, and the chairs outside. We have unanimous consent to go into

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executive session. Um, we will reconvene the public meeting when we return. Do you have an

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estimate of the time? We do not uh, we will Mr. O'Reilly, I would estimate between 50 to 15

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to 30 minutes. Thank you most likely on the short side of that. We will reconvene at. feel

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Um. Hmm. We have closed our executive session. Let the record show there was no action

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taken. Is there a motion to reconvene the public meeting. Move to reconvene motion from

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Mr. Little, second from Mr. Kling. All in favor, please indicate. A and opposed. The

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public meeting is reconvened. Is there a motion to approve item 8A moved motion for Mr.

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Meredith, second from Mr. Little. Is there any discussion Mr. Mr. Clink, question. Mr.

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Riley, or Mr. Trey Riley, city attorney. This is your recommendation for the counsel

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to pursue, correct? Yes, it is. OK, thank you. Are there, is there any other discussion? Ms.

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Watkins. Oh Well, all in favor, please indicate any opposed? The motion carries. Thank you

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all. We'll move on to public hearings to be held 9A is a public hearing in order to

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consider and act upon all objections or protests, if any, for removal of a public

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nuisance at 4704 Cabot Drive Northwest, Huntsville, Alabama, in consideration of resolution

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ordering abatement of a nuisance located at the same property. Mr. Irwin. Oh yes,

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Mayor Battle, council member Scott Irwin Community Development Department. This

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public hearing is regarding the property located at 4704 Cabot Drive Northwest. The property

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was in violation of the state Public nuisance Act regarding junk. Community development

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issued notice to the property owner and interested parties, and the property remains in

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violation. Hearing development is seeking your authorization to abate this junk public

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nuisance, the condition of the property is before you on the video screen, including photos

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from when the property was initially determined to be a nuisance. The owners and

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interested parties were notified to attend the city council meeting in the council

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chambers where the objections could be heard regarding the abatement of this nuisance.

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Thank you, Mr. Irwin. The public hearing on item 9A is now open. Is there anyone here

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who wishes to address the council regarding this item. Singan, we will close the

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public hearing. Is there a motion to approve the resolution. Motion from Ms.

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Watkins, second from Mr. Little Are there any questions for Mr. Irwin or any discussion? Seeing

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none, all in favor, please indicate and impose. The motion carries. 9B is a public hearing

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on authorization authorizing the demolition of an unsafe building constituting a public

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nuisance located at 4204 Berry Street Northwest, Huntsville, Alabama, and consideration of a

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resolution pertaining to the same, Mr.. Yes, this resolution authorizes the demolition of an

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unsafe building constituting a public nuisance located at 4204 Berry Street Northwest. The

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owners and the industry parties were notified of this hearing by certified and. first class

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male and entered parties may be present tonight to voice any objections. We have

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photographed some of the property for your review on the screen and independent

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contractor inspected this property and determined it is not structurally feasible to

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repair the 89% loss of the independent assessment of fire damage had and had extensive

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interior damage of the property has been declared unsafe. No permits have been issued for

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repair or demolition. An official notice was sent by certified and first-class mail

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on July 2nd. Requesting demolition and removal of the structure, the owners of the

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parties were notified that tonight would be the time and place. where objections could

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be heard. Again, no action has been taken, so we're seeking your authorization to abate

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this nuisance. The public hearing on item 9B is now open. Is there anyone here wishing to

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comment on this item? I Please come to the microphone if you will please give us your name

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and address for the record. Uh, my name is George Macklin, 4204 Berry Street. And um I talked

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to a buyer and I got a buyer that's gonna buy it in September the property. OK.

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Thank you, ma'am. Any other comments? No, ma'am. Thank you so much for sharing that. Thank

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you. Are there any other comments? Public hearing is now closed. Is there a motion to

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approve the resolution? Move to approve motion for Mr. Little. Second from the chair. Is there

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a discussion? Mr. Irwin, there is apparently a buyer for this property for September. Does

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that change your recommendation ? No, Madam President, it does not. This has been a project

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we've been working on since December of last year. We are aware of the potential of a

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sale, so this, this public nuisance will be abated regardless of the sale. New

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owners would be held to the same standard, so if by the time we mobilize, it was at

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least 30 days before we were ready for the demolition, so we'll work with the existing or

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new owners to get demolished by voluntary compliance. Any other questions? All in favor, please

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indicate any opposed motion carried, madam, Madam President Ms. Watkins, I don't think

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everyone heard all the council members said, Can we do a roll call vote? Mr. Meredith, how do

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you vote? Mr. Kling, how do you vote? Mr. Bye. Ms. Watkins. And chair vote sign. The vote is

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unanimous. Thank you. We will move to 9C. 9C is a public hearing on authorizing the

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demolition of an unsafe building constituting a public nuisance located at 3042

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Boswell Drive, Northwest, Huntsville, Alabama, and consideration of a resolution

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pertaining to the same. Yes, this resolution again authorized the demolition of an

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unsafe building constituting a public nuisance at 3042 Boswell Drive, Northwest. The owners

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and parties were notified of this hearing by certified and first class mail and they may

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be present to voice any objections. We have photographs of the property for review on

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the screen and independent contractor inspected this property and terminated it was

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not structurally feasible to repair and 90% loss. The walls have come off the foundation.

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The roof system has failed, so it was beyond an economical viability for. Repair or

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renovation. The property is has been declared unsafe nor permits have been issued for

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repair or demolition. An official notice was sent by certified and first class mail

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on July 2nd requesting demolition and removal of the structure, the owners and the

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parties were notified to attend this city council meeting. where objections could be heard

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No action has been taken, so we're now requesting the council's authorization to

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abate this nuisance. Thank you, Mr. Irwin. The public hearing on item 9C is now open. Is

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there anyone here wishing to address the council regarding item 9C. Seeing none, the

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public hearing is now closed. Is there a motion to approve this item? Move to approve.

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Motion for Mr. Little. Second from Ms. Watkins. Is there any discussion? Questions for Mr.

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Irwin. I do have one question. I noticed on the, the photos this was May 19th. I'm, that's

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a little while ago. I'm assuming that nothing has gotten better in the interim.

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You've had someone check it. Yeah, he was checked the most recent this afternoon. So there

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have been no changes since the original photos. OK, all in favor, please indicate aye aye,

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and he opposed motion carries. Thank you. Uh, 9D is a public hearing on authorizing

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community development to assess the cost for the cleanup of public nuisances located at

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certain properties in Huntsville, Alabama in consideration of a resolution

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pertaining to the same. Yes, Madam President, this is a public hearing on a resolution

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authorizing community development to assess the cost of the clean of junk public

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nuisances located 3607 Princes Street and 4906 Clarty Road Northwest, the resolution

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before you authorizes an assessment to assessments in the total amount of $6,752.94.

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All procedural requirements relate to the declaration and clean up of public nuisances

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have been fulfilled in accordance with the state of Alabama Public Nuisance Act

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property owners were notified that an assessment. May be authorized and placed upon

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their property at this city council meeting in which they will have the opportunity to

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appear and present any objections to the assessed cost Thank you. Is there anyone here

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wishing to comment or the public hearing is now open for item 90. Is there anyone here

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wishing to comment on this item ? Seeing none, the public hearing is closed. Is there a

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motion to approve this resolution. A motion from Mr. Little, second from the chair.

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Does anyone have questions or comments? All in favor, please indicate a opposed. The motion

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carries. Thank you, council members. Thank you, Mr. Irwin. 9E is a public hearing on

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authorizing the finance director to issue a taxi license to Shasha Patsko

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Jennings doing business as Jennings' local transport for the operation of 3 taxis and

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consideration of a resolution pertaining to the same, uh, Ms. Bryant, good evening. Keisha

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Bryant, director of parking and public transit. This item is a public hearing to. Authorize

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our finance director to issue a taxi license to Mr. Jennings Jennings doing business as

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Jennings' Local Transport, he plans to operate 3 taxis under this business license. He has

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completed his application and passed his background check and also paid the fee for the

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license and so he is due to proceed. Thank you, Ms. Bryant. The public hearing on item 9E

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is now open. is Is there anyone here who wishes to comment? Seeing none, the public hearing

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is closed. Is there a motion to approve the resolution motion from Mr. Little second from Mr.

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Kling. Any comments? Mr. Meredith. Uh, Ms. Bryant, um, this is specifically for 3

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taxis. If he wanted to add additional taxes, does that have to come before the council

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or is that just added, so a taxi company requires 3 at the minimum, so anything above the

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3, he would not have to come to counsel, but he would have to bring the vehicle to our office

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for inspection, metering, and, um, tagging. Thank you very much. Any other All in favor,

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please indicate any posed. The motion carries. Thank you. Thank you. 9F is a public

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hearing on the zoning of 24.67 acres of land lying on the north side of University Drive

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east of Providence Main Street to Highway Business C4 district and consideration of an

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ordinance pertaining to the same. Mr. Nunes, good evening, council members, uh, Madam

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President, Thomas Nunez, manager of planning and zoning services. This item is located

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north side of. You drive in east of Providence Main Street. Uh, this property was recently

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annexed into the city of Huntsville, uh, petitioners are seeking to zone the property

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highway business C4 for commercial, retail and hospitality development. Thank

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you, Mr. Thomas. Is there anyone here who we, oh, I'm sorry, public hearing is now

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open for item 9F. Is there anyone who wishes to comment on this item. Seeing none, the

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public hearing is closed. Is there a motion to approve motion from Mr. Meredith.

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Second from Mr. Little, any discussion? All in favor please indicate any opposed? The

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motion carries. 9G is a public hearing on the zoning of 1.98 acres of land lying on the

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north side of Capshaw Road west of Waltriana Highway to neighborhood Business C1

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district and consideration of an ordinance pertaining to the same. Mr. Nunez, Council

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members, is is located north side of Capshaw Road and west of Waltriana, uh, petitioners

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are seeking to zone the property neighborhood business C1 District, uh, for a property

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that was recently annexed into the city of Huntsville. Uh, the proposal here is for a

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commercial retail and office development. Thank you. Is there, oh, the public hearing

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on 9GE is now open. Is there anyone here who wishes to comment on item 9G. Seeing none

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of the public hearing is closed Is there a motion to approve motion from Mr. Meredith.

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Second from Mr. Little. Any discussion? All in favor, please indicate. All opposed.

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The motion carries. 9 H is a public hearing on the rezoning of 12.5 acres of land lying on

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the east side of Lehman Ferry Road and north of Phil Dotts Drive from commercial

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recreation C5 District to B C4 district and consideration of an ordinance pertaining to the

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same, Mr. Nunez, council members, this is a rezoning request, a city imposed

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rezoning request. For the east side of Lehman Ferry Road in North of Philip Dodds Drive

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from commercial recreation C5 District to Highway Business C4 District. Uh, the property in

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question is actually of Joe Davis Stadium in the Wicks Family Field. However, uh, this

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will rezone the area in question to highway Business C4 which will bring it up to the

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proper boundaries of the primary and proper boundaries of John Hunt Park, um. Yeah,

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for the official portion. So The public hearing on item 9H is now open. Is there anyone

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who wishes to comment? Seeing none of the the public hearing is closed, Is there a motion to

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approve?? for Mr?. Little second from Mr. Meredith. Are there any questions or comments

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? All in favor, please indicate any opposed? The motion carries Thank you, council members.

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Thank you, Mr. Nunez. We we have no public hearings to be set. We have no agenda-related

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public comments, so this brings us then to Mayor Battle, Mayor's comments. Thank you, uh

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Madam President, and, and council members, uh, first off, uh, we would like to

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congratulate Columbia High School, uh, they won their football game Saturday night.

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Um Quite a few of us were there and it was a, it was a great, um, it, it was a great matchup.

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They went down 14 to 0 in the 1st, 1st 2 times that, uh, Greensboro got the ball. They

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went down 14-0, then they fought back and they ended up winning 41-14. Uh, so it was a

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great game and, um, and it broke 101 game losing streak. So, uh, we're, we're

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congratulations to Columbia, and I think you'll see some other activities happening, uh,

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over the. Next, next couple of weeks for that high high school Uh, this weekend, Sanford is

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gonna play UNA Saturday at uh uh at Joe Davis Stadium, uh, Wicks Field, uh, should be a

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great game, a lot of fun, uh, and please come out and join it Um, we'll be there and, uh,

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watching football at its best as, as we see, um, Sanford playing UNA and also, uh,

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Saturday the 10th anniversary of Rock Steady Boxing. Uh, this is a program that was put in

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place at John Hunt Park, uh, for folks with Parkinson's, uh, is a, a rehabilitation process

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for those with Parkinson's, and they'll be having their 10th anniversary, um, I believe it's

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about 10 o'clock on Saturday there and also this week um I had the opportunity to go out

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on the arsenal to the ribbon cutting for, uh, the Defense Intelligence Agencies, uh,

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material exploit exploitation, uh, facility, which is a Huge facility, um, the people out

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there are to be congratulated for the work that they've done year after year. They, they

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keep our country safe. And finally, uh, on a sad note, um, we, um, memorialize, uh, the

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signage out on Highway 72 uh East, uh, for, um, Billy Clarty the 3rd. He was one of our

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police officers, one of our finest, uh, who was killed in the line of action, and this.

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And we'll stay in memorial uh fashion for Billy Clarty, uh, to for people to remember his

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sacrifice and what he did for our city, uh, many, many, uh, many years ago. So thank you.

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Thank you, Mayor Battle. We will move on to item 13. Council member comments, and we

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will hear first from council member Michelle Watkins. No comments. We will move on to

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council member Bill Kling. Well thank you, Madam President, first of all, let me just say

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on a personal note, thank you to everyone within the district who came out to vote and

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especially thank you to, uh, all those folks who voted to re-elect me. I felt like it was

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a long, hot summer. There were some ups. There were some downs but I enjoyed the process of

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getting out into the neighborhoods, perhaps even more than I normally do. It's a

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learning process for me, and I've heard some issues, some concerns that people expressed,

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I think. There are things we can do, uh, talking about uh how we up here can do our job a

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little bit better, so I'm going to be looking at things that I can suggest we could work on to

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the council as a body to interact better with the public Again, we have a great

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community. We're all on the same team, and we just went through a great process that I

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think a lot of people and a lot of countries would like to have the option. I am going to, as I

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said, continue my monthly town meetings. Of course, and, uh, give me a few days to kind of

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get my legs back, probably Monday or Tuesday of next week. Uh, I'll be back doing my

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little street patrols that I do and I think I got one mayor and 4 council members love it

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because me away from City Hall, and again, I'm working out in the neighborhoods. We've got

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great department heads and we work to get whatever needed city maintenance we can take so

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that action will be continued and certainly I'll be a very strong booster for the upcoming

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becoming uh I-565 at Memorial Parkway Interchange and also as we chase and continue the

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acceleration of the ring road around the city right out road coming into Alabama Highway 255

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Now we're up to the northern bypass, and from there eventually Hampton Cove and

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then coming around just east of the arsenal, that ring road again, I think will take a lot

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off of the stress of the central portion of the city, and I think that's a great

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thing for our future. as far as quality of life. Again, stepping back, uh, we have a

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great city. Uh, we've seen that by the way we've been recognized by around the

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country. Uh, we have challenges of course, but again, we do have many good things, and we

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can be appreciative of that. So again, I'm looking forward to the next 4 years and, uh, uh, I

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think there are many great things that are going to be taking place and on one sad

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note, uh, this week, uh, we need to recognize the passing of Libby Jones, who, um, had

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been the wife of Ray Jones, who uh, I think people throughout the community knew, very

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wonderful, very smiling, beautiful woman who, uh, was brought a cheer to everyone

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that she came in contact with, and she will be greatly missed. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kling

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We'll now hear from Council member David Little. Thank you Madam President. Um, I just

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want to uh give a quick shout outs to our transit team, uh, police, engineering, public

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works, planning, and home utilities for being responsive to citizen needs over the last

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few weeks. As always, I'm grateful, as are citizens. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.

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Little. We'll now hear from council member John Meredith. Want to start by uh. Wishing a

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very happy anniversary to the best wife anybody could possibly imagine having. She

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knows who she is. Um, the, the mayor stole my thunder, but uh, how about those Columbia High

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School football players. Uh, wonderful group, um, and just for the record, they are

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currently undefeated. Want to also mention that I plan on having that far on Flock

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cameras here in council chambers on September 16th, it'll be at 4 o'clock and of

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course, as always, the public is invited to come talk to the uh issue area experts, which is

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HBD NAMA, and other law enforcement, uh, folks, and um again, the public is cordially

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invited to be here, hear what they have to say, but also have the opportunity to Question

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them. Um, want to thank, um, Columbia high High School and uh the folks at the central

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office of HCS for inviting me, uh, on a sneak peek of the junior ROTC building there at

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Columbia. It is a fantastic state of the art building that um I know they are looking

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forward to um getting into and also making available to all of the uh ROTC programs within.

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HCS schools. Um, looking forward to the brown groundbreaking at Westmore

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Landing, which will be on Monday, August 23rd at 1 p.m. uh, been looking forward to

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this project for quite a while. It is going to bring that Providence style living to

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limestone County. And then finally, I want to thank the Chamber of Commerce and the

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Research Park Board for inviting me, uh, along with my District 5, representative

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counterpart for the Huntsville City Schools, Carlos Matthews, to present medals at the UCI

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Pacycling world championships on Saturday, September 5th. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.

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Meredith, and I will extend my congratulations to Mr. Kling and Mr. Little for their

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reelection to council to Holly McCarty for reelection to the school board, and Peyton

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Redfern, who is newly elected to the school board as well and thank all of those who offered

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themselves for public service in this municipal election. We'll go on to item 14, the

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finance committee report 14A is a resolution authorizing expenditures for payment. Is

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there a motion to approve. I move for authorization and approval of expenditures in the

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amount of $53617,4014.27. Mr. Little, take the 2nd uh any discussion on this? I do have

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one question. The number is unusually large, um. Ms. Smith, would you like to Um, offer a

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quick explanation to the public Certainly I'll be happy to. Penny Smith, director of

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finance within these numbers are 2 actually very large payments. One is for our school

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system. So as you are well aware, the school is, uh, is moving through their capital

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plan and so they present to us some, um, payments for, for that out of the debt that we

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have issued and so for the school system and so those payments came to. 14,

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14,400,000 and, and change. And then we had another payment that, um, a couple of, um, a

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couple of months ago, um, the city council passed resolution 26414, purchasing the assets,

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I'm purchasing the food and beverages assets that were owned. Um, by, by, um by the

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Huntsville Venue Group, and so that has that it took a while to get all the inventory

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counted and make sure that all those numbers were correct, so that payment actually went

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through on this particular item as well and so between those two payments, if you back those

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out, we'll back down to about 27.7 million. Any other questions or comments? All in

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favor, please indicate any opposed? The motion carries. 15 this is board appointments to

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be voted on. We have several 15A is a resolution to reappoint Thornton Stanley

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Junior to the Board of Examinations and Appeals for construction industries Place 8

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his for a 3-year term to expire September 21, 2029. Is there from Mr. Kling, second from Mr.

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Motion to most or little, all in favor, please indicate aye, any opposed the motion carries.

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15B is a resolution to reappoint Dennis Dean to the Board of Examinations and

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Appeals for construction industries Place to his current seat for a 3-year term to

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expire September 21, 2029. Motion for Mr. Little. 2nd from Mr. Kling. All in favor, please

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Yes, sir. You might want to specify you didn't on the last one, but it requires 4/5 for

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passage. All in favor please indicate aye, any opposed the motion carries. 15C is a

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resolution to reappoint Heather Bender to the Animal Services Advisory Committee placed to

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her current seat for a 3-year term to expire September 8, 2029. Is there a motion to

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motion from Mr. Merritt, 2 from Mr. Little. All in favor, please indicate any opposed the

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motion carries. 15 CD is a resolution to reappoint Colin Keller to the Animal Services

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Advisory Committee. Place 5, his current seat for a 3-year term to expire September 8,

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2029. Is there a motion motion for Mr. Little second from Mr. Kling. All in favor, please

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indicate any opposed? The motion carries. 15E is a resolution to reappoint

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Christopher Jason Smith to the Board of Examinations and Appeals for construction

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industries Place 16 is current seat for a 3-year term to expire September 21, 2029. Is

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there a motion to approve? Move to approve motion for Mr. Little. Second from the chair.

389
00:40:48,609 --> 00:40:55,616
All in favor, please indicate many opposed. The motion carries. 15F is a resolution to

390
00:40:55,616 --> 00:40:59,620
appoint Joshua Pennington to the Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council placed 13 due

391
00:40:59,620 --> 00:41:03,824
to the resignation of Brian Webb for the remainder of a vacant four-year term to expire

392
00:41:03,824 --> 00:41:10,831
August 21, 2027. motion from Mr Meredith, 22nd from Mr. Little. All in favor, please indicate.

393
00:41:10,831 --> 00:41:17,505
Aye, and he opposed the motion carries. 15G is resolution to appoint Larry Durham to the

394
00:41:17,505 --> 00:41:20,641
Board of examinations and Appeals for construction industries Place 7 to the seat

395
00:41:20,641 --> 00:41:26,981
previously held by Russ Grimes for a 3-year term to expire September 21, 2029. The Chair

396
00:41:26,981 --> 00:41:33,320
makes the motion. Second from Mr. Little. All in favor, please indicate. I oppose and

397
00:41:33,320 --> 00:41:39,594
he opposed the motion carries, and I think Mr. Durham is here. Thank you for your service. We

398
00:41:39,594 --> 00:41:44,531
have no board appointment nominations on the agenda. Are there any nominations from the

399
00:41:44,531 --> 00:41:51,338
floor. Then we'll go on item 17 Huntsville utilities items. Mr. Gerdes, do you have a report

400
00:41:51,338 --> 00:41:56,144
for us? Thank you, Council President Jo Joe Gerdes, I would almost call myself Joseph

401
00:41:56,144 --> 00:42:01,150
I never do that. Joe Gerdes Huntsville Utilities and as promised, uh, we're just here

402
00:42:01,150 --> 00:42:08,210
to answer any questions you may have. Uh, nothing to report tonight. We will appear at your

403
00:42:08,210 --> 00:42:14,162
next meeting with our FY 27 budget. Thank you, sir. Um, we appreciate you being here. Of

404
00:42:14,162 --> 00:42:18,966
18 legal department item transactions 18A is an ordinance authorizing the

405
00:42:18,966 --> 00:42:25,306
vacation of two portions of a utility and drainage easement tract 1, Richland Park 2nd

406
00:42:25,306 --> 00:42:33,706
edition containing 0.07 and 0. And 0. let me do that again, 0.07 and 0.11 acres. Is there a

407
00:42:36,250 --> 00:42:39,453
motion to approve? Move to approve motion for Mr. Little, second from the chair. Any

408
00:42:39,453 --> 00:42:47,395
questions? All in favor, please indicate any opposed. The motion carries. 18B is a

409
00:42:47,395 --> 00:42:52,533
resolution authorizing the acceptance of a 0.528 acre tract of land from North Valley

410
00:42:52,533 --> 00:42:58,872
Land LLC for a sanitary sewer easement off of Highway 53 at Blake Bottom Road. Is there a

411
00:42:58,872 --> 00:43:03,811
motion to approve a motion from Mr. Little, second from the chair. All in favor, please

412
00:43:03,811 --> 00:43:08,482
indicate and opposed. The motion carries. This brings us to unfinished business items

413
00:43:08,482 --> 00:43:12,954
for action in 19A is an ordinance to declare certain real property located at the

414
00:43:12,954 --> 00:43:17,291
intersection of Moors Mill Road and Vintage. Drive a surplus and authorized the mayor to

415
00:43:17,291 --> 00:43:23,632
enter into a purchase and sale agreement between the city of Huntsville and Opian in

416
00:43:23,632 --> 00:43:28,369
Incorporated. Is there a motion motion for Mr. Little, second from the chair. Mr. Davis is

417
00:43:28,369 --> 00:43:33,410
here with us, uh, to make a presentation. Thank you, Madam President. Good evening,

418
00:43:33,410 --> 00:43:36,911
Council member Shane Davis, director of urban economic development development so

419
00:43:36,911 --> 00:43:40,448
development, uh, council members from time to time probably 6 or 7 times a year we

420
00:43:40,448 --> 00:43:46,721
bring you real estate contracts before this council, um, in various forms sometimes they're

421
00:43:46,721 --> 00:43:49,570
industrial development, sometimes they're retail development, uh, sometimes

422
00:43:49,570 --> 00:43:55,930
they're property that may be a counter agency that we're we're helping and, uh, tonight is one

423
00:43:55,930 --> 00:44:00,202
of those, uh, ordinances and when we do that, there's two-step process, uh, that's

424
00:44:00,202 --> 00:44:04,472
why it's an ordinate, so we must. declared surplus no longer needed for public use.

425
00:44:04,472 --> 00:44:08,744
And then enter a purchase and sell agreement. So that's what you're going to vote on here

426
00:44:08,744 --> 00:44:15,350
momentarily. So I wanna give a little bit of history about this property and how the city

427
00:44:15,350 --> 00:44:19,954
uh came to acquisition of it, so it's located in Chase Industrial Park, uh, the

428
00:44:19,954 --> 00:44:24,559
property is located fronting, uh, Mooresville Road and was the former campus of Qualitas

429
00:44:24,559 --> 00:44:29,697
Pharmaceutical. I think locally a lot of people refer to pharmaceutical. Uh, the city

430
00:44:29,697 --> 00:44:35,904
acquired the undeveloped portion of this back in about 2010 after the acquisition of

431
00:44:35,904 --> 00:44:41,255
Qualitas Pharmaceuticals by Endo Pharmaceutical. Uh, the Probst family donated this land

432
00:44:41,255 --> 00:44:48,328
to the sea, the undeveloped portion, uh, in the direction that it had 3 purposes for

433
00:44:48,328 --> 00:44:52,265
which to dispose of it, one, a public use. Or commercial or industrial development. They

434
00:44:52,265 --> 00:45:00,874
wanted to see good happen out of out of it for the betterment of the community. So on this

435
00:45:00,874 --> 00:45:05,478
screen what I wanted to point out is, uh, the, the pharmaceutical campus uh that

436
00:45:05,478 --> 00:45:10,820
you see kind of central to it with the ring road, uh, those buildings are still active,

437
00:45:10,820 --> 00:45:14,487
actually, uh, trial X Pharmaceuticals is in the southernmost building, uh,

438
00:45:14,487 --> 00:45:19,225
still in operation. The building to the east is, is Lidos, one of our defense

439
00:45:19,225 --> 00:45:25,431
contractors in our city with multiple locations in the building to the north is more

440
00:45:25,431 --> 00:45:30,704
warehouse logistics storage. Uh I do want to point out that. The dash yellow area was part

441
00:45:30,704 --> 00:45:37,243
of that original uh acquisition by the city. And a couple of years ago we uh partnership

442
00:45:37,243 --> 00:45:43,516
with some property that allowed us to expand in John Hunt Park. Uh, this council approved a

443
00:45:43,516 --> 00:45:47,655
development agreement and real estate agreement with Alabama National Guard for this to

444
00:45:47,655 --> 00:45:50,456
become one of their latest training centers if you've been by there, that project is

445
00:45:50,456 --> 00:45:57,263
getting very near completion looks very nice, uh, very nice. Uh, I do want to point out to

446
00:45:57,263 --> 00:46:03,602
the north and to the east of the Lidos building. That area has been reserved for the

447
00:46:03,602 --> 00:46:08,207
future Northern bypass to connect to US Highway 72, so that is the corridor being

448
00:46:08,207 --> 00:46:11,343
reserved for that, as it would cross Winchester Road, Mooresville Road, and come back

449
00:46:11,343 --> 00:46:19,218
to US 2. 31. So that leaves the southernmost portion and that's what uh we're presenting to you

450
00:46:19,218 --> 00:46:26,693
tonight. So what's before you is a 15 acre site as you see, uh, hatched out here, uh, the

451
00:46:26,693 --> 00:46:33,893
southernmost portion of the city property, the purchase price is $1.126 million. That

452
00:46:35,435 --> 00:46:40,306
is $75,000 an acre if, if you're doing the math, uh, that is in conducive of the market

453
00:46:40,306 --> 00:46:46,312
rate for this area of Chase Industrial Park and it's Highway 72 area. Uh, as we do

454
00:46:46,312 --> 00:46:50,983
with any real estate contract, we want to make sure that the reason that you would vote to

455
00:46:50,983 --> 00:46:53,787
sell that that project gets delivered to the community, should it not? There's a

456
00:46:53,787 --> 00:46:58,391
repurchase option. Uh, so that's pretty standard in our contracts. You always see those

457
00:46:58,391 --> 00:47:03,196
So there's 18 month purchase, a repurchase obligation should the project not move forward.

458
00:47:03,196 --> 00:47:08,602
The city has the right to regain the property at the same purchase price, so there's no

459
00:47:08,602 --> 00:47:13,339
escalation that we'd pay more to to receive that property back. So the proposed land use,

460
00:47:13,339 --> 00:47:18,279
so this property due to the utilities both public and private utilities in this area.

461
00:47:18,279 --> 00:47:24,283
We felt that this is good for the overall community. Uh, the proposed use is a regional

462
00:47:24,283 --> 00:47:29,223
fiber network switch facility, so that's a big word, right? Uh what I wanted to describe to

463
00:47:29,223 --> 00:47:34,260
you and the public what that really means is to get more efficient in delivering high

464
00:47:34,260 --> 00:47:40,701
speed long distance, reliable transmission and routing of existing fiber Internet service

465
00:47:40,701 --> 00:47:45,371
and in our data that we send. Every day, whether that's email storing, uh, social media or

466
00:47:45,371 --> 00:47:54,847
just conducting business, uh, I like to, um, equate that to what the AT&T building just

467
00:47:54,847 --> 00:48:02,989
outside this uh building we set tonight across the is to our phone network that building is

468
00:48:02,989 --> 00:48:09,529
a hub to distribute incoming and outgoing landline phone service. Uh, that building

469
00:48:09,529 --> 00:48:13,867
stretches and provides service all the way to Southern Tennessee. So think of this and

470
00:48:13,867 --> 00:48:19,206
very similar to that but for our existing fiber infrastructure through our city

471
00:48:19,206 --> 00:48:24,100
Um, there's additional benefits to the city, uh, so the southernmost portion you see in

472
00:48:24,100 --> 00:48:30,283
red, we are retaining and uh uh Jon Hamilton, the fire department and looking at a

473
00:48:30,283 --> 00:48:35,221
long-range plans has identified this with the rapid growing area of East Huntsville is a

474
00:48:35,221 --> 00:48:39,425
perfect location for a future fire station. So in working with the purchaser in the

475
00:48:39,425 --> 00:48:45,231
layout of how they would build their facility and connect to the fiber network and provide

476
00:48:45,231 --> 00:48:49,235
this better efficiency and more high speed service throughout the region. Uh, they've agreed

477
00:48:49,235 --> 00:48:55,241
in their layout to build a new road for which our fire station would gain access to. Uh, there

478
00:48:55,241 --> 00:49:01,514
so, uh, that would be at no cost to the city. And the proceeds from this, should you

479
00:49:01,514 --> 00:49:06,119
approve this tonight, uh, the administration would like to take those proceeds, put them

480
00:49:06,119 --> 00:49:13,327
in the 1990 plan to help fund this project. Council members, it, it, it's, it's not a lot,

481
00:49:13,327 --> 00:49:18,131
it's not very complicated, um, open to any questions you may have. Council members, any

482
00:49:18,131 --> 00:49:24,671
questions for Mr. Davis, Mr. Meredith. Uh, my question is just how many acres are going

483
00:49:24,671 --> 00:49:31,100
to be utilized for the fire station. So if, if you look, uh you know, once they get design,

484
00:49:31,100 --> 00:49:35,616
there's much more property here than is needed for the initial, but we wanted to carve enough

485
00:49:35,616 --> 00:49:41,688
out to, as the city grows, if, if, you know, fire department needed a new ladder truck bay

486
00:49:41,688 --> 00:49:48,427
like we're doing out in Greenbrier that there's room to expand, so, uh, the typical

487
00:49:48,427 --> 00:49:53,967
initial is 2 to 3, maybe 5 acres at most, uh, if you look. Here, there's a just under 10

488
00:49:53,967 --> 00:49:58,439
acres of additional property for the city to use. Thank you, sir. You're welcome. Any other

489
00:49:58,439 --> 00:50:04,910
questions for Mr. Davis? All in favor please indicate any opposed. The motion carries.

490
00:50:04,910 --> 00:50:11,384
Thank you, Mr. Davis. Thank you counsel members. This brings us to 20 new items of business

491
00:50:11,384 --> 00:50:15,455
items for consideration or action. Are there any these items will be approved in one

492
00:50:15,455 --> 00:50:18,592
motion unless any member of the council wishes to remove an item for discussion, the

493
00:50:18,592 --> 00:50:22,862
reading of each item will be waived unless a council member requests otherwise. Are there

494
00:50:22,862 --> 00:50:32,462
any items anyone wishes to hold separately, Mr. Meredith. Item M That that's all OK, Ms.

495
00:50:33,339 --> 00:50:43,339
Watkins. B See I He Q S. S S or X S as in Sam. OK, item A. see. I I F Q. And S as in Sam, and

496
00:51:10,590 --> 00:51:18,459
the chair moves for consolidation and approval. Of items 20. 2 H20J. 2 Jade K and

497
00:51:25,141 --> 00:51:35,141
L. 20 and O. 20R are. 20 and 20U. 22nd for Mr. Little. All in favor, please indicate. I

498
00:51:39,890 --> 00:51:44,293
opposed those items are approved. We will now move on to 28. 28 is a resolution

499
00:51:44,293 --> 00:51:50,233
authorizing travel expenses as their emotion. Motion for Mr. Little, second from the chair.

500
00:51:50,233 --> 00:51:57,307
Is there a discussion? Council members, any questions? Yes, Ms Smith, did you get a chance to

501
00:51:57,307 --> 00:52:06,582
send me the the update of this for this. Prior to the approval Not for, for this, it's, it's

502
00:52:06,582 --> 00:52:13,456
in. No, I did not realize that you wanted them for every session, OK, session if you

503
00:52:13,456 --> 00:52:22,599
don't mind, yes. OK, I will send those to you. Any other questions? All in favor, please

504
00:52:22,599 --> 00:52:27,700
indicate aye. and he opposed. The motion carries 20B is an ordinance amending budget

505
00:52:27,700 --> 00:52:33,750
ordinance number 25-744 by changing appropriate funding for various departments and

506
00:52:33,750 --> 00:52:38,548
funds is their motion. Move to approve motion for Mr. Little. Second from the chair.

507
00:52:38,548 --> 00:52:45,288
Questions or comments. The discussion. Ms. Watkins, you held this. Do you have I did. I

508
00:52:45,288 --> 00:52:53,563
want her to explain for the listening public, so this, this item has been donated, so we

509
00:52:53,563 --> 00:53:00,636
have a, um, we have a a fire pole that um, that should, so this is for a budgeted item,

510
00:53:00,636 --> 00:53:07,510
I'm sorry, not a donation, budgeted item that increases um a transfer to a 1990 Capitol

511
00:53:07,510 --> 00:53:12,181
Projects fund from um from our fire and rescue department. So that, that contract and

512
00:53:12,181 --> 00:53:19,189
everything. Everything will be executed within the capital projects funds, um, along with

513
00:53:19,189 --> 00:53:25,261
the, with the remainder of things around it. And so this is literally just moving money

514
00:53:25,261 --> 00:53:30,533
from, from the general fund where we initially established that to the Capitol Projects

515
00:53:30,533 --> 00:53:36,539
fund so that the money can be properly expended according to the contract. Thank you. Any

516
00:53:36,539 --> 00:53:40,944
other comments or questions? All in favor, please indicate opposed. The motion carries.

517
00:53:40,944 --> 00:53:45,814
20C. Is the resolution authorizing the mayor to take a portion of the proceeds of

518
00:53:45,814 --> 00:53:49,419
certain future borrowing is to reimburse the 2014 Capital Improvement Fund of the city

519
00:53:49,419 --> 00:53:56,826
for expenditures incurred prior to borrowing issuance. Is there a motion to approve? motion for

520
00:53:56,826 --> 00:54:03,900
Mr. Little. Second from the chair. Um, Miss Uh, Ms. Smith, can you help us understand what

521
00:54:03,900 --> 00:54:10,306
we're doing here. Um, good evening, Penny Smith, director of finance. So this is, um,

522
00:54:10,306 --> 00:54:17,513
you've seen these types of resolutions come before you, um uh, it is a tool that we use in

523
00:54:17,513 --> 00:54:23,920
order to, um, in order to right size any borrowing that we do moving forward as we go forward

524
00:54:23,920 --> 00:54:31,128
so, so there has been a a tiff that has been set in place, um, Along with a 1% lodging tax

525
00:54:31,128 --> 00:54:39,669
that has been set in place to fund the the Von the Von the Von Civic Center expansion. And

526
00:54:39,669 --> 00:54:48,100
um, and so there will be borrowings up to $260 million obviously that is, that is a

527
00:54:48,100 --> 00:54:52,815
max amount, um, that is not, uh the actual borrowings themselves, there will be

528
00:54:52,815 --> 00:54:57,955
multiple series of borrowings as we move through this three-year project. And um and

529
00:54:57,955 --> 00:55:02,892
so setting that in place, there are a number of things that are starting to occur and happen,

530
00:55:02,892 --> 00:55:08,298
um, and as we move across that, we want to be able to capture that into the borrowings right

531
00:55:08,298 --> 00:55:13,570
now, the first borrowings set maybe for spring, February, March time frame. We're not

532
00:55:13,570 --> 00:55:22,450
sure of the size, um, or scope of that borrowing as of yet. Any discussion? All in favor,

533
00:55:22,450 --> 00:55:27,450
please indicate any opposed. The motion carries. 20 is a resolution authorizing the

534
00:55:27,450 --> 00:55:31,254
mayor to enter an agreement between the city of Huntsville and Three Notch Group Inc. for

535
00:55:31,254 --> 00:55:36,126
engineering design services for Alabama Highway 53 and Douglas Road intersection Improvements,

536
00:55:36,126 --> 00:55:43,265
project number 71-26-SP56. Is there a motion to approve? Move to approve motion for Mr.

537
00:55:43,265 --> 00:55:49,671
Little. Seconded by the chair, Ms. Martin. Yes, good evening. Kathy Martin, director of City

538
00:55:49,671 --> 00:55:54,143
engineering. So this is a design contract with 3-notch Group. It's for intersection

539
00:55:54,143 --> 00:55:58,614
improvements at the Alabama Highway 53 and Douglas Road. And what we're doing is adding

540
00:55:58,614 --> 00:56:02,885
a right turn lane at Douglas Road to minimize congestion in the area. So this is a lump sum

541
00:56:02,885 --> 00:56:09,759
design contract amount of $45,090. Thank you. Questions or comments? Do you know when

542
00:56:09,759 --> 00:56:14,310
this construction is going to start on this road. We would hope, uh, by spring of next

543
00:56:14,310 --> 00:56:19,340
year, we've got to go through ALDOC permitting process. OK, thank you, Ms. Martin. Yes,

544
00:56:19,340 --> 00:56:23,640
ma'am. Any other questions or comments? All in favor, please indicate. I oppose the motion

545
00:56:23,640 --> 00:56:28,177
carries. 20M is a resolution authorizing the city attorney to settle a personal injury

546
00:56:28,177 --> 00:56:34,584
claim of Alicia Smith. Is there a motion to approve motion for Mr. Little, second from the

547
00:56:34,584 --> 00:56:38,521
chair. Um, Mr. Riley, would it be appropriate for us to discuss this, or should we go

548
00:56:38,521 --> 00:56:43,326
into another executive session want to discuss it, we need to go in the executive Council

549
00:56:43,326 --> 00:56:51,867
members, is there a motion for executive session. Motion to go into executive session, I'll Mr

550
00:56:51,867 --> 00:57:01,467
Meredith, how do you vote? go into executive session. Mr. Kling, how do you vote? Mr.

551
00:57:03,330 --> 00:57:10,507
Klein, come back to me, would you? Um, I'll go ahead and vote on. Mr. Little Mr. Ms. Watkins.

552
00:57:10,507 --> 00:57:17,380
On the chairboat's side, we will be going into executive. We will now convene for

553
00:57:17,380 --> 00:57:23,787
executive session. Yes sir, I guess a personal contact, a comment I would have on this,

554
00:57:23,787 --> 00:57:26,722
it seems like something like this an individual council member can consult with the

555
00:57:26,722 --> 00:57:32,595
city attorney before the meeting, but I'll Went along with it as a courtesy. Thank

556
00:57:32,595 --> 00:57:40,300
you. We will now convene for a closed suspend the public meeting and we were go into

557
00:57:40,300 --> 00:57:49,603
executive session. We hope to. e public meeting. Motion for Mr. Kling, seconded from Mr. Little

558
00:57:51,481 --> 00:57:58,555
All in favor, please indicate motion, the meeting is now convened. We have a motion on

559
00:57:58,555 --> 00:58:07,970
the floor to approve item 20M. All in favor, please indicate opposed. The motion carries.

560
00:58:07,970 --> 00:58:11,502
20% is a resolution authorizing the mayor to submit a grant application to the Federal

561
00:58:11,502 --> 00:58:16,174
Transit Authority FTA administration, FTA for the FY 27 formula grant. Their motion

562
00:58:16,174 --> 00:58:23,974
to approve motion Kling, second from Mr. Little. Any discussion conversation, questions. Yeah,

563
00:58:27,500 --> 00:58:32,256
uh, is there going to be public input on how all this money gets used when you get further

564
00:58:32,256 --> 00:58:39,129
down the line, Ms. Bryant. Yes, Keisha Bryant, director of parking and public. So these

565
00:58:39,129 --> 00:58:45,136
are our annual dollars that are appropriated from FTA and so we will use them for our

566
00:58:45,136 --> 00:58:49,607
operations cost, um, which are covered by these federal dollars at a 50% rate, and then

567
00:58:49,607 --> 00:58:56,413
we'll also use them for capital costs at a rate of 80% for the federal dollars. And so we will

568
00:58:56,413 --> 00:59:01,485
not have any public hearings. We are just continuing our operations. There's nothing new

569
00:59:01,485 --> 00:59:05,957
that's going on with these dollars. It's just so that we can access and Allocate the

570
00:59:05,957 --> 00:59:12,763
dollars that the federal government has allocated to us. Any other questions? Ms.

571
00:59:12,763 --> 00:59:17,768
Watkins, well, now, Mr. Clean jumped in before I could ask a question, even though I held

572
00:59:17,768 --> 00:59:25,443
the item, but thank you, Ms. Rich, read your mind. Thank you Mr. Meredith. No, I've got

573
00:59:25,443 --> 00:59:30,113
something else. Let's finish this off and then I'll, all in favor please indicate opposed.

574
00:59:30,113 --> 00:59:39,256
The motion carries. If I can interrupt just for the record, Mr. Riley, could you for Um,

575
00:59:39,256 --> 00:59:45,529
compliance with the Opens the Meeting Act give the reasons for the last, uh, Need for

576
00:59:45,529 --> 00:59:50,267
executive sessions, and I apologize for failing to do that. I kind of got called off

577
00:59:50,267 --> 00:59:57,740
surprise there, but yes, uh, once again I am an attorney in the in the uh uh license to

578
00:59:57,740 --> 01:00:04,414
practice in Alabama and in my judgment this falls within the open litigation and discussing

579
01:00:04,414 --> 01:00:09,153
with your attorney those litigation matters that need to be done in confidence, so it

580
01:00:09,153 --> 01:00:15,626
does apply to one of the, the, uh, uh, the exceptions. In the open Meeting Act that allows

581
01:00:15,626 --> 01:00:24,501
for executive session for the record, could you give the site citation. Citation of the code.

582
01:00:24,501 --> 01:00:34,101
Just for the record. It's 36 25A-7A3. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you

583
01:00:39,382 --> 01:00:44,721
Mr. Meredith. Um, 2020Q is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into facility

584
01:00:44,721 --> 01:00:49,728
use agreement between the city of Huntsville and Fox Trosts Company LLC is there a motion

585
01:00:49,728 --> 01:00:58,128
motion for Mr. Little, second from the chair. Council members Jon Hamilton city administrator

586
01:01:00,270 --> 01:01:05,208
So, uh, customers, the, the item before you is uh our standard facility use agreement

587
01:01:05,208 --> 01:01:11,681
that you see each year for the fair, carnival event that occurs down at John Hunt Park.

588
01:01:11,681 --> 01:01:18,755
This event is scheduled from September 24th to the 27th. Any questions for Mr. Hamilton?

589
01:01:18,755 --> 01:01:24,761
Thank you, Ms. Hamilton. That's what I want to know. What was the Rocket City Fair? Thank you

590
01:01:24,761 --> 01:01:29,967
Any other questions? All in favor, please indicate opposed. The motion carries. And finally

591
01:01:29,967 --> 01:01:33,770
20s 20s is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a memorandum of

592
01:01:33,770 --> 01:01:36,906
understanding between the Federal Bureau of Investigation the Huntsville City Board of

593
01:01:36,906 --> 01:01:41,440
Education and the City of Huntsville Public department, police department to formally

594
01:01:41,440 --> 01:01:46,916
establish the Tennessee Valley Threat Assessment and Threat Management Team. Is there a

595
01:01:46,916 --> 01:01:51,656
motion to approve? Motion from Mr. Little. Second from the chair. Chief Giles, can you

596
01:01:51,656 --> 01:01:59,130
share with us, uh, the action being here. Yes, ma'am, this is an MOU with the FBI in respects

597
01:01:59,130 --> 01:02:05,735
to It's basically just violent as initially, um, When law enforcement traditionally are

598
01:02:05,735 --> 01:02:08,339
dealing with this. We deal with this after the fact. In other words, once the incident had

599
01:02:08,339 --> 01:02:15,146
already occurred. What they discovered back in 2015 to a symposium was the best way to

600
01:02:15,146 --> 01:02:19,216
tackle this in a multidisciplinary team was to do threat assessment and then

601
01:02:19,216 --> 01:02:25,356
threat management. So what they'll do, they were asking us to be a host agency, the FBI,

602
01:02:25,356 --> 01:02:29,893
and we are going to collaborate with the schools, city schools, because that's where we're

603
01:02:29,893 --> 01:02:33,168
obviously the concern is throughout the neighborhood, but especially with the schools

604
01:02:33,168 --> 01:02:37,506
and at this point in time, we can help identify threats ahead of time and then, but once we

605
01:02:37,506 --> 01:02:43,778
get through that, I. We'll be able to partner with other local resources such as mental

606
01:02:43,778 --> 01:02:50,118
health to provide resources for the individual, and this can go outside the schools as well. In

607
01:02:50,118 --> 01:02:57,124
other words, it can go, uh, in a normal, uh, business world as well. Any questions for Chief

608
01:02:57,124 --> 01:03:02,464
Giles, Ms. Watkins, um, Chief Giles, with this assessment one of the schools? Not necessarily

609
01:03:02,464 --> 01:03:08,203
It's going to depend on the circumstances. When we set up a multidisciplinary team, it'll,

610
01:03:08,203 --> 01:03:13,750
it'll bring us all together, uh within that group, and we'll discuss it. It's not knowing

611
01:03:13,750 --> 01:03:15,943
which cases we'll be dealing with at the time. It's hard to say, but we will be pulling to

612
01:03:15,943 --> 01:03:21,950
schools in like an exercise? Yeah, they'll be involved if it involves a student, they would

613
01:03:21,950 --> 01:03:28,756
definitely be involved. OK, thank you. Any other comments? questions. All in favor please

614
01:03:28,756 --> 01:03:33,761
indicate you opposed. The motion carries. We have no new business that concludes our

615
01:03:33,761 --> 01:03:38,433
business before us this evening We have no new business items for introduction. The next item

616
01:03:38,433 --> 01:03:46,833
on our agenda is 2nd roster public comments. We have several s. Right, we

617
01:04:46,853 --> 01:04:51,458
will call the meeting back to order, so we are now at 2nd roster public comments. This

618
01:04:51,458 --> 01:04:55,461
portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the council on matters

619
01:04:55,461 --> 01:04:59,933
relating to city business, whether or not such items are on the meeting agenda. Those

620
01:04:59,933 --> 01:05:05,271
wishing to comment have signed up in advance, um, when called, approached the microphone,

621
01:05:05,271 --> 01:05:09,142
state your name, home address, and city of residence, and I will also call the person

622
01:05:09,142 --> 01:05:13,880
following so that you can be ready to come up. We'll move this process along. Each

623
01:05:13,880 --> 01:05:18,180
speaker speaker may address the council for 3 minutes. Speakers shall refrain. from entering

624
01:05:18,180 --> 01:05:22,210
into a dialogue with council members or city staff and from making comments regarding the

625
01:05:22,210 --> 01:05:27,260
good name and character of any individual. The first person signed up to speak is

626
01:05:27,260 --> 01:05:33,234
Christopher Boulware, who will be followed by Maggie Minsk, um Mr. Boltware. We'll just come

627
01:05:33,234 --> 01:05:42,834
right here. And you will each have 3 minutes. Good evening. City council. I am an Alabama

628
01:05:45,645 --> 01:05:49,649
native who graduated high school and college here. Name and address for the record,

629
01:05:49,649 --> 01:05:54,721
please. Christopher Bulware 119 Rebecca Pines Drive, Madison, Alabama. Thank you. I've lived

630
01:05:54,721 --> 01:06:00,593
in 5 states across this country I've seen enough to know that Huntsville is a special place.

631
01:06:00,593 --> 01:06:05,332
In one worth preserving. That's why I'm here to address what I consider a travesty against

632
01:06:05,332 --> 01:06:12,710
American freedoms. AI powered automated license plate readers with flock safety as the

633
01:06:12,710 --> 01:06:18,671
infamous market leader. Marketed to eliminate crime. This technology is dragnet

634
01:06:18,677 --> 01:06:23,749
surveillance, paving the road to a surveillance state. Alabama now ranks 6th

635
01:06:23,749 --> 01:06:30,490
nationally, and these cameras per capita. Fought claims that it makes communities safer, but

636
01:06:30,490 --> 01:06:37,364
a leaked internal tool called OS Investigate showed can correlate plate scans with data

637
01:06:37,364 --> 01:06:43,364
broker information. Social Security numbers, phone numbers relatives. Performing with

638
01:06:43,369 --> 01:06:50,110
Flock itself calls a one command background check. Another tool, convoy analysis,

639
01:06:50,110 --> 01:06:55,381
Clegg's vehicles traveling together, letting police monitor who regularly gathers,

640
01:06:55,381 --> 01:07:00,787
whether a criminal ring or simply neighbors, coworkers, or protesters. With 20 billion

641
01:07:00,787 --> 01:07:06,125
scans per month, you'd assume that Flock protects the data. And it's wrong. Researchers

642
01:07:06,125 --> 01:07:12,799
gained root access to a camera in under 30 seconds with a ladder. Credentials transmit in

643
01:07:12,799 --> 01:07:19,215
clear text and the cameras violate 8 of 10 industry internet security standards.

644
01:07:19,215 --> 01:07:23,954
Clock doesn't even require multi-factor authentication. And flock logins have been

645
01:07:23,954 --> 01:07:30,827
found for sale on Russian cybercrime forums and the public is responding. At least

646
01:07:30,827 --> 01:07:35,565
54 cities have canceled their flock contracts in 26 alone, including the LAPD after an

647
01:07:35,565 --> 01:07:42,572
audit showed a 1 in 3 chance of pulling over an innocent person The opposition is bipartisan,

648
01:07:42,572 --> 01:07:46,711
uh, Governor DeSantis recently said that the cameras are out of control. Congressman

649
01:07:46,711 --> 01:07:53,182
Burchett from Tennessee introduced HR 9800 to cut federal funding, and make no

650
01:07:53,182 --> 01:07:57,588
mistake, protecting Americans from AI overreach and mass surveillance has become one of

651
01:07:57,588 --> 01:08:03,393
the biggest issues voters use as their North Star at the ballot box. For Huntsville,

652
01:08:03,393 --> 01:08:07,597
this is a national security issue. We are one of the largest defense hubs in the

653
01:08:07,597 --> 01:08:13,937
nation, and for adversaries can buy stolen login credentials for a few $100. Mapped the

654
01:08:13,937 --> 01:08:18,341
vehicles of our defense contractors, trace them home, and profile cleared personnel

655
01:08:18,341 --> 01:08:24,881
for blackmail in minutes with no warrant. Our founders warned us, James Madison said there

656
01:08:24,881 --> 01:08:29,285
are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of people by gradual and silent

657
01:08:29,285 --> 01:08:34,492
encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations, and Benjamin

658
01:08:34,492 --> 01:08:38,561
Franklin said those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary

659
01:08:38,561 --> 01:08:43,568
safety deserved neither liberty or safety. As his counsel to cancel Flock's contract and

660
01:08:43,568 --> 01:08:50,374
pass a local ordinance requiring warrants for any mass surveillance data. Thank you.

661
01:08:50,374 --> 01:08:56,914
Thank you, sir. Next person to speak is Maggie Min Minsk following Ms. Minsk, we will

662
01:08:56,914 --> 01:09:06,914
hear from Jerry Burnett. Hi, my name's Maggie Minsk, and I live in Madison, um, but I'm also a

663
01:09:18,802 --> 01:09:26,276
business owner, uh, in Huntsville's District 5. Um, I am a single mother and business

664
01:09:26,276 --> 01:09:34,551
owner, and I'm also concerned about flock safety, um, which I believe is rather Orwellian, uh

665
01:09:34,551 --> 01:09:41,157
in speech and might be more aptly named Flux surveillance. I, I am truly concerned, uh,

666
01:09:41,157 --> 01:09:46,163
the cameras take videos, essentially a warrantless search of everyone in Hunts, uh

667
01:09:46,163 --> 01:09:50,501
Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, etc. all have contracts with Flock, um, Huntsville did it it

668
01:09:50,501 --> 01:09:59,501
first. Madison got theirs. Um, not too long ago for 86,000, uh the North Alabama Multi-agency

669
01:09:59,708 --> 01:10:04,180
Crime Center uses license plate readers, cameras, gunshot detection, which is microphones

670
01:10:04,180 --> 01:10:10,653
and also intelligence, AI, um, however, statistically, it seems like a study of flat

671
01:10:10,653 --> 01:10:19,262
cameras showed that ALPR's are wrong 71% of the time, leaving us to pay for a lawyer, take

672
01:10:19,262 --> 01:10:24,734
off work, and prove in court that it wasn't us, um, so. there's a concern about

673
01:10:24,734 --> 01:10:30,539
innocent until proven guilty, and once the data exists about all Huntsville citizens, it

674
01:10:30,539 --> 01:10:36,480
becomes a cybersecurity target. Uh, in January, Flock confirmed a security incident involving

675
01:10:36,480 --> 01:10:42,419
its condor cameras that exposed live camera feeds and archival footage and a allowed video to

676
01:10:42,419 --> 01:10:47,819
be deleted. Researchers have also demonstrated vulnerabilities in ALPR

677
01:10:48,557 --> 01:10:52,363
technology that exposed these surveillance systems to unauthorized access. Anything

678
01:10:52,363 --> 01:10:58,301
connected to a network is potentially vulnerable. Uh, 2 days ago, uh, August 25th,

679
01:10:58,301 --> 01:11:02,639
Pflugerville, Texas, unanimously voted to end its flat contract after it was

680
01:11:02,639 --> 01:11:08,639
revealed that. 1.6 million searches had been conducted by 459 outside organizations

681
01:11:13,382 --> 01:11:20,123
within a six month period. This week, a US Senate Jujudiciary Subcommittee opened a formal

682
01:11:20,123 --> 01:11:25,595
investigation into Flock's data collection access and sharing practices, flocksone materials

683
01:11:25,595 --> 01:11:31,868
acknowledge that it's LPR system is connected across 49 states while the ALC ACLU has

684
01:11:31,868 --> 01:11:36,807
raised concern about the creation of a nationwide surveillance infrastructure as

685
01:11:36,807 --> 01:11:42,878
a mental health professional, I'm concerned about the privacy and safety of clients or any

686
01:11:42,878 --> 01:11:47,483
vulnerable marginalized residents. How do we protect? Those seeking refuge from

687
01:11:47,483 --> 01:11:52,756
domestic violence, stalking, and other dangerous situations. Anyone can gain access and

688
01:11:52,756 --> 01:11:58,428
reconstruct where a client lives or a police officer, judge, city council member,

689
01:11:58,428 --> 01:12:03,366
track the movements of someone with national top secret clearance and what happens when

690
01:12:03,366 --> 01:12:07,905
Huntsville's military intelligence, aerospace, and, and defense activity becomes

691
01:12:07,905 --> 01:12:14,778
part of a searchable hackable surveillance database. The overall infrastructure also has

692
01:12:14,778 --> 01:12:21,651
an environmental cost yet to be ascertained. Um, finally, taxpayers very much, Ms. Minsk.

693
01:12:21,651 --> 01:12:27,591
Your time is up. Thank you for joining us tonight. We'll now hear from Jerry Burnett. Mr.

694
01:12:27,591 --> 01:12:35,391
Burnett will be followed by Austin Jones. Uh, Jerry, Jerry Burnett, 2405 Greenhill Drive,

695
01:12:38,335 --> 01:12:44,540
uh, to the mail and the rest of the council. Good evening. Thank you for allowing me to

696
01:12:44,540 --> 01:12:51,480
speak. I'm here because I have an issue with my next door neighbor. Who doesn't seem to

697
01:12:51,480 --> 01:13:01,800
care to keep their property up. And I've had to call my councilwoman, uh, several times

698
01:13:01,757 --> 01:13:06,280
Crash and debris that they leave around the house, they don't care that. Bring the

699
01:13:06,280 --> 01:13:11,701
trash can in, uh, dropped trash trash on the ground. They don't they'll just walk right over it

700
01:13:11,701 --> 01:13:17,773
They don't mind drinking a soda Throw the can out the door. And from time to time I've had to

701
01:13:17,773 --> 01:13:22,379
pick trash up that's coming over into my yard after it lay down for several days and the

702
01:13:22,379 --> 01:13:27,183
wind blew it into the yard. And I told my wife, I said, well, maybe we can put up with it

703
01:13:27,183 --> 01:13:37,183
until we can find the relocate. But then they got a cat, thththh cat that cononontinues to. use y

704
01:13:37,609 --> 01:13:44,749
Property for its bathroom. So that's, so I spent a lot of money to make my backyard

705
01:13:44,749 --> 01:13:52,957
catproof. But then the cats start going in the front to use you know, and it's creating

706
01:13:52,957 --> 01:13:58,296
flowers and other insects, and I've called them animal control and they, they come by a couple

707
01:13:58,296 --> 01:14:02,834
of times and once I come out to talk to him because I wanted to make sure you get your, get

708
01:14:02,834 --> 01:14:09,508
them to clean their. Cat litter out of my yard. And he told me, he said, why don't you go back

709
01:14:09,508 --> 01:14:16,314
in the house, sir? I got this. But in the meantime, Kat started doing his thing. So.

710
01:14:16,314 --> 01:14:24,655
I'm I don't like picking up cat litter, but that's why I don't have a cat. And I think if the

711
01:14:24,655 --> 01:14:31,930
owner should be responsible for their own cats and uh as it turned out the um. Animal

712
01:14:31,930 --> 01:14:38,669
control so that uh. If you get a picture of it, and, and, uh, go to the city magistrate and

713
01:14:38,669 --> 01:14:45,544
then maybe you can get some uh satisfaction from that so we'll give that a try. I put. Video

714
01:14:45,544 --> 01:14:50,140
up and I captured the cat. Out on my property and then we go to the city magistrate, and she

715
01:14:50,140 --> 01:14:55,288
looks at it and she says, well, the animal control set of caddies, y'all, this is a great

716
01:14:55,288 --> 01:14:57,755
cat. I said, well, I don't know why a yellow cat come from. Then she said, Well, you got to

717
01:14:57,755 --> 01:15:03,161
do it all over again. So it looks like I'm getng the runaround. In the meantime I

718
01:15:03,161 --> 01:15:10,502
got a cat problem. Um, that's my issue. I wonder what is there any solution though.

719
01:15:10,502 --> 01:15:17,642
Thank thank you sir um we can certainly get someone to meet. Miss, Ms. Watkins will meet

720
01:15:17,642 --> 01:15:23,782
with you afterwards to discuss it. Thank you very much. We'll next hear from Austin Jones,

721
01:15:23,782 --> 01:15:33,382
who will be followed Coden Cayden Helbling. Hi there. I'm Austin Jones. Uh, dress on the

722
01:15:35,393 --> 01:15:41,599
sheet and I'm out in no one's crossroads. I'm a 21 year Army vet and a member of the

723
01:15:41,599 --> 01:15:44,403
Democratic Socialists of America and I'm running for Madison County School Board

724
01:15:44,403 --> 01:15:51,800
District 3. I'm here to talk about safety. The top 3 causes of death for children,

725
01:15:51,800 --> 01:15:58,208
according to a New England Journal of Medicine study published May 13, 2026 are

726
01:15:59,283 --> 01:16:05,223
firearms, motor vehicles, and poison. Followed closely by cancer, which is on the rise

727
01:16:05,223 --> 01:16:13,230
among children. But there's something more insidious not captured by this study poverty

728
01:16:13,300 --> 01:16:19,237
and poverty has lifelong effects on our children, our future. The poverty rate for

729
01:16:19,237 --> 01:16:27,637
children in Madison County is 42.5%. That means just about every other child you meet

730
01:16:28,779 --> 01:16:35,520
around is living in poverty in the richest country in the history of the world. This

731
01:16:35,520 --> 01:16:40,124
doesn't count the number of kids that are borderline impoverished, which I would bet

732
01:16:40,124 --> 01:16:49,400
puts that number well over 50%. What are we doing? What's going on? I constantly hear from the

733
01:16:49,400 --> 01:16:55,606
Republicans how important and how much they care for kids. Do you really think the Epstein

734
01:16:55,606 --> 01:17:02,279
class sitting in office care. My dad always said the proof is in the pudding. Well, the

735
01:17:02,279 --> 01:17:11,556
children ain't even got no pudding to eat. And what they do eat 60% of it is processed.

736
01:17:11,556 --> 01:17:18,229
Why are we living in a real life Hunger Games. That book is a warning, not a goal on how

737
01:17:18,229 --> 01:17:23,235
society is supposed to run. The parents of these children are working their tails off over, 2

738
01:17:23,235 --> 01:17:30,376
and 3 jobs with what to show for it on top of the Epstein class, not paying people, they

739
01:17:30,376 --> 01:17:38,450
steal $50 billion a year in wages, so what are we doing? What's going on? Freedom starts

740
01:17:38,450 --> 01:17:42,988
but it sure is hard to study when you're hungry and your parents can't cook because

741
01:17:42,988 --> 01:17:51,988
they're at work. Freedom starts with education. All the power to all the people, free

742
01:17:52,263 --> 01:17:58,336
Palestine, solidarity forever. Thank you Mr. Jones. We'll hear now from Kayden Helbling. Mr.

743
01:17:58,336 --> 01:18:06,136
Helbling will be followed by Gerald Vines. I'm Cayden Helbling from Huntsville. My

744
01:18:06,411 --> 01:18:12,751
address is on the sheet. Um, I wanted to follow up with the city council and make others in

745
01:18:12,751 --> 01:18:17,154
Huntsville aware of the status of my records request, uh, surrounding the flock audit

746
01:18:17,154 --> 01:18:23,695
logs with the city. Uh, I spent 8 months, requesting those audit logs, um, that the city

747
01:18:23,695 --> 01:18:27,966
is legally required to have for oversight that they are capable of providing electronically and

748
01:18:27,966 --> 01:18:32,637
have been provided by Blount County in Alabama unredacted for the public to review, um,

749
01:18:32,637 --> 01:18:36,775
but for whatever reason, uh, the city has determined that they are not legally compelled

750
01:18:36,775 --> 01:18:41,914
to provide them, um. After my last update at City council uh during the last uh city council

751
01:18:41,914 --> 01:18:48,520
meeting, uh, I stayed after to speak with council president, uh, Robinson about why Blount

752
01:18:48,520 --> 01:18:52,591
County, um, under the same rules and regulations as, uh, Huntsville was able to provide

753
01:18:52,591 --> 01:18:57,395
the same documents I was asking for, and she told me that it is because Huntsville is bigger

754
01:18:57,395 --> 01:19:04,100
and has more lawyers. Um, that is something that I think those living in District 3, should

755
01:19:04,100 --> 01:19:10,275
keep in mind during the runoff election on September 22nd. Additionally, uh, city attorney

756
01:19:10,275 --> 01:19:14,144
Trey Riley told me that I will have to go to court if I want these audits and that I should,

757
01:19:14,144 --> 01:19:19,885
and should I be successful, that I will be putting children in danger. One more thing that

758
01:19:19,885 --> 01:19:24,880
I would like to highlight because there is news of Flock uh implementing some new safety

759
01:19:24,880 --> 01:19:29,160
guidelines. Uh, the city's official stance is as follows. The city rejects the premise

760
01:19:29,160 --> 01:19:32,964
that flock safety's guidance documents established the city's legal obligations under

761
01:19:32,964 --> 01:19:38,369
Alabama law. Flock Safety is a private software vendor. It's publications, user manuals,

762
01:19:38,369 --> 01:19:42,794
customer guidance documents, and recommended practices are not statutes, judicial

763
01:19:42,794 --> 01:19:47,466
decisions, or opinions of the Alabama Attorney general. They possess no president, and no

764
01:19:47,466 --> 01:19:51,670
presidential value and cannot define, expand or restrict the city's legal obligations under

765
01:19:51,670 --> 01:19:56,674
Alabama's Public Records Act or any Alabama case law that has endeavored to interpret the

766
01:19:56,674 --> 01:20:01,146
same, nor can they be substituted for the statutory analysis required under Alabama

767
01:20:01,146 --> 01:20:07,218
law. Effectively, the city can do whatever it chooses regardless of what Flock

768
01:20:07,218 --> 01:20:11,623
recommends or suggests that the users do. So if you hear anything about, um, you know,

769
01:20:11,623 --> 01:20:15,940
flock implementing new safety tools. Take it with a massive heap of salt. The city does not

770
01:20:15,940 --> 01:20:20,298
have to follow it. Uh, these systems have never been up for public vote, have no means of

771
01:20:20,298 --> 01:20:23,167
public oversight, and it appears that rather than listening to those living in

772
01:20:23,167 --> 01:20:27,639
Huntsville and change those things, the city is looking at other vendors with all the same

773
01:20:27,639 --> 01:20:34,646
problems. Let's do better. Thank you. Thank you. We'll now hear from Gerald Vines, who

774
01:20:34,646 --> 01:20:42,786
will be followed by Molly Cluck Good evening, Gerald Vines 165 Mid Park Drive, Meridianville,

775
01:20:42,786 --> 01:20:47,725
Alabama. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor Madam President and council members, thank you

776
01:20:47,725 --> 01:20:54,398
for allowing me to share this vision with for the Omega Psi Phi fraternities, 50th state

777
01:20:54,398 --> 01:20:58,802
meeting hosted here in the Rocket City October 2nd through the 4th. I am the state marshal

778
01:20:58,802 --> 01:21:05,744
for this meeting. We're excited to be in Huntsville for this meeting, and it's more than,

779
01:21:05,744 --> 01:21:10,414
more than just the gathering of men. It is an opportunity to provide economic impact, serve

780
01:21:10,414 --> 01:21:15,219
the Huntsville community, and invest in the next generation through youth enrichment

781
01:21:15,219 --> 01:21:19,757
activities. The economic impact We're expecting approximately 1000 members from across the

782
01:21:19,757 --> 01:21:23,828
state of Alabama and beyond our attendings will have an opportunity to experience the

783
01:21:23,828 --> 01:21:26,431
city's restaurants, entertainment, and other destinations and support the

784
01:21:26,431 --> 01:21:32,303
local economy. Uh, we encourage them to stay in our hotels and patronize the local businesses.

785
01:21:32,303 --> 01:21:39,310
The community impact. However, Our presence in the city of Huntsville is not just economic

786
01:21:39,310 --> 01:21:44,449
service is the heart of Omega Psi Phi. We are planning a community service project with

787
01:21:44,449 --> 01:21:48,786
the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Huntsville on the Pulasia Pike to to set up their

788
01:21:48,786 --> 01:21:55,860
computer labs for them to Um, For the education opportunities community programming, and, and

789
01:21:55,860 --> 01:22:01,866
at the center. As you know, access to technology is increasingly important for

790
01:22:01,866 --> 01:22:04,469
students pursuing education, career opportunities, and, and, and, and digital skills. We

791
01:22:04,469 --> 01:22:09,407
have a talent competition that will be held Friday night, uh, October 2nd at the Marriott,

792
01:22:09,407 --> 01:22:13,345
and this competition will be, will be hosted by our fraternity, and we have

793
01:22:13,345 --> 01:22:17,748
students from all over the state competing in this competition. Then we'll have a

794
01:22:17,748 --> 01:22:22,620
STEM competition that'll be held on Saturday at the um Space camp operations center

795
01:22:22,620 --> 01:22:31,362
now we have members young kids from all the state at the STEM competitions as well. Our goal

796
01:22:31,362 --> 01:22:37,968
Is to ensure that when the members of Omega Psi Phi leave Huntsville, we leave behind

797
01:22:37,968 --> 01:22:42,506
something tangible that continues to benefit the community. We welcome the state

798
01:22:42,506 --> 01:22:46,710
of Huntsville to partner with us in making this a memorable and impactful weekend for our

799
01:22:46,710 --> 01:22:51,849
members, our young people, and the entire Huntsville community As a part of this weekend's

800
01:22:51,849 --> 01:22:57,855
activities, our public meeting will be held on Friday, October 7th at 7 p.m. at the Helmsford

801
01:22:57,855 --> 01:23:04,729
Marriott. We will be honored to have representatives from the cities of Huntsville to join us

802
01:23:04,729 --> 01:23:07,665
bringing greetings and welcoming our visitors to the, to our great city. Your

803
01:23:07,665 --> 01:23:13,737
presence and help. would help demonstrate the strong partnership between the city of

804
01:23:13,737 --> 01:23:16,808
Huntsville and the Alabama statewide organization of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. As we come

805
01:23:16,808 --> 01:23:23,681
together. Around economic opportunities, service, and the arts and development of our

806
01:23:23,681 --> 01:23:27,885
youth. We look forward to welcoming you to this and the city, to our Alabama statewide

807
01:23:27,885 --> 01:23:32,689
organization. Meeting it will make us our fire on October 2nd through the 4th. Thank you.

808
01:23:32,689 --> 01:23:40,832
Thank you, Mr. Vines. We'll now hear from Molly Cluck who will be followed by Luis Bal

809
01:23:40,832 --> 01:23:50,832
Balderrama. My name is Molly Cluck. My address is correct on the form, and I'm a resident of

810
01:23:52,420 --> 01:23:56,848
Huntsville. Thank you. Good evening everyone. I'm here tonight to demand rejection of

811
01:23:56,848 --> 01:24:01,586
the expansion of automatic license plate reader surveillance. This is often

812
01:24:01,586 --> 01:24:05,723
presented as a simple public safety tool, but that description leaves out the most

813
01:24:05,723 --> 01:24:10,461
important question. What happens to the relationship between citizens and government

814
01:24:10,461 --> 01:24:14,999
When the government is allowed to collect information on everyone all the time without

815
01:24:14,999 --> 01:24:20,271
suspicion of wrongdoing. ALPRs collect license plates, locations, and time stamps from

816
01:24:20,271 --> 01:24:25,743
everyone who happens to drive past a camera. That means the government can build a

817
01:24:25,743 --> 01:24:28,813
searchable record of where ordinary people have been, even when those people are not

818
01:24:28,813 --> 01:24:34,820
suspected of committing any crime. That is an inversion of a basic principle of a free

819
01:24:34,820 --> 01:24:39,357
society. We are being asked to accept a system where everyone is treated as a potential

820
01:24:39,357 --> 01:24:44,495
future suspect. The government collects first and justifies the search later. Instead of

821
01:24:44,495 --> 01:24:48,967
public power being limited and accountable, ordinary people are made permanently available

822
01:24:48,967 --> 01:24:53,704
for inspection. Citizens should not have to live under constant surveillance so that someday

823
01:24:53,704 --> 01:24:58,577
the government might decide their past movements are worth investigating. And surveillance

824
01:24:58,577 --> 01:25:03,981
does not fall equally on everyone, people who work irregular hours rely on older

825
01:25:03,981 --> 01:25:08,652
vehicles, travel across jurisdictions, organize with neighbors, attend protest,

826
01:25:08,652 --> 01:25:14,458
visit clinics, or move through heavily monitored areas are more likely to be recorded and

827
01:25:14,458 --> 01:25:17,395
scrutinized. A system that collects everyone's movements becomes a system that

828
01:25:17,395 --> 01:25:22,600
disciplines the people with the least power to challenge it. And once that infrastructure

829
01:25:22,600 --> 01:25:26,337
exists, the question is no longer simply whether we trust today's police department. It

830
01:25:26,337 --> 01:25:31,608
is whether we trust every future administration, every future employee with access,

831
01:25:31,608 --> 01:25:35,813
every agency this data may be shared with and every future expansion of this technology.

832
01:25:35,813 --> 01:25:42,286
Power that can be abused finds someone willing to abuse it. We also need to ask whether the

833
01:25:42,286 --> 01:25:47,758
evidence justifies the cost. A quasi randomized study found an increase in vehicle recoveries,

834
01:25:47,758 --> 01:25:51,896
but no increase in arrests and little clear evidence of general crime prevention

835
01:25:51,896 --> 01:25:57,101
benefits. Earlier experimental research into Northern Virginia jurisdictions found no

836
01:25:57,101 --> 01:26:00,704
statistically significant reduction in general crime, auto-related crime, auto theft,

837
01:26:00,704 --> 01:26:05,443
or theft from autos associated with ALPR patrols. Public resources should be directed

838
01:26:05,443 --> 01:26:09,847
towards measures that strengthen people's security directly, reliable emergency

839
01:26:09,847 --> 01:26:14,319
response, housing stability, mental health services, safe transportation, and the

840
01:26:14,319 --> 01:26:18,923
conditions that allow people to live with dignity, a technology that expands the state's power

841
01:26:18,923 --> 01:26:23,462
to watch everyone should not take priority over investments that improve people's lives. A

842
01:26:23,462 --> 01:26:27,733
safe society does not require turning the entire public into a database just in case someone

843
01:26:27,733 --> 01:26:32,337
might be useful to an investigation later. The people of this community are not raw

844
01:26:32,337 --> 01:26:38,610
material for an ever growing surveillance system. Safety and freedom are not opposites. No

845
01:26:38,610 --> 01:26:42,680
one here should accept a false choice between protecting our community and protecting our

846
01:26:42,680 --> 01:26:47,618
civil liberties. I urge this council to reject the expansion of ALPR surveillance and to

847
01:26:47,618 --> 01:26:52,222
refuse to build a system of mass suspicionless monitoring in our community. Thank you.

848
01:26:52,222 --> 01:27:01,566
Thank you. We'll now hear from Luis Valderrama who will be followed by Joyce Macklin. Is

849
01:27:01,566 --> 01:27:09,366
Mr. Balderrama here? Good evening, Mayor and council. So accidentally name and address,

850
01:27:15,247 --> 01:27:21,510
so Louis Baldroma, 1580 John Wesley Way. Thank you. So I thought that was a and she, so

851
01:27:21,510 --> 01:27:24,455
I accidentally signed up to speak. So while I'm here, um, I'd like to introduce myself

852
01:27:24,455 --> 01:27:28,326
again, Louis Balrama. I am the chair for the city of Huntsville's Community

853
01:27:28,326 --> 01:27:32,663
Development Citizen Advisory council, and while I'm here I would like to thank Community

854
01:27:32,663 --> 01:27:35,999
Development for everything it does and. I would like to cordially invite everyone on

855
01:27:35,999 --> 01:27:40,720
council. We've already had Mayor Battle come speak to us to join us in any one of our

856
01:27:40,720 --> 01:27:46,878
meetings. So that's uh standing invitation for whenever you get a chance. Um, one thing we have

857
01:27:46,878 --> 01:27:50,547
been talking about a lot during the CAC is housing affordability here in the city

858
01:27:50,547 --> 01:27:56,190
of Huntsville. Um, as in North Alabama native, I've gotten to see the process of housing

859
01:27:56,190 --> 01:28:01,758
skyrocketed in my short life that I have been alive. Um, a lot of residents who grew up

860
01:28:01,758 --> 01:28:06,230
here are starting to feel the impact of that. So down payments are starting to become

861
01:28:06,230 --> 01:28:09,234
incredibly high, and we who grew up here and have lived here our whole lives are

862
01:28:09,234 --> 01:28:13,839
struggling to be able to afford some of those. So we ask that if counsel could seek some

863
01:28:13,839 --> 01:28:19,911
solutions to help address some of these issues. That'd be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

864
01:28:19,911 --> 01:28:24,182
Thank you, sir. Thank you for being with us and for serving on the advisory council. We'll

865
01:28:24,182 --> 01:28:33,182
now hear from Joyce Macklin, who will be followed by Edward. Uhniowski Junior. Miss Macklin

866
01:28:33,591 --> 01:28:43,134
Not here. We will then go on to Mr. Ponniowski. And who will be followed by Christopher, uh,

867
01:28:43,134 --> 01:28:51,534
boulware. I thought we were. Edward Pontiatowski, 821 Mira Vista Drive. Uh, I'm just here

868
01:29:01,285 --> 01:29:10,940
to just as a general citizen provide Uh, my discrepancy with the flawed camera industry as

869
01:29:10,940 --> 01:29:14,232
of right now, I don't think that's a good direction for the city of Huntsville to move

870
01:29:14,232 --> 01:29:17,701
forward, and I just wanted to provide my, uh, general comment on that. Thank you. Thank you,

871
01:29:17,701 --> 01:29:24,975
sir. We'll now hear from Christopher Boulware, who will be followed by Shaylon Moody. I

872
01:29:24,975 --> 01:29:30,470
signed up through the phone and then I signed. OK, very good. Thank you. Uh, Shay, Shaylyn

873
01:29:30,470 --> 01:29:39,470
Moody, and then Doctor Angela Somerset. Hi. Thank you Mayor and council members for hearing

874
01:29:39,591 --> 01:29:44,128
me out on an opportunity to raise the level of name and address please for the record.

875
01:29:44,128 --> 01:29:48,866
Yes, my name is Shaleen Modi, uh, address is correct on the sheet and your city of

876
01:29:48,866 --> 01:29:55,140
residence Huntsville, Alabama. Thank you, sir. Yes, ma'am. So thank you for hearing me out on

877
01:29:55,140 --> 01:30:01,679
something uh of an opportunity to raise the safety awareness level across the city, um, I am

878
01:30:01,679 --> 01:30:07,818
I've been a resident, uh, resident of Huntsville since 2018. Yes, I am another

879
01:30:07,818 --> 01:30:13,558
engineer in town. I'm also a civic engagement, uh, academy alum and related to safety, I'm

880
01:30:13,558 --> 01:30:19,430
also a former Boy Scout, former volunteer firefighter, and also went through the training

881
01:30:19,430 --> 01:30:24,969
classes for the community emergency response team through Madison. Tony Cert. In a

882
01:30:24,969 --> 01:30:29,174
growing city like ours, we have an opportunity to address concerns of many new residents

883
01:30:29,174 --> 01:30:37,782
who may not know what to expect when or how best to interact with first responders.

884
01:30:37,782 --> 01:30:42,920
Additionally, some, some just lack confidence or competence to assess someone in medical

885
01:30:42,920 --> 01:30:48,860
distress, which may cause the situation to worsen. Metrics of growing cities often show

886
01:30:48,860 --> 01:30:55,333
safety and harm prevention efforts may fall short in uh unless you have a critical mass

887
01:30:55,333 --> 01:31:00,805
of trained professionals or bystanders, just generally spread across the city. What I

888
01:31:00,805 --> 01:31:05,476
propose then is a pilot project for a citizens' safety and preparedness academy, which

889
01:31:05,476 --> 01:31:10,882
could slot right in next to the Citizens Police Academy and Citizens or the civic

890
01:31:10,882 --> 01:31:17,890
engagement academy. The end goal would be to increase survivability rates of victims

891
01:31:17,890 --> 01:31:25,900
reported on 911 calls related to emergency medical distress through raising the overall

892
01:31:25,229 --> 01:31:29,367
safety consciousness of our residents. The situations I have in mind are often time

893
01:31:29,367 --> 01:31:36,374
critical. Such as heart attack, stroke, blunt trauma, mental illness episodes, seizures,

894
01:31:36,374 --> 01:31:43,180
heat stroke, excessive bleeding and similar. Having someone who practices clear communication

895
01:31:43,180 --> 01:31:51,989
and risk assessment in dynamic situations are some of the best people to have in an emergency.

896
01:31:51,989 --> 01:31:57,128
Their confidence and calmness is a safety multiplier. A pilot program of about 30

897
01:31:57,128 --> 01:32:01,135
participants seems to be a sizable enough cohort which can train in how to speak and

898
01:32:01,135 --> 01:32:05,872
interact with the emergency call center personnel and first responders. Trained in CPR and

899
01:32:05,872 --> 01:32:10,676
AD and recognizing signs of various medical conditions. Additionally, fire extinguisher

900
01:32:10,676 --> 01:32:16,615
use and fire escape planning would be helpful. After the sessions conclude, we can check

901
01:32:16,615 --> 01:32:21,821
in quarterly with the participants and the newly safe uh safely aware to see what

902
01:32:21,821 --> 01:32:28,427
kind of effect they have had in the community and continue the program pending the results.

903
01:32:28,427 --> 01:32:32,765
Raising the safety consciousness across the city may show up in different ways

904
01:32:32,765 --> 01:32:37,102
and increasing the survival rates. Dispatchers and first responders having an easier

905
01:32:37,102 --> 01:32:41,842
time to get through an incident participants may take up careers in emergency services,

906
01:32:41,842 --> 01:32:46,379
and we may see an uptick of residents getting formal CPR and first aid training. It

907
01:32:46,379 --> 01:32:52,785
might even cause some old boys to formally designate a 911 caller for a pickup game of

908
01:32:52,785 --> 01:32:57,523
football. Thank you, sir. Um, we appreciate you being here. We'll now hear from Doctor

909
01:32:57,523 --> 01:33:06,523
Angela Somerset, who will be followed by um. Tyler Gottney. OK. Good evening counsel. My

910
01:33:08,600 --> 01:33:14,808
name is Doctor Angela Somerset, and I reside at 9 Chalkstone Street. Thank you, sir or ma'am

911
01:33:14,808 --> 01:33:23,820
OK. This evening I would like to talk about a double standard I would also like to talk about

912
01:33:23,820 --> 01:33:31,357
the importance of financial responsibility. The same way that our city requires us to be

913
01:33:31,357 --> 01:33:38,364
responsible financially. I would like to also see that our utility company. is responsible

914
01:33:38,364 --> 01:33:47,364
Right now young people are facing a huge responsibility. As well as a. Pressure in

915
01:33:48,307 --> 01:33:55,915
regards to affording homes. Medical care. But our city sits uniquely under an umbrella for

916
01:33:55,915 --> 01:34:00,319
the city of Huntsville, Huntsville Utility sits under that umbrella as well as

917
01:34:00,319 --> 01:34:05,658
Huntsville Hospital under the healthcare authority. Many of you may not know that if you

918
01:34:05,658 --> 01:34:11,398
face problems in paying your utility bill. And now you are unable to pay your medical bill

919
01:34:11,398 --> 01:34:16,603
that the hospital can place a lien against you. You could lose everything and that's why

920
01:34:16,603 --> 01:34:22,342
we are seeing such a rise. In homelessness, but one of the most important things that I am

921
01:34:22,342 --> 01:34:25,945
still concerned about is that $4 million deficit and we keep brushing past it and I will

922
01:34:25,945 --> 01:34:31,951
bring it up every time, whether it be here or on social media. Because I think as we all have

923
01:34:31,951 --> 01:34:38,691
seen now social media is a very powerful force. The one concern I'm also going to bring up is

924
01:34:38,691 --> 01:34:43,897
we have a city administrator. I'd like to see that in your budgets. Miss Penny Smith, I'd

925
01:34:43,897 --> 01:34:52,105
like an answer. Council persons I'd like an answer. And this is why our city is changing. Young

926
01:34:52,105 --> 01:34:56,776
people are looking for answers. We're looking for responsiveness. This past week,

927
01:34:56,776 --> 01:35:03,583
one of my neighbors, ironically an attorney asked me to look at another, uh, citizen's bill of

928
01:35:03,583 --> 01:35:09,722
$1,601. It took me 3 days to get my mind around that before I made a few calls to

929
01:35:09,722 --> 01:35:15,395
Huntsville utilities, and they corrected that person's bill by $591 and change. It's very rare

930
01:35:15,395 --> 01:35:20,866
that you see the doctor help the attorney, but this was the case. There are too much in

931
01:35:20,866 --> 01:35:26,710
regards to misreads from a utility company that is still not representing accountability

932
01:35:26,710 --> 01:35:30,944
and transparency as well as getting those books and just like this young man was saying

933
01:35:30,944 --> 01:35:38,684
with the flock cameras, etc. We we have open record laws. And what you don't realize is that

934
01:35:38,684 --> 01:35:43,155
these young people, if they're not getting the answers here, they will take this to social

935
01:35:43,155 --> 01:35:48,627
media and the world will see it Thank you. Thank you Dr. Somerset. We'll now hear from

936
01:35:48,627 --> 01:35:58,227
Tyler Gottney, who will be followed by Holiday Holyfield. Hey, I am, uh, Tyler Gotney, uh

937
01:35:59,706 --> 01:36:06,378
Huntsville District 5. My address is on the sheet. I'm here to, um. Speak out against

938
01:36:06,378 --> 01:36:11,316
Flock. I know the little worm that's uh worming its way through your head, fuck, you

939
01:36:11,316 --> 01:36:15,187
have no reason reasonable expectation of privacy in public and it's collecting

940
01:36:15,187 --> 01:36:21,927
public data. But my argument hinges on a recent Supreme Court ruling in June of this

941
01:36:21,927 --> 01:36:28,869
year, Chater of the United States. The Supreme Court. Uh, pontificated the stance that

942
01:36:28,869 --> 01:36:33,406
individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the whole of their movements and

943
01:36:33,406 --> 01:36:39,679
Flock is fundamentally tracking those movements. It further reasons against surveillance

944
01:36:39,679 --> 01:36:44,150
technology offering newfound tracking capacity, technology that runs against everyone, not

945
01:36:44,150 --> 01:36:49,489
just those under investigation and technology that can travel back in time, the court's

946
01:36:49,489 --> 01:36:53,893
reasoning provided that location history is protected under the Fourth Amendment as

947
01:36:53,893 --> 01:36:58,230
follows location history provides an even more fine tuned. picture of a person's

948
01:36:58,230 --> 01:37:03,102
movement, location history allows police to reconstruct retrospectively and with no

949
01:37:03,102 --> 01:37:07,708
real effort people's comings and goings in any area enabling tireless and absolute

950
01:37:07,708 --> 01:37:13,980
surveillance of any number of people in any number of places. Location history implicates

951
01:37:13,980 --> 01:37:18,250
personal privacy interests because location history is the individual's own in that way

952
01:37:18,250 --> 01:37:25,257
location history resembles other private materials. That even if stored on a private

953
01:37:25,257 --> 01:37:28,261
company's servers are user reasonably expects to be shielded from the inquisitive

954
01:37:28,261 --> 01:37:34,667
eyes of the government. The court also referenced prior landmark rulings on privacy

955
01:37:34,667 --> 01:37:42,608
such as Carpenter. Carpenter v. United States where. A rule that acquisitions of Aon CSLI

956
01:37:42,608 --> 01:37:47,479
data constitutes a protected Fourth Amendment search in United States v. Jones. It

957
01:37:47,479 --> 01:37:52,284
ruled that attaching a GPS device to a vehicle and then using the device to monitor the

958
01:37:52,284 --> 01:37:59,424
vehicle's movements constitutes 1/4 Amendment search in United States via Dri deri uh Fourth

959
01:37:59,424 --> 01:38:06,310
Amendment is designed to place obstacles in the way of two permeating police surveillance.

960
01:38:06,310 --> 01:38:11,241
How then can you argue in good faith that a mass surveillance network. Such as ALPR

961
01:38:11,241 --> 01:38:14,978
technology where the movements of people are easily discoverable in a tireless and

962
01:38:14,978 --> 01:38:19,649
absolute surveillance network allows parallel reconstruction of for anything that they want

963
01:38:19,649 --> 01:38:28,490
to charge a person is not Fourth Amendment private protected domain. Um, the other

964
01:38:28,257 --> 01:38:32,529
argument commonly is that you have nothing to hide if you have, you have nothing to fear

965
01:38:32,529 --> 01:38:37,801
if. You have nothing to hide, but it indicates that the speaker fundamentally demands

966
01:38:37,801 --> 01:38:43,940
we justify our desire for governmental boundaries. It is on America and un-American, and

967
01:38:43,940 --> 01:38:48,545
I shouldn't have to explain to my thick-headed politicians why I'm glad I don't live in a

968
01:38:48,545 --> 01:38:55,352
surveillance state like China or Russia. The nothing to hide argument uses sound circular

969
01:38:55,352 --> 01:39:02,226
reasoning to present a false dichotomy to people. And another common argument is that

970
01:39:02,226 --> 01:39:08,898
the national movement that's the end of your time. Well now our last speaker will be Dana

971
01:39:08,898 --> 01:39:16,698
Holiday Holyfield. Thank you. My name is Dana Holiday Hollifield. I live at 10,010

972
01:39:18,400 --> 01:39:22,179
Strong Drive, Southeast Huntsville, and my mother-in-law, I'm here with,

973
01:39:22,179 --> 01:39:30,787
uh, to represent her as well. She lives at 4301 Holmes Avenue Northwest. So, um, I know that

974
01:39:30,787 --> 01:39:35,859
Tara Bailey has spoken to several of y'all about uh removing the sales tax on

975
01:39:35,859 --> 01:39:42,799
hearing aids, um, the state did that 2024 and Madison City followed suit, and I don't

976
01:39:42,799 --> 01:39:49,340
think a lot of people realize that, you know, that that is taxed and it's a significant

977
01:39:49,340 --> 01:39:56,120
amount. It's 4.5%, and I went with my mother-in-law to get her hearing aids, and that was

978
01:39:56,120 --> 01:40:02,819
hundreds of dollars, extra dollars that she is on a budget We're talking about an 83 year

979
01:40:02,819 --> 01:40:11,628
old woman who every dollar counts, and that 4.5% on those expensive hearing aids is, you

980
01:40:11,628 --> 01:40:18,234
know, for some people it may be the. matter of groceries or getting my medication. So, um,

981
01:40:18,234 --> 01:40:22,706
when they don't have their hearing aids, as a nurse, I see what that means. We're talking

982
01:40:22,706 --> 01:40:27,978
about social isolation. People feeling like they're left out of the conversation that they

983
01:40:27,978 --> 01:40:32,316
can't interact. It can lead to depression. We're talking about people just feeling like, you

984
01:40:32,316 --> 01:40:36,853
know, they're old, you know, and going through all these things, and then now they can't

985
01:40:36,853 --> 01:40:41,725
even participate in conversations. Um, so I feel like we need to follow suit and

986
01:40:41,725 --> 01:40:47,665
provide a re. Resolution to remove that sales tax is not that much. I don't think it's

987
01:40:47,665 --> 01:40:52,469
going to impact the budget that much to remove that, but it could really mean a lot to some

988
01:40:52,469 --> 01:40:58,742
of our senior citizens, um, and making a difference in their lives. So I would really like

989
01:40:58,742 --> 01:41:03,680
for y'all to consider bringing a resolution forth so that we can remove that sale tag and

990
01:41:03,680 --> 01:41:08,285
follow suit with what the state has done, what Madison City's done. We need to go ahead and

991
01:41:08,285 --> 01:41:14,891
get this done. I know several of you have spoken with Tara Bailey. And myself, please,

992
01:41:14,891 --> 01:41:18,895
let's consider getting that done. I appreciate y'all's time and I always appreciate your

993
01:41:18,895 --> 01:41:24,368
service. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Holyfield. That's our final speaker and concludes all the

994
01:41:24,368 --> 01:41:32,441
items on our agenda is there a motion to adjourn. for Mr for Mr. Little, and we are

995
01:41:32,441 --> 01:41:35,441
adjourned. It is 7:54 p.m.